Heaps of snow is a heap of danger

I'm all in favor of having residential streets plowed during major snowstorms. Yet, at the same time, the practice packs the snow so densely at the curb line that it produces a different set of problems ["Snow heaps of trouble," News, Jan. 29].

The snow piles left by the plows are so hard that shoveling is impossible, and even many snowblowers cannot eat through it. When this happens, catch basins for our storm sewer system become blocked and water from melting snow has no place to go and so instead puddles up. As the sun sets and the temperature goes down, those puddles turn into slick ice, posing a major hazard to pedestrians and drivers alike.

I fear that parts of my neighborhood may be unfit for pedestrians for many weeks to come.

Leonard Cohen

Wantagh

When pushing snow around that accumulated over several storms, there are often mountainous heaps of snow. Generally this is acceptable, but at intersections it becomes a hazard to safe driving.

A driver coming onto a main road cannot look over the mounds of snow and see oncoming traffic. A driver must enter the main road with the hood of his or her car halfway across the road to see oncoming traffic, which generally approaches at a good speed.

Even if we "inch" our way into a position where we can see oncoming traffic, we will be too far in the lane of oncoming traffic to avoid a collision. I've even shoveled snow off the tops of some of these snow mounds in my neighborhood. I've had too many close calls.

Can the drivers of snow removal vehicles be instructed to keep the corners of intersections free of dumped snow - perhaps for a distance of three car lengths from the corners - so that collisions can be avoided?

It would also be helpful for all drivers on major roads to be aware of unseen automobiles trying to come onto the main road from obscured side roads on the right, and be prepared to stop at these intersections regardless of whether we have the right of way.

Robert Shorin

Syosset