Are space-savers legal? Can you shovel into the road? New Bedford’s rules

A snowstorm is headed our way this weekend. So far it’s unclear if there’ll be any accumulation — or if it’ll be very much — but you may want to keep the shovels and snow-throwers handy just in case.

Based on the most recent forecast, we could expect about 3 inches of snow, which is not a lot by New England standards, but it still needs shoveling.

Though we should be well-used to snow around here, it never hurts to brush up on the laws and rules of etiquette when it comes to plowing, shoveling and parking.

Here’s a quick reminder:

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What are the rules for property owners when it comes to shoveling snow?

Simply put: Take this snow and shovel it. In New Bedford, the law says you have a “reasonable time after such snow has ceased to fall” to get it off your sidewalk.

There are some more unusual circumstances though. If it’s fallen during the day, you have four hours after it’s fallen to clear your sidewalk. If it fell overnight, you have until “11:00 in the forenoon next succeeding.”

What’s the penalty for not shoveling?

It’s not a criminal offense. The fine is $50.

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Can you shovel snow back into the road?

Nope. “No person shall place snow or ice upon any street or upon a bridge,” according to the law.

Some tend to believe that dumping it into a street is fine because a plow will clear it. But the rule of thumb is, if you want a clear, plowed street for car traffic, shoveling snow into the street will not help. It makes more work for plow drivers, which means a truck will have to drive by again – and push the snow back onto a sidewalk, and you’re back at Square One.

Can you shovel snow onto a neighbor’s sidewalk?

Only if you have their “express permission.” Otherwise that’s illegal (and very mean).

Can you save a parking space in front of your house?

No. If it’s not a car, it doesn’t belong in the street. And your property rights end at the property line, which doesn’t include the parking space.

Parking spaces are very scarce already in many neighborhoods, and that number gets cut in half if there’s a parking ban. Still, space-savers like chairs, trash barrels, traffic cones and whatnot are not supposed to be used.

That said, if you didn’t shovel out a space and you need to use it, try not to park for too long. Respect dibs.

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Who is responsible for shoveling outside an apartment building: the landlord or tenant?

The law makes no distinction. It says “every owner or occupant of a building or lot of land abutting upon a sidewalk” has to clear the sidewalk. Who actually lifts the shovel is an issue tenants and landlords have to decide among themselves.

How old is too old to shovel snow?

Experts at the American Heart Association have said there’s no specific age cutoff, but if you’re 45 or older, be cautious and take frequent breaks.

The association also advises people with known or suspected heart disease, high blood pressure or high cholesterol to take extra care when shoveling snow. The same goes for people who regularly smoke, are very inactive, are obese or are habitually sedentary should be careful, too.

If you have a heart condition, have musculoskeletal conditions or have impaired balance, don’t shovel.

Nearly 200,000 adults were treated in emergency rooms for snow-shovel-related accidents from 1990 to 2006, and more than 1,600 deaths were reported in that time frame, according to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: New Bedford’s snow shoveling laws, FAQ: The rules of snow removal