A plea for personal responsibility lies at the heart of a potentially dangerous situation on the streets of Sioux Falls.

When you have so many miles of streets to maintain in a city that is hurtling toward a population of 180,000 it’s nearly impossible to address every conceivable hazard. As a matter of responsibility, the City of Sioux Falls snow removal crews did their job to the best of their ability in this situation.

The most recent snowfall of January 24 and 25 where approximately nine inches of snow fell in various areas of Sioux Falls still leaves an impact. In the picture is a mound of snow left behind by the plow operator who had to move around a car left on South Oxbow Avenue south of the entrance to Sertoma Park during the Snow Alert.

Obviously the vehicle has returned to service since all that’s left is the ridge about two feet tall and sufficiently hardened by the various thaws and freezes over the past two weeks. This may not be a big deal to you if Oxbow is not one of the streets you travel regularly, however it’s possible there may be a similar occurrence near where you live or drive.

Let’s not assign blame or fault. Rather it underscores the responsibilities we have to each other when heavy snows arrive.

Assignment number one to those who own or operate a car, please help the people who are clearing the streets by removing your four-wheeled machine off the street. During that gig it’s hard enough to have your mind going in multiple directions throughout a twelve-hour shift then have to swing wide and not smash someone’s mode of transportation. Plus if you call the city and tell them the car is moved, they will do their best to come back and clear the area to the curb.

Another bit of friendly advice that applies to the one behind the wheel. Best be paying attention to the road. That mini-iceberg could do some damage to your own ride and maybe someone else’s if it causes a loss of control.

Even the most seasoned bronco-buster would have a hard time holding on during a wild ride such as that. A major snow event may still loom in the distance, so let’s do our best for the next test. Plus a friendly call to the Sioux Falls Street Department would help them get a handle on other places where there are mini peaks on the streets.


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