Winter Walking and Cycling

[MidTowner]

Every year is different, but this hasn't been a particularly hard winter.

...

It hasn't been a very difficult winter for sidewalk clearing, in my opinion.

Subjectively, and subject to all sorts of cognitive biases, I've found it considerably more difficult to keep my sidewalk clear to concrete. That's in part because I'm trying to do it without salt and the ice makes that more difficult (although some of the alternatives are very effective, especially volcano rock stuff).

But in broad strokes I would rather have a steady temperature winter with nice curvy temperature changes and regular snow fall. Even if that steady temperature is closer to -15, and even if there's a significant volume of snow. It feels (I'm not trying to persuade anyone so I'm not going to collect data, just sharing my perception)  like the variance in temperatures is higher and when that is the case I have a harder time with the acclimation piece.

I have a strong preference for the kind of winter you describe (consistently cold, regularly occurring snowfall), but not for reasons of sidewalk clearing. It's better for a lot of other things, too- winter sports, gardening come spring.

I don't use much salt, either (I try to use it in advance of rain fall, if I can, not too melt formed ice after the fact). I've found the thaws to make chipping away any ice relatively easy. Generally, my observations line up with jamincan's: most sidewalks were eventually fully cleared, by Sunday. Only the most egregious offenders were still uncleared, so I don't think they would have a leg to stand on trying to blame the weather.