Geez David, you just have all the fun! (LOL) Now, back to reality, I do see some real hazards for a blind person to use a snow blower without any sighted assistance. It is not that we are incompetent, it is that there are some very real hidden dangers to consider. A cane or any electronic navagation aid I am aware of are all but useless when that snow is 18 or so inches on the level. The drifts can be anywhere up to 14 or so feet high. (no kidding, I have seen this in Denver, Colorado with a 24 inch snowfall and lots of wind) I just feel that you need someone to spot anything which may had found its way into your walk or drive. As you said, pulling some of this stuff out of the auger can be a rel challenge because your hands are cold and you are, most likely, wearing gloves anyway. The smaller little electrics and wee little gas jobs run their augers a whole lot faster and ingesting something like what might be in a trash bag could cause some real damage. Now, here in Oklahoma we do not have snow of sufficient magnatude to justify a snow blower. Our last "blizzard" dropped enough snow to nearly cover your shoes. (ROFL) What we do have here is lots and lots of ice and most snow blowers just don't deal with that. Cy, the Ancient Okie...
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Ferrin Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 1:31 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] How to Operate a Snow Blower The worse thing I ever caught in the impellers was a garbage bag at my parents house the first winter after I got married. Let me tell you that was a lot of fun picking all of that plastic along with the bag's contents out of there. David Ferrin [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: Cy Selfridge To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 12:40 PM Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] How to Operate a Snow Blower We did use the earphones a way long time ago when I lived in Snow Country. David, you are correct, the noise from the engine does make it very hard to hear but I do not have any better idea. Because the snow is (usually) so deep you just can not depend on any tactile reference points. Because the snow does dramatically change the audible information you would normally expect you are sorta shucks out of luck there also. Once you get the first pass done then you can kinda use the cleared snow to sorta guide you. One of the real dangers I was concerned about is ingesting some poor animal which had been trapped by the snow. Don't laugh, it has happened. Fortunately I did not try to remove the body the snow blower way, my wife spotted the animal before we ran over it. When they plowed the street they apparently buried the poor thing. The larger snow blowers are powerful and they will try their best to remove whatever they encounter... (yuk!) Cy, the Ancient Okie... -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Ferrin Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 10:33 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] How to Operate a Snow Blower I don't know if this is a good idea or not but consider if you will some sort of walky talky system with an ear phone so she can stay maybe inside and direct you remotely. The problem is of course those things are so loud it would be very hard to hear what she's saying over the ear peace. Unfortunately you can't run a snow blower in reverse and expect good results. David Ferrin [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: Robert J. Moore To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 11:08 PM Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] How to Operate a Snow Blower Now I posted a while back about pulling the lawn mower backwards and following the cut line and this works ok on a lawn that is not too big. I have a drive way that is gravel and is about 200 feet long with an elbow that leads up to the garage and that stretch is about 30 feet. I tried this with my snow blower but the feet get real cold real fast and of course the auger is out front so this does not work well. but seriously the drive way is not well defined and I have a devil of a time staying oriented. I am usually a good problem solver when it comes to stuff like this and I can figure some way to get the job done but for two winters now I have really been stumped. What I have had to resort to is 2 fold. If it is a heavy dumper I hire a guy with a plow. or for the ocashional light snow I have my wife walk behind me and steer my elbows. Her rists will not tolerate using the machine her self so that is why she can't do it her self. I hate to sell such a good snow blower but unless I can figure out a better plan it just takes up space. HELP!!! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following Address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.8/414 - Release Date: 8/9/2006 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following Address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.8/414 - Release Date: 8/9/2006 To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following Address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
