Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Check Out Where Plows <em>Aren't</em> In Your Neighborhood
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Dec 28, 2010
Modified Dec 28, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Dec 28, 2010
Modified Dec 28, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
It's been two days since Blizzageddon rocked our tranquil city, and many outer borough residents are growing restless over the lack of plows. Yesterday an 87-year-old couple told us that they worried they wouldn't be able to get out if there were an emergency, and readers from Bayside to Kensington to Ridgewood have told us that there has been little to no plowing in their neighborhoods. Even the politicians are pissed.
City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. of Astoria said he didn't see one working plow in his neighborhood yesterday. Today he told us, "We've seen a few more plows around here, about two or three, but what we haven't seen is any salt trucks. Without the salt the plows can't get to the blacktop, so even if they do come the roads are really dangerous." When we asked what Bloomberg should do, he said the mayor "needs to stop sounding like Baghdad Bob. 'Everything's fine! We've won the war!' No we haven't! We can see the streets aren't good!" Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty reminded the Times that it took the city 34 hours to plow the streets of 20 inches of snow after the 1996 blizzard, so by that calculation the work should be done any minute now. However, some people aren't holding their breath for the government.
Stranded New Yorkers are coming together on Snowmageddon: The Clean Up, a website where people can report stuck cars and unplowed sidewalks and those with shovels and snowblowers can come to the rescue. Right now it looks like there are more problems than solutions, with cars stuck, "shovels needed," and a report of a van driver stuck on the road for 15 hours! The tipster wrote yesterday afternoon, "An airport shuttle driver has been stuck on my block since at least about 10 PM last night. Plows haven't come through this street at all, and he's been told by towing companies that if the streets aren't clear there might not be much they can do. I've offered him coffee and run out to get him some snacks, but he really just wants to get out of there!"
There are some Good Samaritans out there. Carlos Calderon of Maspeth and his son took it upon themselves to rescue Navy Officer Andrew Lauda and his family who had been stuck on the LIE for 18 hours. The family had abandoned their car and sought the heat of a nearby stuck bus, where Lauda called a local TV station. Calderon heard what was going on and sprung into action. He later told the Daily News, "He's doing a good service for our country so we should give him a little back."
Tagged
blizzageddon
blizzard 2010
good samaritan
peter vallone jr.
Plows
stuck cars
Jaya Saxena
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Plainclothes ICE agent with long gun looked like mass shooter, Mayor Mamdani says
The mayor said his administration would review ICE and NYPD actions surrounding Thursday’s shooting.
By
Michael Sol Warren
Published Oct 11, 2026
NJ Transit riders face 5 weeks of schedule disruptions starting Sunday
NJ Transit and Amtrak riders should prepare for cancellations, schedule changes and longer commutes as work continues on the new Portal North Bridge.
By
Giulia Heyward
News
NJ Transit riders face 5 weeks of schedule disruptions starting Sunday
NJ Transit and Amtrak riders should prepare for cancellations, schedule changes and longer commutes as work continues on the new Portal North Bridge.
By
Giulia Heyward
For a Democrat in a traditionally red NJ district, how to woo Republican voters
By
Mike Hayes
2 pedestrians killed in Bronx crash after driver ran red light, police say
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Ann Givens
Rain could put a damper on NYC’s long weekend. Here’s when it will clear.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .