FILE UNDER: NANNY STATE

A resident of Corner Brook, Newfoundland, who was only trying to be a good neighbour, found himself on the wrong side of the law recently. Pat Hickey owns a riding lawn tractor with a snow-blower attachment. This winter he has taken to clearing the driveways of 10 neighbours who live along his quiet residential street. His crime? According to municipal authorities it is illegal to "operate a recreational vehicle on a city street".

Now a logical person would think that this city bylaw is clearly aimed at preventing residents from driving an ATV or perhaps in the winter months a snowmobile along a roadway and getting into a collision with another vehicle or a pedestrian. That seems reasonable. I'm not sure in what world a snow blower is considered a "recreational vehicle" but apparently in some nanny-state city councillors mind there is a serious problem with irresponsible snow blowing in the town of Corner Brook. They also get a lot of snow in this part of Canada. More then you can shovel, and lots of people own snowblower attachments for thier lawn tractors. However, once again, I don't think the word "logical" was ever part of this debate.

Hickey has been ticketed by the city and ordered to cease driving his snowblower on the street when moving from house to house clearing the driveways of his elderly neighbours. City authorities have said he is free to "push or pull" his snowblower while on the city streets, but any driving of the snowblower will result in further charges. Clearly the most efficient way to move a motorized piece of equipment that weighs close to a thousand pounds is by pushing it by hand through 3 feet of snow.