The Great Snowblow Showdown: When Petty Revenge Is a Winter Sport
Have you ever looked out your frosty window on a winter’s morning, mug of coffee in hand, only to witness a neighbor turning your street into their personal snow landfill? If so, you’re not alone—and you might just find a kindred spirit in one Ontario Redditor who decided enough was enough. In a tale colder than a Canadian February, the great snowblow showdown proves that sometimes, the best way to teach a lesson is with a little well-aimed, windblown powder.
Let’s dive into the chilly world of neighborly mischief, municipal bylaws, and the surprisingly fierce etiquette of snow removal. You’ll laugh, you’ll groan, and you might just learn something about the fine art of petty revenge.
Picture this: It’s Christmas Eve in snowy Ontario. The city’s snowplows have already made their rounds, and the roads are as clear as they’re going to get—unless, of course, a local homeowner decides to “clear” their driveway by dumping all that fresh, fluffy snow right into the road. That’s exactly what happened to Reddit user u/phantaxtic. Anyone who’s lived in a snowy region knows there are unwritten (and often written) rules about where the white stuff goes. In this neighborhood, it’s crystal clear: Snow belongs on your own lawn, not blocking drainage or making the street a slippery mess.
But as u/phantaxtic returned home from Christmas Eve dinner, they were greeted by the familiar sight of their neighbor’s snow, neatly deposited across the freshly plowed street. Not one to let a good petty revenge opportunity slip by, our protagonist fired up their snowblower and returned every last snowflake back where it came from—the neighbor’s driveway. “I hope he wakes up tomorrow and wonders why all his lazy, half-assed snow blowing is now back in his driveway,” OP mused, their sense of justice as sharp as the winter air.
Reddit, predictably, erupted in frosty applause. With nearly 2,000 upvotes, the community was quick to praise this snowblower-powered stand for neighborhood decency. u/cryssHappy summed up the mood with a hearty, “Good for you.” For many, the story hit home—and not just because of the snow. “Some neighbors just don’t get it bro, like clean up after your damn self,” lamented u/Full_Quarter_5682, echoing the collective exasperation of anyone who’s ever had to dodge a surprise ice patch thanks to someone else’s laziness.
But this wasn’t just about pettiness. There are real safety concerns, too. As u/heedrix pointed out, “It’s also illegal under the highway traffic act.” Several commenters noted that snow in the road isn’t just unsightly—it creates a hazard for drivers, cyclists, and even pedestrians. u/wetwater shared a cautionary tale of a neighbor whose snow dumping led to a sheet of ice that turned the street into a mini skating rink for months. And u/MikeSchwab63 reminded everyone that “grass or leaves on the roadway cause 1 (unicycle) or 2 wheel vehicles (bicycle / motorcycle) to fall pretty easily due to reduced traction.” Turns out, snow etiquette is a matter of public safety (and maybe even survival, if you’re riding a unicycle).
Of course, not all neighbors are willfully malicious. Some are just, well, “special.” u/Vegetable-Cup3870 recounted confronting a neighbor who blasted snow onto the street, only to hear the clueless reply: “I never really thought about it.” This comment sparked a wave of laughter and commiseration, with u/Mindless-Sound8965 simply adding, “People are special.” Sometimes, ignorance really is the root of all snowy evil.
Still, if you ask Reddit, the best way to handle these neighborly nuisances is a blend of direct action and a dash of flair. “One blowhard deserves another,” quipped u/CoderJoe1, while u/Cultural_Eye5178 couldn’t resist the pun: “One might say, snowblowhard.” For those concerned about escalation, some suggested more official routes: “If he blows it back into the street, video it and give the video to the police,” advised u/dmac66. Others, like u/Maleficentendscurse, advocated for some psychological warfare—fake a phone call to the authorities and watch your neighbor’s face turn as pale as the snow they just dumped.
And it’s not just snow—this snowy saga opened the floodgates for stories about leaves, grass clippings, and every manner of neighborly boundary-crossing. Turns out, the line between your property and theirs can be as thin as a snowflake (and twice as contentious). As u/Jeep_Trick2 recounted with glee, when a neighbor blew leaves onto his lawn, he simply fired up his riding mower and blew them right back, all while feigning ignorance. Sometimes, the best revenge is just returning the favor—loudly.
So what’s the moral of this frosty fable? As many commenters observed, common sense and courtesy go a long way, but when that fails, a little creative (and legal) retaliation might just be the nudge your neighbor needs. Or, as u/phantaxtic [OP] wryly put it, “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”—but that doesn’t mean you can’t deliver a snowy lesson in civic responsibility.
Have you ever had a neighborly dust-up over snow, leaves, or anything else that drifts where it shouldn’t? How did you handle it? Share your stories in the comments below—just don’t blow them onto the street.
Stay warm, stay petty, and remember: in the great game of neighborhood etiquette, sometimes you’ve got to fight flake with flake.
Original Reddit Post: Neighbor blew all his snow onto the road