Why do so many people die shovelling snow?

The BBC blurb explains the problem. People who are out of shape suddenly doing lot of heavy lifting overexerting themselves.

The mythic p[art is Snow shovelling is "worse" than any other type of activity.

Someone did some counting (Clever aint they) and worked out one year 40 people died fishing...
That isnt Trawler men, and sea fishermen, that those who sit on the bank peacefully dangling a rod and line over the water and catching Trout (etc)

So when 40 people die drowning worms, is it now a dangerous sport?...


No, the research showed many of the non-accidental-(bluebottle)-"He;s fallen in the water" type accidents, those that were not that, were gentlemen of retirement age who died of natural causes doing what they most loved....
Nothing.

Fishing is a good excuse to do nothing....

But back to snow.


I cant get the maths around why Snow is more special on the dangerous list than anything else.

If those people knew they had heart problems they wouldnt exert themselves?..
I have e next door neighbour who refuses to let anyone else shovel his snow.. he is retired, not an athlete, but when he does the job, he stops half way through for a brew and a sit down inside...

but to answer your original question - it is better to be in good health - but failing that, in areas where snow is only occasional, it may be better to use a deicer or traction aid than to overexert yourself - or give a neighborhood kid $5.00 to do it for you.

or, if you aren't going anywhere, anyway - just leave it alone.

Or, if you're not concerned with your heating bill, attatch your gardening hose to your shower faucet, turn on the hot water and just melt the snow. When the water's frozen over, sprinkle salt all over it. Done.

(I'm not condoning or recommending it. Just saying it's an option.)

if you have money to burn just make a bonfire and melt the snow...

The first winter after I bought my house, we had a 2 foot snow fall in one storm. That is fairly common here. After shoveling that, I decided I needed a real snow blower. Got it the next summer when they started carrying them. Of course, the next winter, we didn't have any storms drop more than 6 inches. Of course the year after that, we has several 1 foot storms and one drop over 3 feet. That winter it paid for itself.

The problem with a snow blower is that it is overkill for anything under 6 inches. Of course, 6 inches is still a low of show to shovel. Has anyone used those electric power shovels? I have been considering getting one to take care of those small storms.

Keep in mind that it isn't just the strain of heavy work, but the added strain of doing that work in cold weather.

As to why it gets reported more than, say, fishing? Because it is something that is unusual. As the saying goes 'dog bites man' is expected and hence less of a story that 'man bites dog'. A more specific example would be news reports about Pit Bulls and similar Bull Terrier breeds being dangerous. The reality is that such breeds are LESS dangerous statistically speaking that larger dog breeds. St Bernards, for example, are much more dangerous than Bull Terriers not because they are any more aggressive but simply because they are big dogs and hence if they do decide to nip at someone can do a heck of a lot more damage. They can also accidently cause injury though their size without intending to.

Many areas in the US Midwest, you've got a set amount of time (usually 1 or 2 days) to get your sidewalk cleared after a snowstorm. I don't know if people actually do get fined if they don't shovel, but it's in the law books.

In the town of my parents, using salt is illegal except for pure ice and you not only have to clear the sidewalk in front of your house, you also have to clear half of the street as well!

My parents are in luck, they live in a blind alley and all residents have an agreement not to shovel the snow away, just pour a sandy path for the mailman.

But everybody else has a real problem what to do with all the snow. Most residents are forced to erect huge walls of snow so some blocks look like fortresses. I wonder what's worse. Stepping on some snow or the potential treat to become buried under a collapsing wall of compressed snow...