Pre-winter hazards

[bruiser]

I was reading an article on the BikePortland website and got to thinking about how this is most likely the worst of my commute problems (well, besides the usual cranky and irresponsible drivers). I've been bike commuting for 3 years now, and though I've yet to wipe out, I still feel nervous about these messes. I've gotten 2 flats in the last month and a half, even though I try to avoid the leaf piles, and a few times I've been surprised by HUGE new piles where there weren't any the day before.
Here in Eugene we have street leaf pickup dates, but I think this encourages people to put their leaves in inappropriate places (the bike lane and street gutters) too early. I have come to dislike this city-wide program because of this reason; think of the inexperienced bikers, kids included, having to move into decently moderate-traffic roads to avoid these hazards (and what lies beneath).
Does anyone else have to deal with these hideous leaf piles (or other messes) before the season gets really icy?

~V

P.S. I work inventory in retail, so my 9 PM-6AM hours this season are terrible for commuting! I have multiple lights on my bikes, and I can't see some of these piles until last minute... Scary, especially when coming around corners or wading through 3 ft deep by 4 ft wide puddles!

[divingbiker]

Well, as a bike commuter also I hate the piles of leaves, but as a homeowner I confess that I contribute to the problem. In fact, today I put a huge pile of leaves in the street. I tried putting them at the edge of the yard one year, but the county didn't come around to suck them up until February, and my lawn was ruined. So now I put them in the street.

The problem is that one has to rake when one has the time, and when the leaves have fallen, and that doesn't always coincide with the leaf pickup schedule. So I think it's just something we have to live with at this time of year, and pay special attention to. I'm putting new tires on my commuter tonight, with the hope that the better tread will keep me from skidding out on wet leaves.

I can't imagine working your schedule. No way I could stay up all night...

[Jenerator]

Our local leaf pick-up ended before all the leaves had dropped...but we still got most of ours dropped off. Most of the streets and paths are clear of leaves, but I'm certainly a lot more careful when riding through them especially when cornering and when the leaves are wet (not so much this fall)

[Dianyla]

Thankfully this fall has been fairly dry, and the leaf piles haven't rotted too much. Last year there were gooey slimey patches of leaf debris everywhere.

Geez, would it kill the City of Portland to run more frequent street sweeping in October-November-December?

[li10up]

Why not just mulch the leaves with the lawn mower and let them fertilize the lawn over the winter?

[Tuckervill]

Because whole leaves are easier to pick up off the carpet when they come in on the dog and cat fur.

We have an acre in town, and just on my lot are 7 pecan trees, a huge oak, a plum, and a mulberry. We had an ash and another mulberry but they fell in a storm. Next to the fence are various and sundry other trees. Because I have a fence all the way around the house, the leaves don't blow out of the yard like they do for my neighbors.

They make patterns and pile themselves up according to the wind patterns. In one part of the yard there are no leaves at all, because I dunno, the wind blows there more or something. The fences all have piles against them.

Where the pecans are, it is nothing but a giant mat of leaves for half an acre. (A late freeze got our pecans this year. Not even the squirrels got a nut. ) Mulching them would make it easier for them to decompose, but it would still be a giant mat, and I can't imagine the dog toys that are hidden under them already!!!

We rake and blow and burn and compost. There are so many leaves that we have to use a variety of methods. But we don't bag anything except the oak leaves, because they are so big our pull behind rake won't pick them up efficiently enough.

I saw something sad today...my neighbor piled up a MOUNTAIN of leaf bags over the weekend--at least 40 bags. The city came and picked them up today, and it appears they just put them in the compactor and send them to the landfill!! What, no compost? I have to find out about that.

Karen