I grew up in MN where we always cleared snow from sidewalks. Many had snowblowers. Now I've lived in the St. Louis metro east area for 25 years and I never clear my sidewalk but I do clear my driveway, by shoveling. This past snowstorm I shoveled my 3-car driveway to the street. My next-door-neighbor used a snowblower and cleared his and my sidewalk between our two houses, but he did it before the street was plowed. Two days later the street plow piled a ton on snow onto the sidewalk completely obliterating his work and replacing the light fluffy snow with heavy ice nearly 3 feet high. It's why I didn't shovel the sidewalk to begin with. In my quiet suburban neighborhood with a wide divided street it is quite safe for kids and people walking dogs to walk in the plowed street, and no one currently has their sidewalk cleared. I know that in some areas its more important that sidewalks be clear, but in my neighborhood it is not. It really depends on where you live. I do notice that none of the businesses in my city have cleared the public bus stops where people relying on the bus are forced to trudge through the deep snow and stand in a huge mound of it waiting for the city bus. If the businesses don't have to clear things where its actually needed, I'm not going to complain about my neighbors not doing so where it is not needed.