Alley Ways

Who owns alleyways?  We have had lots of snow lately.  People shovel their walkways, but no one shovels the alleyway.   No one plows it either.  But everyone uses the alley as it suits them and this is what amuses me.  Two neighbors share an alley between them.  Neither shovels the walkway part of the alley that connects their two sidewalks, so when people walk along they slip on the alley path that is snow and ice packed.   Both neighbors ignore the alley when it comes to work, i.e. shoveling snow.  They don't ignore it when it comes to usage.  They both use the alley for all sorts of stuff and probably have turf issues over usage.  My point is people take ownership when it suits them, but not when it includes work.  I see this all the time in organizations, churches, clubs and associations.  People have a sense of belonging, and of who else should or should not belong, until it comes time to do some work, as in volunteer or clean up, or recruit, or help another.  I find that people seem to like calling something "theirs" until you ask them to help keep "theirs" going.  Anyway, I have an alleyway, and when I shovel, I shovel the alley too.