“Pretty much someone has to be lenient or patient,” said Lisa Barker, a Denver resident. “For the most part, two cars can’t go down at the same time.”

The packed snow and ice have created deep ruts down the middle of many side streets. Often times, that means cars can only drive down one path and when someone approaches, one driver either has to back up or back down.

“When it’s icy, particularly more so at night, you can almost shift and risk getting into an accident,” said Danny Rifkin, another Denver resident.

He says drivers come close to sliding into parked cars and sometimes the moving ones.

“Very hairy, very scary,” said Pat Shuler.

She is a mail carrier who drives side streets all day long.

“I pull it to the side quite a bit, waiting for vehicles to go by, some coming very close, almost sliding into vehicles,” said Shuler.

So, when you are headed towards another car with little room to spare, who is supposed to do the side street sidestep?

“At some point, you have to make a decision if you’re going to be the one who pulls over and lets them by down the street. Or, if you’re going to take the initiative and go ahead,” said Rifkin. “It’s just a matter of trying to be courteous and anticipating it and getting out of the way.”

“I don’t know. It’s a guess, but I think everybody’s pretty polite,” said Pam Wolf, another Denver resident.

But not everybody can pull to the side because the ruts are too big.

“Sometimes cars are in the groove and they go to get out, like my car’s low to the ground, I can’t get out of that,” Barker said.

That means someone has to back up.

“It’s pretty much who got farthest first. If I’m three-fourths of the way down, I kind of have priority, I feel,” said Barker.

Shuler says if someone has an SUV, then that car should be the one to give up the right of way.

“It should be the one with the most clearance,” she said.