At this time of year — when it snows, when it snows, when it snows — the South Loop fights back. Snow removal is a neighborhood crusade.

When residents of other neighborhoods are snowed in front and back, we can generally signal an all clear. Snow removal takes initiative, planning, money and the right snow removal company. Generally, the same company that cuts the grass and pulls the weeds will transform themselves and their uniforms from summer duty to winter duty.

Snow removal takes all forms. You have the “bobcats” with the big shovels on the front. Although this morning one of them traversed the South Loop School parking lot on Plymouth — I don’t know, if school is out, why they are doing it in the first place? — and the shovel never once hit the snow on the pavement. The snow just got packed down by the wheels.

We also often see the wielding of regular hand-held shovels. And there are also big garbage trucks that actually pick up the snow and take it away to a snow collection facility (or at least dump it on an out of the way corner somewhere).

Last but not least, there is stuff that actually melts the snow. It is applied liberally in the South Loop. There is plain old salt, which is sprinkled profusely on the sidewalks to make it less likely that we slip and break a bone. Then there are the snow melting agents (with more calcium than chloride?) that are pet friendly, less corrosive and more expensive. We have then all.

Every homeowners association makes it own arrangements. It works well if adjacent associations hire the same snow removal company. Then the workers move along the streets, driveways and sidewalks smoothly and in record time. But if adjacent associations hire different companies, there is a natural competition — a stand-off even — as far stashing the equipment. Not to mention the occasional one-upmanship as to who does the property line.

With snow removal comes noise. Snow removal equipment makes delightful music for those who love to see the white stuff gone. On the other hand, if you kind of like a natural accumulation of snow because if brings back memories of sledding and building snowmen when you were a kid or when your kids were kids the sound of the snow removal equipment arriving and doing its job can be a downer.

Then there is the timing of the snow removal, a topic accompanied by much hand-wringing and much consternation. Exactly when should the snow removers arrive? The contracts will state a to-the-inch threshold that is supposed to coincide with time of arrival. And snow removal duties are expected to be perfectly timed and planned precision-like. This takes into account that the company somehow knows exactly what the snowfall is in the South Loop even if the company, the equipment and the workers are miles and miles away.

Does the company come when it is still snowing? Often they do. They run around the association shoveling and hauling and throwing salt, and by the time they’re ready to leave, it’s like they were never there.

And here is one of the more profound snow removal questions for spiritual discussion: Should snow removal be timed to coincide with weekday morning/afternoon rush hours? What about the early birds who wake up and get out early — or who leave work early — and who end up having to maneuver through, and play chicken with, the well-timed and well-placed and well-planned business of snow removers removing snow? It is a profound dilemma!

But I have my own thing with the snow removers, whom I often see as a bit obsessive, trying to do a good job so as not to lose the business for next year. I feel embarrassment when people in other neighborhoods, who depend on city snow removers and don’t have it so good. I cringe when I think of those who are trapped in their homes and whose cars are trapped in their alleys and we are in our South Loop with the flakes tucked far out of the way so we can walk and drive. Although we are unable to toboggan or give Frosty a carrot for a nose. Maybe that’s just our karma.

To those others from other places, I want to say this is just a South Loop thing. Sometimes the word “south” in our neighborhood designation gets us a little overzealous in ignoring the natural flow of the seasons. We have a thing that you might call snow-be-gone syndrome.

The downside, fellow Chicagoans, is that we hardly ever get to know a snow angel. Unless you’re one of the neighbors who sees the guys with the shovel and the salt as their very own guardian snow angel.

But that’s our own unique little South Loop winter tale.