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After what has been an unseasonably warm start to the winter, we finally got our first snowfall of the season yesterday. Predictably, the roads were a mess, partly because people simply don't seem able to drive in half an inch of snow and partly because the road crews were deployed too thinly and too late to properly treat the roads. I went to the office in the early afternoon to try and get a head start on my work for the week, and when I headed home, the roads were snow/slush covered. This presented no great difficulty for me and I made my way home without any complications. Well, almost no complications. When I got to my street, I found the hill up to my house blocked with several cars that were unable to negotiate the grade, including one large SUV that had slid all the way into the three foot deep ditch along edge of the pavement. So, I went around the block and reached our driveway from the other side.
Over the next hour or so, we were treated to quite an entertaining show on the street in front of our house. Someone called 911 for the truck in the ditch, which brought an engine, medic unit and police cruiser to the neighborhood, to the delight of our daughters. No one was hurt, and I don't think the SUV was even damaged, but it definitely was going to need a tow truck to get it out. After the emergency responders left, we watched as other drivers attempted to navigate up and down the hill. Some gave up, turned around and looked for alternate routes, but others simply made the road conditions worse. When their tires started spinning, which should have signaled to them that they were applying too much power, they did exactly the opposite of what they should. Most simply pushed the accelerator to the floor and spun their way up the hill. Of course this melted all the snow under their tires, which refroze as soon as they passed, leaving the hill icier than before. Several of the neighbors suggested that we make scorecards to rate the various drivers' performances.
Eventually, it must have warmed up a little bit, because the road cleared, and the traffic stopped struggling with the hill. Today's temperature is supposed to be above freezing, so the inch or so of snow we got will be mostly gone by tonight. But at least it finally feels (and looks) like winter!
Over the next hour or so, we were treated to quite an entertaining show on the street in front of our house. Someone called 911 for the truck in the ditch, which brought an engine, medic unit and police cruiser to the neighborhood, to the delight of our daughters. No one was hurt, and I don't think the SUV was even damaged, but it definitely was going to need a tow truck to get it out. After the emergency responders left, we watched as other drivers attempted to navigate up and down the hill. Some gave up, turned around and looked for alternate routes, but others simply made the road conditions worse. When their tires started spinning, which should have signaled to them that they were applying too much power, they did exactly the opposite of what they should. Most simply pushed the accelerator to the floor and spun their way up the hill. Of course this melted all the snow under their tires, which refroze as soon as they passed, leaving the hill icier than before. Several of the neighbors suggested that we make scorecards to rate the various drivers' performances.
Eventually, it must have warmed up a little bit, because the road cleared, and the traffic stopped struggling with the hill. Today's temperature is supposed to be above freezing, so the inch or so of snow we got will be mostly gone by tonight. But at least it finally feels (and looks) like winter!
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