I have lived here for nearly 15 years. One of the things that I have thumbed my nose at others about is that our winters are so mild here. Well this winter has been an additional reminder that I am not in charge.
We have had storm after storm after storm. I realize that there are many of you that are less than compassionate in this matter. Sure you get your multiple feet of snow every winter and you just suffer through. For the most part, you have chosen to be where you are. I have chosen to live here and one of the reasons I am here is because we can have winter and enjoy the snow in the mountains but we don't have to shovel it or drive in it. If it does snow, it usually has melted before the day ends.
WE ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THIS KIND OF WEATHER.
Firstly, people have no clue how to drive in this stuff. They are either insanely nonchalant or they freak out and morph into turtles. Secondly, when there are only a few snowplows to cover the entire valley, there is a good chance you won't ever get where you need to on cleared roads. Thirdly, the road crew budgets for the entire winter were used weeks ago.
I remember laughing as a teen in Idaho Falls when I would hear that some town had been shut down because of a few inches of snow. After having lived in Seattle and in Nampa, I have repented. The other day there were 5 cars stuck at the bottom of an underpass because they couldn't get up either side because of the slick roads. We have had heartbreaking deaths this week due to road conditions. Daniel came home late last night from a high school basketball game pretty shaken. He had passed an SUV flipped over on its side but the one that really affected him was on the freeway. He had been crawling along at 20 mph as had the rest of the traffic. As he got off the freeway at our exit, police officers directed him to take an outside route under the underpass. Hanging over the top of the freeway ready to fall to the roadway below was a car that had gone over the guardrail and was "resting" on a small concrete outcropping. Daniel saw the driver of the car standing off to the side and realized how lucky he was to be alive. How he made it out of that situation is a miracle.
Okay---I'm finished whining. Just let it end, please.
6 comments:
So strange. The whole country is colder than the norm. We have had an unusual amount of snow here too. Fortunately our forecast this week looks good. Good luck to you! Stay home!
I like the snow...but you are right...our loverly town is ill-epuipted for the white stuff and it is soooo frustrating!
Hope Daniel recovers quickly from seeing the accidents...poor kid! That would freak me out too!!!
Just think of all the fun jet-skiing you can have this summer...due to this wonderful white stuffz!!!!
Laur, I don't know if we saw the same accident but there was a red truck/suv hanging over the side of the freeway over the overpass on Sunday night at our exit. I could not believe it -- just 2 more feet...
I am insanely afraid of being stuck on overpasses and that's why I never take Karcher road over the RR by Lowes -- because if there's a train I get stuck on the overpass!
Brent and I saw the same truck hanging by a tire on our way home from the same family night as Cash and Ris, and it freaked us out too. I said a prayer of thanks once we made it home. I like snow . . .once a winter. I'm ready for spring.
The accident Daniel saw was on Saturday night at the Garrity exit. It sounds like there were quite a few very lucky people this weekend.
that comment was by my mom. I guess I didn't sign off. I am sick of it to! Becca
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