Snow

[Nodnarb]

Anyone else here hate snow? Specifically, driving in snow?

Here in the Omaha metro, we just got our first "real" snow this morning. And it already makes me miss summer. I had hoped school would get called off today, but it didn't. So, I had to drive to school. And I happen to live on the top of a hill. The school is at the bottom of said hill, so all the ways for me to get to school involve going down a steep hill at some point. It's even worse because they never get the residential streets plowed until later in the day.

I decided to take my usual route, which involves a very short but very, very steep hill. I go slow, and turn onto the street. It doesn't look quite as bad as I had expected, so I let my gaurd down for a second. As I get to the point where the street starts to slope down, I start to put on the breaks. But I don't slow down. And the car starts to slide, with the stop sign just a few yards away. I looked out my window and saw that the only people coming were still halfway down the street I was turning on to, so I let up on the breaks and let the car slide through the stop sign and around the corner. I was worried about the next stop sign, but I was able to stop fine there. But I was only driving like 5 mph on a street I usually go 35 or 40(the speed-limit is 20).

At school, the lines in the parking lot were hidden under the snow, so that just added to the usual chaos. My row morphed with another, and everybody had to completely turn around just to get a spot.

Everybody was joking around about the number of times they almost died going to school. One of my friends spun out at two stop signs, and barely made it up the hills. Another slid off the road into somebody's yard and slid through three stop signs. As far as I know, nobody was hurt. But a guy I know hit a power pole while driving down a hill and trying to avoid hitting a police car that was there to help somebody else who had wrecked. $3000 in damages to a one year old car.

This is my second winter driving, and I was able to escape last year with only a couple of close calls, sort of like the one today. But I think I understand why my dad always complained about winter-driving. And I'll be living farther north next year, so it will only get worse for me

[jazzrawr]

I LOVE SNOW!
And I live in Canada, so it works. XD
Driving in it is a pain in the ass, I will admit.
But snow is so much fun
And school gets called off really often here

[BlakeHarmony]

The last time my school was called off was march 17th 1998, there was over a meter and a half of snow. That was a great day.

[Apocalypte]

The last time any of my family missed work or school due to snow was.... January 1987.

Gotta love Ireland.

[SlickyPants]

I love the snow. Driving can be a bit of a pain at times. Fortunately for me there are no hills anywhere so I don't really have to worry about sliding so long as I keep a safe speed and distance to react to any obstacles. I'm also fortunate they snow removal is top notch and the streets are usually plowed and sanded within a day.

My only suggestion is to find a different root to school even if it is out of the way a bit. Perhaps a road that is plowed and sanded. That or walk to school if that's a realistic option. Winter tires can help but you're kind of at the mercy of gravity if your going down a hill.

[Adam]

I live like an hour from Omaha, we got a little snow, the roads were a bit icy in residential, but the main roads were not bad the by the time I had to drive in the afternoon. I hate snow!!! Ive never hit anyone sliding on ice but I have hit lots of curbs not being able to stop.

[sdc91]

A couple years ago the roads in Dallas iced up and everything shut down. It was great. Nobody knows how to deal with snow and ice here!

I love snow. It's so much fun
Driving in it sucks though. I was going down the highway about 20 mph less than I usually do. The traffic in Des Moines today was going about 10 mph. This is my second winter driving it and I've never really had too much trouble, except last year I couldn't get my truck out of my driveway.

[Amy]

I fucking love snow.

We never get it here. D':

Once a year, Livermore gets snow shipped and put downtown.

[MonsieurGodiva]

Originally Posted by Drizzt DoUrden

I love snow. It's so much fun
Driving in it sucks though. I was going down the highway about 20 mph less than I usually do. The traffic in Des Moines today was going about 10 mph. This is my second winter driving it and I've never really had too much trouble, except last year I couldn't get my truck out of my driveway.

Ugh, I know what you mean. Hate driving in snow. I was almost late for class this morning, because I got stuck behind somebody who insisted upon going 15 mph on the freeway.

Snow I can tolerate, but it's how cold it gets in winter that really yanks my chain more than anything else.

[Nixon]

Dude I live close to omaha too
Ya one of my friends almost ran into the railing on a bridge

[Mickey]

I live in Mass.,so I know snow! I like it okay,but I too,hate to drive in it.
The worst car accident I got into was because of snow & ice. Like 4 cars,chain-reaction.
I have to admit,it is beautiful,especially the first time it snows,for the season.

[Nodnarb]

Originally Posted by SlickyPants

My only suggestion is to find a different root to school even if it is out of the way a bit. Perhaps a road that is plowed and sanded. That or walk to school if that's a realistic option. Winter tires can help but you're kind of at the mercy of gravity if your going down a hill.

Unfortunately, I only have three options to get out of my neighborhood. All three involve a hill, two of which I don't like to drive even in good weather, so I go with the one I take every day. People think Iowa is flat, but they're sadly mistaken.

Originally Posted by Drizzt DoUrden

I love snow. It's so much fun
Driving in it sucks though. I was going down the highway about 20 mph less than I usually do. The traffic in Des Moines today was going about 10 mph. This is my second winter driving it and I've never really had too much trouble, except last year I couldn't get my truck out of my driveway.

I heard Des Moines was bad this morning. A friend who lives there said it took him and his wife close to two hours to get from Grimes to downtown.

Originally Posted by MonsieurGodiva

Snow I can tolerate, but it's how cold it gets in winter that really yanks my chain more than anything else.

Agree about the cold. It seems like it gets worse every year.

Originally Posted by Nixon

Dude I live close to omaha too

Huzzah Omahans FTW

Nope.
I love snow.
Mostly because California doesn't snow. So, if it snowed here, I would be ecstatic and would totally run around and be really giddy and happy and... blah blah blah

Originally Posted by Nodnarb

I heard Des Moines was bad this morning. A friend who lives there said it took him and his wife close to two hours to get from Grimes to downtown.

Yeah, it took me about 1 1/2 times the normal time it takes me to get there this morning. I swear, I thought people were just going to ignore the traffic lights because it was just a long line of bumper-to-bumper traffic moving about 10 miles an hour on a road where the speed limit is 40. Our parking lot at school was like a sheet of ice with snow dusted on it.

[Dave]

You're Lucky, at least you've seen snow

It keeps snowing here.
AND THEN IT MELTS.

It is so annoying. I get my hopes up and then NOPE. Montreal boo.

[EM68]

I'm not a big fan of snow. I used to work at a car dealership and when it snowed even if it was on our day off we would have to go in and do snow removal. Last December, I slipped on some snow and ice and strained my arm, elbow and wrist . I was in a sling for 3 days . Now I'm on the road 3 days a week so I am not looking forward to driving when it snows. The only time I like snow is around Christmas.Then it can melt for all I care.

[J Schuelke]

I love snow, but not driving in it. I live in wisconsin, so we finally got our big batch of snow the other day, it made one slow day to classes, not to mention that there were over ten people in the ditch on my way in, for a half hour drive! unbelievable!

[daveydaquiri]

i live in canada i have a love/hate relationship with snow. i like it when its already on the ground.. and shovelled... but if i have to shovel it myself... grrr. oh and i hate when it is snowing and its really windy..