Oh My FREAKING Mother of Gawd!
Jan. 28th, 2014 03:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shipperxSo just as I was posting "snowing!" the office said to go home. That was 10:37am, and it was 19F with a wind chill of 11F.
Since I leave my dog with my parents most days (they live closer to my job than I do) I headed to their house, which is 10.6 miles from the office. It is now 3:30 PM and I just (finally!!!) arrived at my parents' home.
But wait, that doesn't explain the hell.
In FOUR+ hours in the car I had travelled only 7 miles! I finally gave up all hope and left my car (in a parking lot) and HIKED the last 3+ miles to my parents home.
In blowing snow. At 17F according to my car when I got out. Before wind chill. All without gloves or a hat (though thankfully with boots)! I know. I know. But I didn't think it would actually snow. No one did. It was supposed to skip us, which is why offices and schools were full when the storm hit, and every major artery in the city became a grid-locked parking lot. Most schools are reporting keeping many kids over night because parents cannot reach them.
And the temps are continuing to fall (low of 8F expected) while it's still snowing into the night.
If I hadn't abandoned the car, I would STILL be sitting in traffic, because after hiking a half mile I passed an enormous ice skid with the multi-car pile up and abandoned cars on both sides of the road, to the point that it was no longer passable. No way in hell I was ever going to make it home in a car. Seriously, while hiking I passed an abandoned police car AND fire truck!
Since I leave my dog with my parents most days (they live closer to my job than I do) I headed to their house, which is 10.6 miles from the office. It is now 3:30 PM and I just (finally!!!) arrived at my parents' home.
But wait, that doesn't explain the hell.
In FOUR+ hours in the car I had travelled only 7 miles! I finally gave up all hope and left my car (in a parking lot) and HIKED the last 3+ miles to my parents home.
In blowing snow. At 17F according to my car when I got out. Before wind chill. All without gloves or a hat (though thankfully with boots)! I know. I know. But I didn't think it would actually snow. No one did. It was supposed to skip us, which is why offices and schools were full when the storm hit, and every major artery in the city became a grid-locked parking lot. Most schools are reporting keeping many kids over night because parents cannot reach them.
And the temps are continuing to fall (low of 8F expected) while it's still snowing into the night.
If I hadn't abandoned the car, I would STILL be sitting in traffic, because after hiking a half mile I passed an enormous ice skid with the multi-car pile up and abandoned cars on both sides of the road, to the point that it was no longer passable. No way in hell I was ever going to make it home in a car. Seriously, while hiking I passed an abandoned police car AND fire truck!
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no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 09:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 09:55 pm (UTC)That's the "just in case" many of us keep handy.
At least you're safe and now warm.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 10:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 10:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 10:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 10:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 11:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 11:31 pm (UTC)Here in the south we're just not used to this kind of weather and don't have the sand trucks to help us out of it quickly. The mister and I got stuck north of Dallas for three days in December when I-35 became a parking lot so I really feel your pain. I hope you don't have to travel at all until this is cleared up.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-28 11:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 12:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 12:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 01:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 01:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 02:41 am (UTC)NYC is supposed to get 4 inches. But we're more used to it. Also...public transportation can be a blessing. Wish there were more trains across the country - be less of a problem. Heard today that somebody had come up with a device that could transport someone from NYC to LA in an hour. You get in a pod, in a tube, and magnets whoosh you across the country at top level speed. Sounds bizarre and like something in a sci-fi novel.
Did you get home - or are you stuck at your parents? And how much snow?
It sounds insane.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 02:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 03:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 03:29 am (UTC)Snow in Southtown, indeed!
Good luck!!!! (And keep warm!)
no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 03:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 06:11 am (UTC)Glad you're safe back with the 'rents, and I hope you're not going out again for a while.
And while it may seem that we in LA have it made, eternal summer is NO FUN, especially as we're all about to burst into flames, are running out of water, and everyone has had the WORST allergies EVER. Really, this afternoon I thought for a while I was going to stop breathing. My eyes are dried out AND also a lovely shade of raspberry red. We're all living on Benedryl and are quite dessicated.
I guess all weather everywhere is going to suck forevermore.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 09:37 am (UTC)Sounds like Alabama is about as prepared for snow as the UK (ie. not at all), though with more justification, of course.
That said, I'm impressed that the schools were able to keep children over night.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 12:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 01:05 pm (UTC)In the North, you can't go outside of the house from Halloween to Easter without your dad nagging: do you have gloves, do you have boots etc. until you can't go out in the winter with all the proper equipment.
In the South, you probably get lectured about sun screen and shade hats.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 03:14 pm (UTC):( Glad you made it home, even by foot.
Sad thing is, unless you have good tires and experience, there isn't a lot you can do about it. Salt doesn't work well and usually makes things worse down around the single digits (only makes slush).
It starts turning around tomorrow, at least. Then you'll have all kinds of mud to deal with.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 04:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-29 04:52 pm (UTC)We've had worse snows before, but never under the kind of conditions which have caused massive icy gridlock everywhere. The city really isn't equipped for travelling in snow, either in equipment, drivers, or topography. But, 99% of the time, when it snows the day began at 50 degrees so the roads take a long time to freeze and the other 1% it simply snowed overnight. This time it's been freaking COLD for days so when it did decide to sleet/snow it froze IMMEDIATELY and it was after everyone was at work or school leading to immovable traffic jams EVERYWHERE and cities/suburbs with no way to actually deal the weather mess.
It's a mess.