Okay, okay, I know everyone jokes about how the south (we are technically in the south, ya know) shuts down when they get snow. How an inch just kills us. But I’m telling you yesterday’s thundersnow took us all by surprise. In our defense though… the weather guys are hit or miss. Sometimes they’re right and sometimes wrong. So it’s hard to know if you should take them seriously. I think more Washingtonians will play it safer next time.
I felt bad that Henry’s commute took him 1 hr and 20 mins (five times longer than normal) until emails started rolling in from his coworkers. There were reports of 4, 5, 7, 9 and 12-hour commutes. One of his coworkers slept at the office. Here are some excerpts for your reading enjoyment:
“There was this surreal moment on 495 where there was a very long line of BMWs just stranded.”
“I especially enjoyed people in their rear-wheel luxury cars vainly trying to use their 300 plus useless horsepower to get unstuck on ice. Their rear wheels are spinning like crazy and I’m either right in front or next to them thinking this guy is going to slam right into me but I can’t do anything.”
“Pulled a stuntman-like move to swerve around a rear-wheel-drive jag who was spinning around. Got out several times to push other cars, not because I’m a good Samaritan, but because it cleared the way for me!”
“Got home at 12:56am … a long horrible journey.”
“Lots of bad drivers and cars that should not have been on the road. Got home and there was a period of 30 minutes when trees and limbs suddenly started falling down like it was raining tree parts.”
“I counted at least 3 Mustangs facing the wrong way on the beltway.”
“It took me an hour to get from the toll road exit to my house because of several downed trees which required people to get out of their cars and move them. And I finally get here [home] and see I have no power.”
“I need a drink.”
Comments (7)
Oh my! I just can’t even imagine! My mom lives in Baltimore and she told me they had to close down I-83 because there were so many stranded vehicles. I just cant imagine being in such a bad weather related traffic situation that I would leave my car and face the elements to walk home! It’s madness. So thankful to live in Houston…we have a high of 71 today and sunny 🙂
I can’t even imagine the chaos that would ensue if we got snow down here in South Texas! If we go through a drought and it starts to rain a little everyone goes CRAZY!!! If it were to snow? I better make sure my camcorder is always on the ready just in case! LOL!
Sarah, I am near San Anotnio! I LOVE the 60s & 70s in January!!
Priceless comments from the emails! I can’t imagine what would have happened in the deep south here… really this isn’t even the deep south! And I always considered my Baltimore/DC roots able to cope with that stuff. Ice is a lot harder to deal with though. Stay safe and warm
Carpocalypse … great name for it. What a disaster!!!
-Ted
I heard I-70 was stopped for about 12 hrs. people actually left their cars on the road and went and found a hotel. Crazy people.
It took my hubby 1 hr and 10 min to drive a normal 30 minute commute.
being from wisconsin, thundersnow happens. Its kinda cool actually.but that means it comes down at a faster, heavier rate.
I USED to drive 55 miles ONE WAY to work and I had(have) this old crappy van and at the time had basically bald tires…it was NOT fun when it took 3 hours to get to work, only to find out the warden had called inclemite weather..D’OH.
So funny that you posted this. I had to push two 3 series that got stuck in front of my house. One lady and her college age daughter had left NW DC at 3:30PM and I was pushing them at about 11. They realized they had no chance of making it all the up to their house near the top of N Randolph so I dug em out a parking spot, wedged them in as best I could, and they walked home.
My favorite DC snow moment still remains sliding around NW in Blake’s Probe on some really old tires. When it came time to park, we ended up just picking up the back end of the car and sliding it parallel.
Took me about 50% longer to get home, that was a brutal 15 minutes….
-Jon