It's called Snowmegeddon.
It was kind of amusing on the first day in the Lower Mainland, watching them do the "bump-a-car" thing. On the second day it started to get a little more serious. It was kind of unusual to see this kind of mayhem persist.
The amusing part was the scramble for the free salt. Golly, what would they do in a real emergency?
Then it got worse.
People insisted on going places when it was dangerous to do so.
A loss of a day or two of wages is far cheaper than a bent fender.
Okay, so they got insurance, but there's still the deductible and loss of use for a few days. Driving around with summer tires is not a good idea in snow.
If you're not equipped properly, stay off the road. I realize that most were playing the odds, but this time it didn't work.
It's now beyond being just silly.
Downright scary would be more like it.
Having lived in snow country all my life, I can handle the adverse weather.
But to deal with the attitude of some of the idiot drivers in the Lower Mainland gives me the creeps.
To blame the municipalities for the condition of the roads is just silly. Try mopping up the ocean.
Sometimes you have to wait for the tide to go out.
There should be a lesson learned here. Take nothing for granted. I know it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to have a second set of tires, but if your life depends on it, it might be a good investment.
The worst part of all this is it was just a bad snowstorm. Keep in mind that an earthquake in the region could really ruin your day.
There would not only be blocked roads but no power for traffic control, falling buildings, and mass panic.
So thank the lucky stars it was only a snowstorm. Inconvenient but survivable. It might be a good idea to invest in a small generator, even without heat, a light always seems more comforting.
Living here in the land of snow doesn't make us superior, just resigned to our fate.
So have a nice day, put another stick on the fire and wait for it to blow over.
George Getty,
Prince George
