I just got in from shoveling all of the Gorebull warming. There is over two feet in my little corner of Massachusetts. And as I was shoveling, the wind came up and whipped everything all around again...kind of cool, like a movie with a big roar and all this snow comin’ at ya. Kind of like...winter?
The silly panic that began on Wednesday and culminated with Deval Patrick scratching his fascist itch and banning everyone from the roadways (essentially shutting down every business, reducing income, shortening paychecks and reducing tax revenue - Deval’s favorite) is a recent phenomenon. It shows how sad we’ve become. Most people don’t need to be told by Big Daddy Gubmint not to go sightseeing or traveling long distances in a blizzard. We used to be able to rely on the judgment of each person to use common sense when deciding to travel in bad weather. Another responsibility we’ve forfeited to Big Daddy Gubmint?
Looking at the picures from the Blizzard of '78, it's apparent some people don't have common sense. Getting people off the roads in advance of the worst of the storm made it easier not only for people to get home safely, but reduced the possibility of pile-ups like what happened in ME.
Yeah, it sounded fascist, according to the news reports, but looking at what had happened before, I think it was prudent. If there hadn't been those 'official' announcements, some folks night have stayed at their jobs until 5, and they would have been clogging the roads until well after 7 or 8, when the really heavy snow and winds were getting going. And other companies that had later closing times decided on their own to close early, for the safety of their employees. Having the cars off the roads made it easier for the plows to keep the roads clear; they didn't have to dodge idiots on the road, or the cars they might have had to leave behind after getting stuck in the slush and heavy snow.
Our company closed at 11am, which gave me time to make a last minute grocery run on my way home. Hubby made a quick run for a little more gas, just in case we needed to make extra passes with the snow thrower, but we were all safe, snug and warm at home, by 4pm, when the snow started really falling