Posted on 12/27/2022 12:21:12 PM PST by jimjohn
A quick update from my drive into the city of Buffalo New York…
12/27/2022 - approx 12:00 - 2:30 pm
As most areas north of the city are back open, there is still a travel ban in the city of Buffalo. So I headed south to deliver needed supplies to my son. He is about ½ mile from a supermarket that is currently unreachable from his residence. Their cars are blocked by snow.
Yes, there is a travel ban in the city, but cars are moving everywhere, but very slowly. I passed one of Buffalo’s finest traveling in the opposite direction, one directing traffic and an intersection, and one working with civilians helping to get an SUV unstuck from a snowbank.
First, about the looting: Since I was forced off the closed interstate (190) to the surface streets, I ended up on Niagara Street heading downtown into the city. This means I passed through the Riverside area.
(For Google Fans, this street runs north/south along the Niagara River (St. Rt. 266) from about the Tonawanda GM plant to downtown Buffalo – a street hit hard by the gale force winds from Lake Erie, and waves from the Niagara River.
Now, for those of you who know this area, if there was going to be looting anywhere in this city, it would have been rampant in this ‘high crime area’. I saw no (REPEAT – NO) evidence of looting anywhere on Niagara or her side streets . What I did see was shovels – lots of them. Folks from all colors, sexes and ages (most wearing Buffalo Bills gear) doing their best to clear one of the major north-south thoroughfares in town by hand and clearing stuck cars. I did see a few pickups with blades on some of the side streets.
A word about that: From what we are hearing locally, said looting was only occurring in one area of town. Reported on social media, then gone viral as if the whole city is being ransacked. It is not. We did hear a southern suburb (Lackawanna) was pacified by men of middle-east descent responding to oxygen thieving thugs with high-speed projectiles causing them to find religion – at least for a few minutes. Thus, there have been no other reports from that area.
It’s pretty stupid, actually. Between security cameras, leaving footprints in the snow, and the fact that the roads are all blocked means the suspect(s) are probably within walking distance of their targets, thereby will not be hard to track down.
The mounds of snow are (to say the least) EPIC; especially on side streets. I have the blessing of 4-wheel, else I probably would have not made it to meet my son on the side street. On the way back, Interstate 190 northbound was reopened, so driving back was not a problem.
Per the new reports, I expected complete chaos. I saw none of that on Niagara Street from about 12:00 noon until 2:30 pm. In fact, part of me wanted to get out and help folks shovel and move cars. Why?
Because this is Buffalo, and this is what we do.
The temps are expected to rise, meaning we'll be dealing with flooding next. Bring it on.
Reporting from Niagara County (just north of Buffalo) - J. Johnson
Thank you for the good report.
Not to be a stupid ostrich but most Americans are decent people and this needs to be reported. Instead of constantly dividing us racially and otherwise.
Niagara Street isn’t the worst area. The Puerto Rican and Dominican community there is pretty strong. A lot of the West Side is being gentrified
Go to Genesee and Bailey and report from there.
Glad you are surviving. Hopefully the coming snow melt isn’t too fast to cause floods.
I just can’t fathom 4 feet of snow, with drifts up to rooftops.
Thanks for the in person report. The media is just doing what they do best. Sell the hype.
I am stuck in Columbus Ohio for another 3 days, if not more because of Southwest airline problems. I haven’t seen any misbehavior or anger. People are kind of numb I think. Got a hotel and rental car, again. “A 3 hour tour.”
Post of the Day! Thanks. We need a little good news like this.
I remember going to Kary's (sp?) Jewelry and Coin many years ago. A friend and I were looking for a nice watch. We did our business, left and hoofed it out of that area.
Yes, but will it matter in a state where anything less than a murder is considered to be nothing more than a misdemeanor resulting in only a slap on the wrist.
Interesting. Thanks. Good post.
In spite of the 68* degree temp in our family room, I still have a shiver after reading your report.
*Outside temp 60, north of Gay Frisco.
Buffalo update ping.
Close to my old stomping grounds.
I could see Riverside getting really nailed. There is nothing to break the wind off the Niagara River there.
Other than the extreme cold, why is this storm so much worse than the 6 feet of snow you guys got last month?
Amen. Thanks for the reality check.
My father grew up a couple blocks from Genesee and Bailey.
Whenever I’m in town, I like to drive around the area and see what’s happening. Its best to go in the morning.
That area just continues to decline. Reminds me of Detroit, albeit on a smaller scale. Lots of empty lots, lots of derelict houses waiting to become empty lots.
The people of Upstate NY help each other and endure the worst weather in the lower 48. We also have a winning NFL Football team. We are Green Bay with a heck of a lot more snow. and equal amounts of cold! The Packers vs Bills would be an epic Super Bowl.
the pre-thanksgiving snowfall was focused on southern suburbs. Its more rural or outer-ring suburbs (mostly white) and folks and local government could handle it. It was also merely a lot of snow - not very cold (around 30 Deg.) and no wind
This storm had incredible wind, lasted longer, and much colder temperatures. It also was centered over the city of Buffalo, which recd highest snowfall amounts. Compact streets, many more parked cars, typical blue-city public services, poorer population, higher crime, etc. etc.
I would have taken pics to prove my point, but I had to focus on driving.
But since we’re taking notes: I had to go right off the I-190 exit. pretty rough between Niagara and the bar crawl area (you can check the crime stats). Also the Riverside area (between say Vulcan & Ontario streets).
Of course, perhaps you know these areas better than this senior citizen who’s spent more than half a century around those parts...
And no, I won’t go to Genesee and Bailey and report from there, since I had no reason to. And although that was the ‘localized’ area I was referring to, the point was that what’s been going viral out there DOES NOT represent the city as a whole in anyway.
Thank you.
P.S. Go Bills!
Americans help each other everywhere.
The government doesn’t want us to know about it.
Maybe if the Super Bowl was played in either Green Bay or Buffalo, but not if played in Phoenix or LA or Tampa.
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