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7 Reasons Why Judging Southerners For Freaking Out About Snow Is NOT OK
Odyssey(Clemson University) ^ | 1/23/18 | Christine Humowitz

Posted on 01/09/2025 12:30:49 PM PST by DallasBiff

The South has experienced some pretty abnormal weather in the past few weeks, including snow, ice, and other winter weather that we're just not used to. Some people may say we're overreacting for cancelling school and closing roads because of a few inches of snow, but we really aren't crazy. Here's seven reasons why you shouldn't judge Southerners for freaking out about snow.

1. We literally never get snow in the South


(Excerpt) Read more at theodysseyonline.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Local News; Weather
KEYWORDS: chickenlittle; snow; south
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To: Mercat

It was about 1961 when I first saw snow in Houston, to a Houston kid it was magical, in 1972 I was stationed in Washington state and was surprised to learn in a phone call that it snowed again in Houston, I was sorry I was missing it.

Our banana tree in Houston had produced bananas but I think one of those cold times killed it, I forget what year.


41 posted on 01/09/2025 1:00:44 PM PST by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: MNDude

Exactly. Proves a point I’ve made many times. Northerners don’t drive in the snow. They’re set up to clear the roads immediately. They drive in freshly plowed and salted roads.

When they move to the south and it snows, they always be crashing, because there’s actual snow on the road.


42 posted on 01/09/2025 1:01:34 PM PST by Lee'sGhost ("Just look at the flowers, Lizzie. Just look at the flowers.")
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To: Jonty30
As an Albertan, the only real precaution I take is to drive 10km below the speed limit and give yourself about three times the stopping distance.

And don't do anything suddenly, like try to turn.

From a former Buffalonian.

43 posted on 01/09/2025 1:04:33 PM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus)
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To: Mercat

You are correct, it was 1960, not my 1961 guess. Houston got 4.4 inches of snow, it is a wonder that any of us survived such a fantastic event.

ABC13’s Vault: Houston’s huge snow storm of February 1960
https://abc13.com/when-it-snowed-in-houston-historic-snowstorm-snow-film/1197144/


44 posted on 01/09/2025 1:05:31 PM PST by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: metmom

Yes, no sliding 6 lanes over because you missed your turn. I always put myself in the lane I need as early as I can.


45 posted on 01/09/2025 1:07:26 PM PST by Jonty30 (Liberals are a fulfillment of II Tim3:5. We are instructed to have nothing to do with those people. )
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To: Texas resident

I remember the winter of 73 in Houston!


46 posted on 01/09/2025 1:07:55 PM PST by MortMan (Charter member of AAAAA - American Association Against Alliteration Abuse)
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To: GingisK

I29 in Missouri on Jan 5 th

https://www.kctv5.com/2025/01/06/blizzard-forces-closure-i-29-missouri/


47 posted on 01/09/2025 1:08:04 PM PST by WildHighlander57 ((the more you tighten your grip, the more go na star systems will slip through your fingers.) )
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To: DallasBiff

I learned to drive in the Appalachians of North Carolina.

When I moved to Columbia, SC, I was in the office one day and one of the owners came running in and shouted to his wife that it was snowing and to grab her stuff and get in the car. They took off in about one minute.

I looked out and there were some flakes coming down.

I worked several hours and decided to head home. It wasn’t bad: maybe a couple inches of snow. But on the way home there were wrecks all over the place and watching the other cars it was obvious many people had no idea how to drive in this situation.

I stopped at a red light. There was a car beside me, with another car in front of him, both waiting for the light to turn green. The guy beside me had his tires spinning like mad, but he wasn’t moving. Two women crossed the road between his car and the one in front. If his tires had caught a little traction they could have been crushed.

From that point on, I always waited until everyone had had their wrecks before driving home.


48 posted on 01/09/2025 1:08:11 PM PST by gitmo (If your theology doesn’t become your biography, what good is it?)
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To: DallasBiff

A couple inches of snow in the winter is what we call “Tuesday” in the north.


49 posted on 01/09/2025 1:11:56 PM PST by nonliberal (Russia is not my enemy.)
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To: Tell It Right

The Storm of the Century of March 1993 was definitely one for the books. I was 18 when it hit. In north central North Carolina we got 13 inches of the white stuff. We hadn’t seen a snowflake in three years. Then Dad and I got out of his truck after running an errand and we saw a very few flakes falling. That’s how it started for us.


50 posted on 01/09/2025 1:12:52 PM PST by Ciaphas Cain (A perfect storm. There will be no escape from what is coming.)
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To: Jonty30
Had a snow shovel I brought back from working two years up north.

Used it to shovel oak leaves into bags in fall/winter.

Wore it out years later and got a grain shovel. Noticed other neighbors now using grain shovels to bag leaves.

51 posted on 01/09/2025 1:15:23 PM PST by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's for sure.)
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To: luvie
North Texas drivers are terrible to start with. Snow makes them 3 times worse, and don’t get me going on Indian drivers.

I lived in Spokane and Germany for 4 years each, have plenty of experience in driving in wintry conditions. It’s the other yayhoos that make it miserable.

So we’ll have 2-4 inches of snow over the next few days, and DFW will be shut down…I’m fine with that.

52 posted on 01/09/2025 1:15:59 PM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
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To: Night Hides Not

and don’t get me going on Indian drivers.


You and me both....And they almost all exclusively drive Teslas, and go about 10 MPH when driving around the neighborhood.


53 posted on 01/09/2025 1:17:30 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Deaf Smith

One thing you can do, if you know that a snow storm is on its way is to cover your sidewalks and driveway with tarps, so they stay ice and snow free.

It will also speed up the melting prulocess by creating a heat sink.


54 posted on 01/09/2025 1:19:45 PM PST by Jonty30 (Liberals are a fulfillment of II Tim3:5. We are instructed to have nothing to do with those people. )
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To: dfwgator

LOL, and watch out for the “All Indian” Driving School!


55 posted on 01/09/2025 1:20:28 PM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
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To: Tell It Right

“Us Gen X’ers and older haven’t forgotten it and think about 1993 every time there’s a forecast of snow flurries. LOL”

I haven’t forgotten. I’m a Minnesotan and was in Atlanta for the ‘93 Superstorm. They got about 6-10 inches of snow.

It was waaay beyond crazy. Nothing was open except a Shoney’s near us - until they lost power. There was an Albertson’s nearby and we picked up a few groceries before they closed.

In an effort to be nice, I gave driving suggestions to several Georgians. I told ‘em where I was from and how to make it from Point A to Point B w/o an accident.

Underground Atlanta was partially open after two days and MARTA was running. We went down there and ate and drank because it beat sitting in the hotel room listening to school, church and business closings.

On Day 3, the airport re-opened and we got out. The roads really looked like something out of a Mad Max movie.

I will never ever forgot that experience.


56 posted on 01/09/2025 1:21:14 PM PST by MplsSteve
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To: DallasBiff
Southerners freaking out over something white is antithetical to Southerner DNA
57 posted on 01/09/2025 1:22:15 PM PST by Ahithophel (Communication is an art form susceptible to sudden technical failure)
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To: luvie

If you can get in trouble with a 2 wheel drive, you can really screw up with a 4WD. Normally it helps. But I saw a guy in a 4WD during a snowstorm royally screw the pooch. He went from the left lane, fishtailed across the grass median, into opposing traffic, barely missing a semi and into the ditch on the far side. I was going 40-ish and he blew past me at 65 just before he lost it.

CC


58 posted on 01/09/2025 1:22:27 PM PST by Celtic Conservative (My cats are more amusing than 200 channels worth of TV.)
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To: Night Hides Not
I was born and raised in Pennsylvania and actually passed my driver's license test with about a foot of snow on the ground.

My first duty station was Ft. Riley, KS where, due to it being an active army base, I got to see the driving habits of folks from all over the country, readily identified by their license plates.

My general observation was that if you saw a vehicle in a ditch or a snowbank, it was actually more likely to have a northern plate, whereas cars with southern plates tended to be driven across post at 5 mph or less. My conclusion was that a lot of yankees (myself included) tended to be overconfident with the, "I grew up in this," attitude, and perhaps even felt the need to display their prowess, while southerners tended to white knuckle the steering wheel and felt they could not be too cautious.

59 posted on 01/09/2025 1:22:36 PM PST by Joe 6-pack
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To: Jonty30

Yeah, but you are driving with other Albertans. I live in New Orleans. Imagine what that’s like when we get a little frozen precip. Not to mention the preponderance of uninsured or under-insured motorists.


60 posted on 01/09/2025 1:24:07 PM PST by Romulus ( )
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