snow goons!

Snowed today. Well, really, it was only a dusting, in terms of accumulation. Altho it was coming down at a pretty steady clip for a while. But it didn't last. Well, it lasted long enough to cause hundreds of accidents in Raleigh, apparently. Yet another reason not to live in Raleigh. I got to clear outta work around 3.30 and I40 was a parking lot from the airport all the way back to Jordan Lake. I felt bad for all of them as I drove past in the other direction. A couple of winters back I won the commuting-in-winter sweepstakes and received a lovely 2.5 hour drive home. Like fun! You might think this would be the point where I'd drop a rant about how the locals can't drive in the snow. But, last winter I had to make a "crisis" delivery out to one of the stores during a snow event and it was like Mister Rodny's Wild Ride thru Cary. And clearly no one had a fucking clue how to drive in a wintry mix -- the prevailing style options seemed to be: (1) drive off road into embakment; (2) drive yr SUV 15 mph over speed limit spraying slush across everyone's windshields (oh, and if you cut someone off, that's mad bonus pts); (3) drive well below speed limit, straddling both lanes (and don't clean off yr rear window -- there's nothing important going on behind you, after all). And we know they're all yankees. So it's not where you're from, I don't think. When you're out there on the roads (whatever the conditions) it really comes down to what Argus Filch says -- "you've got to have yer wits about you." If you're driving down dry pavement (even if there's snow on the median and shoulder) you can go the speed limit. Especially if you're driving a damn Benz. Hello! Big expensive car made by Germans should have decent-ish handling in snow. But I digress... If you're cornering thru slush, hell yes take yr foot off the accelerator. Pay attention. (and please don't skid into me)