Thank You For Not Plowing The Roads

Yes, a big shout-out to three townships, one State DOT Dept who despite knowing we were going to get hit with snow just before rush hour decided to do absolutely NOTHING, and of course the two drivers who couldn't resist tailgating while driving on a sheet of snow covered ice.

School buses ran late getting back to their garages, but without kids guess these localities weren't as concerned as us when they fishtailed and slid all over just trying to make a slow turn at intersections? The snow hit about 3-4pm just in time for those of us who still have jobs to fend for ourselves. While that sounds a little whiney, I couldn't help but think if I die on this stupid commute they're really gonna miss my tax money.
Watching in shock as a full sized School Bus was headed right at me in my own lane?
Priceless!

(heartfelt genuine KUDO's to the driver who got that Bus back under control!!!)

This Snow wasn't a surprise, it was predicted, the time was predicted as well.
Like a lot of people around here I have 4WD which yes, got me up the hills, but anything over 25mph and with the ice it's only benefit was my vehicle squirreled around maybe just a little bit less than the larger SUV's.


So Just Really A Big Hand Of Applause to the Dinks who rather epically failed to deploy the salt trucks & plows that my tax money already paid for both locally, the County and the State DOT. You Guys & Gals were just awesome today!!!

a reply to: Caver78

Odds are you'd be extremely unhappy living on my street -- heard the plow & salt truck go down the next street over around 9 this morning, havent seen it swing back around since.

Us little dead end streets are afterthoughts. The last few winters, we averaged one plow a week in the snowiest stretch.
Thats not helpful when the snow on the street is bumper-deep.

After lunch, one of my neighbors got a winterized ATV out & packed the snow down for traction for the neighbors. Thats pretty thoughtful

This snow stuff sounds awful.

I have never seen snow. I love hearing these stories.

I live in Aussies Land and the vast majority of this country does not deal with snow, ever.

You would need to go up into the blue mountains at the right time of year where we have some snow fields that people seem to like skiing on.

Having my car buried in the stuff would be amazing.

P

a reply to: Caver78

I know your pain.

There should be sand mixed with salt so when the salt melts it the sand gets impregnated into the ice. But they have forgotten that logic these days because people do not like the sand tracked into their homes and especially do not like the sand built up on the lawn from plowing around here. That constant addition of salt weakens the bond of the shoulders of the road too which is intensified by hard rains and the shoulders wash out in a rain. It has to do with currents forming and destroying the bonds that hold the gravel together, essentially turning it to loda or a quickmud.

I guess that is what happens when they do not train in people properly and send them to school then stick them in a plowtruck or sander.

a reply to: Bigburgh

Bet you shared some of it as well!!!
Did read the DOT geared up for the major highways. Shame they forgot they're responsible for all the belts, and various other smaller roads that they don't allow anyone but themselves to maintain. Oops!!

More like "they're ours to forget about" But we'll take you to court (localities) if you clear them!!

a reply to: Nyiah

Sounds familiar!
They only treat roads on school days here, C-19 is now giving them a free everyday pass.

My road has a deceptive straight away at the top of the hill, but drops away sharply with a unexpected full S-bend. The kind you only see in West-by-God-Virginia.
I get the perfect view of everyone sliding sideways past my home, or backwards, with a telephone pole or a group of mailboxes the usual "full stop". That phone pole is routinely replaced about every other year & has been for the 35yrs I've been here.

It's always polite to remind company to LISTEN for the vehicles about to pop the top of the hill cause they do 50 plus MPH and will be bug-eyed staring at the S-bend staring them in the face. No one ever is going to notice you pulling out of my driveway. Delivery people or tradesmen I flag out.
Hard enough to get them out here, but let a couple get broadsided an I'll never get another one to come out!!

a reply to: pheonix358

A broom is your best winter friend.
Got 3 inches last night before this rush hour mess, went out to warm the car up, forgot about the now frozen mud rut and completed my very first Snow Angel of 2022. 5:35 am dressed for work, sprawled out in front of the car, completely soaked before I even opened the car door.

Only thing left was I still had my dignity since my neighbor across the road had just left for work an missed the Monday morning "Ice Follies".

The snow IS neat the first couple of times.

a reply to: rickymouse

They spread sand north of me. In some places they still spread cinders as well.
I saw one lonely salt truck on the way to work and I must be getting old. The first thing I screamed was it's 13 degrees!!!
Salt??? REALLY???

The truck had a snowplow but the driver wasn't using it, so salt on frozen slushy snow.
I should have remembered Bill Engvall's "There's your sign" an expected the rush hour incompetence.
It's not like the universe is ever going to send me a clearer signal!!!

originally posted by: Caver78
a reply to: Bigburgh

Bet you shared some of it as well!!!
Did read the DOT geared up for the major highways. Shame they forgot they're responsible for all the belts, and various other smaller roads that they don't allow anyone but themselves to maintain. Oops!!

More like "they're ours to forget about" But we'll take you to court (localities) if you clear them!!

I'm familiar with the conditions and roads up that way.

Last sunday before MLK Monday birthday.... township plowed one strip dead center down my street pushing 3 feet of snow piled nice and thick so we can't shovel to get out. Then decide to not put salt down. I now have ice, not snow that's one foot thick on the drive way that's to cold for salt to work. The street is up an incline to get to a county road with only a path wide enough for one car use..... WITH ICE NO SALT YET.

They came once yesterday since and did nothing.

I'm still stuck

So Kennedy Township with Allegheny County has done the absolute minimum. My street is uphill both ways and connects to the county road and state route 51. This happens every year.

Kennedy is up higher off the Ohio river so it tends to have it's own weather, it snows here when it's raining half mile away.

See you April

Edit: if it's any consolation, my aunt and uncle live off Bakertown Culmerville Road and Deer Creek road... they opt to live in Fort Pierce Florida during the winters(like many Pittsburghers). My aunt use to drive school buses up there. My dad in his retirement drives for a friend that own Blue Bird bus Co. They deliver buses new school buses..... he said he didn't run anybody off the road.

a reply to: Bigburgh

you have a PM

originally posted by: Nyiah
a reply to: Caver78

Odds are you'd be extremely unhappy living on my street -- heard the plow & salt truck go down the next street over around 9 this morning, havent seen it swing back around since.

Us little dead end streets are afterthoughts. The last few winters, we averaged one plow a week in the snowiest stretch.
Thats not helpful when the snow on the street is bumper-deep.

After lunch, one of my neighbors got a winterized ATV out & packed the snow down for traction for the neighbors. Thats pretty thoughtful

Yea but your whole town is dead end streets!!

Too bad all the industry left and the tax dollars with it. Those lil snow machines yall used to have was a dream job of mine

a reply to: pheonix358

I have never seen snow.

Easy enough to reproduce in your freezer or fridge or something.

You're not missing much in any case, it's just 'solidified water', basically. It's a nuisance, it's cold, wet, and covers the land so you can't see its features. Usually the leaves are gone, too, so what you can look at is a barren wasteland of white against grey sky (it rarely shines in some places that get a lot of snow during the winter) all day long, every day the same. It limits access to where you can do - I mean, you could -technically- go for a walk in the forest, if you are ready to get a proper workout doing so, with climbing out of the snow after you fall waist deep into it - imagine this for every step.

Even when it's not waste-deep, it's a real nuisance to try to walk even if it's up to your knees (let alone higher), and you fall at least knee-deep with every step. Your shoes will get wet, and if your shoes aren't 100% water proof, your socks will also get wet, and that's a nasty feeling if snow happens to enter your shoes or boots (when you lift your leg up from snow, that usually happens), because it is cold, it melts ever-so-slowly, while remaining cold, while adding a wet feeling, which can even become dangerous, as your toes can freeze and..

What I am trying to say, is that snow basically imprisons you to your dwelling for months and yet more months, and becomes a point of insanity just before the spring starts melting it and showing life can finally continue, maybe, if you are willing to go through a couple of months of nasty, cold winds in a scenery with no plantlife but dead grass and old, dead leaves for a long time, or a nice, sunshiny scenery that is surprisingly cold, so you wear fewer clothes than you should and catch a cold.

I am telling ya, you aren't missing anything pleasant.

There's only one good thing about snow (besides its melting), and that is a peaceful day when the snow is falling from the sky and you can admire it - at least, before it gets windy and it starts hitting you in the face like tiny snowballs, or maybe tiny rocks, if it becomes hail all of the sudden (been known to happen).

Ok, maybe I was a bit harsh, but the only other good thing I can think of is that you can ride an electric snowmobile at great speeds on top of frozen rivers and lakes, and without snow, it would be harder to do. I hate all the other 'snow activities', so don't try to tell me 'skiing' or 'snowboarding' is fun.