I live in Bethesda, Maryland and work in Alexandria, Virginia. For those of you outside the DC Metro area, that means I have a long commute–25 miles one way.
I must have some sort of chromosomal abnormality, because I waited until after 6 p.m. to leave work today, during the great blizzard of December 5, 2007. Retard.
In those 25 miles, guess how many snow plows I saw? Zero. How many salt trucks? One. And it was one block from my house. I was already in the home stretch by then, and could have practically slid into my driveway. Come on, VDOT. I watched Fox 5 this morning, and they said that there were 253 plows and salt trucks ready to go. Virg Jacques was broadcasting live in front of a giant dome of salt. Where were you tonight, plowers and salters? Thanks a lot.
Actually, the roads weren’t that bad, but this is coming from a midwestern girl. A little snow has never stopped a Hoosier. Back in Indiana, I had to drive 30 miles uphill to school in blizzards every day, even in the summer. Seriously, the roads weren’t that slick tonight. The biggest problem I had was visibility, and trying to stay within my lane. I know how to drive in snow. It’s the others I’m worried about. Thank science that most of DC had already left work hours before, so the traffic was light. Maybe I’m not a retard after all, because had I left at 3pm, I probably would have gotten home at 6pm.
Don’t even get me started on what happened on the way to work this morning, when it had barely snowed at all. Someone must have fired all the principles and superintendents around here that usually cancel school at the threat of snow. Last year, all it took was a forecast. I think today that most schools were in session, because all the parents were on their way to work at the same time I was this morning. I saw cars in ditches, smashed up cars, cars split in two—and the roads were practically dry.
Ah, DC. How I loathe you when it snows.