Snow Wimps
We moved to Cleveland on a 90-degree day in September. Seasons in Ohio in general aren’t linear. You can even have weather for all seasons within the same week. So it’s not surprising that we’re having what I think of as an atypical winter.
We got our first major snow this month. After predicting a major snow storm on New Year’s Day, the snow decided to arrive fashionably late. When we moved up here, we knew what to expect, which is part of why we purchased and all wheel drive vehicle. We were fully prepared for snow on Friday morning, we woke up early, remote started our cars (Merry Christmas to me!) and headed out ready to brush and scrape. Although there were inches of snow in the unplowed parking lot, the cars were almost completely cleaned from the wind! We found out that they only salt intersections near home so there were a few inches of snow on the road too.. lengthening commute times. Something that is expected in the winter. Brad’s commute was much longer than normal because snow+the interstate makes people a little crazy (and there was a car on fire somewhere).
Neither of us are people who shy away from driving in the winter so we take snowy commutes in stride. I told Brad this weekend that I’m glad we aren’t “snow wimps.” Not that there’s anything wrong with staying in on a bad weather day, but if we canceled plans with our friends or family for a few flakes, we would have missed out on some good times.
We are very lucky though, both of our dads felt that it was very important for us to know how to drive in bad weather. I drove a stick-shift Ford Festiva named Sputter in high school and my school almost never canceled for snow (and never delayed) and Sputter and I made it in every day without incident.
The scariest thing on the roads during bad weather really isn’t the snow and ice, it’s the other drivers!
When you’re out on the roads this winter, please be careful and pay attention. Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front of you, plan on needing extra stopping room and please use your headlights!
What are you favorite things about winter?
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Glass in my purse (the only weather-related driving incident I’ve ever had)
The drivers here in Cincinnati FREAK OUT about even the littlest bits of snow. With parents from Illinois and Pennsylvania, and growing up in northern Ohio myself, I was expected to know how to drive in any kind of weather. I actually love driving in the snow. I drive a rear-wheel drive Ford Thunderbird, and let me tell you, that is FUN to drive in the snow..haha. But seriously though, as long as you are calm and smart about it, it’s not a big deal. This city drives me crazy because they freak about it instead of embracing it and learning. I also have a remote car starter..LOVE!
I can’t say that I love driving in snow, but it’s normal. Everyone tried to tell us that Cleveland winters are worse than Canton winters, but they really aren’t drastically different. There’s just a little more snow.