Snowy Frenzy

Many are chanting the mantra “How long this snow is going to linger on?” We have had a week of no snow storms in the D.C. metro area but we are facing massive obstruction of mammoth snow piles everywhere on any direction that you can lay your eyes on. The two storms that hit us a week and a half ago dumped about two and a half feet of snow on an average and people are stilling plowing their way through the snow. Schools and government offices had been closed for more than a week because snow clearing had become close to impossible. Traffic has become a nightmare (or should I say daymare? Come on, I had to make that up) with the number of lanes reduced to half of what was available to commuters on a normal day. Parking lots for vehicles have become the home for snow piles where all you can see are mounds of snow taking up more than half of the parking spaces.


While the pristine snow covered grounds, trees and houses were soothing to my mind a week back when the snow was still falling and fresh, it has built in anger and frustration into many who have to deal with the aftermath of snow by hauling the snow out of their driveways and parking lots and off of streets and roads. One problem is where do we put the snow that is plowed? Result being, building heaps of snow piles along the roads and along driveways. Drivers at the intersection can hardly see the on coming traffic before making those turns leading to accidents. Now that schools are open, many students are forced to walk on snow covered pathways to get to their schools. Refreezing of melted snow is turning to ice leading to many falls for those who walk on it. Cars are getting stuck on side streets that are barely passable.


Just like the question as to ‘here to dump all this snow’ many are trying to answer the question, ‘how do I show my anger and frustration of this snow’? Case in point is the incident in Loudoun County where one neighbors’ anger pouted on to his street. In Longhouse place in Leesburg (residential street), a Good Samaritan was helping a woman to get her car into her garage while the other cars was stopping behind. A car from the back just went past all the cars that were standing, barely missing the guy who was helping the woman. The driver, Craig Vandusseldorp, would have hit the man but missed him by inches. He was charged with felony assault and reckless driving. He just could not wait a few minutes for the car that was stuck to get off the street. By acting in a haphazard manner, what did he gain? a few tickets and points on his license, marring his driving record, insurance and employment opportunities? Was that worth it?


There were also cases where people are fighting over parking spots. Some people place a chair on the spot to reserve their parking spot and some wanted others to move out of their spot and hence are slicing the tires of the cars so they would move. Why all this rage? The snow will eventually melt and everything will be back to normal in a few days. Until such time, can we not live amicably? Maybe we have to leave a few minutes early to work to beat the traffic and come home a few minutes late after finding a parking spot to park your car. Like some one says, we are one day closer to where we want to be.