Insane Snowstorm from Hell and people's interesting priorities

[Boozy]

Like the rest of the Northeast, we've been hit with one hell of a snowstorm. We're now into day 2 and it hasn't stopped snowing for more than 15 minutes. I can no longer see my car, and I can't walk my dog for fear of losing him under a drift.

I had to work yesterday. No big deal, because its just across the street. I walked. I could see two accidents in a one-block radius. No one should have been driving at all.

I saw one little old lady come in, buy one loaf of bread, get back into her car, and leave. We had people making special trips into the wine store to buy booze. I actually heard more than one person remark, "What a great day to shop! There's no one here!" These people were driving.

A lot of people around here call it Canadian Fortitude, but I call it stupidity.

[protege]

Ugh. People suck.

Yesterday, I had to bring my grandmother in for her doctor's appointment. She lives about an hour away, and no longer drives. Anyway, as I'm heading up the highway, the wind was getting worse. At one point I couldn't see ahead of me at all Rather than pull over (and get hit by some idiot), I got off the highway...and took the back roads home. It was longer that way, but a million times safer.

Didn't stop the idiots from speeding though. Several people went past me like I was standing still...only to have to risk slamming on the brakes and sliding or spinning out

[RentalRacer]

Yeah the local TV stations interviewed people shopping in the storm and everyone was so happy the mall was deserted. I'll admit the thought crossed my mind...but spending the day hanging out at home watching Football and x-mas shopping online was too good a chance to pass up.

Another fun thing was the people that were interviewed about shopping all said it was cause they had an SUV and could make it out. However, the police that were interviewed said most of the vehicles off the road were...SUV's, because people thought just cause they had a 4x4 they were invincible.

For the record, I usually drive an SUV...I ski, snowboard, kayak, camp, mtn. bike, haul my snowmobiles/4 wheelers etc., so for me, it fits my lifestyle, and I am not an SUV hater like some. But I am not one of those jackasses who thinks I am invincible in a snowstorm just cause I have a 4X4.

[SubwayGirl]

It always amazes me how busy it gets when the weather is bad. I have to laugh when I hear a new employee say "Wow, we are going to be slow today!" I always tell them just watch. What really amazes me is we had an ice storm last week. We were busier for lunch that day than any other day that week! Go figure! If I could have stayed home that day, I would have, but unfortunately I am the manager so I had to go.

[protege]

For the record, I usually drive an SUV...I ski, snowboard, kayak, camp, mtn. bike, haul my snowmobiles/4 wheelers etc., so for me, it fits my lifestyle, and I am not an SUV hater like some. But I am not one of those jackasses who thinks I am invincible in a snowstorm just cause I have a 4X4.

Well, you're using the vehicle *exactly* what it's designed for. However, the vast majority of them are used just to run down to the shopping mall, and usually do *not* have 4WD. That doesn't stop most of those owners from driving like idiots...

[queenbb]

we dont get snow down here but we have fires. (i live in san diego)

these last fires, the first day they started they moved quick because of the ultradry weather and high winds. one of our mechanics had left to evacuate his home and returned because he had no where else to go and we were at the time not close to the fires.

it was a sunday, and this guy in a mercedes comes in rather flustered. he had a tire that we special ordered for him that he wanted put on his car, he had a full size spare and had been driving on it for a week or so. (unusual tire size and a week to get the tire from michelin)

he asks us to install the tire for him so i grab my paper work, he says to me all of a sudden, you know there are fires in ramona, i said yah i know one of our co workers just had to evacuate, hes here now cause he has no where to go and nothing better to do than work.

he gets real silent, and then asks if we can install the tire in 5 mins. i said we couldnt, i knew he was worried about the fires, and i said if its between your home and the tire go to your home, you have a full size spare, and you have already put money down on the tire it is not going to go anywhere. and if something happens and the mall burns then we can always order you another tire and get it here.

he doesnt say anything and just jumps in his car and lays rubber out the driveway.

the fires did get close to the mall, they were across the street, we were closed for 3 days, i guess they used the parking lot as a staging area for the fires in that area.

the guy came in the first day that we were open and got his tire, it was my normal day off so i dont know if his home was safe or not. my co worker who evacuated did loose his home, as did one of the other guys i work with.

of course a tire is a bit more nessisary than 1 loaf of bread or booze.

[rerant]

People came into my store on Sunday, which was the first day of the storm, to buy none other than exactly what we sell: furniture.
How in the HELL can you rationalise going out into a blizzard for new furniture!?

The worst part for me was having to get to work. I have to take the bus then walk for 10 minutes, which in that weather became 20 since NOTHING was shoveled and you can't very well go fast in a foot of snow.
When I got to work my hair was frozen.
And what bothered me, aside for the fact that we stayed open and I know for a fact that we lost money for it, what with paying employee wages and the energy it takes to run the largest in the country, was that SO many people called in.

I know how dangerous driving could be in this weather, but I had no trouble taking the bus then walking so why can't you do the same?
Thanks for leaving me all alone to open the store, guys.
/rant

[smileyeagle1021]

this is why I love where I work... our center is off of a road that doesn't get plowed, so the company had our maintanence person plow the road as well as our parking lot (the entire just over half a mile of the road to the nearest plowed road).

[protege]

I should mention that getting around in snow isn't that much of a big deal for me. I had a paper route when the 1990-91 blizzards hit. That was fun

Most people were pretty cool with the fact that simply getting around was a pain. The streets were mostly deserted (a benefit of 3 feet of snow, and 7-foot high drifts ) but even with the chains around the Radio-Flyer's wheels...it still led to some interesting handling characteristics

But, there was one guy who *had* to complain that his paper was late. (This is the same guy who bitched at the postal carrier for cutting across his yard...even though there's a *sidewalk* there.) Never mind that my street was impassable, or that the delivery truck flipped over on one of the bridges downtown and burst into flames... No, he was more concerned about his 25-cent newspaper...and actually *called* the paper to bitch

[Racket_Man]

up here in Packer country we get the snow (sometimes more or less than they do) before the east coast does.

Now when a couple of snow flakes fall people panic and MUST HAVE pizza/wings/other assorted goodies DELIVERED NOW

last Saturday we had mild snow flulrries and the phones lit up and did not stop all FRIGGIN DAY

as a delivery driver it still amazes me that people EXPECT their delivery time to be short (30 minutes or less) even DURING A MILD SNOW STORM (Gods forbid if we have a BLINDING SNOW STORM OH that was fun that day). we have soooooo many people bitch and complain about an hour or more for delivery time. Well tell all of the other idiots NOT TO CALL AND ORDER.

and do NOT get me started on a rant on the crappy tips I got last Sat.

[Bagboy]

we were lucky, Nantucket mainly got rain(that's the joy of living by the sea!)

[Boozy]

and do NOT get me started on a rant on the crappy tips I got last Sat.

That's not right. If I'm going to ask for pizza delivery on a night that its snowing, I tip generously, and I make it clear when I order that they should take their time and drive safely.

[TryNotToBeThatOne]

As I may have mentioned, my mom worked in an ER (my supper conversation growing up would prevent most people from ever eating again). I may hope to get my pizza in 10 minutes but if it takes an hour, I'll understand. My pizza is not worth someone's life or health. Heck, I tip better even when it's just nasty rainy or cold. I don't wanna go out in that (that's why I ordered delivery), so why shouldn't I reward you for making it possible for me to avoid it.

[Boozy]

Off topic - I love your signature, TryNotToBeThatOne.

Please please please tell us you've actually used it.

[TryNotToBeThatOne]

Only once. With my supervisor. But I have caller id & knew it was him.