Just Another Snow-tastrophe in the NW

[neversremedy8]

Yesterday I vented out my frustrations about how inefficient Washington (and especially the Greater Puget Sound area) is in dealing with snow storms. We're simply not prepared for them on any level, and with the weather becoming wonkier by the year, we ought to make better preparations, but this state is currently experiencing some very drastic budget cuts all along the board ($116 million just to higher education). So, here's yet another reason why we don't handle snow the way the Midwest does: hills. We have big, fucking hills all over and even a bit of ice or snow on them can send people careening down them. As was the case yesterday, when not one, but two charter buses ignored their passengers and went down one of the many steep streets in Capitol Hill. I mean, come on! It's even in the fucking name: Capitol Hill.

When you have snow and ice in a place where most of the roads are relatively flat and even, you're not going to have such a hard time driving along so long as you're careful and have appropriate tires or chains. Even without those accessories, a slow and cautious driver can make it through without a problem. However, when you add ice to a city filled with hills, and snow plows are at a premium, and your streets are all twisty and bendy and only the arterials have been cleared off, well ... you get idiots taking a detour to hang out over I-5 despite being told "don't go down the hill!"

jodawi braved going to Microsoft on Thursday, his truck held up well, but he kept having to find alternate routes around the multitude of buses that were stuck on the ice or in the snow and couldn't manage. These buses are equipped with chains, but I guess they weren't using them ... or they weren't working. Meanwhile, though he made it, he couldn't park on the Microsoft campus and had to walk part-way instead. Because, you know, hills.

I've already said it before, so I don't need to go into all the details about how very little equipped this area is in dealing with snow--we usually don't have to--and some of the negative effects of that lack. The worst part being insufficient shelters for the unhoused who occasionally freeze to death or experience an increase in illness and frostbite.

If you don't hear from me again, expect that the anticipated incoming storm (supposed to hit us hardest around 10pm) knocked out the power. We're semi-prepared for this event, although when Craig wakes up I'll need to ask him if we still have a camping stove or something. At least we have a brick oven, a fireplace, and a ton of Shabbat candles. ^_^ If absolutely necessary, we could possibly pull down my mattress to the living room and bundle up in front of the fire.

EDIT: Not surprisingly, FARK has a thread on this. Also not surprisingly, there are arguments between people who live in this area and know the inherent problems with snow in Seattle, and then there are the people from the Midwest who don't understand and mock us. Then, there are people who don't care one whit and add their own commentary:

It's not the size of the bus that matters.

It's the angle of the dangle.
--MarshaFarker

Comments

[cyprinella]

I suspect the mocking from Midwesterners is similar to what we get out here. However, I also bet that they don't realize that what you get instead is *ice* and very heavy wet snow (like we do) and that's a very different animal from the snow you get in the Midwest. It took a bit for that to sink in for me. That said, we don't have hills (well, for the most part. There are actually some unpleasant ones around my house but they're mostly rare) so I feel perfectly okay with berating the morons driving either 15 miles an hour through the slush in their puttputtcar or 65 in their giant SUV that they won't be able to control when it hits ice dodging around the puttputtcar.

[neversremedy.livejournal.com]

Wow. I'd expect more from the East Coast on dealing with snow, but then again, when I lived there, we barely got any and I don't remember it all that well. Except for a failed snowman once in Atlanta. I think I was able to make it about a foot high. *sighs*

[cyprinella]

North of us, yes, they're better. We're in a weird spot that's just far enough south and close enough to the ocean that we don't get a lot of really major snows and they usually melt off in a couple of days. Drive west about an hour towards the mountains and it's a different story. Jason and I are trying to remember the last really major snow storm and we think it was early Jan '06. So we're coming on three years without major snow. Last winter there was thick ice on the pond for a week, tops.

[neversremedy.livejournal.com]

*nods* Here, we usually just get an inch or two of snow, the kids either get a two-hour delay or a day off and then bam, it rains! The rain washes away the snow and if it stays warm enough, no ice, and the city is back to normal. I'm concerned that with cities like ours where we usually don't get a big snowstorm more than once a decade (minor one in '06, major ones in '96 and '85), the changes in our global weather patterns may make the next few years rather bad. Between budget cuts and lack of preparedness for these major storms, we may end up seeing a lot more of these problems. Sure, as individuals we may adapt (better tires, better clothes, more stocks each winter), but institutionally we're going to need to plan better. A couple of years ago when the power went down here at Craig's house (before we lived with him), it was out for over a week. We're prepared now for dealing without electricity for two ro three days, but probably wouldn't get by for much longer. Hopefully, with Obama in office, government officials will be permitted to finally acknowledge global warming and we'll see a change in local policies reflecting that our weather's status quo has gone and we should have plans laid in case of inclement weather that's against the norm.

I'm glad at least you've found ways to make things better around your home, even if the streets aren't well prepared for it. I may end up braving the 8-12" staring me down out there so I can get to the library. They have shortened hours, but I have stuff to return and more to pick up. I think some extra library materials might help take the edge off of a certain partner's restlessness. ;)

[mechgogo.livejournal.com]

then there are the people from the Midwest who don't understand and mock us. Then, there are people who don't care one whit and add their own commentary:
************************************************************************

In the immortal words of the drill seargeant from the movie Stripes "Lighten up Francis".

As I said here http://neversremedy.livejournal.com/942867.html?thread=2507539#t2507539 you weren't being mocked. It was a simple, lighthearted observation on how a little thing like geography can make the difference between something being just another day at the office or a significant pain in the ass. I get it ok? You're not used to the crap Mother Nature is throwing at you and it sucks. But you're not doing anyone any favors, least of all yourself when you take a simple observation as if somebody's laughing at a funeral. Climb down off the cross ok?

You mentioned the homeless and poor. Speaking as someone who has been homeless and is usually poor trust me; the folks at the bottom of the food chain know more about surviving in this garbage than most. They have to. Sickness and frostbite increase for EV-ERY-BO-DY this time of year. It's an inevitability of winter and while it sucks and it's legitimately tragic when people in one of Earths richest nations freeze to death for the most part all that's going on is an inconvenience, not anything on a par with Katrina. And like I said in the linked to comment try to remember that two of the three people I love most in this world are living in Seattle at the moment. So maybe it's just possible I wasn't mocking what you're going through since, gee, I dunno a significan majority of the reason I consider this life worth living is going through it too.

On a practical note from someone who has lived his whole life in the crap you guys are getting dumped on BE VERY CAUTIOUS about using a camp stove to heat your home. You can asphyxiate if you run one of those things indoors and while I personally think you take stuff that isn't that critical a mite too seriously I sure don't want to read about you and yours getting dead anytime soon. Your idea about bundling the family together around the fire-actually I'd advise the brick oven instead since it's less likely to produce much smoke or have the current weather kick potentially lethal fumes back into where y'all are trying to breath-is much better. Body heat will keep you at least warm enough to keep on this side of the dirt if not as comfy as all concerned might like.

And if you're genuinely seeing a trend towards this kind of weather then the first chance you get try to get your hands on a few plastic window insulation kits. They cut drafts a treat even if they are a moderate sized pain in the ass to put up the first couple of times. At least your home will be warmer. If you can get any this year and need some expert help I believe you're friends in the real world with damashita and wingedelf yes? The two ladies currently staying with them are the aforementioned "two of the three people I love most in this world" . I'm usually the one in the family who puts the plastic up but they know their way around it too. Just remember to measure and cut the plastic by holding it up to the window frame BEFORE YOU LAY DOWN AND PEEL THE BAXKING OFF THE TAPE. Also, remember not to pull it too tight and leave about a hands width slack when measuring and cutting. You pull it tight when laying it down and then try to shrink it you're going to shrink it right off the tape sure as anything.

Be warm and remember; this too shall pass.

[neversremedy.livejournal.com]

Again, not taking it too seriously. Again, not stressed out. Oh, and while the discussion started after your comment, a lot of what I was responding to had a lot to do with FARK and the hundreds of commentors who just don't get it.

So, from what I'm reading from this comment, I must seem awfully naive to you. I understand that you're concerened for our welfare, and I thank you, but I should note that I was never going to use a camp stove indoors (we have two stone porches that are far safer), and while I'd love to smack my mattress down by the brick oven, there simply isn't room. I can mention the plastic to Craig (I've watched damashita and others struggle with it), but I doubt he'll go for surrounding us in what he sees as a toxic substance.

And like I said in the linked to comment try to remember that two of the three people I love most in this world are living in Seattle at the moment.

Yes, they're lovely women. It's been fun meeting them when I go to damashita's house, and even better having them along for Repo! a few weeks ago.

But really, In the immortal words of the drill seargeant from the movie Stripes "Lighten up Francis" <----this is rather insulting, since what I'm saying isn't coming from stress or anger or some misplaced sense of guilt. It's coming from the same concern about all the people I know out there in the cold who don't have enough resources to see this through and still coming out unscathed. My immediate household? We're fine, so long as Craig doesn't go on a murderous rampage without his mocha ("No TV and no beer make Homer somthing something ..."). But all the people out there (represented by some of the people on FARK) who don't understand? People who don't get it tend to ignore or mock rather than help resolve the problems. Maybe it isn't really their job as outsiders to care, but it's not helping us any. Why not share solutions to defeating the ice on hills problem or, as you've said, how to insulate a home better? At least giving advice is far more helpful than laughing and pointing.

[cyprinella]

I love love love window plastic. Our place has what I'm pretty sure are the original windows and they are rather drafty. Window plastic makes a huge difference. I have a box of it sitting on my desk and while it says "please recycle" it doesn't give a number so I can't tell you what kind it is and the related leeching it may or may not do. It's not something I've ever been concerned about, but I know other people have a lot lower level of what they consider acceptible.

[neversremedy.livejournal.com]

I know it works well, and I'd certainly give it a shot if Craig Oks it, but it's his house and ultimately his decision. This is a big house, and it'll take a lot of work (on my part) to get it all up. I just don't know yet if he's willing.

Thanks for looking into the recycling/plastic toxicity for me, though, that's certainly something to use. Even if you're not sure of the recycling number, the fact that it can be recycled is a good sign. :)