Snow Emergencies (Cincinnati, Wyoming, Lexington: insurance, lawyer, living in)

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

Yes! Let's live in a constant state of emergency, it's fun!

Seriously, I scoff at the concept of a snow emergency in south west Ohio. My advice to those who think snow around here could constitute an emergency - live east of Lake Erie and get back to me.

I totally agree that the snow belt area up near the great lakes is a totally different scenario. But don't neglect the fact it is nearly flat and the topography around Cincinnati is anything but, especially when there is ice.

Over the years I convinced myself I was just a stupid ass. After time, I would fight the traffic for awhile and then just look for the closest motel, call the wife, and say I will be home tomorrow.

When I moved to Mason I was a simpler decision. Get on I-71 south past Kings Island. If I had not made it to Fields Ertel in under 20 minutes it was pull off and into the Waffle House, call the company and the wife and tell my next move was all depending on the weather. I might be either at work at noon, back home, or waiting to have supper at Waffle House. Coming home up I-71 was similar. Sometimes I would decide to take the Madeira exit which was not that far from my parent's house. If you made it up the Kenwood hill you were better off than most. The route across Madeira was relatively flat. At the Kenwood exit was a KFC. If they were still open I would get a bucket of chicken and some sides, drive to my parent's house in Madeira, and spend the night.

For anyone who scoffs at the problems with snow/ice in Cincinnati you have just not lived here long enough. We do not have them that frequently, but I can detail for you just about every one since I was an adult/near-adult. If you do not recognize and change your plans, woe be to you.

Many years ago, we had what they called snow chains to put on your wheels. Those things were absolutely horrible. If you were actually in deep snow they were great. But as soon as the snow wore down and you were running on pavement, noise, and it actually didn't take that many miles before the steel actually wore through and you had flopping pieces all around the tire.

I do agree Cincinnati is not the snow belt region. But we do get enough freak weather, the most dangerous is ice, where you do not want to be anywhere close to it. I have personally observed enough cars slide under overpasses and then hit the adjacent abutments. Wham, Bang! I will admit I did not hang round long enough to see if there were fatalities, but I wouldn't be surprised.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

I'm an essential employee. There is NO such thing as a "Snow Emergency" for us. I and my fellow drivers ALWAYS go to work because when the media announces the imminent arrival of the white death, everyone gets in their cars, drives to the store and strips the shelves of food like the end of the world is coming...

You're our hero!

Originally Posted by TomJones123

Seriously, I scoff at the concept of a snow emergency in south west Ohio. My advice to those who think snow around here could constitute an emergency - live east of Lake Erie and get back to me.

This Erie native and former Clevelander scoffs right along with you!

One morning, after I'd moved to SW Ohio from Cleveland, I'm lying in bed listening to the radio and delaying getting up ... and the DJ starts listing all the school closings. He's going on and on and on and listing every single school district between Cincinnati and Dayton, and then starts in on the Dayton-area districts that are closed. So I'm thinking: WOW! There must be a lot of snow out there! and like a little kid I leap out of bed to look out the window.

What do I see? Grass. With a dusting of snow on top. The street was wet, but clear of snow.

Originally Posted by kjbrill

For anyone who scoffs at the problems with snow/ice in Cincinnati you have just not lived here long enough.

I think I lived in the area plenty long enough to make observations. It's not the weather that's the problem, it's the people driving the cars who have no clue how to handle their machine in the snow; nor do they care to learn.

And it's more than driving, too; so many people in Cincinnati are so terrified of snow that they want no physical contact with it whatsoever, be that driving, or clearing their car of snow and ice, or clearing their walks of snow.

People around here aren't much better, to tell the truth. There's the same panic ... but a lot more snow, too!

Now if you'll excuse me, it's supposed to snow tomorrow and I need bread, milk, eggs, and toilet paper!

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

For anyone who scoffs at the problems with snow/ice in Cincinnati you have just not lived here long enough.

Brill - I spent two years in the Rocky Mountains in Gunnison Colorado. The topography in Cincinnati is hilly at best, Gunnison is mountainous and it's just on the other side of the continental divide, around 45 minutes past Monarch Pass. In Gunnison we had snow from September to May. People in Cincinnati just can't drive inclement weather. Ohiogirl81 hit the nail on the head. I never heard of a snow emergency until I moved to New Bremen from Gunnison in late 99. I thought it was a joke then, and I think it's a joke now. There is nothing different about snow and ice from one region to another, except how much of it you get.

[WILWRadio]

I'm hearing that you are getting two to four inches of snow today. Do they issue Snow Emergencies on days like this or only when you get a substantial snowfall?

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

I'm hearing that you are getting two to four inches of snow today. Do they issue Snow Emergencies on days like this or only when you get a substantial snowfall?

Please understand, two to four inches of snow in this area can be substantial. The Snow Emergency is dependent on the road conditions. Yesterday, the minor snow we got on Thursday night all melted on the pavement where I live, even though the air temperature was cold. This was due to the fact three days ago it was 65 degrees and ground temperatures had warmed up. But the 1 to 1-1/2 inches of snow caused traffic accidents all over the area due to the fact it turned to ice upon contact, and ice and hills are a bad combination. NKY on I-75 had traffic backups over 10 miles long as semis were sliding off the road.

So far this morning I see almost 2 inches already. If it keeps snowing all day and through the night in the northern suburbs as they predict we may get more than 4 inches - perhaps 6 or more. That will mean I have to get out there and shovel, should have known I couldn't avoid it all winter.

To more directly answer your question, since it is the weekend they are less likely to declare a Snow Emergency today. It is not they totally ignore the streets on the weekend, but obvious there is less urgency. And since it is snowing on Saturday they are fighting a losing battle to begin with. If we end up with more snow than predicted, they could easily declare a Snow Emergency tomorrow. The purpose of that is to get vehicles off of more narrow streets so the road crews are not dodging around and inefficiently doing their job. Allow the plows and salt trucks to effectively clear the streets in preparation for Monday morning work volume.

[23145tp]

WILW: I don't think the county will issue a snow emergency unless the snow totals 6-7" plus. The city will close some streets that have extreme hills and Metro will adjust some bus routes on those streets until they are treated and cleared.

[CarpathianPeasant]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

I'm hearing that you are getting two to four inches of snow today. Do they issue Snow Emergencies on days like this or only when you get a substantial snowfall?

Try Fox 19 for news.

Kenton Co. issues Level 1 Snow Emergency for Saturday | News | Kenton County News

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

I'm hearing that you are getting two to four inches of snow today.

R.E.M. - It's The End Of The World - YouTube

[ArtVandalay84]

So here's a snow question--Why does no one shovel their walkways in this city? After the December 26th snowfall in Cincinnati, I was the only one on my city block that bothered to shovel the sidewalk in front of their house. Is it just that people are inconsiderate? Lazy? Maybe both? All of the people on my block are able-bodied and fully capable of taking ten minutes to clear the walkway.
This doesn't happen in Chicago. When there's an overnight snowfall, almost everyone has their walkway cleared by 9 am.
Also, LOL at two inches of snow being "substantial." A little bit of snow is not that difficult to drive in as long as you slow the hell down and pay attention. But that's a lot to ask of people, apparently.

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by ArtVandalay84

So here's a snow question--Why does no one shovel their walkways in this city? After the December 26th snowfall in Cincinnati, I was the only one on my city block that bothered to shovel the sidewalk in front of their house. Is it just that people are inconsiderate? Lazy? Maybe both? All of the people on my block are able-bodied and fully capable of taking ten minutes to clear the walkway.
This doesn't happen in Chicago. When there's an overnight snowfall, almost everyone has their walkway cleared by 9 am.
Also, LOL at two inches of snow being "substantial." A little bit of snow is not that difficult to drive in as long as you slow the hell down and pay attention. But that's a lot to ask of people, apparently.

Sidewalks were shoveled in Lexington where I lived for many years, too. The local government would actually cite you (usually businesses, but occasionally homeowners, too) if you didn't clear the sidewalk within a reasonable time after a snowfall. I was astounded that NO ONE clears them here. Really feel sorry for bus riders and people who obviously need to be out walking, sometimes resorting to the danger of walking in the street. Especially when after a few days it packs down into ice.