Can someone tell me why this area can't remove snow? (Triangle: how much, property taxes)

[ICS67]

Not sure what's changed here in South Reston, but...in previous winters we usually had to wait 36-48 hours to get our residential street plowed. This winter, despite this being the fourth storm with measurable snow, our street has consistently been cleared by early morning if it's been an overnight storm. At least around here, VDOT seems to be getting it right.

The Washington Post has an interesting graph on the back page of today's Metro section that shows this area gets a significant amount of snow, way above the wintertime average of 15 inches, about once every five years. The banana belt we are not.

[d-fens]

I guess I spoke too soon as someone actually did their job, but on Friday and Saturday when I am off work and need to do things I have no time for during the week nothing will be plowed. I love when major interstates aren't even clear like last weekend.

As far as snow being beautiful, that is in the eye of the beholder. I can't see the beauty in sloppy, slush covered roads, cars, clothing, etc. I can't see the beauty in salt everywhere. I'm 26 with no kids so I see no beauty in playing the snow. I can see beauty in palm trees, sunshine, beaches, dark haired women with bronze skin, being able to be outside of my house and doing things I need to do without having to worry about a horrible driver smashing into me.

[seiketsu]

Originally Posted by d-fens

To all the people who are wishing for snow because it is "wintery" or "festive", STOP. Or here is a suggestion. Learn how to drive in it. It isn't anything more than an inconvenience to me and I have no interest in getting in an accident because you have no clue how to drive when there is 1-3 inches on the ground.

I can appreciate the sentiment but not the belligerent attitude. "I demand you stop seeing the good side of things. You suck." I mean, I might as well say, for all you people hoping for spring, STOP. I have allergies and the pollen level around is out of control between March and June. Or for all you people wishing for summer, STOP. I have sensitive skin and being in the sun for too long gives me hives. Plus the humidity, I won't have a good hair day until November. Or for all you people who beg for the colors of autumn, STOP. I have to rake all those leaves, you know?

As for today's snow, I woke up at 6:00 and even my parking lot was cleared. Not that I'm not used to the world continuing even under near blizzard conditions, I have a lot of New England winters under my belt. But I still called in to work, just because I could. I'm taking a personal day and will get some housekeeping and errands done. Plus, I need to stock up on toilet paper and milk for this weekend's storm!

[mississippimagnolia]

Wow. My husband and I just had just had a conversation this morning about what a great job the snow removal crews did. I had to drive from Burke to Springfield last night at about 10pm. There were plows and salt crews everywhere. I had no problems getting around.

I took my husband to the VRE station this morning at about 6:30. Again, I had no trouble driving at all.

Maybe the original poster isn't as good at driving in the snow as she thinks she is. I didn't have any trouble at all. As a matter of fact, I haven't had any trouble getting around in the snow at all this year...not even during the December storm. Our neighborhood roads didn't get plowed for days. But they were drivable. And I am by no means any better a driver than the average person.

And for the record...I'm from Mississippi. But we spent years in Indiana where it snows all winter. And years in Washington State up in the mountains where snow tires were required. I have also spent plenty of time in New Jersey and the mountains of Maryland. If you get a bunch of snow in a short amount of time, you have to be a little patient while the crews remove it. It has nothing to do with NOVA having bad drivers.

Honestly, your post is exactly the problem with so many (not all) Yankees. In the south, we would sit back, drink hot cocoa, and watch the snow for a few hours. Unless you are a brain surgeon on your way to surgery (or something similar) you are not so important that you have to be anywhere that quickly. Believe it or not, the world will continue to spin if you are late for work or miss out on your skinny mocha latte. Relax and go outside. When you are old(er) like me, you'll regret spending your life worrying about life's little inconveniences.

[normie]

Well, I'm back from the dentist. The filling was a real PITA but at least the roads were problem free. Even the parking lot was cleared. LOL, maybenow that we've had a few snow storms we've gotten the knack of how to deal with it.

[bornindc]

When I left for work at 5:15am today my street and all the roads I had to travel from Springfield in to DC were already plowed. I've also been out driving in the morning after every snowfall this year (with the exception of this past Sunday) and have had no problems whatsoever driving my minivan in MD, VA or DC.

I don't know where the OP lives but the problem may be specific to his area as far as plowing. I just haven't observed the roads to be in such bad shape where I've been.

I do however believe that there are people on the roads when it's snowing that simply shouldn't be out there. If you don't know how to drive and need to get to work, try the bus or something - please.

(Note to untrained drivers: you do not need to go 10 m.p.h. on I-395 because of some plowed slush! You also will likely skid off the road if you're doing 75 m.p.h. on a curved overpass in your rear-wheel drive sports car! Get off the road if you do not know what you are doing in the snow. You look like fools with your hazard lights on in good visibility, but at least I can tell that you don't know what you are doing and I can avoid driving near your vehicle.)

But I love the snow and want more too (sorry OP).

[DownEastB]

You should see what it's like in NC after a similar snowfall. Our road-clearing budget must be a drop in the bucket compared to yours. We had a 4-6" snow last Saturday and as of today they were just getting to the tertiary roads. A lot of parking lots still have a layer of slush and ice. Wake county schools have been closed for THREE DAYS now. My husband works in NoVA four days a week and he just called me this morning to rave about the difference between plowing up there vs. here in NC - it's like night and day.

But then again, we get what we pay for, huh?

[movingtodcfromseattle]

Originally Posted by normie

Well, I'm back from the dentist. The filling was a real PITA but at least the roads were problem free. Even the parking lot was cleared. LOL, maybenow that we've had a few snow storms we've gotten the knack of how to deal with it.

Glad you made it to your appt and back safely. Sorry about the filling.

[mississippimagnolia]

You should see what it's like in NC after a similar snowfall

Do you remember that storm that hit the Raleigh area several years ago? They released all the schools at the same time and all the area businesses closed. Between the traffic and the road conditions, people were literally stranded on the interstate for 12+ hours. It took my husband 6 hours to get home from work...normally about a 30 minute commute in rush hour traffic. Compared to Wake County, North Carolina, NOVA does an amazing job clearing the roads.

[d-fens]

Well, I'm not a she, at least not ten minutes ago when I stood while I urinated. And my driving is fine. I have never had any snow related mishaps while driving and that actually means something as I have driven in it for the last 10 years being from places where it snows (which includes NoVA in case all of you are still in denial). Also, the whole thing about sitting back and enjoying snow won't ever happen. That would be like telling a claustrophobic to enjoy being locked in a car trunk. I doubt I'll ever regret not liking something that is unappealing to me in the first place. What I will regret is if I somehow get stuck in a place where it snows and gets cold for the rest of my life.