Anticipating Disaster :: The Life of the Traegorn

Anticipating Disaster
Posted Jan 31, 2011 - 9:07:43	Tweet

So the weather report for Lafayette over the next few days indicate we're getting 12 inches of snow. Considering how this town freaks out over like three inches, that's a considerable amount. And 12 inches is quite a bit once you think about it. I mean, in Wisconsin, 12 inches would be significant enough to shut down a lot of rural stuff.

And in Wisconsin they actually invest in snow plows.

So needless to say, I'm a bit apprehensive about the oncoming storm. I expect various things to occur, like my car being snowed in and the roads being an absolute disaster. I think the biggest risk on the roads though is the fact that three inches makes Indiana drivers act ridiculous... twelve inches is going to be absolutely terrifying.

So we've gotten prepared though - we've got enough food in the apartment so we can just hide from the rest of the world for a few days. Sure, I'll have to still drive Crysta over to the University in the mornings, but considering the alternatives - well - I'm more than happy to do it.

I think the biggest problem on the roads is how many people have now gotten used to driving cars with traction control. Now it's true, my current vehicle also has this wonderful feature, and it comes in handy quite a bit. But because people never have to do minor, easy recoveries while driving, when things go completely beyond the capabilities of the car's automatic adjustments... well... things turn out poorly.

I learned to drive in a 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis. That thing was a boat with a big honking V8 and rear wheel drive. Driving that thing in Wisconsin winters was a challenge, but ever since then every other car I've driven has been a cakewalk. I mean seriously, nothing else is that hard. So with that experience in the back of my brain, on the off chance my current, front wheel drive car loses control... well... it's pretty easy to recover.

So with the high level of fishtailing, out of control drivers on the road, I anticipate a nightmarish driving environment over the next few days. Hopefully I won't have to go out on it too often though.

Hopefully.
- Traegorn