Alright so apparently we have a
big problem in Atlanta. This white stuff they call snow, comes here and
visits us every few years. Every year we get a nice sprinkle or a
light dusting. But sometimes we get some solid accumulation and it
takes a toll on us and our already crazy traffic. I did not even know
it was gonna snow this week until Monday morning when a customer told me
at work. We have been having really cold days here lately in Georgia
just last week were down to the single digits, but not a single drop of
snow was in sight. Fast forward this past week the temperatures were up
into the 50-60s, so I was not even considering snow anytime soon. So
by the time I got wind that this was really happening I just expected
to be leaving work early Tuesday, and come back the next day after our
weak snowfall melts. I really did not suspect it to be all out chaos,
just by the fact that there was no sense of preparedness from DOT on the
roads. I did not feel like I was driving in a city that was bracing
for snow and ice. Granted the roads were lighter than usual like it was
a holiday. But I kept hearing the percentage raise from 60, 80, and up
to 90% of snow expected followed by freezing temperatures on the radio.
But I never encountered any sort of advance measures to ensure road
safety on my trip in to work..
Around 2pm I left work, and I
could tell that the highways were completely jammed packed before I
even got out of the parking lot. So I decided to take the back roads
home, which if you live in Atlanta it is key to survival. My house is
generally about 20 minutes without traffic. It ended up taking my 3 1/2
hours to get home. And lucky for me I was able to get home before
anything froze. When I arrived home all hell had broken loose on the
roads.
I turned on the TV and realized
how much chaos was going on by watching the news. Everyone was either
headed home, or heading to pick up their kids from school. Two things
made this terrible, the fact that the kids were in school was just mind
blowing. And the fact that everyone was on the roads at the same time
just made for a disaster.
Now this photo was taken in
between 6-7pm, based on the amount of light left. This being a major
highway in Atlanta has not a single grain of salt after its been snowing
for 7 hours already. People have been repeating that we can not drive
here, but Atlanta’s terrain being full of hills, and the lack of road
preparation crippled even the most experienced drivers.
A lot of people just gave up on
their cars, and decided just to either walk home, or find somewhere to
sleep for the night. I could not imagine being put in this position.
Hundreds of stores opened their doors to people stranded to sleep for
the night. Firehouses turned into rest stops for stranded motorists
also. Its actually pretty scary to imagine that I could have been
completely stranded in the cold miles away from home.
Photos By: KHRIS H. PHOTO
Our very own Khris H. awoke this
morning and stepped right outside his neighborhood and took photos of
the line up of cars that never made it up the hill.
In these type of conditions, its
the other people that you have to be the most cautious about, as you can
see this work van just completely ruined this street for anyone trying
to get by.
Being out of work all day, I was
able to spend most of my day on social media. And just read what people
had to say about Atlanta in general. Some blame is set on drivers
being irresponsible in conditions. Me personally put part of the blame
on the officials that are here to keep the road safe. Especially the
major highways that surround Atlanta, there is no reason for these roads
not be prepped prior to this. The officials keep up with the excuse
that they did not know it would be this bad, but its something I can not
just take. Even if it was just sprinkles of snow, it was precipitation
in temperatures in the teens. So either way we would be fighting ice
for the next two days, which is much worse then snow. I personally have
been a witness to all of the last 5 really bad snow storms in Georgia,
and this one having the worst outcome, it will truly be a day to
remember.
