Ok, I admit that I can be a broken record about snow phobia in Virginia and the inability of drivers to cope with a single flake of the white stuff without creating piles of burning wrecks. However, my four children will be staying home today because of the snow. I had to actually go outside to see it but it is there — a dusting of the stuff but enough to shutdown one of the largest school districts in the country.
I honestly cannot remember school closings in Chicago growing up. I am sure that they happened (though University of Chicago had a reputation for never closing), but they were so few that they were not a big part of growing up. We did not have buses and walked to school regardless of the snow. (Ok, I know that sounds like your annoying parents of how tough life was growing up). More importantly, everyone learned to drive on the snow — a few basic rules like not to slam on the brakes on ice.
Fairfax is shellshocked after it decided not to even delay school recently in the midst of a snow storm with icy road. The kids and parents started a social media frenzy — making #closefcps the most popular hashtag of the day. The problem was not the snow but frantic, non-snow driving Virginia who seemed to rush into their cars to plow into ditches or each other in the annual Hunger Game carnage that is winter driving in McLean. I drove the kids and their friends to school and watched in amazement as a man in a luxury sedan did a 360 spins twice in the middle of the intersection. What was really impressive is that he stayed on his cell phone chatting as he spanned in circles next to my van.
A couple days later the school closed for cold temperatures (no snow). Now, it has closed due to a literal dusting of snow. No wonder this is a region of snow phobics. They are raised where the scene below requires all classes and programs to be cancelled for public safety.
Part of the problem is that schools are huge and distant, requiring cars and buses to reach them.
Smaller neighborhood schools you can walk to?
Naaaah.
Pogo – my hometown had one public high school, it was about a mile away. I know kids who walked further. There was no bus service.
I wasn’t a big Tarantino fan until Django.
The DJ in the flick was Stephen Wright. Saw him live once. He’s a performer.
ChipS, I often have songs in my head. During this bizarre blitz “Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right…” was playing in my head. For me, that Nitty Gritty Dirt Band tune is inextricably linked to the Tarantino flick, Reservoir Dogs. Are you hip to the scene??
♪ Fools rush in
where wise men never go ♫
“Dare not go!! LOL.
Don’t blame you for not hiring any, Mespo. Especially from the example I’ve seen here.
I had a great professor in college who was a REPECTABLE plaintiff’s attorney. I have worked plaintiff cases and they were some of the most satisfying cases I ever worked. Anyway, during class, an ambulance passed by the building. This professor ran out of the classroom, returning a few seconds later, saying “Professional hazard.” We laughed our asses off. This guy made it a point to present the Supreme Court case, Spinelli v US, personalizing his syllabus since he had a Spinelli in the classroom. Interesting and important case. There are GREAT attorneys in this world. I have some dear friends that are attorneys. But, there are a lotta losers as well. NEVER NEVER hire an attorney from an advertisement. Do your homework. Ask people who deal w/ attorneys and know the biz.
Yeah Nick we were talking about a California weren’t we. Btw the way never felt the need to run away from the place a lot of people want to come to. Toot les.
Now, chuck and Inga, my curiosity satiated let’s head on back to the place where the rabble dare not go.
mespo –
I always thought you thought you were better than the rest of us. Now you show your true colors. An elitist is always an elitist.
When your whole world is Virginia. When you’ve lived you whole life in one state, you feel like a that is the universe. Looks like the malcontents got together and are sabotaging, like a [crazy] tornado, sweeping in and damaging a great blog. Return to the echo chamber.
Inga:
Just testing the sewer water. Plus, I know who makes those decisions and why. My father did this for years and I am not about to let a peanut gallery of know-litttles demean folks out on the road at 4 am who have to make quick calls to protects the lives of kids. Call me greedy. Btw, never really hired PIs. Couldn’t trust most of them. Too one-sided.
Chuck:
In Virginia, school bus drivers and school boards are absolutely immune from suits for negligence by student passengers in school bus mishaps if they are in the governmental act of transporting students. So contrary to some rather biased and unlettered opinions around here, it’s not liability claims that makes school boards wary, it’s just concern for kids. But then again, who am I to argue with a fourteen-year-old.
I bet there are some good stories by attorneys about the PI’s they’ve hired.
Hi Mespo, nice to see you here! I see how quickly the usual suspect brings up a negative remark about some law practices, things never change, do they?
Sandi, in the 2 districts I taught in Wi., teachers were expected to report to work on snow days or be assessed a personal day. The superintendent had the authority to waive that on REAL snow emergencies.
Sandi, Although rain can put California drivers in a tizzy, they are the best drivers in the country. I have now been to 47 states, and drive coast to coast annually. Californians drive fast, but they know how to drive. Here is a problem that has cropped up just the last several years, particularly w/ young drivers. THEY DON’T SIGNAL! That is a HUGE safety problem. I am not certain of the reason. They are distracted more than most drivers, and I’m sure that’s a factor. But, it is an increasing problem everywhere I drive. When I drive coast to coast I like to talk w/ truckers. They have noted the problem as well. Professional drivers like truckers ALWAYS signal.
Nick – In Arizona you are not required to signal lane changes. You only have to do it in safety.
Professor Turley, snow days are called for the teachers, not the kids.
Attorneys, particularly ambulance chasers, are a large part of the reason for this hyper vigilance. It is not a coincidence that a “plaintiff’s attorney” is informed on the number of buses that went off the road after a snowfall.
I’m a PI. I would be in police depts. on almost a daily basis, These ambulance chasers have errand boys and girls combing the daily accidents for dead bang liability cases. You know, rear end collisions, SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENTS, public transportation accidents, etc. I had a PI working for me back in the 90’s. He was following an insurance fraud plaintiff, in Milwaukee doing surveillance. As he followed the plaintiff, he was stopped @ a traffic light. A nationwide auto parts company rear ended my guy in one of my company vans. THANKFULLY, he was not pushed into the woman he was following!! Within 3 days, my guy got 5 letters from ambulance chasers saying things like “We know you told the officer you were not injured but..” and “We will send you to OUR doctors for evaluation and treatment.” There was ~3k damage to my van. My guy was not injured AT ALL. He was a retired state homicide detective and new to the Thunderdome world of “personal injury.” The guy had been working for me ~6 months. He got a real education from this accident.
I saw those pile ups in CT. One of the first things I was told, turn your motor off. But having sliding a bit myself, it’s a hopeless feeling.
Now about CA. I grew up here and learned to drive here. The maniacs you see came from other states. If it starts to rain I get off the freeways and use surface streets. The idiots on the freeway just can’t slow down and stop lane changing!