Anyone in the Atlanta metro area stuck in the snow?

Goal179

I didn't eat anything today except for breakfast. I have been stuck in a snow storm for 12 hours on the freeway. I am just getting home and I am too exhausted to try to eat. Plus it's already tomorrow. I will totally make up for it tomorrow, but I am going to bed with only about 400 calories for the day. There is a snow storm in the ATL. Thousands of kids are stuck in school or on school buses. There are parents who LITERALLY don't know where their children are because the kids are stuck on a bus on the freeway someplace. Thank goodness my husband worked from home today and was able to pick up my daughter. I had to pick up my 2 year old son. People are running out of gas on the freeway. Diabetics are passing out behind the wheel. All freeways are gridlocked and people are dying. A lady had to give birth on the highway because she couldnt get to the hospital. ATL wasn't prepared for this at all! THis is just horrible. I want to blame someone, but I am not sure who gets the blame. The weather people gave us the impression that this was not a significant storm and it would not hit our are directly. Now every is playing the blame game from the DOT, to the school systems, to the Mayors to the Governor. We should have known better. I have been in the car for 12 hours with a hungry screaming 2 year old. all restaurants are closed, even fast food. But thousands of folks are still stuck on our freeways. I saw mother's walking in 17 degree weather with their infants because they ran out of gas or spun out on ice. I just want to give thanks to GOD for getting me home. And kisses to my BMW X5 four wheel drive V8 with the big wheels that ate up the snow and ice like it was water. Praise the Lord. If you live in the metro Atlanta area and you got stuck, please share your story.

uconnwinsnc

We New Englanders can drive backwards on an icy highway with 18 inches of snow, while drinking our Newman's Own coffee and eating our Dunkin' Donuts bagel. Get on our level, Atlanta.


This was my friend's car after last years 40 inch snow storm. You can see one of it's lights.

slgthatsme

How much snow are you getting? I am looking at the photos online and the pics there are showing the snow isn't even really staying on the ground. I assume that the wind is causing drifting?

slgthatsme

uconnwinsnc - LOL we Canadians can too but we have our Tim Hortens and are doing donuts not eating them

The snow outside of my living room windows reaches the window sill and goes almost directly across the lawn levelly. The snow bank beside my car is taller than me (I am 5'5 and it is approaching 6" or higher) and the snow along the roads are 5" tall. I haven't cleared off my car since Saturday and there is about a foot of snow on top of it just from snow fall the last few days.

BLAH

I really hope that things getting better in Georgia. In Ontario and New England we know to have emergency car kits in case of this happening. Extra food, water, warm clothing, candles for warmth etc. but no one in Georgia would do that because no one expects that things will get that bad.

Amanda_Gx6

Georgia Peaches aren't used to snow fall, I'm on the coast of Mass and we've been getting buried this winter. In the winter while traveling with kiddos try to bring what I call "cranky snacks" with you.Just little baggies with raisins or cheezits or pretzels and a juice box just in case the children get a case of the cranks. Preparation is your best defense. Good luck

bluestarlight19

We New Englanders can drive backwards on an icy highway with 18 inches of snow, while drinking our Newman's Own coffee and eating our Dunkin' Donuts bagel. Get on our level, Atlanta.


This was my friend's car after last years 40 inch snow storm. You can see one of it's lights.

Don't forget while steering the car with our knee!

We just got only a couple inches this morning where I live. I was happy that we could just brush off the car and drive over the rest without shoveling. The commute to Boston was kinda slow this morning though. I was happy with the last snow storm, We got up early to shovel and then zipped in to work because all the smart people stayed home in there beds. Best commute ever! Almost like a holiday commute

FredDoyle

Meanwhile in Canada, I think I need a beer...



j/k
It's awful when you're not prepared. Best of luck to you guys.

carlsoda

I just read about it on the news - so sorry you guys are going through this!! I can't imagine what it would be like to be stuck on the freeway for that long or stuck at school/make shift shelters. This has been one crazy winter so far. Thoughts and prayers are with all of you down there!

myukniewicz

I just read about it on the news - so sorry you guys are going through this!! I can't imagine what it would be like to be stuck on the freeway for that long or stuck at school/make shift shelters. This has been one crazy winter so far. Thoughts and prayers are with all of you down there!

agreed! I've been watching it on the weather channel since this morning. I am so sorry that you all have to go through all of this. Take care & my thoughts go out to everyone still stuck

Gwen_B

I'm in the area but I"m safely in the house today. I had to drive in it yesterday though! I feel so bad for you, I was watching the traffic that got stuck for hours on the news. This morning they said that people were still stuck on the highway!! Glad you made it home safely. Some kids had to spend the night at school :-( I was very fortunate to get home in less than an hour and my kids to be here when I got here.

Lonestar5775

I think sometime people are complacent about the power of Mother Nature and when the forecasters get things wrong, which is natural, it can cost lives. Glad you got home safely at least and praying for those not as fortunate.

Rerun201

I sympathize with all those who find themselves stuck on a freeway, at work or at school because they could not get home due to the weather/road conditions.

That being said, they ( the city/county and state govts.) could have prepared for this as it was forecast. Your elected officials let you down. The icy weather came creeping down from the north and did not just magically appear overnight. Schools and other businesses/functions should have been shutdown before this weather hit. The inaction of your local governments has put lives at risk,

I would hate to be in that mess. Again, those who are stuck have my sympathy.

DeliriumCanBeFun

I just read about it on the news - so sorry you guys are going through this!! I can't imagine what it would be like to be stuck on the freeway for that long or stuck at school/make shift shelters. This has been one crazy winter so far. Thoughts and prayers are with all of you down there!

So glad to see one person not feel the need to be a jerk. And so glad to hear you made it home safely after what was I'm sure a terrible and scary day. I was in 14 hours of traffic and travel for hurricane evac once, and I can't even imagine your day. I'm on my second day home from work in South East Louisiana because of ice on the roads. My 45 mile trip to work crosses more bridges than most people cross in a year, and I don't trust people who never drive in these conditions. We also left work after lunch last Friday because of being scared of not being able to cross the river. Seriously, we have not seen snow or ice on the roads since 2004. But when ya'll cocky northerners are wilting when it gets over 80, we'll be handling the heat like a boss

KANGOOJUMPS

I FEEL FOR U!,,, I am in ONTARIO, CANADA, my kids have not gone to school since last THURSDAY!!!, we are all closed, shut down here.

Gwen_B

Oops trying to post a picture, guess I can't figure it out.

CynthiaT60

We New Englanders can drive backwards on an icy highway with 18 inches of snow, while drinking our Newman's Own coffee and eating our Dunkin' Donuts bagel. Get on our level, Atlanta.


This was my friend's car after last years 40 inch snow storm. You can see one of it's lights.

That's real sympathetic. Thanks for your contribution! :noway:
ETA No, I don't live in Atlanta.

Tiernan1212

As a parent, I cannot imagine the feeling of not knowing where my children are. Especially knowing they could be stuck on a highway somewhere with no way of being able to help themselves.
State and local governments should have definitely handled this better. It is always better to err on the side of caution, than take a chance with the safety of the people.

I am very glad that you and your children made it home safely. Hopefully many others will as well.

Goal179

For those of you who are up North and think we are just unable to drive in this weather, please understand. Our driving was fine, it was only 3 inches. Even a native Californian like me was able to drive in this stuff. It was the traffice that caused problems. 6 million people hit the road at the same time traveling across highways that were iced over and had not been treated. THe state of Georgia just doesn't feel the need to invest heavily in training, snow plows, etc. for snow incidents because we only get this weather once every few years. We need to get it together and get some kind of plan. The point that I am really trying to make is that if we had an emergency where we had to evacuate the city, even in good weather, we would not make it. There would be gridlock and we would not be able to get to our kids. This should serve as a wake up call for all in the ATL. YOU MUST HAVE AN EMERGENCY plan in place. Be responsible for yourself because government cannot babysity and will often let us down. The folks who got home safely did so on their own and with the help of fellow citizens not government. Please create your own plan.

jkwolly

Meanwhile in Canada, I think I need a beer...

But yes, honestly, that would be terrible! There would be no way I'd be going to work today haha!

concordancia

As someone who moved from the frozen tundra to Atlanta, the problem isn't the snow, it is the ice. For some reason, the insist on calling it "snow." Then, what snow they do get turns almost immediately into slush, which refreezes at night - you know, those conditions that will close down even a tundra town.

One fine day, I was listening to the warnings and thought "Good, all the southerners are off the road, I can go get something done." I took one step out my front door and landed on my *kitten*. I limped back inside and stayed put.

katorihanzo

I live in Nova Scotia, Canada. Things don't get much worse than they do here. It doesn't take massive amounts of snow to make travelling impossible - usually the snow is the smallest problem. Around here, and, as I understand it, in Georgia, it's the fluctuating temperature. A big snow comes but after about 20 minutes turns to freezing rain which coats every street/sidewalk/highway in ice. It might even get warm enough for rain in January or February (like this year) but within an hour a freeze can come along and turn those slushy car tracks and foot prints into 6-inch- thick ice. Pretty much the entirety of the maritimes got shut down this winter due to ice storms which hung on the telephone wires and weighed them down. Huge trees along the highway were weighed down so far they touched the highway. It was actually quite beautiful but difficult to travel in.

Anyway. Now that you know, pack an emergency kit that you can just leave in your vehicle all winter. Extra sweaters, a candle, water, some food, a shovel in case you have to shovel yourself out.

Here's a pretty picture of the trees in the front yard of my cottage on New Years Day after the ice storm in December

ilmb87

As someone who moved from the frozen tundra to Atlanta, the problem isn't the snow, it is the ice. For some reason, the insist on calling it "snow." Then, what snow they do get turns almost immediately into slush, which refreezes at night - you know, those conditions that will close down even a tundra town.

This. I've lived in GA practically my whole life. Snow isn't too much to handle, but ice? Not dealing with that crap.

jkwolly

As someone who moved from the frozen tundra to Atlanta, the problem isn't the snow, it is the ice. For some reason, the insist on calling it "snow." Then, what snow they do get turns almost immediately into slush, which refreezes at night - you know, those conditions that will close down even a tundra town.

This. I've lived in GA practically my whole life. Snow isn't too much to handle, but ice? Not dealing with that crap.

We have ice issues all the time in the "frozen tundra" countries, but fortunetly we are equipped to deal with it.

I would hate being in a snow/ce storm in ANY city if they weren't prepared.

I feel your pain, but it's still funny :blushing:

jkwolly

I live in Nova Scotia, Canada. Things don't get much worse than they do here. It doesn't take massive amounts of snow to make travelling impossible - usually the snow is the smallest problem. Around here, and, as I understand it, in Georgia, it's the fluctuating temperature. A big snow comes but after about 20 minutes turns to freezing rain which coats every street/sidewalk/highway in ice. It might even get warm enough for rain in January or February (like this year) but within an hour a freeze can come along and turn those slushy car tracks and foot prints into 6-inch- thick ice. Pretty much the entirety of the maritimes got shut down this winter due to ice storms which hung on the telephone wires and weighed them down. Huge trees along the highway were weighed down so far they touched the highway. It was actually quite beautiful but difficult to travel in.

Anyway. Now that you know, pack an emergency kit that you can just leave in your vehicle all winter. Extra sweaters, a candle, water, some food, a shovel in case you have to shovel yourself out.

Here's a pretty picture of the trees in the front yard of my cottage on New Years Day after the ice storm in December

Canadaland is so pretty, even in the crappy weather

bluestarlight19

Well....I was more making fun of our new Englander's careless driving (and need for dunkins). But I have been where you (general) are before, and it was a result of poor municipal planning. Had nothing to do with the storm, it was forecast right and was said it would hit during the afternoon with the peak during rush hour. Well...apparently the state departments felt like they would just keep everyone on until the first snow flakes started falling. Then they suddenly release all their non-essential workers, at 2-3pm. It packed the highways and the plows couldn't get through. People got stuck. I took the train home, which was still delayed because of the sheer speed and volume of the snow falling. My mom and sister didn't get home from work until midnight or so. They said they were barely moving down the highway, the windshield wipers kept stalling out and they would have to get out of the car and manually clean them. A foot of snow was piling up around and in between all the cars. She had 2 kids in daycare that I was eventually able to get to. I think this all happened in Dec 2007. My mom and sis did have an emergency kit in the car in case they were stranded but it never came to that, although I think some people were stranded because they ran out of gas or slid off the road.

Anyways...I'm tongue in cheek about it because this storm was forecast for several days, to hit with snow and ice. Your cities should have known what to do and cancelled schools, got some plows/sanders out there, advised private businesses to have non essential employees stay home or work from home, same things we do here.

waldo56

I sympathize with all those who find themselves stuck on a freeway, at work or at school because they could not get home due to the weather/road conditions.

That being said, they ( the city/county and state govts.) could have prepared for this as it was forecast. Your elected officials let you down. The icy weather came creeping down from the north and did not just magically appear overnight. Schools and other businesses/functions should have been shutdown before this weather hit. The inaction of your local governments has put lives at risk,

I would hate to be in that mess. Again, those who are stuck have my sympathy.

I live in the area too. Made it home ok, but it took forever (30 minute commute turned into 3 hours), however I left just as the snow was starting, before it actually got bad.

It goes beyond the elected officials though. Our road system and public transportation system are totally inadequate for this. On top of the screw ups yesterday, decades of laughably underfunding the transportation system also plays a huge role. A couple years ago they tried to do something major, but put it to a vote, but included all of the exurb counties full of cut government to nothing voters in on the vote, which was enough to drown out the urban voters that would have passed it.

waldo56

As someone who moved from the frozen tundra to Atlanta, the problem isn't the snow, it is the ice. For some reason, the insist on calling it "snow." Then, what snow they do get turns almost immediately into slush, which refreezes at night - you know, those conditions that will close down even a tundra town.

One fine day, I was listening to the warnings and thought "Good, all the southerners are off the road, I can go get something done." I took one step out my front door and landed on my *kitten*. I limped back inside and stayed put.

This too. I'm from the upper Midwest, where problem snow is measured in feet not inches.

What people can't quite grasp is that up where it snows a lot, the roads have been salted and sanded over and over, which adds a large degree of pretreatment to any new snowfall (plus roads cracked to heck from freeze/thaw cycles have a lot more traction than barely cracked roads that see very little frozen precipitation). We don't have that. The first snow melts on the slightly above freezing roads and ground (despite it being below freezing outside), the water speeds up the heat loss in the ground, eventually it dips below freezing and everything turns to sheets of ice. There is not salt or sand to stop this or give traction. The roads may as well be frozen rivers.

The roads down here are far, far more slick than anything I experienced when living up north. The hills around town only compound the problem; impossible for many to get up, the way down is an uncontrolled slide.

lisalsd1

I live in Maryland and this is our second storm in 2 weeks. I think our county has more than 8 snowplows, BUT I have yet to see one on our road. The farmer at the end of the road has been plowing the street some. Luckily, we do have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, but since Maryland drivers are kinda the worst, I'm giving it another day before venturing out in the snow with the kids.

Last week, the public school system cancelled school the day before it started snowing. I do feel horrible for the kids stuck on the buses and the parents who don't know where their kids are, but after a week + of no school...I wouldn't mind if my kid did spent the night at the school with responsible adults! He would probably love to have a sleepover at school!

Amanda_Gx6

http://news.msn.com/us/how-2-inches-of-snow-created-a-traffic-nightmare-in-atlanta

I picked a little fun but at least I gave a bit of advice! I didn't see how bad this was until I read that article. Because I am from the north I couldnt see why 2" would cause such havoc considering that is a "dusting" up here and a month or so ago we had 24". But no matter where you live you should be prepared for traffic issues ESPECIALLY in the winter.

This could be snacks and water in the car, a blanket, extra engine fluids, a charged cell phone, proper clothing and footwear. It looks like the traffic authority dropped the ball for you folks and I hope that you all get it cleared up soon. Best of luck

arabianhorselover

I have lived in the U.P. of Michigan since 1986. Minnesota before that. We generally drive on snowy, icy roads for at least four months of the year. Sand is not used much, and salt only when the temperature is above a certain temperature. Generally, it is too cold. You get used to it, but there are a lot of scary days when it is difficult to even see where you are going combined with the ice and snow. We risk our lives just to get to work and school a lot of the time. This morning two of my boys and I scooped snow for 1 1/2 hours just so I could get out of my driveway onto my un-plowed road. Luckily, I have all wheel drive. We average at least 200 inches of snow per year, but can get up to 400.


quote]

As someone who moved from the frozen tundra to Atlanta, the problem isn't the snow, it is the ice. For some reason, the insist on calling it "snow." Then, what snow they do get turns almost immediately into slush, which refreezes at night - you know, those conditions that will close down even a tundra town.

One fine day, I was listening to the warnings and thought "Good, all the southerners are off the road, I can go get something done." I took one step out my front door and landed on my *kitten*. I limped back inside and stayed put.

This too. I'm from the upper Midwest, where problem snow is measured in feet not inches.

What people can't quite grasp is that up where it snows a lot, the roads have been salted and sanded over and over, which adds a large degree of pretreatment to any new snowfall (plus roads cracked to heck from freeze/thaw cycles have a lot more traction than barely cracked roads that see very little frozen precipitation). We don't have that. The first snow melts on the slightly above freezing roads and ground (despite it being below freezing outside), the water speeds up the heat loss in the ground, eventually it dips below freezing and everything turns to sheets of ice. There is not salt or sand to stop this or give traction. The roads may as well be frozen rivers.

The roads down here are far, far more slick than anything I experienced when living up north. The hills around town only compound the problem; impossible for many to get up, the way down is an uncontrolled slide.
[/quote]

uconnwinsnc

We New Englanders can drive backwards on an icy highway with 18 inches of snow, while drinking our Newman's Own coffee and eating our Dunkin' Donuts bagel. Get on our level, Atlanta.


This was my friend's car after last years 40 inch snow storm. You can see one of it's lights.

That's real sympathetic. Thanks for your contribution! :noway:
ETA No, I don't live in Atlanta.

Everyone knew the storm was coming. The elected officials screwed up royally and people challenged mother nature by leaving their homes. The whole city screwed up big time.