Somebody should lose their job over this fiasco

[snarkyman]

Could somebody explain to me why the several towns and the state of MA failed to salt the roads this morning? I traveled through 7 towns on my way to work today, of those, Wincheseter, Lexington, Chelmsford and Westford got it right: the roads were bare and wet -- due to the highway departments salting the roads. However, the roads in Medford, Woburn, Burlington and Rt. 3 were covered in hard packed snow and ice. I'll repeat: Somebody should lose their job over this fiasco. I'm taking suggestions.

Comments

[number42.livejournal.com]

There was a similar mish-mash down here... My theory was that this had caught everyone down here completely by suprise, and some towns didn't have their trucks ready yet. Granted, I could be talking out of my keester...

[liamstliam.livejournal.com]

When we were in high school, we had to walk barefoot two miles uphill -- both ways -- in the snow, wearing barbed wire on feet for traction.

Liam

[its-just-me.livejournal.com]

You had barbed wire? You lucky dog!! We had only the filed callous on our feet to aid our pilgrimage.

In all seriousness though - the intensity of squalls came out of nowhere. I doubt anyone was really expecting this much weather interfearance. We had some people come in just long enough to sit down, get up and go back home.

I have to say though - meterology - I'd love to have a job where I could be wrong 75% of the time and still get paid.

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

I think the issue was that it went from 35 to 25 degrees during the morning commute. Now, I knew this was going to happen, because I listened to the weather forecast -- maybe we should buy the salt crews new radios?

Burlington DPW

Woburn DPW has their own domain -- maybe that's where the radio funding went.

Meffa DPW "provides for snow plowing", but doesn't actually say they'll *do* it...

[snarkyman.livejournal.com]

I want names of the individuals responsible. The incompetence of these people borders on criminal negligence.

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

Well, start ringing phones. I only do online leg-work.

weather

[asdr83.livejournal.com]

The presipitation was completely unexpected by forecasters so most places had not prepared there salt/sand fleets to cover the roads. Surprises happedn, especially with weather. The next time there is even a hint of snow people will overreact to avoid this situation and cause their own new problem. Life just is sometimes.

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2003/12/03/snowplow_operators_detail_grievances_over_new_state_rules/

Might be relevant.

[sapphorlando.livejournal.com]

That happened out here, too, in both Rhode Island and Connecticut. My understanding is that this was a freak winter storm and was not expected. I was up very early and was among the few who got to see it when it hit. It was short but very intense -- a real squall, with very low visibility -- but more importantly, it hit right before dawn. In my opinion, most communities were caught off guard, and even those with a bit more readiness were not able to catch up to it as morning traffic ensued. One of the things about living where you do is that the highway departments are also at the mercy of one of the most brutal urban commutes in the nation.

Another thing you might consider is that readiness costs money. Tax dollars. If you want more readiness, like someone who sits up all night and watches the weather, or a special cadre of elite roadsanders who slide down a pole when they get a redline call from NOAA, that will cost more. I believe that most communities really do try to do their best, but they can only do so much.

Freak storms are part of New England life, just like ice storms, punishing freak heat waves, and hurricanes. It's part of what we accept in living here. To a reasonable extent, the state and our local towns cannot be held responsible for the occasional inconvenience of the weather. Likewise, our meteorologists, though among the finest in the world, are not shamen or prognosticators. They cannot actually see into the future. (And as my old friend Dom pointed out, if you could see the future, it would change it anyway. This is also what Heisenberg told us.) There's only so much that ordinary humans can do.

I know it's aggravating. I've been stuck in those Boston-area traffic jams myself on slick roads. But as the bumpersticker says, "Hate Traffic? YOU are Traffic!" As urban denizens, we create most of our own problems. There is a point beyond which the best weather prediction, the best taxpayer-funded preparedness, and the best ice mitigation plan cannot overcome the often random and freakish nature of New England weather and the sheer force of all those morning commuters. (In fact, we found here that the ice was actually *caused* by the traffic, by the constant packing and freeze-melt of many cars. Less travelled roads did not have ice.) Remember back at 'HUS when we would laugh at those weather reports that called for "unseasonable" weather? Well, this is why we were laughing.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

i'd agree with much of the above. it's a shame some of the towns didn't finish negotiations fast enough. big hairy mess there.

the weather folx didn't predict it well enough, the plow guys aren't just poised in their trucks loaded for bear at a moments notice unless they have *some* warning. sure, there's always those hopeful early risers.

some stuff got done to be true. some didn't. some places don't get sand or salt ever (especially the salt).

one of the concerns not really mentioned are the drivers of the cars themselves. a slight measure of personal responsibility. it's cold out there, snow is expected, it IS new england. be prepared. making the choice to NOT travel is often overlooked.

every year, the first couple storms/events wake and shake people up, then it's a tad more settled. couple big dumps and everyone is up to speed.

there's also a new crop of people every year who forget how to drive in the nasty stuff, don't know how at all and learn at your/our/my expense. i've dozens of neighbors right now who drive shiny new cars, with summer tires, and have never EVER seen ice or snow (india, australia). a few are in disbelief at the 10-15dF temps we have right now. hah.

don't get me started about these folx with 4x4s and other such that think they are invulnerable to sliding and going off road by mistake. they'll learn too.

be careful out there.