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The South and Snow Do Not Mix

My dad’s truck after he went off the road this morning.

The Meteorologist down here in the south do not know how to predict snow nor the amount that we may get. For the last two days they have been predicting that we will only get a dusting in our area, more to our south. They were wrong. We got over two inches and it all turned to ice very quickly.

Here in Birmingham, if we do get a dusting of snow, the city shuts down. We can’t handle snow or ice. We don’t know how to drive in it unlike the northern part of the United States. They see snow all the time but not us. We get measurable amounts about every ten years.
Today was absolutely horrid. It started about 10 am and by 10:30 am the roads were already icing up. By 11 am the roads were so bad that people were abandoning their cars and walking back to their jobs or preparing for a very long drive home. People who only live minutes away took hours to get home. Normally it only takes me an hour to get home and tonight it took over three hours. Wrecks everywhere.

The company I work for still has over 1100 people still there and they will still be there tomorrow. All roads are closed and may not open back up tomorrow. It’s only supposed to get up to 29 degrees f for the high tomorrow.

I got within 7 miles from my home before I had to park my truck and start hiking in. I had my cold weather gear so I wasn’t too worried. I had only hike about a mile when a car approached me and offered a ride. I rode with him nearly to my house when he had to park. I started walking again when this dune buggy contraption stopped and offered me a ride. No windshield mind you but what the hell, I didn’t want to walk so I hopped in. My wife and kids were waiting when I was dropped off. Now I’ve got to get my truck home sometime tomorrow but not sure how.

BTW, my dad is ok. He only had a few stitches put in his head but his truck is totaled. He is currently stuck at the hospital and will have to wait until we find suitable transportation to get him home. He’s warm and being taken care of so he’s good.