Community Chat

[gidgetgh]

We just had another pickup try to get up our street (just a really slight incline) and he tried 4 times and couldn't do it. He's pulled over against the curb, just down from our house and standing with his two buddies in the middle of the road. I assume they're waiting for help because they keep looking up the street.

[Hoovermom]

Maybe they need some coffee!!

[goodstuff]

I'm warm at home and enjoying the snowscape from the cozy side of our windows! Not a good day to be out and about in Atlanta. We have snow and ice and temperatures in the teens, and our municipalities (and Southern drivers) really aren't equipped to deal with this kind of wintry weather. We're all stocked up and safe indoors.

[Mersha]

On 1/29/2014 gidgetgoeshawaiian said:

I'm in Atlanta. It's 11 at my house right now and not expected to get to freezing today.

My husband and I did well yesterday. I work from home so we were all right.

My stepson spent over 7 hours trying to get home from work and never did get there. Fortunately, he was able to make it to my husband's nephew's house so he stayed there.

Co-workers of mine in our office, spent the night in the office. My friend left work, took over 2 and a half hours to drive 3 miles, turned around and went back to the office and stayed there with 5 others. I've heard from one co-worker that he left the office early this morning and finally made it home.

People are still stranded on roads and expressways. One baby was born on the expressway. We have 8 abandoned cars in front of our house.

Another friend of mine had to abandon her car. She walked over 6 miles to where her husband was. It took them another 6 hours to get home from there. A neighbor had their children. They got home at 3:00 this morning.

There have been reports on the news of people sleeping in the aisles at CVS, Home Depot and several grocery stores.

Hundreds of students had to spend the night at their schools.

Horrible situation.

How on earth did so many get caught out in the storm, especially having to sleep in aisles at stores??

The network weather crew was calling this one days ahead calling the weather event expected "crippling."

Apparently, there were quite a few who did not believe or heed the warning.

[Heiress-inFL]

Apparently, almost all who work in and around the Atlanta area decided to leave work early before the major storm hit. Plus, at the same time, the schools also dismissed classes early. So it was the enormous volume of traffic on the interstate at the same time that was the biggest source of the problem.

-HIF

[Qwackertoo]

I think the schools are put in a bad position . . . IF they close and nothing happens . . . or now that something has happened . . . next couple of times they will close out of an abundance of caution and nothing will happen . . .

They also have to deal with these situations for flash flooding (the buses and their routes) after heavy rains . . . or Spring and Fall with tornado threats . . . all while trying to get in 180 days of instruction without having Saturdays or extended schedules in May with the havoc on graduation dates/schedules for seniors.

And they have to deal with parents who still have to work, day care, etc. etc.

I wouldn't want to be in the superintendents shoes for sure.

Here, opening delays on Tuesday, closing on Wednesday.

[Suziepeach]

On 1/29/2014 Heiress-inFL said:

Apparently, almost all who work in and around the Atlanta area decided to leave work early before the major storm hit. Plus, at the same time, the schools also dismissed classes early. So it was the enormous volume of traffic on the interstate at the same time that was the biggest source of the problem.

-HIF

Thanks, HIF.. I stated this earlier and it was over looked.. considering everyone left early from downtown Atlanta at the same time, tractor trailers did NOT heed the advice to chain up, the road crews could not get to the roads that were and grew worse due to traffic.. All the kids were priority and taken care of.. yes this was a horrible thing to happen but it did.. Stores took in people for their own safety, all departments were working and still working on getting everyone taken care of.. when you have thousands up thousands leaving at the same time you can expect traffic to be thick but add ice and snow..

[Mersha]

On 1/29/2014 Suzie said:

Like our Governor, Mayor and officials of surrounding counties said, it was when the weather started & so many people leaving work at the very same time, like schools all letting out.

We are in Cherokee County and got over 3 inches of snow and ice is a problem & the temps won't get much past freezing today but the sun is out.

Suzie, my concern would be with this "crippling" weather forecast well in advance, why were people at work and children in school?

Surely officials realized they could have a monumental mess on their hands.

[Qwackertoo]

Atlanta traffic isn't a walk in the park on a sunny day . . . or rainy day . . . and throw in construction . . . you just can't drive on ice, even with chains is difficult . .. ICE and the overpasses and you have a big mess really fast.

[Suziepeach]

On 1/29/2014 Mersha said:

Suzie, my concern would be with this "crippling" weather forecast well in advance, why were people at work and children in school?

Surely officials realized they could have a monumental mess on their hands.

Like our Governor just stated, they weren't expecting what all we got & truly were caught off guard. Personally I think our county, which received lots more snow than expected, should've closed all day but then they didn't. It is a monumental mess, they're showing I-75 now and all the vehicles still on the sides of the road and just left where they left them.. Nickel to a dime next time, if it happens, it will all be done differently..