Today it snowed in Chicago. Probably 6+ inches. It started about 11 and ended about 6. I, of course, was at the hospital for CPE today. Normally I leave there at 5:00 and get back to campus by 5:30. Today I left at 3:30. And got to campus at 5:30.
This is not the first snow of the year. About a week ago, it also snowed about an inch. Maybe 2. It took me about 50 minutes to get to campus.
I came to Chicago with the idea that well, Chicago knows about snow. They know how to get rid of it quickly. They know how to drive in it.
Yeah....no....that idea has not played out in real experience. Last week, with the inch of snow, people were driving 10 on the interstate. I am afraid of driving in snow and I thought that was ridiculous.
Today, we were driving about 2.5 miles per hour. On the interstate. I saw absolutely no snowplows whatsoever. Unless you count the two that were sitting on an overpass. Which I don't. Because they were....sitting.
Chicago drivers appear to be nosmarter or more competent in driving in snow than the typical Louisvillian.
At least in Louisville, there are an abundance of snowplows, trucks with plows, etc. They brine the road before the nasty comes. They dump salt. Here, I have noticed salt in some places, sidewalks, etc. Mostly in giant piles that are just as slippery as snow would be.
I could accept this driving in the snow scenario if I were speaking of side streets and less traveled routes in the Chicagoland area. But I drive 9.6 miles to Rush. At least 7 of those are interstate. And not just one interstate. No, I'm talking about being on three different interstates, plus Lake Shore Drive (a very busy highway). No sign of snowplows anywhere.
And another thing. I understand that you cannot see the lines on the road. But there was a point today where there were eight lanes of traffic. I'm pretty sure that the road only actually has four and an exit. Two lanes suddenly turned into one. Then one suddenly turned into two. What the heck?!?!?!
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