We got our first day of “real” snow in Seattle this winter, which means we got about 3 inches of snow and everyone panicked. Although in our defense, we get some really wet, slick snow, and we have some really looooooooonnnnnnng, steeeeeeeeeeeep hills. On the other hand, there’s just always some people who don’t understand that “4 wheel drive” does not equal “4 wheel stop.” Especially downhill on ice.
Since I didn’t have to drive anywhere, I bundled up, grabbed my camera, and went out walking to enjoy the snow and see what craziness and/or beauty I could find.
Cars try to drive on the steep hill that is Boren Ave:
I’m not sure I’d even WALK down this hill, let alone try to drive. You can see some nice skid tracks partway down:
Carriage house is a beautiful nearby historic house. It looks very pretty in the snow:
A historic apartment building during the snowstorm:
Typical Seattle Snow Reaction – abandon the cars when they get stuck partway up a hill, then hang out with everybody who’s come out to watch others try to drive:
If you can avoid driving in the snow, this is the best way to watch others try it: from a comfy chair with a beverage of your choice. (Note – not my beer.)
Sometimes stuck drivers get lucky, and helpful people push them the rest of the way up the hill:
And this is how SDOT handles some of our hills – just close them down because they can’t be kept safe (borrowed from my 365 Project.) Yes, we actually have official “Snow Closure” signs in addition to the usual “Road Closed” signs:
