Over the last few days, I've heard many a lot of heckling, a lot of scoffing, and lot of disbelief over Maryland's current snow situation, and how myself, and my fellow marylander's "can't drive in the snow".



A little background on me: i grew up north of Baltimore, then went to The UNiversity of Maine for 4 years, and weathered through all four winters up there with only an 88 Fiero to get me around, and that wonderful little car got me through many a snow storm, and up any goddamned hill that came my way.



The difference as i see it between the northern states and down here, is a matter of snow reomoval, not driving. Up in Maine, i'd wake up after a snow storm of 12" +, and the road outside my house would be packed down and passable by even the lamest of cars. Let alone the highways, which are always plowed no matter what, even in Northerm Maine. Due to the obscene amount of snow you guys get up there, there is a virtual army of removal equipment ready to jump at the first flake.



In Maryland, this is sadly not the case. I drove from Cumberland, MD to Bel Air MD, (across the state) on Sunday in my Girlfriend's new Beetle (yeah stop laughing), and i was prettyy amazed to find most of the highways down here unplowed, and sometimes you'd see 5-6" of fresh snow one the HIGHWAY, and we're talking the baltimore betlway, the most traveled, most important artery in the area. None of the exit ramps were plowed, let alone the back roads, and that was with all the freakin equipment the state could throw at it. i-95 was the same way. Now I consider myself a good driver in the snow, always have been, but i was having trouble gaining traction most of the way home. Later in the day no car other than a large truck would have the ground clearnace to get around without high-centering.



So, if you still think Marylanders are bad drivers in the snow, f*ck off.. In Baltimore we've dealt with 26" of snow over the course of 30 hours, with snow equipment that has trouble with the couple of 3" snowstorms we see every year. It's a matter of physics, not driving ability that has kept us inside.



Marylanders Unite!





ps - all in good fun, we will eternally be fighting for respect as drivers this time of year

 

you still cant drive lol jk

 

I have to agree with you on that one.

I am down here in Charles county and we only got 12-16" or so .

The roads were awefull, I went out on Monday after the storm and my street was still not plowed. Neither was the connecting road. I went to the Safeway about 10 miles away and not once did i get ever get out of the snow.

I drove in 7" or so the whole way. I thought I was focking snowboarding.

I couldnt get above 35mph

 

Maybe their snow emergency budget sucks.

 

i would have to agree that snow removal is a BIG part of being able to get around, its not *just* driving skills in the snow.

 

The skills come into play when you're the only one who can drive on the un-maintained roads. :smirk: The snow removal in Iowa sucks at best. Back in NY, we could get 2 feet of snow and it'd be gone in 12 hours. Here, we get 8 inches and you're still driving through it 2 days later. The best part is that it gets packed down so that some of the road is actually road, and some of it is 2 inches of ice...it's nice and smooth.

 

There are dumbasses that can't drive on dry pavement everywhere.

There are dumbasses that can't drive on wet pavement everywhere.

There are dumbasses that can't drive on snowy pavement everywhere.



Damn them all!



Brian

 

Damn them all is right! right to hell... IDIOTS!!!