2008 Woodie Awards
How hard is it to plow snow?
By: Caitlin Ryder
Issue date: 2/19/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
The City of Hammond needs to figure out how to use a snow plow. I maneuvered slowly and carefully while driving down Indianapolis Blvd. on my way to a 9:30 a.m. class on Tuesday. For those of you who were not in the Midwest last week, a snowstorm unlike any in the past five years whipped through the region leaving over a foot of snow on the ground.
I happened to notice Indianapolis Blvd. was completely covered in slippery, icy snow which remained unaltered by a snow plow or grain of salt.
I found this to be a little funny. After all, 9:15 a.m. is not painstakingly early and it had been snowing for most of the night and morning. Everyone, including your mother, left PUC at 11 a.m. At this time, Indianapolis Blvd. remained unplowed or long-since plowed and refilled with snow. The most widely used street in Hammond had not been made safe for travelers by late morning.
I ventured to a friend's house at 2 p.m. in spite of hostile road conditions and Columbia Street was the road down which I traveled. Suddenly, there was the first plow truck spotting of the day. Except there was not only one or two trucks clearing the way. Instead, four plow trucks sailed over the oceans of snow.
This would-be winter convoy caught me by surprise. Two plow trucks would certainly suffice in clearing off any average to large street. But four trucks to clear one street?
A reason may exist for this, but it is a complete waste of time and money in my eyes. By the third truck, the snow had been fully displaced.
I may not be a math major but if an amount of area covered is doubled doesn't it cut the amount of time doing it in half?
The schools were closed on the wrong day. This instance was probably unavoidable with the inconsistencies of weather. But if the streets were handled in a more efficient and concise way then it may have put the situation in a better perspective.
I happened to notice Indianapolis Blvd. was completely covered in slippery, icy snow which remained unaltered by a snow plow or grain of salt.
I found this to be a little funny. After all, 9:15 a.m. is not painstakingly early and it had been snowing for most of the night and morning. Everyone, including your mother, left PUC at 11 a.m. At this time, Indianapolis Blvd. remained unplowed or long-since plowed and refilled with snow. The most widely used street in Hammond had not been made safe for travelers by late morning.
I ventured to a friend's house at 2 p.m. in spite of hostile road conditions and Columbia Street was the road down which I traveled. Suddenly, there was the first plow truck spotting of the day. Except there was not only one or two trucks clearing the way. Instead, four plow trucks sailed over the oceans of snow.
This would-be winter convoy caught me by surprise. Two plow trucks would certainly suffice in clearing off any average to large street. But four trucks to clear one street?
A reason may exist for this, but it is a complete waste of time and money in my eyes. By the third truck, the snow had been fully displaced.
I may not be a math major but if an amount of area covered is doubled doesn't it cut the amount of time doing it in half?
The schools were closed on the wrong day. This instance was probably unavoidable with the inconsistencies of weather. But if the streets were handled in a more efficient and concise way then it may have put the situation in a better perspective.
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