SNOWMAGEDDON 2014!

January 28th, 2014 started off like any regular day for me... got off work, quick hour nap before Wing Chun and Jun Fan, class and my regular 8-1/2 hour commute home. WAIT WHAT?!?! The disaster now known as Atlanta's Snowmageddon (which was barely any snow) created a royal mess almost instantly.

The start of my drive from Johns Creek to Roswell, usually a nice 15 minute ride. At this point I had gone around 3 miles in more than an hour. 

 All the side roads leading up to the freeway were slammed, so I thought I could brave the freeway itself; not sure if the side roads would have been better, but the freeway was a parking lot for 4+ hours. I have never seen so much creative driving; people were creating their own lanes by driving on the side walks and grass. It was INSANE!

When I finally did get off the freeway (I was less than 2 miles from home!) we were still not moving. I sat on the bridge off the freeway for close to an hour because of accidents up ahead. There were a ton of people walking past me, and that is when I realized I did not want to be in my car any longer. I was parking and walking the remainder.

My walk home

I was so happy that I chose to walk because when I got closer to my apartment complex which is very hilly, I saw one of the things causing the back up. No one could get up the hill and there was a pile up on the bottom of hill.





When I did get home all I could do was eat a snack and crash I was exhausted, but I did try to stay positive and remembered that I was lucky because people were still stuck out there. I would worry about my car in the morning.

The morning after...


 





After a LONG nights sleep, I got  prepared to hopefully bring my car back home. So I bundled up to make the walk, and I admit that I really wanted to see how things had turned out from the night before.

 

 Well not a good start right off the bat, this is the entrance to my complex. Two guys attempting to move their vehicles quickly became stuck again. I just knew I was not getting my car back in, but I still wanted to venture out. Heck it could be my exercise for the day.

 

 There were still a lot of cars left from the previous night, but the main road was practically clear of ice so people were coming back to move them.

People had left their cars on the sidewalks and grass all along the road.

 One of the many buses that were left stranded. Many children stayed the night at school if they could not be picked up, while later on that night some had to be rescued by the National Guard. When stuck the night before, I had seen a few buses in the traffic and was happy to see people go up to the bus to make sure the kids were alright and to see if they needed anything for the little passengers inside.

 Besides being offered free hot chocolate on my walk, I witnessed many other acts of kindness by strangers. People were helping pull or push vehicles that were stuck, give a jump, offer rides, and just simply ask if someone was OK or needed anything. It was extremely uplifting to know the neighborhood and people in general, could come together.

There were also a number of Shelters set up to get people out of the cold and offer relief for the night until they were able to make the commute home. That night one lady I spoke with had been on the road for 7 hours and still had 23 miles until she made it home (that was when I knew I could have been worse off).



I ended up walking around for a little over an hour; I had checked on my car and walked to the store (Kroger, Publix and Waffle House were the only places open) and decided to head home. Well when I got back, in that short time, most of the hill at complex was melted and people were making it in. So I turned around and walked back to my car to bring her home...

...and we made it!

 I know what you are thinking, why can't these people drive in snow!? Trust me I was thinking the same thing when I moved here from Michigan. I knew my family and friends up North were going to revoke my Yankee card when they heard about this

The biggest mistake that was made I believe, was all the businesses and schools letting out early around the same time. Usually the times people go home is staggered throughout the afternoon to avoid abnormal traffic jams (traffic is still horrible during rush hour though), well now everyone is on the road at the same time. Not only are they on the road, a lot of them are trying to rush to go pick up kids now or get home before things get 'worse'. Rushing plus icy road conditions plus people who are not used to driving in this winter mess, it all equals disaster.

 What an adventure from start to finish, although I am sort of glad I got to experience it so I could have a story to tell... I really would not be upset if it did not happen again any time soon, or ever again lol!