Atlanta, GA 1/28-29/ 2014 Snowmageddon

[ZLoth]

I'm looking at the traffic maps and cameras at Georgia 511. It is currently 1:30 AM ET, and I am seeing traffic backup up. Also, reading the report from 11Alive Atlanta's 2014 winter weather storm leaves thousands stranded and Hundreds of students stuck at school for the night.

[codyg1985]

It isn't just Atlanta that is having these issues. Birmingham interstates have also seen stranded motorists. But I guess since Atlanta is bigger, everyone else's problems just get ignored, right?

[jeffandnicole]

It isn't just Atlanta that is having these issues. Birmingham interstates have also seen stranded motorists. But I guess since Atlanta is bigger, everyone else's problems just get ignored, right?

Well, Atlanta is bigger. Atlanta has more people.  Atlanta has more media.  So, by default, yes, Atlanta will get more press, more facebook postings, more blogs, more pictures.  Birmingham people are certainly permitted to post things as well, but chances are, people are going to have more friends in the Atlanta area, and thus will forward and talk about Atlanta's issues.

Even in this thread - the OP posted several links to Atlanta issues.  Not to be smartass about it, but you contributed nothing!  Feel free to post some photos or news stories!!!

[codyg1985]

^ Well here you go:

I just don't want everyone to think that it was just Atlanta. This happens every time the same sort of event happens in a larger city. Things that happen in the smaller cities go unnoticed by everyone, and no one knows about it.

Hoover police rescue 100 people stranded on interstates

Rescuers along U.S. Highway 280 face a scene that 'looks like Armageddon'

7 photos showing winter storm's grip on Alabama

Images from the storm across central Alabama

Surprise snowstorm paralyzes Chattanooga; faulty forecast contributes to chaos

Gov. Robert Bentley declares state of emergency, postpones special elections

[codyg1985]

Here is a picture of I-65 south of I-459 in Birmingham this morning: http://t.co/yfUTmlh32z

[codyg1985]

And here is a picture of I-459 at US 280 in Birmingham: http://t.co/hBvPaHoM39

[codyg1985]

Ice traffic jams continue, efforts under way to treat roads (updated)

[codyg1985]

Here is a picture of US 280 in Mountain Brook just south of AL 149/Lakeshore Drive: https://twitter.com/TrafficNate/status/428531227671265280/photo/1

[codyg1985]

Governor's office says search and rescue teams in state aircraft sent to Jefferson, Shelby counties

But yeah, those 4000 people stranded in schools don't mean squat because they aren't in Atlanta. 

[Indyroads]

Remember the Weather channel has this ridiculous knack for NAMING winter storms;.... So its not Snowmageddon anymore its Winter Storm LEON and apparently TWC is stating that its A DIRE SITUATION. yeah its dangerous out there but stay indoors and be safe. Stop blowing things out of proprotion... No wonder DirecTV stopped carrying them.... Enough of the sensationalism.

End Rant

[jeffandnicole]

www.weather.com's homepage looks like the cover of the National Enquirer anymore.

And for good measure, they throw in a story about DirecTV.

[1995hoo]

Remember the Weather channel has this ridiculous knack for NAMING winter storms;.... So its not Snowmageddon anymore its Winter Storm LEON and apparently TWC is stating that its A DIRE SITUATION. yeah its dangerous out there but stay indoors and be safe. Stop blowing things out of proprotion... No wonder DirecTV stopped carrying them.... Enough of the sensationalism.

End Rant

Hmmm.....

[seicer]

LOL

[codyg1985]

Remember the Weather channel has this ridiculous knack for NAMING winter storms;.... So its not Snowmageddon anymore its Winter Storm LEON and apparently TWC is stating that its A DIRE SITUATION. yeah its dangerous out there but stay indoors and be safe. Stop blowing things out of proprotion... No wonder DirecTV stopped carrying them.... Enough of the sensationalism.

End Rant

TWC just isn't what it used to be. Ever since NBC/Comcast bought them, things have seemed to have went down hill. This is also a pretty clear case of mission creep, but applied to cable television.

[codyg1985]

Here is a Facebook photo showing the gridlock along I-65 at Lakeshore Drive in Homewood: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=802405813108112&set=a.707913229224038.1073741827.341712322510799&type=1

[agentsteel53]

if you don't know how to drive in the conditions: stay off the road!

in this case, the roads should be nearly empty, save for a few Wyoming transplants.

[seanpatf]

I love it more than ever that Directv doesn't carry The Weather Channel anymore. They replaced it with Weather Nation, which is what the weather channel used to be back in the day.

[1995hoo]

if you don't know how to drive in the conditions: stay off the road!

in this case, the roads should be nearly empty, save for a few Wyoming transplants.

I think the three things that annoy me the most are:

–People driving with no headlights when snow is falling (aside from a bare flurry). Applies in the rain and fog too.

–People who don't clean the snow off the roof of the car so it's like driving behind a smokescreen.

–People who pay slavish heed to the radio announcers' warnings to slow down and, as a result, crawl down a hill to the point where they get stuck going up the next hill due to not having maintained any momentum. Slowing down somewhat is a good thing if it helps you maintain control, especially when stopping for red lights and the like, but there is such a thing as slowing down too much!

[corco]

Yes- the key to snow driving is to remember you have two or three pedals you can use to help maintain traction. The brake is quite often the least useful of the three, but its the one people without experience usually default to.

[agentsteel53]

I think this is where Georgia State Patrol needs to step up enforcement of the basic ability to drive.

issue a statement: "the roads are not closed, but we severely recommend that you stay off them unless you know what you are doing."

and then, start burning through the ticket books.  stopped on the freeway?  illegal parking.  slid off the road?  too fast for conditions.  skidding through intersections and being a knucklehead?  reckless driving. 

even if only 1% of the moron drivers out there are caught, it should act as enough of a deterrent that another half would stay off the road.

that I-65 at Lakeshore photo simply should not happen.  if you're going to park somewhere, why not your own garage?

[corco]

Agreed completely. My only concern would be does your typically Georgia cop actually know how to drive in snow either? Should they be out there? Or just close the roads. Wyoming does that all the time when they become impassable- though typically in that instance they are physically impossible to pass without a snowplow.

[Brian556]

Yeah, there are too many people who don't know how to drive in it. An inch or two of snow paralyzing these cites? Seriously? I could drive in those conditions with ease.

[1995hoo]

Yeah, there are too many people who don't know how to drive in it. An inch or two of snow paralyzing these cites? Seriously? I could drive in those conditions with ease.

It's those people who concern me and sometimes make me reluctant to drive even when I know I can do so with no problem. For example, last Tuesday we sold our tickets to the Capitals game rather than drive downtown. Over the years I've been in a couple of accidents that were not my fault and they left me with an appreciation for how even when you do everything right, you're helpless if a dumbass is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Heck, last night I was almost in a wreck right on my own street–I was making a right turn and, since it was dark, I did not see the car being driven without headlights approaching from behind parked cars to my left.

[jeffandnicole]

Yeah, there are too many people who don't know how to drive in it. An inch or two of snow paralyzing these cites? Seriously? I could drive in those conditions with ease.

Not if a multi-vehicle accident has the highway closed, and you are surrounded by other cars stuck on the highway as well.

Remember - it only took 1 (or a few) people to cause a few accidents, resulting in the region-wide gridlock.  You may be the world's most perfect driver ever, but if you're trapped, it doesn't mean diddley.

[agentsteel53]

it only took 1 (or a few) people to cause a few accidents,

generally speaking, traffic is an extreme version of the 80/20 rule.  1% of people cause 99% of the problems.

if we're gonna have traffic cameras, and congestion pricing, and GPSes in people's cars to tax them ... the first thing we must do is fine this 1% into agoraphobia.