Traffic-geddon 2016

I've already grown weary of these Armageddon/Apocalypse-style snowstorm headlines. We need a new descriptor to mangle.

Not unlike a recent election in a NA country whose name shall not be spoken, this recent Vancouver snow dump would be funny if it weren't so painfully true. It's getting to be like the punchline to a joke. "Whadaya get when you cross an overnight mixed rain/snow forecast (i.e., no pre-sanding/pre-salting/pre-brining of major arterials and intersections) with a resulting snowdump of about 5" of heavy wet snow at morning rush hour?" Answer: "Vancouver!"

Wow...what a mess. As soon as I let our dog out this morning I knew I'd be working from home today. We live near the highest point in Vancouver, near QE Park. I walked the quadrant of Fraser, East 33rd, Knight and East 41st around 7 a.m. just for a ringside view of Metro mayhem.

Ice rink at Fraser Street at East 33rd Avenue.

Ice rink at Knight Street at East 33rd Avenue.

There was actually a sheen on the ice at major intersections. It was reported on the radio that the traffic lights at Knight/33rd were not working and cars were gliding through with brakes fully applied. But by the time I arrived the traffic signals were operational again.

Knight Street hill heading south from E. 33rd Avenue.

A little farther up the Knight Street Hill I witnessed semi-trailer truck drivers installing chains to get their rigs over the E. 37th Ave crest. This is not exactly the Coquihalla snowshed summit were dealing with here.

East 41st Avenue near Knight Street.

Even short (although somewhat steep) hills were bottlenecks due to minimal traction. This E. 41st hill heading west from Knight Street effectively halted westbound bus passage.

Seven eastbound E. 41st buses in a row! Parked!

Again, if it wasn't so true, it'd be funny. Even up until 11 a.m. I didn't see any moving buses in this quadrant.

Here are four Fraser buses parked: two on either side of E. 33rd.

I'll be watching the tele safely from my couch this evening to see how the day's-end commute panned out.

Pampas Grass carnage.

Disappointingly, my Pampas Grass finally succumbed to successive onslaughts of wintry precipitation. Up until last night I'd managed thus far to knock accumulated snow off the plumes with a broom handle after each snowfall. But last night the heavy wet flakes fell too late through the night/early morning for me to have prevented devastation. Oh well, out come the pruning shears.