What do we think will happen on Monday?

[Anonymous]

Theres a 5ft pile of snow on all 4 corners of the intersection where LBSS kids cross.
These said piles also block any place for kids to stand , walk, and cross. Plus, the snow is piled so high it is covering the button to push at the cross walks.

As most know, Lbss (and Hayfield and Robo) is one of the biggest schools in the county so this affects a ton of walkers.
Add in the normal morning congested rush-hour and it spells disaster all around.

[Anonymous]

I drove by Glasgow today, what a mess, there is no way buses are going to be able to navigate those streets. Almost none of the sidewalks are clear. That place has traffic jams on good days, imagine when there's no room for cars to get by in opposite directions. Another week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Monday 2 hours delay maybe doable, but expect a very slow movement, alot of late, very long kiss and ride. People slow down, road space is limited, parking is limited, sidewalk is slippery, and most likely injured will happen…

If injury is most likely, then it would be unconscionable for the school to open.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is people complaining on Facebook about sidewalks not being shoveled and saying there’s no way the kids can go to school because of it. As if someone is going to just come along and do it for them. I get that plows made everything harder by piling up snow. They did it to us too, but you have to get out there and work on it or find someone who can help. It’s like there is no concept of personal responsibility anymore. Everyone just throws their hands up and says there’s no possible solution.

How does one work on a glacier?

If people had worked on it as it was happening it would have been easier. We shoveled, pushed aside sleet, and then used shovels to break up the ice build up on Sunday. It sucked but our sidewalk and driveway were clear by Sunday afternoon. People who chose to wait made a choice and now are arguing that the ice is too much.

If you don’t see that starting early and sucking up the fact that it sucked early caused that glacier on your sidewalk, that is on you. Now figure out how to deal with it. Hardware stores sell tools that work on this stuff, you might need to buy one.

I’m talking about the glaciers left by the plow which blocked our cars in. We are in a townhome with no driveway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hope they don't open on Monday. We live near Marshall HS, the roads are barely plowed, there is no place to park, let alone walk. I don't know how those school buses will maneuver. Just driving towards route 7 is an adventure of its own. Seriously, FCPS, stay closed on Monday and possibly Tuesday.

There is no point closing on Monday or Tuesday, because the mountains of snow aren't going anywhere. Everyone is just going to have to deal with the situation at hand. This stuff is going to be here until mid-February.

It’s not very helpful to say “deal with it.” You are invalidating the scope of the difficulties some people are facing and will make them angry and recalcitrant by doing so. Recommend some techniques for ice removal, provide contact information for ice removal services. Go out into the community and help those who need help.

Many folks in the county were not prepared for this unprecedented combination of thick ice and a long stretch of very cold weather. In the past, we could rely on time passing and conditions improving. As a result, it feels like it’s “time” to go back school, but if officials make a decision based on a past reality and not the present one, based on what everyone wants (because I do think everyone wants to go back) and not on current conditions and risk assessments, we will regret it.

I don’t want anyone to get hurt. Maybe some schools can open safely, but I am hearing that others can’t, and I am not going to dismiss their problems because they are inconvenient for me.

This storm was discussed for a week leading into it. That was time for people to buy a shovel and salt or sand and get ready for it. We were able to order boots, snowpants, and a sled that arrived on Wednesday. This was well advertised that it was going to be snow then sleet and ice was a risk. While I can imagine some people some how missed the news reports, posts all over social media, and the large scale messaging, pretending that people had no idea what this would be and how to prepare is ridiculous. The federal government closed for Monday on Friday because of how far in advanced this mess was predicted.

People were posting on Sunday asking about buying shovels.

If you have lived here for any period of time, you have a shovel. You maybe needed to get some salt or sand. I know my neighborhood and know that the people whose sidewalks are not clear own shovels and know how to deal with the mess. I know people who grew up in the North East and Midwest who have not touched their sidewalks. It has nothing to do knowledge and everything to deal with not wanting to do the work.

You are reducing the scope of the problem to your own limited perspective and life philosophy. You can get angry at the people who aren’t doing what you think they should be doing or should have done, but that anger is not going to solve any current issues or change the current reality. It will just make you an unpleasant person to be with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monday 2 hours delay maybe doable, but expect a very slow movement, alot of late, very long kiss and ride. People slow down, road space is limited, parking is limited, sidewalk is slippery, and most likely injured will happen…

If injury is most likely, then it would be unconscionable for the school to open.

This will be routine FCPS “you damned if you do, and damned if you don’t”… moment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monday 2 hours delay maybe doable, but expect a very slow movement, alot of late, very long kiss and ride. People slow down, road space is limited, parking is limited, sidewalk is slippery, and most likely injured will happen…

If injury is most likely, then it would be unconscionable for the school to open.

This will be routine FCPS “you damned if you do, and damned if you don’t”… moment.

Oh yeah. Reid should be getting fitted for a Kevlar suit now. No matter what the decision is, it will be the worst one according to someone.

[Anonymous]

I think they should be closed Monday. My driveway is clear. My road is an ice rink. You can complain all you want, but, it is ice--not snow.
Many on Nextdoor (among them, senior citizens and disabled) have hired people who never showed up to clear sidewalks and driveways. Contractors have upped their prices--and that is not unexpected with ice rather than snow.

I am one who thinks that FCPS has way too many days off. However, this is different and dangerous.

Our mailman will not deliver mail on our street. He cannot drive on ice. I don't want a school bus driving on it either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hope they don't open on Monday. We live near Marshall HS, the roads are barely plowed, there is no place to park, let alone walk. I don't know how those school buses will maneuver. Just driving towards route 7 is an adventure of its own. Seriously, FCPS, stay closed on Monday and possibly Tuesday.

There is no point closing on Monday or Tuesday, because the mountains of snow aren't going anywhere. Everyone is just going to have to deal with the situation at hand. This stuff is going to be here until mid-February.

It’s not very helpful to say “deal with it.” You are invalidating the scope of the difficulties some people are facing and will make them angry and recalcitrant by doing so. Recommend some techniques for ice removal, provide contact information for ice removal services. Go out into the community and help those who need help.

Many folks in the county were not prepared for this unprecedented combination of thick ice and a long stretch of very cold weather. In the past, we could rely on time passing and conditions improving. As a result, it feels like it’s “time” to go back school, but if officials make a decision based on a past reality and not the present one, based on what everyone wants (because I do think everyone wants to go back) and not on current conditions and risk assessments, we will regret it.

I don’t want anyone to get hurt. Maybe some schools can open safely, but I am hearing that others can’t, and I am not going to dismiss their problems because they are inconvenient for me.

This storm was discussed for a week leading into it. That was time for people to buy a shovel and salt or sand and get ready for it. We were able to order boots, snowpants, and a sled that arrived on Wednesday. This was well advertised that it was going to be snow then sleet and ice was a risk. While I can imagine some people some how missed the news reports, posts all over social media, and the large scale messaging, pretending that people had no idea what this would be and how to prepare is ridiculous. The federal government closed for Monday on Friday because of how far in advanced this mess was predicted.

People were posting on Sunday asking about buying shovels.

If you have lived here for any period of time, you have a shovel. You maybe needed to get some salt or sand. I know my neighborhood and know that the people whose sidewalks are not clear own shovels and know how to deal with the mess. I know people who grew up in the North East and Midwest who have not touched their sidewalks. It has nothing to do knowledge and everything to deal with not wanting to do the work.

I've lived here since the 70s, I've seen plenty of big snow storms and a couple ice storms, but never 4-5 inches of ice and never followed by a week where the temp stays below freezing day and night. Salt and sand aren't going to clear the sidewalks where the ice has been compacted and deep frozen. It's a once in 50 year event, it will pass, just not as fast as you want it to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monday 2 hours delay maybe doable, but expect a very slow movement, alot of late, very long kiss and ride. People slow down, road space is limited, parking is limited, sidewalk is slippery, and most likely injured will happen…

If injury is most likely, then it would be unconscionable for the school to open.

This will be routine FCPS “you damned if you do, and damned if you don’t”… moment.

Oh yeah. Reid should be getting fitted for a Kevlar suit now. No matter what the decision is, it will be the worst one according to someone.

I don’t feel sympathetic. Building administrators and teachers must make tough and unpopular decisions all the time, and they certainly don’t get paid as much she does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they should be closed Monday. My driveway is clear. My road is an ice rink. You can complain all you want, but, it is ice--not snow.
Many on Nextdoor (among them, senior citizens and disabled) have hired people who never showed up to clear sidewalks and driveways. Contractors have upped their prices--and that is not unexpected with ice rather than snow.

I am one who thinks that FCPS has way too many days off. However, this is different and dangerous.

Our mailman will not deliver mail on our street. He cannot drive on ice. I don't want a school bus driving on it either.

+100

[Anonymous]

I would guess a delay on Monday. That way everyone can attempt the walk, navigate the bus stop, and drivers will get to do their routes in daylight the first day back. Then business as usual Tuesday.

It's not going to melt for the foreseeable future because we are lows are going to be in the teens and 20s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they should be closed Monday. My driveway is clear. My road is an ice rink. You can complain all you want, but, it is ice--not snow.
Many on Nextdoor (among them, senior citizens and disabled) have hired people who never showed up to clear sidewalks and driveways. Contractors have upped their prices--and that is not unexpected with ice rather than snow.

I am one who thinks that FCPS has way too many days off. However, this is different and dangerous.

Our mailman will not deliver mail on our street. He cannot drive on ice. I don't want a school bus driving on it either.

Good point, no mail delivery, no trash pickup either. But lets send out the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is people complaining on Facebook about sidewalks not being shoveled and saying there’s no way the kids can go to school because of it. As if someone is going to just come along and do it for them. I get that plows made everything harder by piling up snow. They did it to us too, but you have to get out there and work on it or find someone who can help. It’s like there is no concept of personal responsibility anymore. Everyone just throws their hands up and says there’s no possible solution.

How does one work on a glacier?

If people had worked on it as it was happening it would have been easier. We shoveled, pushed aside sleet, and then used shovels to break up the ice build up on Sunday. It sucked but our sidewalk and driveway were clear by Sunday afternoon. People who chose to wait made a choice and now are arguing that the ice is too much.

If you don’t see that starting early and sucking up the fact that it sucked early caused that glacier on your sidewalk, that is on you. Now figure out how to deal with it. Hardware stores sell tools that work on this stuff, you might need to buy one.

I’m talking about the glaciers left by the plow which blocked our cars in. We are in a townhome with no driveway.

Yeah, those suck and are every where. That I get. It took us about 2 hours to redig out our driveway after the plow cam buy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would guess a delay on Monday. That way everyone can attempt the walk, navigate the bus stop, and drivers will get to do their routes in daylight the first day back. Then business as usual Tuesday.

It's not going to melt for the foreseeable future because we are lows are going to be in the teens and 20s.

A delay isn’t going to solve the problems being reported here. It’ll be interesting to see whether the powers that be decide to take the risk or not.