This article was written by our friend Ruth Chodniewicz. Ruth is a talented talent with many talents, one of them writing.
The Music City–not exactly New York or Chicago, but still a thriving metropolis in its own quirky, check-out-our-naked-statues kinda way. ¬†Nashville has what I like to call ‚Äúa bundle of potentiality.‚Äù ¬†Yeah, we‚Äôve got the music thing going for us.¬† But who cares how many treble clefs we have when we fall behind in basic, everyday areas like: our public transportation system (you can count the buses on one hand); road kill cleanup crews (just ask the dead raccoon that‚Äôs been laying at the end of my street for three weeks); and highway construction efficiency (two words: Briley Parkway). ¬†Common denominator?¬† Trouble on the roads. ¬†And as the temperature outside goes down‚Ķ things only get worse. ¬†For today, let‚Äôs forget the War on Terror. ¬†Forget Islamic insurgency in Somalia. ¬†Forget the possibility of nukes in Iran. ¬†Let‚Äôs focus on bigger problems‚ÄîSNOW FLURRIES.
Let me lead you through a typical snowstorm in Nashville–and I use the word ‚Äústorm‚Äù very, very lightly. ¬†It all starts with the dedicated weathermen…I mean, meteorologists…at News Channel 5–bless their hearts. ¬†Ron or Lelan stand in front of the magical green screen, magically showing a blizzard in Colorado or Connecticut. ¬†”There‚Äôs a 30% chance of snow flurries tomorrow.‚Äù ¬†Immediately the ticker lists school closings for the following day.¬† I grew up in Jersey (insert NJ Turnpike joke here), and we went to school in a foot of snow. ¬†Literally. ¬†I remember trekking to the bus stop in pink My Little Pony snow boots.¬† You‚Äôre telling me that Nashville Metro CANCELS school based on a slight CHANCE of flurries?!?!¬† Un-freakin-believable.¬† How do these kids ever pass 12th grade?¬†
Back to the story… Suddenly, Home Depot and Kroger are flooded with customers.  The shelves are cleared of all bottled water, flashlights and generators.  Ironically, this is usually when I get a craving for some Lucky Charms, but alas, there is no milk left in all of Middle Tennessee.  You see how this affects my life?  What ensues after this is more of the same, plus really, really, REALLY bad driving.  Even before a flake falls from the sky, drivers are staring into the clouds yelling, “I think I see one!”  And then… BAM!  Accident.  Or your neighbor rolls out with chains on the tires of his Benz.  Doesn’t quite handle the same, eh?  And then… BAM!  Wreck.
So… what to do?  I offer this advice to all fellow Nashville residents as we begin these winter months:  Stay off the road.  Seems a bit extreme?  Believe me.  This is not about you.  It’s about them.  I don’t care if you grew up in Siberia.  Just stay off the road.  DARE to say no.  Walk if you have to… but not too close to the road.  There’s a 30% chance you’ll get hit.  Close the sidewalks!
