sNOw!!!!!!!

[Ray-man]

Translation:
Haha, yup. You silly Americans. Schools (in Canada) are only canceled when it's impossible to get to the school.

Feeling better, I see.

Yes, when it comes to toughing it out in the cold and snow, most Americans have turned completely wimp-ass. Being a lifelong resident of Wisconsin, I've learned to deal with it, but the older I get, the less tolerance for it I have. Now it happens to me before Christmas: I'm ready for warmer weather, and the really cold stuff hasn't even arrived yet.

 

[Ray-man]

In all honesty, if the cities don't have the infrastructure to deal with the snow then a little bit is a big problem. If everyone's driving around on summer tires not expecting snow and then there's even a few inches it can be a big problem. If the buses can't run then some kids could be stuck at school. I doubt the schools want that.

I'm talking about areas where we average 50 or 60 inches of snow per year. There is no such thing as "summer tires" around here. Everybody has all-season radials. It's not like the school districts don't know it's coming. But they DO allow themselves to get scared by the media into closing the schools before the first snowflake even falls, knowing full well that forecasts are sometimes wrong.

 

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

Feeling better, I see.

Yes, when it comes to toughing it out in the cold and snow, most Americans have turned completely wimp-ass. Being a lifelong resident of Wisconsin, I've learned to deal with it, but the older I get, the less tolerance for it I have. Now it happens to me before Christmas: I'm ready for warmer weather, and the really cold stuff hasn't even arrived yet.

I grew up attending school in the South Colonie School District, just outside Albany, NY, from the mid 60s to the mid 70s. Our district closed the schools so rarely for snow that people used to joke that the school closing announcements on the radio stations could go so much quicker if they just said, "All schools except South Colonie are closed." Eight or ten inches on the ground and still falling? Nah, it'll get plowed in due time; school's on. Some days, I think we really were the only ones open in the region!

 

[jenderfazz]

All I can say is that driving in the snow is extremely annoying. Double parked cars, huge snowbanks, snow and ice on the ground, it all adds up to traffic and slowness. My friend witnessed no fewer than 3 accidents last friday (the day of the huge snowfall). It's not that canadians can't drive in the snow, it's that they think they can still go fast and keep their "all-season" tires on. It's more of an overconfidence thing.

 

[SnoMan]

I deny liability for any damages.

 

[Geoff St. Germaine]

I'm talking about areas where we average 50 or 60 inches of snow per year. There is no such thing as "summer tires" around here. Everybody has all-season radials. It's not like the school districts don't know it's coming. But they DO allow themselves to get scared by the media into closing the schools before the first snowflake even falls, knowing full well that forecasts are sometimes wrong.

Well, then that's insane. I really can't remember the last time I heard that schools were closed around here. My fiance says they they never had a snow day the whole time she was in school and we get around 40 inches annually and the temperature in early January is commonly -40.

Lots of people here try to run all-season radials in the winter. I see lots of them in the ditch. It's ugly black winter tires for me.

 

[Minger]

In all honesty, if the cities don't have the infrastructure to deal with the snow then a little bit is a big problem. If everyone's driving around on summer tires not expecting snow and then there's even a few inches it can be a big problem. If the buses can't run then some kids could be stuck at school. I doubt the schools want that.

Psssh.

Over here in Rochester, NY, the school district I go to will not close unless either the buses will not start up (like they freeze over) or they just will not be able to drive out.

Which, I never get snow days, while schools in the city get about half the winter off because a lot of them walk...

 

[danhorne]

3 inches gets you off of school? 2 feet in montreal is not enough, maybe 3 feet is.

hahaha people outside of Canada eh...

 

[nateo]

Well, then that's insane. I really can't remember the last time I heard that schools were closed around here. My fiance says they they never had a snow day the whole time she was in school and we get around 40 inches annually and the temperature in early January is commonly -40.

Lots of people here try to run all-season radials in the winter. I see lots of them in the ditch. It's ugly black winter tires for me.

Yup, in all my years out there I didn't hear about a single school closing. Out in the country they sometimes can't run the busses (gotta love the -40°) but the schools generally stay open for kids who're nearby. Here it seems about the same, they'll cancel bus service due to bad roads but the schools stay open for anyone who can get there.

Now, back when I lived in Pennsylvania it was a whole different story. The freezing rain that accompanied any amount of snowfall would shut things down for at least a day.

-Nate

 

[spectorbass83]

I am in Windsor which is accross the river from Detroit, Michigan so we share the same weather. Last week we got about 6" of snow and they were announcing "Snow emergenies" in some areas on the Detroit news, followed by a long list of school closings. I wish we got their snow days when I was in school