SNOW ON YOUR CAR AND RECEIVE A FINE!

     For many of us, it's my least favorite time of the year. It's snow season. With that comes shoveling, snow blowing and plowing. It means we have to clean off our cars of all the snow that fell the night before....or do we? Many of you are too damn lazy and don't clean your cars off at all, which is a danger to many others on the road. We get sometimes you're in a rush and don't have the time to clear it off, but it needs to be done. Especially, when it hardens up and turns into a sheet of ice. I had a friend who was driving behind a truck who didn't clear off their car, the wind picked up that sheet of ice and it slammed on her windshield and cracked the whole entire thing. 

     That being said safety groups are warning drivers to make sure they clear the snow and ice off of their vehicles before driving on roadways in Virginia, and one state lawmaker has even proposed a law that would fine drivers who fail to do so. I think that's brilliant, but also thought it was already a law. 

     HB 207, introduced by delegate Mike Mullin from Newport News, VA, would allow police to write a $100 ticket if a person drives a vehicle "with any amount of accumulated snow or ice on its exposed surfaces where, were the snow or ice become dislodged from such vehicle, such accumulated snow or ice could interfere with the operation of another motor vehicle or cause injury to persons or property." Mullin said, "Every person I've spoken to said, 'thought this was a law already.' It's what they teach you when you go and get your license to begin with. It's what VDOT and DMV recommend. This is something that is just common sense."

     A personal experience on Interstate 64 during the first snow storm this winter led Mullin to file the legislation. He said, "I had a car in front of me didn't clear off the top of the car at all, didn't clear off the back, and when it all came off in a big sheet, it darn near killed me." 

     Several northern states, like Connecticut, New Jersey, and Maine, have laws that fine drivers for not clearing snow off their vehicles. I thought we had that law here in Jersey! In Virginia, cases of body damage done to vehicles by sleets of ice flying off other vehicles have been reported. In other states, snow and ice flung from vehicles have resulted in traffic fatalities. Then again, does Virginia get as much snow as we do up this way? They might now with this Global Warming!

      Bottom line is it's bad! This is your public service announcement for today! Clean your cars off when it snows. It literally takes 5 minutes. You could be a danger to someone else and you wouldn't even know because you're just driving. You don't care what happens behind you. Clean that crap off!

A MOVING SNOW BANK?

     Well, that was an interesting response to yesterday's blog about the Oscars! Thank you all for participating. I've come to the conclusion that I will be boycotting the Oscars too since there are no Chinese people nominated! Moving along....So, are we ready for this blizzard about to hit this northeast region of the United States? Did every one stock up with their bread and milk? Are the snow blowers ready to go? 

     I know some of you will get lazy when it comes to cleaning the car off because there will be too much snow. But for the love God, please make sure you clean your car off thoroughly and don't clean it off like this lady. (photo above) This Canadian woman was ticketed after driving what police called a "moving snowbank." According to the Halifax police, the woman was stopped on Wednesday because her car was not properly cleared of snow. The photo of the four-door black sedan shows only a small section of the windshield cleared of snow on the driver's side and several inches of snow on its roof. 

     The woman told officers that she was on her way to a car wash to melt the snow. WHAT....A.....MORON! The woman was issued a $180 ticket for driving a motor vehicle with an obstruction on its windshield. Not only did this woman put herself in danger, but she put others in danger, as well. What if someone was crossing the street from right to left? She would not have seen them. What if a car was turning from the right side? She would not have seen them. It takes an extra 15 minutes to clear your car off. Yes, it sucks, but it's better to be safe on the roads out there. 

     Officers posted the photo of the snow-covered vehicle on their Facebook page as a deterrent and it's been shared more than 500 times. Apparently, this woman in Halifax wasn't the only one trying to cut corners in Canada. In Ontario, a man received a $110 ticket after an officer spotted his car which was largely covered in snow with a small hole in the front window so he can see. Luckily the officer knew the driver, so he still gave him a ticket and a warning to clear the snow from his car before he goes for his next drive. The officer then helped the driver clear the snow from his car before he let him on his way. 

     With the snow coming, please don't be like these two idiots! Clear your cars off completely before you drive. Not only is it dangerous for you, but it's dangerous for us too. Make sure that you especially get the snow off of the roof. There has been many times where I saw frozen snow on the roof of a car go flying off the roof as the car was driving and come crashing down on a windshield of the car behind them causing an accident or the windshield to be severely damaged. The bottom line is clear off those cars before you drive! And that ends my public service announcement! Happy Blizzard and go get the bread and milk!