Gather ‘round the campfire, children, because it’s time once again for one of Old Man Mott’s patented Driving Dilemmas (seen previously on “Revenge of the lonely shopping cart” and “Driving through the fire”).
One thing that’s stuck out to me about Saskatchewan’s winter (apart from the bracing cold, never-ending darkness, and the ominous feeling that it won’t be warm ever again) is the persistence of the snow. The white powder landed in November and it hasn’t left; it’s simply grown. I’ve nearly slipped on the same patch of ice every morning.
In Nova Scotia, we’re used to snow being like a flakey (pun fully-intended) relative: It’s always coming and going. On Monday we’ll have snowdrifts up to our thighs, obscuring every road and street, and by Tuesday it will all be pushed into ditches so we can drive in peace.
Snow doesn’t stick around for long in Nova Scotia, at least not on pavement. It’ll haunt our alleyways and rooftops for months, but we don’t let it weld to the road.
Who knows why? Maybe it’s the copious amounts of salt we pour onto ever paved surface we can find. Maybe it’s due to the general softness and puniness of our snow. Or maybe it’s because, on any given street, about two dozen people own pick-up trucks with makeshift snow plows fixed to their front bumper. Whatever the reason, Nova Scotians keep their roads bare.
But Yorkton is a different story. The snow and the roads have a very intimate relationship. They’re more attached than newlyweds in the throes of a passionate honeymoon. They’re closer than two bears in a phone booth. They’re tighter than...well, you get the idea. They don’t want to be separated.
All of which makes driving a fun game I like to call, “Find the Road Lines.” This is a fantastic game you can play anywhere: Parking lots, the suburbs, even on the highway.
Here’s a quick example: When driving home from the highway, I have to turn off onto an exit. But because the snow is so stubborn, it obscures the white dotted lines. I have guess where they might be before my window to exit closes. It’s a thrilling game every time.
The snow makes driving tricky everywhere. Parking spots are blurred, so people just guess where they should stop, leading to double- and even quadruple-parked cars. Some places are bumpier than the terrain of the Moon. It’s quite the experience.
Well, we shouldn’t have to endure this any longer. Grab your hair dryers and let’s melt this snowy scourge once and for all (or at least until November).
