As you probably know, it snowed. Cue the apocalyptics. Both before, during and after. The after being the worst because by then you know it wasn’t apocalyptic. But it seems there are lots of people who can’t accept that it wasn’t. Who wanted it to be apocalyptic. They are like the people you see still “masking” up – years after it became obvious that catching a cold wasn’t a death sentence.

In my area, the doom-saying began a week before the snow actually fell. “Historic” and “severe” were bandied about, almost lustfully. Then the snow fell. About three maybe four inches, plus some sleet on top.

It was the kind of snow that would have caused maybe a two-hour delay (remember those?) back in the day, when kids (and parents) kept the TV in the kitchen on to see whether the snow that was already on the ground would result in a delayed opening or – heaven sent! – a day off from school. It took a real blizzard to close down the schools. Today, it takes a prediction that it may snow to close the schools. And keep them closed, for days – because there might still be “patches” of snow or even ice on the roads.

Never mind that it’s fine. What seems to matter more is that it might not be.

I miss the ’80s.

More finely, I miss the general expectation that you dealt with a little snow instead of panicking like a sheep in need of a shepherd. Kids bundled up and walked – by themselves! – from their houses down the street to where the school bus would pick them up. Eventually. I do not recall any cases of death or even hypothermia. The bus had chains and the salty old lady who drove it got us to school because she could drive.

This, too, was expected. Result? Most people could drive. Most drove rear-wheel-drive cars, too – because that’s what the majority of cars had back in the ’80s and before. There were a few front-drive jobs but not many. Even the economy cars of that time were still mostly rear-drive and none of them had locking rear axles or electronic traction aids.

People learned to drive because they pretty much had to.

Now that people don’t have to, they drive worse. It is a weird inversion. Or maybe it is cause and effect. A baby that is never expected to walk – that is taught it is only safe to crawl – may never learn to walk.

Many are too afraid to even try driving if there’s any snow on the ground – even though the majority are driving all-wheel-drive or front-drive cars that can handle snow-driving much better than a rear-drive car, especially one without a locking differential. Just having most of the weight of the drivetrain over the driven wheels – as in a front-drive (and most AWD) cars is a big help.

And yet, so many seem helpless. Seem to want to be helpless. Eager to stay home. Proud of not “risking” the drive into town. It has become something like a cult, with the membership striving to show they are more “concerned” than others about “safety.” These are the people you sometimes see crawling along with their hazard lights on when there’s no reason to have them on. Other than it displaying how safely they are driving (and you’d better, too). 

It is easy to see where this will inevitably lead. A day will come when people will be told they have to stay home – because it might snow. It’s too risky – too unsafe! – for anyone to be out on the roads. Then it will be rain that keeps everyone off the roads. Maybe night-time, too.

It’s dark, after all.

And before you laugh – either at me or the prospect – keep in mind the state of the culture and its politics. The Safety Cult is now a mainstream religion – and most Americans are among the faithful. Just say the holy word – saaaaaaaaaaaaaaafety! – and watch them genuflect and cross themselves.

It is apostasy – heresy! – to be “unsafe.” It cannot be allowed.

Think of the children!

 . . .

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