# Our Sheriff has declared martial law...



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

...sorta.

The evening news said after the snow went through that the county EMA closed all county roads and any anyone caught in non emergency traffic would be ticketed.

Our S.O. has already broke out the emergency fleet of 20 or so demilitarized surplus Humvees they got through a grant a couple years back to use with the regular patrol fleet.


----------



## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

That all works for me. We have counties closed down every year for snow/weather related problems. I know of 2 counties in my area that have been close to all but emergency
traffic last week.

Wade


----------



## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

Not uncommon around here, I would hardly call it martial law.


----------



## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I am also all for it.
Atlanta last year is enough of a reason.
And it is more of a curfew than martial law.


----------



## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Hard for them to do that here...no police force except the state police, and they are too busy with I-84 usually.

Well, Tobyhanna could mobilize...but hard to catch a snomobile with a humvee...LOL!

Matt


----------



## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

They do that here for sand storms. If you go around a road block and crash they aren't coming after you until visibility gets better. You could be there for hours.


----------



## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

While I would prefer that those who went joyriding got a sign, as in "here's yer sign!" instead of a ticket, I can understand the idea of minimizing use of limited resources to rescue idiots by threatening them with tickets. I'd probably do something similar to what is done with off-trail skiiers in the northeast, where they have to pay the full cost of their rescue.


----------



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Apparently part of the reason for the ticketing instead of the usual "roads are closed. Stay off for non emergency reasons as your insurance will not be in effect." announcement was an attempted home invasion robbery after the first wave of the snow in addition to the usual road hazards.

With that in mind even though I am locked inside my home AO as usual, this time around I decided to spend part of my down time during the curfew to clean some of my firearms and reload some ammunition.


----------



## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

Ao ??


----------



## brosil (Dec 15, 2003)

I think they call that a class 3 here.


----------



## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

whiterock said:


> Ao ??


Area of Operation


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Armed occasionally .............BB gun at the ready.........


----------



## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Roadking said:


> Hard for them to do that here...no police force except the state police, and they are too busy with I-84 usually.
> 
> Well, Tobyhanna could mobilize...but hard to catch a snomobile with a humvee...LOL!
> 
> Matt


 
Our local law don't venture this far very often and have been known to need directions when they do to find where they are going..


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

We&#8217;ve never had that extreme, but we are prepared for bad weather. If the State Police recommend emergency driving only, then you should stay home. If you don&#8217;t stay home you are likely to be punished by ending up in a ditch or wrapped around a light pole.


----------



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

After the roads were closed and the curfew was in effect, I heard a patrol on the scanner ticketing some folks playing in a 4 wheel drive pickup because they slipped off the road side swiping a power pole just hard enough to trip the fuse and cut electricity to a neighborhood. Luckily the power company had a trouble crew in the area inspecting lines to restore power within about an hour from what I heard on the scanner.


----------



## Welshmom (Sep 7, 2008)

Wait - um...how much snow did you get, exactly?


----------



## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

This snowstorm? 
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20150226/NEWS/150229656
Normal accumulations in Ohio. It would bring about a travel advisory at most.


----------



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

On my side of the mountain we got about a foot in 6 hours or so.


----------



## farmrbrown (Jun 25, 2012)

Welshmom said:


> Wait - um...how much snow did you get, exactly?





Danaus29 said:


> This snowstorm?
> http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20150226/NEWS/150229656
> Normal accumulations in Ohio. It would bring about a travel advisory at most.



Exactly.
I know southerners are ridiculed for their inability to drive in winter conditions and much of it is deserved, but I've found stupidity all over the country so I know that geography is not a barricade to it, lol.
Our road is a half mile 7% grade with a lesser grade for 5 miles down the mountain to the main road to town.
I watched 2 idiots yesterday get stuck as it turned to sheet of ice overnight, I helped the woman get back to her house, the man I left to his own devices because he abandoned his vehicle and it was safer for all of us if he remained a pedestrian for awhile.

At the same time, myself and at least 4 other drivers made it out of this valley with no problem.

I wish the Alabama sheriff well, but I'm sure he knows by now that if we could pass a law to cure stupidity, we'd have done it a long time ago.........:happy2:


----------



## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

farmrbrown said:


> Exactly.
> I know southerners are ridiculed for their inability to drive in winter conditions and much of it is deserved, but I've found stupidity all over the country so I know that geography is not a barricade to it, lol.
> Our road is a half mile 7% grade with a lesser grade for 5 miles down the mountain to the main road to town.
> I watched 2 idiots yesterday get stuck as it turned to sheet of ice overnight, I helped the woman get back to her house, the man I left to his own devices because he abandoned his vehicle and it was safer for all of us if he remained a pedestrian for awhile.
> ...


The inability to drive in adverse weather conditions has no relationship to a persons intelligence.It's simply a matter of experience. If you are not exposed to something you can not be expected to know how to best deal with it.
I never have problems driving in snow and ice and that's because I have been doing it for over fifty years.You can't expect a person to know how to deal with something if their life long exposure has only been what I was raised in for a week.Southern drivers are just as intelligent as northern drivers,just not as experienced in driving in adverse weather conditions.

Wade


----------



## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I often started to work on the highway only to find it virtually impassable and wished to heck they had put up road closed barricades. Once you get on the highway in those conditions you are pretty much forced to continue on as it there isn't a safe place to turn around without getting stuck. 

Around here the DOT will issue a warning to stay off the roads stating that if you have a problem you will not be rescued. One step below that is you get rescued but they will not allow your vehicle to be pulled out until they lift the towing ban.

I cannot understand why anyone would want to be on the roads unless it was an emergency although I do know some employers expect employees to be there no matter what and will actually fire people for failing to show up in a blizzard.


----------



## unregistered353870 (Jan 16, 2013)

I avoid being on the roads during really bad weather for one reason...other drivers. I can drive in it just fine and keep myself on the road, but I can't stop other drivers from sliding into me head on. For some reason people think they need to go the speed limit even when roads are slippery. Speed limit is the limit under ideal conditions. Reduce speed as conditions deteriorate. The worst I have seen are people in the suburbs with 4wd vehicles...4wd will keep you moving in many road conditions, but it does nothing for your ability to stop! And it does help keep you going the direction you want to go, but you can still lose control if you're going too fast. Slow down! Rant over.


----------



## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I know there is almost no way to keep moving or drive safely if there is a thick layer of ice on roads, even chains won't help much on ice. But snow is another matter. Use snow tires in the winter!!!! You won't believe how much difference good tires with some grip will make on your handling. But even with good tires you still can't travel at or above the speed limit. I don't understand why people can't simply slow down! The last storm we had the roads weren't all that bad (only 3 or 4 inches) but they weren't suitable for the 60 mph the truckers were going. And it's even worse on some of the back roads. Sure the majority of the road might be good to travel but blowing snow is something you need to slow down for. 

I've driven home from work in 10 inches of snow. The idiots on the road were more of a problem than the snow covered roads.


----------



## farmrbrown (Jun 25, 2012)

1shotwade said:


> The inability to drive in adverse weather conditions has no relationship to a persons intelligence.It's simply a matter of experience. If you are not exposed to something you can not be expected to know how to best deal with it.
> I never have problems driving in snow and ice and that's because I have been doing it for over fifty years.You can't expect a person to know how to deal with something if their life long exposure has only been what I was raised in for a week.Southern drivers are just as intelligent as northern drivers,just not as experienced in driving in adverse weather conditions.
> 
> Wade


I have to respectfully disagree.
There was some thread drift in the thread about the two boys who got in trouble shoveling driveways in NJ. I commented about how growing up driving on dirt, gravel and clay roads, sugar sand orange groves and mudholes in the Ocala forest was good schooling for how a vehicle acts on slippery snow slush and icy conditions.
Not exactly the same, but close.
Then there is a "black ice" condition that happens when the hot asphalt gets a thin layer of oil on top. When it hasn't rained in a while and it first starts, you can go for a wild ride if you're not careful.
Going thru the Saluda gorge the other night doing about 20 mph behind a J.B. Hunt rig reminded me of sliding around on those sandy back roads when I was a kid.
Keep it below 25 and you can still climb, then back down to 20 in 2nd gear for the downhill run, or else you'll be in the ditch, learning how to dig yourself out.:bash:
Then there are other challenges like monsoon rain with hurricanes, wild fire smoke mixed with fog and of course, the lost "snowbird" making turns across 3 lanes in the blink of an eye.....

When I finally DID drive in snow, almost age 30, I found it was no more difficult than any other hazard.
If there's one big difference, it's the DOT's manpower and equipment to handle a big snowstorm. We just don't have as much capacity on hand and as much experience in the personnel. The result is, sometimes you just have to wait a little while to go somewhere or hope your neighbor with the tractor is feeling generous today.....:help::kiss:

But in the words of that famous Alabamian, Forest Gump, "Stupid is as stupid does, suh."
:happy2:


----------



## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

Maybe I don't see it but it sounds like we agree. You have had experience,other drivers,now matter where they are from do not necessarily have that same experience.There is plenty of people in the north and the south that live in cities and have never had the experiences you and I have had but that has no reflection on their intelligence. I'm sure there are many that in fact do not have a high degree of intelligence but it is across all lines,not merely those that are not good drivers in adverse weather conditions.

Wade


----------



## farmrbrown (Jun 25, 2012)

Well, you got a point there....:goodjob:
One old friend of mine is an excellent orthopedic surgeon, graduated from Duke with a 4.0
Just don't let him balance a check book or drive a car, LOL.


----------



## sweetsawdust (Jan 8, 2015)

Used to work emergency management an during a snow event you would be shocked at the number of idiots who go out to get bread and milk. They get stuck and somebody has to go out and rescue them and either put them in a shelter or take them home. They strain already limited resources and block roadways. Giving them a ticket is too good for them, a little forspethought on those part to prepare in advance would make responders jobs a lot safer and eaiser.


----------



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

When I had to drive to work in snow and slush I preferred my old 87 Subaru GL wagon with front wheel drive and snow/mud tires.

Stranded drivers often gave me the one finger salute as I maneuvered around them in my 5 foot wide compact station wagon and my coworkers called it my snow track. 

I bought that low mileage beast in 1995 for $2800 to have a four banger for max mileage on the long trip to the plant and still keep it maintained even though after 2000 I moved back to larger more comfortable vehicles just in case I have a need for a snow track.

In 20 years I wore out the original engine and spent three grand to have a crated motor and rebuilt transmission installed in 2001 and have less than 10,000 miles on the new drive train.


----------



## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Hey CHUCK. The other night, I was told by neighbor taking care (supposedly) of my chickens and cats that people couldn't get up the hill S of me. Well When I came home, Sat night, I noticed an sand truck couldnt get up the crest hardly either. He had come down, turned around in the driveway and went back up. I watched him have a SLOW time making the crest. maybe he raised his blade a little, or maybe not, but he finally made it. This is on Slick Road, which always lives up to its name this time of year,
I think this year is worse than last year.


----------



## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Jay, Never heerd of sech a thing either here in NE Okla, or NW Mos, or NE Kans. They do have a thing called Slick Streets, that I encountered in St Joe Mos, and in Tulsa, where you cant park on certain streets, but that's it. Nothing in the counties.


----------



## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

When I was a kid we had huge snow storms with drifts up to the roof of the house. They didn't close the roads. People had enough since to know if they could get out and about or not. 

Today it seems like everyone is of the mine set that TPTB will tell them what to do, when they can get out, when to stay home, etc. etc. etc. 

What ever happened to personal responsibility and common sense ruling the day? 

Oh yeah, back then the weather reports simply told us a storm was coming and how much snow they expected to fall. We didn't have talking heads sensationalizing every storm all winter long like it was the end of the world. 

Now that the mild weather looks like it's ended and we are in a cooling trend again, storms will be hard like they were when I was a kid. Young people today have never seen those kinds of storms and are shocked. Most of us old timers remember them and think the sensationalism is ignorant. It's simply the weather completing the cycle again...


----------



## RomeGrower (Feb 27, 2013)

I agree. There is so much drama about everything now. For most of my life snow meant some different work: shoveling, plowing, etc. and some fun playing. It was never a threat or scary. I don't like driving in it, but it's never seemed "life threatening" to me.


----------



## Harrier (Mar 1, 2015)

chickenista said:


> I am also all for it.
> Atlanta last year is enough of a reason.
> And it is more of a curfew than martial law.


What is the difference?

If you drive in the restricted area, you will still be met with people brandishing guns with the full weight of the law behind them.

If that is not martial law (or a police state) what is?


----------



## Harrier (Mar 1, 2015)

terri9630 said:


> They do that here for sand storms. If you go around a road block and crash they aren't coming after you until visibility gets better. You could be there for hours.


That is similar to what takes place here in California. When "mandatory" evacuations are issued due to forest fires, it does not mean that you have to leave the area. It does mean that the "public services" will not necessarily assist you if you get into trouble and that you may be detained if you travel in your vehicle following the issuance of a "mandatory evacuation order". I am quite familiar with people who have ignored such "mandatory orders" and survived.


----------



## Harrier (Mar 1, 2015)

Maura said:


> Weâve never had that extreme, but we are prepared for bad weather. If the State Police recommend emergency driving only, then you should stay home. If you donât stay home you are likely to be punished by ending up in a ditch or wrapped around a light pole.


I don't trust anything that originates from a law enforcement agency.


----------



## Harrier (Mar 1, 2015)

Danaus29 said:


> I know there is almost no way to keep moving or drive safely if there is a thick layer of ice on roads, even chains won't help much on ice. But snow is another matter. Use snow tires in the winter!!!! You won't believe how much difference good tires with some grip will make on your handling. But even with good tires you still can't travel at or above the speed limit. I don't understand why people can't simply slow down! The last storm we had the roads weren't all that bad (only 3 or 4 inches) but they weren't suitable for the 60 mph the truckers were going. And it's even worse on some of the back roads. Sure the majority of the road might be good to travel but blowing snow is something you need to slow down for.
> 
> I've driven home from work in 10 inches of snow. The idiots on the road were more of a problem than the snow covered roads.


The idiots on the road are usually inexperienced car drivers, not experienced truckers. Truck drivers actually know how to drive. Imagine that.


----------



## unregistered353870 (Jan 16, 2013)

> Truck drivers actually know how to drive.


That doesn't mean they aren't idiots sometimes too. Getting in miles sometimes trumps safety for truckers.


----------



## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

JADE HELM 

Google and think


----------



## petefarms (Oct 17, 2004)

Fortunately in way upstate NY we get lots of snow and roads rarely closed although travel warnings, no unnecessary travel are issued. But we do not get tornadoes, hurricanes are not as bad as along the coast. One of the benefits of living up here.


----------



## Harrier (Mar 1, 2015)

unregistered353870 said:


> That doesn't mean they aren't idiots sometimes too. Getting in miles sometimes trumps safety for truckers.


Well, Donald Trump is now in charge of the Department of Transportation.


----------



## tc556guy (May 28, 2013)

Harrier said:


> I don't trust anything that originates from a law enforcement agency.


In your mind a travel advisory is a huge conspiracy?
Sometimes the roads are simply too bad for normal travel.
The Sheriff here takes road closings seriously because there is an economic impact to completely shutting roads down.
When conditions are that bad, its impossible for plow crews to maintain any sort of safe roads, and law enforcement is stretched too thin, to the point of not being able to respond to issues in a timely manner.
Few people have anywhere that's THAT important to be at during such storms. Just stay home and stay safe.......


----------



## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

Carp! Got sucked in again. Snow in May?? Nope - thread from Feb. 2015


----------



## chaossmurf (Jan 6, 2017)

well personaly I think they should just do it really simple ---when they say things are closed down due to snow or flooding or sand storms or any other serious threat ---they should just make it perfectly clear ---anyone needing rescue because they don't heed the warning wil be charged for the costs of rescue & imprisoned until that fine is paid --be it that afternoon or 25 years later

something tells me that the "ussualy" poor morons that love to bypass govt warnings --knowing its a life in prison sentence --maybe theyd realize they cant "afford" to ignore warnings --instead of doing it anyways & COSTING TAXPAYERS tons in rescue costs & walking away laughing and bragging to their friends ---snowboarders come to my mind

sorta ironic that I have a cousin that has a bad heart & loves too take nature hikes and back country skiing


----------



## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Harrier said:


> Well, Donald Trump is now in charge of the Department of Transportation.


Sooo...... No one was paying any attention to you last year....???
Why not do a "drive-by and stir it up again....
LOL


----------



## tc556guy (May 28, 2013)

chaossmurf said:


> well personaly I think they should just do it really simple ---when they say things are closed down due to snow or flooding or sand storms or any other serious threat ---they should just make it perfectly clear ---anyone needing rescue because they don't heed the warning wil be charged for the costs of rescue & imprisoned until that fine is paid --be it that afternoon or 25 years later
> 
> something tells me that the "ussualy" poor morons that love to bypass govt warnings --knowing its a life in prison sentence --maybe theyd realize they cant "afford" to ignore warnings --instead of doing it anyways & COSTING TAXPAYERS tons in rescue costs & walking away laughing and bragging to their friends ---snowboarders come to my mind
> 
> sorta ironic that I have a cousin that has a bad heart & loves too take nature hikes and back country skiing


We don't have debtors prisons in this nation.

While there are some significant costs associated with back country rescues that you read about in the news, that's not the sort of thing we're discussing here. We're talking about normal roads being closed for all traffic for a day or two. Anyone being "rescued" involves a tow bill, which they're already going to have to pay because insurance wont cover accidents that occur when roads are closed by the sheriff under emergency powers.

The whole point of closing the roads down completely is to allow scarce law enforcement resources to not be completely over-whelmed, and preserve human life as much as possible. We already don't lock up serious criminals enough; they aren't going to lock up rescued drivers. The bad PR for a Sheriff or any judge doing so would not carry over well with the general public on election day


----------



## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Regarding southern drivers and the prejudice against their bad weather abilities; a bad driver is just made worse in bad weather.
The same moron in Minnesota speeding on ice in white out conditions with a cell phone on their ear in a white out is no different that the moron in Florida. Experience is no factor when the driver isn't paying attention to the road.


----------

