wsdot snoqualmie rant

The DOT does a great job. Where it gets screwed up is all the boneheads that don't chain up. Also, I really think that the signage as you approach the pass really sucks. I think at exit 47 they need lot's of signage and a well signed turnaround at the exit - " All BONEHEADS without proper traction Must Exit" and drive back down. As an experienced pass traveler the current signs work fine, but we need to cater to the lowest of life-forms. I mean what bonehead knows where is denny creek? At what point do you put your chains on? Exit 47 Should have a Flashing light bar going over the entire roadway. Chainup area should have signs that say chain-up NOW. If you drive pass 47 without chains it should be totally clear that you are breaking the law. How much is the fine? Let's get old school and put up non-electronic signs that spell out the rules.

Oh yeah -Gotta have enforcement.

Do not blame the WSDOT for what happened today. Blame all our fellow dipsh*t citizens who choose to ignore the fact that it is one of the biggest storms of the year and either a.) drive too fast or b.) drive some horribly inadequate vehicle over a mountain pass. When they wipe out, it causes more wipe outs. After a while WSDOT can't even plow because there is a collection of assclowns spun out on the interstate. This costs the economy millions apparently, due to all of the truck traffic that gets blocked. Seriously, they need to revoke the license and heavily fine any jacka$$ who chooses to drive his lowered civic on summer tires over the pass, not chain up, and then cause a huge inconvenience to thousands of people. Same goes for the morons driving their SUV or giant pickup and insist on driving far too fast for the conditions.

(in other words, I totally agree with khyak...)

Today I got lucky and happened to be coming back from the east side of the pass when this all went down, so I got to ski at the summit with no lift lines and near empty slopes. But I feel for all the people who suffered through that carnage that a few people were responsible for causing. That was an epic backup.

P.S. The WSDOT is awesome and pros at what they do. Keeping up with that amount of snowfall on a huge interstate connected to one of the nation's largest ports is a seriously difficult task.

Recently moved here from NY State. Tradeoff for low taxes is my guess. Driving I-90 through the middle of NYS in a lake effect snowstorm (1 ft/hr) between Utica and Buffalo is like being in a snowplow parade. 99.99% of Washingtonians could care less if we can't go skiing on any particular day. I-90 outside of Washington doesn't have ruts either as far as I know. Salt would help a lot but it's funny to see the strange expressions on mechanics faces when they put my cars up on a lift. I made it up today at the crack of noon thirty and it was awesome.

BTW- Bozo's in SUV's and little Honda whatevers passing me at 60 mph when 35 is too much for my Subaru don't help. Spinouts caused the eastbound closure this morning.

I almost got stranded behind a sander that was slipping a few years back while this was going on in the west bound lane.

mark me down as a bonehead...
a nature loving bonehead.

taxes, interstate commerce, dipsh*t citizens---can all go take a walk
when I'm rushing on my run


monday morning
praise the dawning
it's just a restless feeling by my side




Thank you Jeff and Sarah for stopping and helping me dig it back out at the end of the day!

best day ever at Alpental.
no lines. powder every run. lots of friendly folks.


whathehell -
this thread needs a little rave...

wsdot did a great job of keeping 542/Baker open this weekend. Thought there was a chance that road would be closed with the 70 mph wind gusts that came through Sunday night.

We got in some unplanned-but-needed-sooner-or-later shoe shopping in North Bend and I'm still as tired as I wish to be tonight after an afternoon/evening of reaping powder at Alpental and Central.

But, nonetheless, agreed regarding the boneheads at the root of the problem (the clueless drivers)!