Stuck on a highway

[gim]

I can't help but wonder if anyone here has personally experienced what the motorists are on Interstate 95 in Virginia.  Or if they know someone who has.  It looks as though its finally clearing out today.

 

I keep a winter survival kit in both of my vehicles here but if I got stuck for a day or more on a road with nothing around, I wouldn't be prepared for it from both a physical and mental state of mind.

[flyfisher]

I had friends stuck in traffic all around the area.  One took 8 hours to go 100 miles and that was west of Richmond and another who was stuck in traffic north of Fredericksburg but made it through after being on the road for about 12 hours.  

 

This time of year it pays to keep some stuff just in case in your car, even in non snowy weather the cold can be deadly if you break down and can't get help fast enough.  A walk in the cold can get hypothermic pretty quick.  

 

it really was wild.  I was playing disc golf on Sunday in a t shirt with a record high and temps dropped and it snowed/iced over the next day.  Virginia has some weird weather but this was a first in my 15 years living here.

[Deleted account]

Not to that extent. That area of 95 backs up at the best of times, and there is heavy commercial traffic in both directions. We used to live in Springfield, and sometimes it would be bad from there to almost Fredricksburg. I'm glad everyone was ok.

[Mike L]

I’m sure every one of those folks worked  on a “survival kit” as soon as they got home!

 

 

 

Mike

[TnRiver46]

Hadn’t heard about this latest round, but that happened in Atlanta a few years ago. Mom always thought me to have boots, a jacket, and a gallon of water in case I had to walk to safety. I also typically have some matches in every vehicle 

 

when it comes to Atlanta or VA, I think you can get stuck in traffic for hours on a sunny day with dry roads 

[Choporoz]

  My stepson left Norfolk at 10 AM yesterday.  Arrived home (180 miles north) at 7AM this morning.  (We didn't know he was on the road until he was already in the thick of it)  He was at a Wawa (fancy gas station chain here in Mid-Atlantic) at 10 PM last night ....nothing but soup and mashed potatoes left....hard to imagine.

  State and DoT screwed the pooch on this one.....six ways from Sunday.   No shortage of blame to go around....but all are just pointing fingers.  

   Yes....it started as rain, so DoT says they couldn't pre-treat, because it would have washed away.....amazing that this is first time a snow event began with rain....who knew that was an impossible scenario.   Yes, that county got 3 inches of snow per hour, but that's only 'insurmountable' when you do nothing to stage for it or prepare.   Cluster all around.

[Mobasser]

My longest time stuck kn the highway was 2hrs yrs ago. It felt like eternity. I can't imagine being stuck for 24hrs. It pays to keep some stuff in your vehicle in winter. A thermos of coffee, some water, a snack or two. It never hurts to be prepared.

[Choporoz]

8 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

My longest time stuck kn the highway was 2hrs yrs ago. It felt like eternity. I can't imagine being stuck for 24hrs. It pays to keep some stuff in your vehicle in winter. A thermos of coffee, some water, a snack or two. It never hurts to be prepared.

If I go a month without a 2 hour delay, it is lottery ticket time.  (Although, I'll admit that actually standing still in traffic for 2 hours is a little unusual....just a little)

[fishwizzard]

I was supposed to fly out of BWI on Monday, first at 8:50am, then 1:10pm, then 9:45pm, all canceled.  My BIN is a pilot who lives in Richmond and flies out of BWI, my sister told me it took him 10h to make the drive Monday.  

[Darren.]

A friend of mine, pilot, was stuck for the duration coming home from DC.

Also, one of my sons was heading up (day after) to Phila to catch a flight

with his girlfriend down to Florida...He took I95 but got off at 301 since

95 N and S were still at the stand-still, and when 301 and 17 intersected

is when he got stuck because 301 shut down at that point.

 

Fortunately, he was able to turn around after about 2 hours and get back

on 17 to return home. Had to get another flight out of Richmond.

 

I95 from DC south (or Richmond north) can be a nightmare no matter what

time you drive it. Back in the 90s a nephew and I were stuck for 2 hours 

on I95 south around 10pm - 12am. Crap shoot of a highway system.

[12poundbass]

wrong thread