At Least You Haven't Been Stuck on I-95 for 15 Hours
(Unless you have, in which case this one is for you; hope you're okay.)
Hundreds of cars have been stuck on Interstate 95 near Stafford County, Virginia overnight following a major storm that, beginning Monday morning, dumped 14.1 inches of snow on the area. Some have been stuck for 11 hours, some 15. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, if you remember him, has been stuck for 19 hours:
Oh no, Tim. As you can imagine, some of these cars hold kids, or dogs, or elderly people, or sick people, or people who have to pee, or people who really want a coffee. Many are without water, and running out of gas. Temperatures are frigid. “We are getting to people as soon as we can,” said Virginia Department of Transportation spokesperson Kelly Hannon, who is fucked.
According to NBC Washington, VDOT is currently attempting to clear snow and guide cars to alternate routes, while firefighters are handing out blankets and water bottles to people still stuck as of 7 a.m. Tuesday morning.
So, damn. That fucking sucks for those people. Life sucks for pretty much everybody right now, but at least if you’re not one of these people on I-95 you can think to yourself, at least I’m not one of these people on I-95. That’s kind of, in general, the only solace we get in life anyway. Whew. Thank god that’s not us. (Unless it is you.) (Sorry if so I hope you’re okay.)
But if it’s not you, what would you do if you were stuck in your car overnight on I-95? Hmm. It’s something to consider. If I’m being honest, my answer is that I would cry. I know with certainty that I would not have enough gas and that my phone battery would have begun the night at 11 percent. I would have no water in my car. I’d want to listen to old Hollywood Handbook episodes (I’m caught up on new ones), but because I hadn’t planned ahead I would be unable.
So I guess we can all use this as a planning experience. Let’s make sure we’re prepared. Put, you know … a water bottle full of gasoline in our glove compartment? I’m actually not sure how to survive, but I’m sure that information is available elsewhere.
