Getting stuck in snow - March 2008

Living in Cleveland for couple of years, snow and snow storm is not new to me. But the snowstorm during March 7-9 2008 is memorable one for wrong reasons. I never thought it will be so cold out in snow. Snowfall and snow looks all beautiful when you are sitting in the living room with temperature controlled at 70F.

Let me comeback to my experience on that fateful day, 8th March 2008. Weathermen had predicted massive snow fall for Cleveland. 7th March night saw record snowfall. But snow ploughing crew had worked overtime to clear roadways so at least roads looked motorable. Even in the apartment block where I stayed, snow was cleared around parking lot.

I had my car's emission check expired and needed a new e-check report for licence plates renewal. Since it was Saturday and I was afraid of my engine check light coming back, I wanted to take a risk and go to e-check center to get the e-check done. In hindsight, it was the huge mistake I made.
Side notes about e-check. It is one of the Department of Motor Vehicles requirement that every vehicle undergo emission check every two years before the licence plates can be renewed. So I got dressed for the weather - scarf, gloves, headcover, overcoat etc. Took my faithful 1996 Pontiac out and started driving toward e-check center. Road had lot of snow but still motorable thanks to ODOT crew. So 4 mile drive that would normally take 10 minutes took nearly half an hour. When I reached e-check center, notice 'closed for Incliement weather' greeted me. I blamed my forgetfulness for not check the website before venturing out in the snow storm.

As the center is closed, I decided to turn back. Instead of reversing in the main road itself, I chose side road which was not ploughed. Secod mistake. I was maitainaing enough speed lest car get stuck in few feet of snow. Alas, my speed was no match for snow. Car got stuck and wont budge when I accelerated. So decided to get out and push the car out of the snow. Third mistake. My car has a feature, it will automatically lock the doors once gear is shifted from Park. As soon as I got out with engine running, my car decided to lock me out.

I stood out in freezing cold with few inches of snowfall per hour. Fortunately my blackberry didnot disappoint me, she was fully charged and with strong signal. At least I took one good decision, I did not take my T-Mobile cell. Definately it would have starved for signal (like we had the issue while travelling to Wheeling, WV. That details on some other day). I did not want to alarm my family at home. But my first call did exactly that. I knew there was a spare key at home. But somebody had to get that to me. It was little difficult for me to ask anybody to get the key in such bad weather. But then my wife suggested to contact our good friend Jivendhar. As a good friend, he immediately agreed to get the spare key to me.
Time was slowly slipping away. It was almost an hour I am standing in the freezing cold. But one very heartening observation, there were numerous motorists who stopped to inquire about the condition. Some of them even offered to push out the car from snow, but I needed key to get in the car. So I thanked them and declined.

Something else was happening with Jivendhar, apparently his side of the car park at our apartment was not cleared of snow. So his car got stuck couple of times and it took him quite sometime to get out his car from that mess. My wife kept calling and at one point I even asked her not call. She was sounding so alarmed that it started affecting me. Jivendhar's trouble did not end there. Instead of the normal shortest route, he misunderstood the location and took incorrect route. When he called to check, he realised the gaffe, and took right road. By this time I had already completed 2 hours in snow. At that time one kind gentleman who owns a auto body shop near e-check center stopped and inquired about the problem.

I had explained the problem to so many people that I had no problem repeating the same to him. He offered to take me to his auto body shop and I agreed as I was shivering with cold. He offered me coffee and I am eternally thankful to his generosity to a perfect stranger. That was the best coffee I had ever tasted.

Another half an hour, Jivendhar finally arrived. It took him over an hour to drive the distance that would have taken less than twenty minute in fair weather condition. Once he reached the e-check center, things went very smoothly. I got into the car using spare key and first thing I did was pull one of the windows down so that even if my old faithful decides to lock the door, I can still get in. My hands were feeling numb, so Jivendhar got my old faithful out of her misery. Finally she stood on hard surface of the road. It was another 45 min before we finally reached home. I am ever thankful to our friend Jivendhar for helping out on that fateful day.

Leasons learnt,
play safe with weather.
There is always another day to complete routine chores.
Have good friend who can help you during difficult times.
And this world still has good people who would not mind helping a perfect stranger.