did malls really have to be open today?

[ldy_solana]

i was just looking at the local news website and notice the malls will be open for business. ARE YOU KIDDING? never mind the city hasn't dug out any of the customers do you really want employees risking life and limb on the black ice and snow to show up to work where barely most of their customer base is closed in. we will be lucky if the plow gets down the road this afternoon.

personally if it were my choice i would open once we were sure the plows and salt trucks had made their rounds then i would offer extended hours for the next few days to make up for the time lost in the storm.can you believe they were open while all this snow was falling for 22 hours!!!!

is it really all about the $$$ with these ppl? i hope nobody braved that b/c i know parts of those exits to the mall in my city were closed b/c the snow drifts were getting higher then the retainer wall it just wasn't worth it to be on the road. thank goodness we are in walking distant of a grocery store just in case we need anything.

crazy ppl

kassia

 

[syzygy314]

Yep. It's all about the Almighty Dollar. How many people do you think got fired because they refused to attempt getting in to work today? It's insane and cold-hearted!

We're still in the throes of this storm. It started for us last night around 9ish and we're not due to see relief until after midnight tonight! As far as I can tell, with the wind it's tough to know for sure, we've gotten at least 18" so far. My DH is going out a little later to dig my car out so I can get to work tomorrow.

 

[Govtgirl]

Well, yes it IS all about $$$, but I don't fault them for being open. We're in the middle of a recession, and this is the biggest shopping weekend before Christmas. Many retailers would go under if not for Christmas overall, and this weekend especially. By staying open, they are trying to make sure their employees still have a job to go to also.

Yes, it stinks for employees that have to drive in the snow, but that's the world of retail. I had to do it when I was a bartender. If the restaurant was open, I had to be there, period.

 

[ldy_solana]

Yep. It's all about the Almighty Dollar. How many people do you think got fired because they refused to attempt getting in to work today? It's insane and cold-hearted!

We're still in the throes of this storm. It started for us last night around 9ish and we're not due to see relief until after midnight tonight! As far as I can tell, with the wind it's tough to know for sure, we've gotten at least 18" so far. My DH is going out a little later to dig my car out so I can get to work tomorrow.

tricia hope you are staying warm and safe. it started here 4pm on friday and didn't stop until around 2-2:30 yesterday!

govtgrl well i hope they cleared most roads then b/c i know my area is not getting out anytime soon. actually a neighbor just called the city we will be lucky if they even get around to us TODAY. wth srsly!!! dh parked up the hill thankfully so we might be able to dig out of there but for those that live on a hill or near one this really sucks! the bar/restaurant dh works at closed even before the snow came in. this is why i shop early LOL but i am not sure why they are going through all this when most ppl are snowbound anyway.

kassia

 

[nancy324]

Considering that most people are either unable or unwilling to drive in this weather just to shop, it doesn't make much sense to me that mall stores are open.

 

[Liann]

My DH is from out west and he is laughing his butt off at all of us for thinking this is a big storm. Not belittling our situation here - we have 12+", but there are places in the country where they wouldn't even cancel school for this. Guess it's just what you are used to driving in and it has a lot to do with how well individual cities keep their roads plowed. If I was up to it (and I'm not), he'd have us out in this mess shopping today plowed roads or not. It's just no big deal for some people. I don't blame the malls being open. The people who work there need a pay check too, but I would hate to have to drive there for work! I'm such a baby about driving in the snow.

 

[syzygy314]

Kassia - Thanks! We're staying in and warm! Luckily it wasn't so bad that we lost power!

As for "what you are used to," in RI, the roads are narrow, there's no parking to speak of. It's all roadside and when it snows like this, there are parking bans and no one has anyplace to put their car! Out west, I'm sure the roads are much wider, parking is more plentiful and the City functions a bit better than it does here! We do get snow, but usually not like this because we have so much ocean exposure. When it gets this bad, the City doesn't handle it well, even though we've been through it before! They just, I don't know, can't get their act together! It's frustrating because they could do a better job of clearing the roads, but they don't.

The plows only came through once last night down our street and I've only seen them once today. Not only that, they don't salt the residential roads and we live right smack in the middle of the City! I just don't understand why they don't do a better job!

I guess that's why I hate getting snow!

 

[Govtgirl]

Boy, I get annoyed when people that live in areas that always get a lot of snow laugh at us! If this were Colorado (where I used to live) then the city would have the infrastructure ($$$) to support all the snow plows and people to clear streets at the drop of a hat. Yes, the streets would be cleared already if this were Denver. But how can cities here in the east justify the taxpayer money it would take to have the snow-clearing potential that the other states do when we don't get a tenth of the snow they do? It comes down to logic and money.

This storm was a biggie, no doubt about that!

 

[pixiesis]

I want to add that where we live in Western Michigan, we are used to getting dumped on my enormous amounts of lake-effect snow. And so we certainly have the infrastructure to clean it up. However, despite that, one still has to be very cautious and sometimes it's better to stay in. We see accidents all the time, often involving vehicles that are well-equipped for winter weather. My DH, who is extremely careful, ended up in the ditch a week ago. Fortunately he wasn't hurt and no other cars were involved.

So I totally understand how this storm is a huge deal. One, it's a ton of snow and two, there's not a good infrastructure to clean it up. It doesn't matter if you're from Montana or Southern California, and even if you are driving the best vehicle for this weather--it's still a mess!

My parents are in Maryland and they say it's bigger than the 96 storm. Be safe everyone!

 

[TeTe]

Thank you! I get so annoyed with people saying that around here, too. Yeah, we're not used to it. It hasn't snowed this much this early in ages, so it IS a big deal. And I really don't care that my city might not be ready for it; I'd rather my taxes go to something other than the huge snowstorm that we probably WON'T get.

I often wonder why those folks who say that aren't still living in those places. Maybe I should be just as annoying to them during our nice humid Southern summers. "Really? It bothers you? This is NOTHING. I've seen it hotter and more humid than this! Heck, I haven't even turned on the ceiling fan, yet. Doesn't faze me in the least!"

 

[ldy_solana]

we just braved down the street OMG they are terrible they just let it sit there and turn to ice!!! sure the plowed some places but not very well and its a sheet of ice. and that was on the a main road so much for city of lynchburg saying "we are prepared" the actual snow is soft enough now ppl are shoveling away. i did the walkway and the decks but we still had to park up the street. they have plowed there we just have big pick ups helping us with that. to think they did say they spent A LOT of money being prepared for a bad winter as predicted. surely they are no boy scouts LOL

govtgrl i can agree the actual snow fall wasn't a big deal but b/c there was no salting or maintenance during the storm the roads are just flat out undriveable. we parked it it hoofed it to the store it just wasn't worth trying to get the car around all the mess. that is what is getting me that it wasn't the worst storm in history yet they let the roads get this bad but want everybody to go shopping

kassia

 

[Beavs]

Well, yes it IS all about $$$, but I don't fault them for being open. We're in the middle of a recession, and this is the biggest shopping weekend before Christmas. Many retailers would go under if not for Christmas overall, and this weekend especially. By staying open, they are trying to make sure their employees still have a job to go to also.

Yes, it stinks for employees that have to drive in the snow, but that's the world of retail. I had to do it when I was a bartender. If the restaurant was open, I had to be there, period.

Unfortunately this is sending the message that it is okay to be on the roads. I haven't paid much attention to the weather (for once we didn't get hit with any snow) but I wold say that unless you are an emergency and/or health care worker, you have no business being on the roadways in bad conditions. There are many of us who refuse to visit the mall anyway. I can shop online, avoid crowds, and receive my goodies within a day or two having never set foot inside a crappy mall. I can also drink at home

 

[NY25]

I mixed on this. Most retail employees are working part-time and hourly. For them to not go to work could be a major impact on their income. If you don't want to go shopping, don't. But many of those employees need the income, so don't forget to include them in your equation. Many people make a bigger deal out of weather than necessary, too. If someone is comfortable driving in the snow, that's their perogative. I never minded it. If you don't feel comfortable doing it, then don't. Easy.

 

[ldy_solana]

I mixed on this. Most retail employees are working part-time and hourly. For them to not go to work could be a major impact on their income. If you don't want to go shopping, don't. But many of those employees need the income, so don't forget to include them in your equation. Many people make a bigger deal out of weather than necessary, too. If someone is comfortable driving in the snow, that's their perogative. I never minded it. If you don't feel comfortable doing it, then don't. Easy.

gee didn't mean to upset anybody it was just voicing a concern. the roads are icy b/c the city let them sit unsalted since friday's snowfall but they want us off the roads but still bait us with come shop the stores are open. it can't be both ways. that is why i said once it clears offer extended hours so everybody gets their time and money. these conditions caused more accidents in the first two night then the state itself could handle let alone this area. i am sure it was better a few towns over. i was more referring to the malls here.

i know how hard part time income is i don't get paid for a 2 week break(work at a school) nor do we get paid for snow days. i can imagine the difficult decision i am sure some didn't want to drive in it but felt forced too. just compassion for ppl that were probably in a worse spot then i was. even at a main road i am still under ice and snow so i can imagine those living on the outskirts where they would be the last to get out. at least i can walk some don't have that liberty.

kassia