Classes are canceled, and the triennial “snowpocalypse” is upon us. Students cheer, professors palm their faces in concern over their course plan, and Northerners mock the state’s massive overreaction to the weather. A school cancellation over freezing temperatures and a meager amount of snow may seem farcical to those who grew up walking to school uphill both ways and in three feet of powder, but there is plenty of merit to this weather-imposed decision.
It’s no secret that southern states unaccustomed to snow are ill equipped to handle the rare cold snap. As a result, the school must play it safe and call off classes.
To be clear, the central purpose of canceling classes is to keep people off the unsafe roads. Yes, we know that a few inches of snow and an ice patch here or there is scoff-worthy elsewhere in the country. Unfortunately, it poses a real threat to us. When the state only faces inclement weather like this once every few years, it’s tough to find the justification to fund the salt trucks, snow plows and manpower necessary to keep the roads clear and safe. Couple the weather conditions with a population that is relatively inexperienced traveling in it and you’re bound for trouble.
Unconvinced? Maybe this factoid will help. A car insurance company recently surveyed the country and concluded that South Carolina is second in a worst drivers ranking. That is, only one state has driver’s worse than South Carolina’s. In case you’re curious, you might just want to stick to public transportation if you’re ever in Louisiana. For the prideful South Carolinians that want to know what the survey measured, metrics such as how many people failed their driving test, how many distracted-driving related citations were written and how likely one is to die in a car accident were employed.
Ultimately, the school doesn’t want to put its students in danger, and icy roads full of innately bad drivers that are also inexperienced commuting in cold weather is especially dangerous.
Some of you are right: a little bit of ice and a few inches of snow isn’t normally a big deal. The school knows this. The school also knows that the roads won’t be effectively cleared of snow or ice. It won’t be cleared of bad drivers anytime soon, either. So in an effort to keep its students safe, classes have been canceled. Yes, if you were back home in Ohio, you’d probably still have school. Aren’t you happy you’re not back home in Ohio, though?