Only in the South....

[debk]

I swear I did not make this up. 


Local tv channel just put an "Emergency Weather Alert" scroll across the bottom of the screen.

"There are now snow flurries occurring between Knoxville and Chattanooga. South of I-40 in the valley, may get a dusting, the mountains may have up to 1-2" between now until 10pm. Another rain/snow event will be in the area starting on Sunday."


 

[Chris]

[Texacon]

OH NO!!

I'm praying for you deb!

 

Oh, you forgot the;

"Stay strong for us"

 

KC

[DixieBelle]

OMG!!!

We got 34 inches....

[Wineslob]

If you say "whuts snow?" you might be a.........

[debk]

Still no snow at my house.....but Ah am preparhed for it.....I gots my boots, gloves, hat....and extra toilet paper. 


Now the weather people are talking more about what it's going to do Sunday/Monday.


I swear they do this to get everyone into the grocery store and Blockbuster....

[Lacarnut]

Still no snow at my house.....but Ah am preparhed for it.....I gots my boots, gloves, hat....and extra toilet paper. 


Now the weather people are talking more about what it's going to do Sunday/Monday.


I swear they do this to get everyone into the grocery store and Blockbuster....

You should be around here during hurricane season. When one gets in the Gulf of Mexico, it's a mad dash to the grocery store, Home Depot, gas station, ATM machine, etc.

[Chris]

It's a conspiracy...

[debk]

You should be around here during hurricane season. When one gets in the Gulf of Mexico, it's a mad dash to the grocery store, Home Depot, gas station, ATM machine, etc.

I was in Key West for Rita and saw first hand how it was.

We hit Home Depot, Walgreen's for alcohol, Publix and the gas station early in the afternoon.

Took it back to the condo and put everything away.

Then hit Duval Street and the bars.... ....you can get really good service when there's only about 10-15 people in the entire bar.....

[JohnnyReb]

It just started snowing at my house in SC. They say we'll get 2 to 4 inches and a little more south of us. Not much, I know but this is the classic weather pattern that brings us the deepest snow, moisture out of the south and cold air out of the north. I have seen it a couple of  feet deep around here when it does that.

In 1959 it snowed 2' deep with an inch of sleet on top the first Wednesday in March.... then the next Wednesday it snowed 18" and the next Wednesday it snowed a foot. The dang stuff hung around from week to week. It usually melts within a few days ...but sometimes, it don't.

Once in the early 70's it snowed over 2 foot deep about a 100 miles south of me while we only had about 6". Yankees going and coming from Florida were stranded everywhere. Truckers and motorist were stranded for days. .....and right in the middle of it was the X-wifes baby sister and husband that the MIL demanded I go fetch home to her house... yes I went got and got them. Dying in a snow drift had to be better than listening to all that fussing.  

[debk]

Sunday is supposed to start out as rain, warm up a bit, then a cold blast is coming in and turning it to snow.

Since the highest it's been for the last several days is barely up to 40 during the day, and very cold at night....it will be a mess.

They know there's a lot of moisture coming this way....so it will just depend on the temps what it will be.

We're either going to flood or have snow up to our tushies.

[Chris]

I am completely confused about what the weather is supposed to be this weekend.  We're supposed to have a snow/rain mix, but the high for the next four days will be in the 40's. 

Huh?

[Odin's Hand]

ICE DEATH 2010!

[debk]

I am completely confused about what the weather is supposed to be this weekend.  We're supposed to have a snow/rain mix, but the high for the next four days will be in the 40's. 

Huh?

Not here. High tomorrow is 36, Sunday 40, then the low 30s' for a couple of days. Lows in the low 20's.....freeze that nice wet, muddy ground.

[Chris]

ICE DEATH 2010!

[JohnnyReb]

Well, we got 4" and it's 26 degrees. The slush on the roads has turned to solid ice this morning. Been out and about drinking coffee at three different places in town. Can you say  JohnnyReb.......

 

[debk]

We didn't get anything at my house....but the county next to us got several inches and as the crow flies it's less than 10 miles, maybe less than 5. It's really cold though, 19 with a chill of 12. I'm supposed to a foreclosure at 9:30, and I don't think the heat is on...

Still calling for a winter mix tomorrow into Monday....

[Crazy Horse]

About 5 inches here. slush turned to ice on the roads..........plenty of alcohol and pork products on hand.

The closer to the water the more snow, one place down east got 13+

[vesta111]

I swear I did not make this up. 


Local tv channel just put an "Emergency Weather Alert" scroll across the bottom of the screen.

"There are now snow flurries occurring between Knoxville and Chattanooga. South of I-40 in the valley, may get a dusting, the mountains may have up to 1-2" between now until 10pm. Another rain/snow event will be in the area starting on Sunday."


 

Up north Tenn, when it rains they call off school as the bus cannot climb up the roads due to mud and slippery conditions.

[JohnnyReb]

Up north Tenn, when it rains they call off school as the bus cannot climb up the roads due to mud and slippery conditions.

When I was 16, I drove a school bus. I had the longest route in the district, 54 miles one way. 36 miles of that was dirt roads and wooden bridges. I never got stuck or was late to school....as a matter of fact, in bad weather, I was the one they sent out to pickup and complete the routes of those that got stuck. Being raised on a dirt road and driving farm equipment has an educational value all it's own.

[Eupher]

When I was 16, I drove a school bus. I had the longest route in the district, 54 miles one way. 36 miles of that was dirt roads and wooden bridges. I never got stuck or was late to school....as a matter of fact, in bad weather, I was the one they sent out to pickup and complete the routes of those that got stuck. Being raised on a dirt road and driving farm equipment has an educational value all it's own.

Drove a school bus at age 16, eh? Must've been awhile ago. These days, you have to walk on water to just be eligible to drive a school bus. Here are North Carolina's requirements for issuance of a CDL and a school bus driving certificate -- I'm sure most states have similar requirements:

License Eligibility / Requirements

Before you can become a School Bus Driver you must be at least 18 years of age with at least six months driving experience as a licensed operator of a motor vehicle. To become a licensed operator of a motor vehicle in North Carolina you will need to obtain a North Carolina Driver License.

In order to avoid inconveniences make sure you have all necessary documents before making your visit to the Driver License Office.

In order to apply for the first time issuance of a North Carolina Learner Permit or Driver License you will need to gather documents from the following categories:

1. Proof of Residency:

You must be a resident of North Carolina. Proof of residency includes providing your name and current address. You will need one document from this category. For a list of documents that may be used to provide proof of residency visit the Driver's Handbook: Chapter 1 - Requirements.
 
2. Proof of Age & Identity:

Before you can become a School Bus Driver you must be at least 18 years of age with at least six months driving experience as a licensed operator of a motor vehicle. Proof of age & identity is required.

TWO forms of documentation listed below with at least one form providing your date of birth:
You may not use two documents from the same source. For instance, using a Divorce Decree and a Court Order for change of name or gender would not qualify as two forms of identification because they both come from the “Court Document’s” section.

The list of acceptable documents that may be used to provide proof of age & identity visit the Driver's Handbook:

Chapter 1 - Requirements.

3. Social Security Card:

All clients making application for an original CDL must provide an original Social Security card.
 
4. Proof of Liability Insurance:

Proof of liability insurance includes providing insurance documents such as:
DMV form DL-123;
or an original liability insurance policy binder;
or certificate of insurance.
The liability insurance documents must show your name, the effective date of policy, the expiration date of the policy, and the date the policy was issued.

If you do not provide proof of liability insurance, you may still apply for a license, but a restriction will be placed on your driver license. This restriction limits you to only driving "fleet vehicles" and costs $10.00 for a duplicate when you are ready to remove the restriction from your license. For further explanation of the liability insurance requirement, please visit the Drivers Handbook Chapter 1 -- Requirements.
 
5. Proof of Clear Driving Record:

All clients making application for an original or renewal CDL must provide proof they have a clear driving record for both personal and commercial vehicles.

At the time of application, you must certify that your privilege to drive any motor vehicle is not suspended, revoked, or disqualified anywhere and you currently hold no more than one driver license.
In some cases, DMV will require additional proof of identification or proof of a "clear driving record" prior to issuing a CDL.

Whenever you obtain your CDL, you must surrender any and all driver licenses you hold. Commercial drivers are restricted to one driver license (a single CDL). As a commercial driver, if you have more than one driver license you are in violation of federal law and could be fined a minimum of $250 for the first offense and $500 or more for each subsequent offense. A court may also fine you up to $5,000 or put you in jail.
 
6. Medical and Physical Requirements:

If questions arise about a school bus driver's physical condition, the DMV may require the driver before or after school bus certification to submit a completed medical report provided by the DMV Driver License Section.

Every school bus operator must be strong enough to drive the bus with ease. To drive a school bus, you should be able-bodied and free of physical handicaps. You should not suffer from chronic diseases such as heart trouble, seizure disorders, high or low blood pressure, fainting or dizzy spells, diabetes, or any other physical or mental disability that could reduce driver control, and you must never use narcotics, drugs or abuse alcoholic beverages. To safely operate a school bus, you must be in good physical condition. When you are very fatigued or have an illness that requires narcotic drugs or sedation, the school principal should assign a substitute driver. By North Carolina law, every school bus driver must have a valid health certificate. The N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT), Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and the N.C. Department of Human Resources have adopted joint regulations concerning physical requirements for school bus drivers based on the federal requirements of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). An activity bus driver operating out-of-state must hold a current NCDOT Medical Card certifying that he or she has passed a physical examination, as required by the ICC.

i. Vision:

Visual Acuity: at least 20/40 for each eye and both eyes together, with or without corrective lenses.

Field of Vision: at least 70 degrees in the horizontal median in each eye.

Depth Perception: demonstrated ability to distinguish the relative distance of objects from the bus.

Color Vision: demonstrated ability to distinguish colors that pertain to driving and traffic control.

ii. Hearing:
To operate a school bus, you must have good hearing to distinguish the warning sounds made by vehicle horns, screeching tires, emergency sirens, railroad crossing signals and train whistles. The ability to hear a whispered voice at five feet is considered adequate. If you use a hearing aid, you should always bring along a spare battery.

iii. Reaction Time:
Your reaction time is the time you need to recognize a driving hazard, remove your foot from the accelerator and engage the brake pedal. Most drivers require a reaction time of about 3-4 seconds. The instructor will judge your reaction time during behind-the-wheel training.

iv. Illness:
You must have no physical or mental illness that interferes with your ability to control and operate a motor vehicle. You must have no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which is likely to cause loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to control a motor vehicle. To operate a commercial motor vehicle, you must have no mental nervous, organic, or functional diseases or psychiatric disorder likely to interfere with your ability to drive a motor vehicle safely.

7. Legal Requirements:

To meet legal requirements to drive a school bus, you must:

Pass the written examination administered at the conclusion of school bus driver training by the DMV School Bus & Traffic Safety Section;

Have a good driving record;

Satisfactorily complete behind-the-wheel training,including the three skills tests, in school buses, under the instruction of the DMV School Bus & Traffic Safety Section;

Be at least 18 years of age with at least six months driving experience as a licensed operator of a motor vehicle;

Have a school bus driver certificate and a valid Commercial Driver License (CDL);

Have approval from the principal, transportation director, superintendent, and local board of education.

Life used to be so much simpler. Making the kids walk to school worked then, I wonder why it doesn't work now?

[JohnnyReb]

Drove a school bus at age 16, eh? Must've been awhile ago. These days, you have to walk on water to just be eligible to drive a school bus. Here are North Carolina's requirements for issuance of a CDL and a school bus driving certificate -- I'm sure most states have similar requirements:

Life used to be so much simpler. Making the kids walk to school worked then, I wonder why it doesn't work now?

Yep....the years were '61, '62 & '63.....and I have had the equivalent of CDL's since age 18 with all the endorsements.... but there ain't no way in hell I'd drive a school bus these days.

Mod. to add....dropped my CDL's last Nov.....took almost as much paperwork to drop'em as it did to get'em....