In the wake of last Thursday's snowstorm that paralyzed the Boston area, the Boston Globe ran an article subtitled "Whining belies hardy reputation" which argues that although it snows here every year, Bostonians appear less prepared and more likely to panic than they did in the past. Indeed, Thursday's traffic snarls seemed to be the result of a decision by most businesses to send their employees home as soon as it started snowing. The predictable result was that rush hour started early and the heavy traffic made it harder for the snowplows to clear the streets. Those that waited until the panic subsided found their evening commute much shorter.
Some quotes:
Jim Claiborne, a captain with the Police Department, said he thinks people are more afraid of weather because it gets a lot of hype. "Bad weather has become such a big part of the news; people have become oversensitized," he said. "All these things are in your living room now."
Parker Llewellyn, who lives on Beacon Hill, said he suspected that many people overreacted because "there's fewer and fewer New Englanders living here." He said reports of New England hardiness may be exaggerated.
"This was a nothing of a storm," he said. "But I'm from Chicago."
Comments