If There’s Snow, I Don’t Go: Why I Try Not to Drive When It Snows in Maine

Today marked the first day of “snow” for us Mainers. I live in the Yarmouth area and I think we maybe got less than 1 inch but it’s still snow accumulated on the ground so it counts.

I have the blessing and the privilege of having a hybrid work schedule, so I am able to say “no thank you” to driving when there’s snow on the ground. I know not everyone has this luxury, so bear with me, this is a subjective perspective.

I love Portland when she’s covered in snow. I love the twinkling lights, the flurries of snow, the people shuffling around in their pom-pom hats.

I love the Monument Square tree, the Christmas nostalgia you can feel in your belly, the wreaths hanging from the once-bare buildings.

What I don’t love, though, is the driving.

One thing I personally pride myself in is my defensive driving. I am always paying attention, breaking my neck watching out for other peoples’ blunders, and driving with the utmost care and awareness.

My brother was in a severe car accident a few years ago, so I’m sure that plays a huge part in the way I drive. I definitely have new driving anxieties I didn’t have prior.

I also have control issues to some degree and not being able to dictate how well the drivers drive around me definitely stresses me out a bit. Especially in the snow.

With the rise of Tik Tok videos, social media posts, instant gratification and speedy technology, our attention spans just aren’t what they once were. It seems I can’t drive by a car without seeing the driver scrolling or texting on their phones and it drives me crazy.

It’s selfish! You aren’t just putting yourself at risk, but everyone around you.

I’m already terrified of a distracted driver rear-ending me or T-boning me at an intersection under normal conditions but when it’s snowy or icy out, my anxiety soars through the sunroof.

All I can picture is some numb nut behind me not paying attention, having to slam on their brakes but not being able to stop because of the lack of traction in the snow.

If drivers paid more attention, I wouldn’t live with this fear. If I knew the driver behind me was going to stop at the appropriate time and leave enough space between us, I wouldn’t worry.

But, unfortunately, a large portion of drivers drive distracted. And because of that, you will not see me on the road on snowy days if I can avoid it.