Dear honorable drivers of Tulsa….

Remember “SNOW?” It’s that powdery white stuff that sometimes falls from the sky in winter. We don’t get as much of it as they get in, say, Nome, Alaska or upper Minnesota. But we do get it, usually a couple of times each winter. Enough that by now we should all know how to drive in it. So as nicely as I can, let me remind you of a few basic principles of driving in snow:

  1. Snow is slippery. That means it takes longer to stop. It also means that you cannot turn as abruptly as you normally would, or you will begin to slide sideways. Smart people accommodate for this by driving more slowly, and allowing more distance between them and the driver in front of them. Simple, huh?
  2. If you start to slide, turn your wheels into the slide rather than against it. It feels weird at first, but it helps your tires regain traction.
  3. Gravity still works when it snows. This means if you approach a hill that hasn’t been treated and you do not have enough momentum when you start to drive up it, you will slide backward and hit the car behind you. It also means that you must be extra, extra careful going downhill. Don’t slam your brakes; pump them gently.
  4. Better to arrive late to work or school than not to arrive at all. Take your time.
  5. You are not the only person on the road when it is snowing. This means if you want to drive like a moron and ruin your own car, that’s one thing, but you do not have the right to ruin other people’s cars around you by being stupid. Be aware of others.
Thank you for your rapt attention. I’m sure the entire Tulsa metro area will now be a safer place because you all have read my blog.

P.S. To the guy who broke all these rules this morning and almost ran into me at the corner of 91st and Aspen: Please pay special attention to rule number 5.

P.P.S. To the road crews who plow and salt the roads: While I certainly appreciate everything you do…it does snow in Tulsa from time to time. Perhaps you should all get together and have a meeting to discuss how not to be taken by surprise and leave main roads untreated during rush hour. Just a thought…

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Musician. Composer. Recovering perfectionist. Minister-in-transition. Lover of puns. Hijacker of rock song references. Questioner of the status quo. I'm not really a rebel. Just a sincere Christ-follower with a thirst for significance that gets me into trouble. My quest has taken me over the fence of institutional Christianity. Here are some of my random thoughts along the way. Read along, join in the conversation. Just be nice.