So long, blooming flowers: Vancouverites react to 'snowmaggedon'
When the flakes fall, we fall back on some common gripes
Vancouver has been all too smug this winter. While the polar vortex walloped a good chunk of Canada, we rode our bikes and strolled among the blooming flowers.
Then, on Sunday, the snow hit. And our lush dreamscape suddenly turned into a snowy, slushy mess, straining our transit system and testing our collective patience.
Like the grass turning green when it rains, there are some things you can expect when it snows in Vancouver. Here's what some people had to say online.
Transit woes
Snowpocalypse. Snowmaggedon. Just some of the terms used to describe the Monday morning commute, which, by some accounts, seemed like journeying through the nine circles of hell.
TransLink took a beating from riders. The transit authority tweeted that the snow had caused a "slight reduction" in SkyTrain service. But the photos shared told a different story.
<a href="https://twitter.com/TransLink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TransLink</a> one hour and Columbia, three packed trains, packed platform and shuttles just dumping more people. Absolutely unacceptable. <a href="https://t.co/cwxCtff3T0">pic.twitter.com/cwxCtff3T0</a>
—@pxl_girlA crazy morning commute on skytrain. What normally takes 40 minutes turned into a 2 hour adventure... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/skytrain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#skytrain</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Snowmageddon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Snowmageddon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/snowpocalypse2019?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#snowpocalypse2019</a> <a href="https://t.co/QHID7vhjXL">pic.twitter.com/QHID7vhjXL</a>
—@bradleywouSome people felt like TransLink should have been better prepared.
You guys knew it's gonna snow and have no preparation whatsoever. Why you guys doing this every year? Is it fun to see passengers waiting like no tomorrow?
—@Krystal42503763Give them some slack, others suggested.
Going to be a tough day for <a href="https://twitter.com/TransLink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@translink</a> Twitter and phone agents, because of delays with buses and trains.<br><br>Sending a shout out to say “Thank You” to them for doing their best to help riders. <br><br>I know it’s not their (staff) fault.<br><br>Wishing them a great day!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vancouver?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Vancouver</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Transit?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Transit</a>
—@greenurlifenowVancouver is not, in fact, all of B.C.
Ask Canadians outside the province to describe B.C. and they might say balmy and coastal.
But B.C.'s South Coast is just a sliver of our vast province. CBC's Andrew Kurjata is based in Prince George, and as he reminded us Monday, snow and cold are the norm in Northern B.C.
Just a reminder that a large portion of British Columbia does get both snow and cold. This, and -20 C or lower is the norm.<br><br>If you direct your attention to a map, you'll discover Vancouver and Victoria only occupy a small corner of our province <a href="https://t.co/zXEleI7WpM">pic.twitter.com/zXEleI7WpM</a>
—@akurjataThat truly is my biggest pet peeve
—@CKPGKendallIn snow reports one can see the actual geopolitical divide within BC: The controlling self-absorbed center and the rest of the province - kind of like the 905 belt in Ontario, or T.O. for the rest of Canada.
—@charlesmenziesThe umbrella debate
And now, for a question that gets some people riled up.
All this snow in Vancouver means the return of a time-honoured debate: Is it OK to use your umbrella when the flakes fall? ☂️
—@cbcnewsbcYou'll find two camps here. First, those who argue that the snow on the South Coast is wet and an umbrella is an effective shield.
Buses piled up on Granville and Vancouverites doing the most Vancouver thing... using an umbrella in snow ❄️ 😂 <a href="https://t.co/35pNpfZQoF">pic.twitter.com/35pNpfZQoF</a>
—@padeeoAnd then those who say it just looks weird.
Why not? It is just frozen rain. If it keeps you dry, I’d say use it.
—@dgct2yes if you want, but you’ll look lame. <br><br>i only take issue with the rest of canada saying we’re ridiculous for doing it. you don’t live here, our snow is not the same here: it’s wet af.
—@mapledip94Where art thou winter tires?
Last, but never least: bad drivers and ill-equipped cars.
One snowflake hits the ground in <a href="https://twitter.com/CityofVancouver?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cityofvancouver</a> and the entire city turns into an episode of "Canada's Worst Driver". So glad I work from home. The commute from my bed to my desk is treacherous. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vancouver?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vancouver</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/snow?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#snow</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/canadasworstdriver?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#canadasworstdriver</a>
—@mturnerwriterShould cars without winter tires be allowed to drive on the road? Is it even worth buying winter tires for just a few days of snow?
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vancouver?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Vancouver</a> doesn't handle snow well. And neither should it. With only a few snowy days per year, it would be a waste of time and money to buy a massive fleet of plows and put on snow tires. If it snows, don't drive.
—@stevecaversThe B.C. Ministry of Transportation warns that, yes, you should have chains and proper winter tires on hand.
Regardless, cars are still careening on Vancouver's slippery roads. Twitter user Phil Doty caught an especially treacherous moment.
Too many impatient drivers and lack of winter tires = no Netflix required this afternoon 😂🙈. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCstorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCstorm</a> <a href="https://t.co/rJNmFTpmnC">pic.twitter.com/rJNmFTpmnC</a>
—@phildoty11Enjoy, Vancouver. We get to do it all again on Tuesday.