Road Rage: Part II- The Conditions

At virtually any location in the United States bad drivers can be found by the handful. They aggravate us and make us late on a daily basis. We honk. We cuss. We hold up our middle fingers in dismay. Yes, bad drivers are universal, and there is nothing that will change this. What is not likely to be found everywhere in the country however, are the terrible driving conditions occurring in Northern Maine.
The biggest menace regarding road conditions is the notably inclement weather faced every year. Snow is piled high along both sides of the road, appearing like bumper lanes in a faded, old bowling alley. It stretches itself in tendrils across roadways in windy areas, creating drifts sometimes a foot high in places. The drifts jut across the lanes, daring approaching vehicles to crash through them, often jerking cars about as they cross the way. Beneath the snow is most always ice. Black ice, scarcely noticeable across the dark tarred surface. It causes many accidents yearly, sometimes fatal.
Often when the snow really comes, it comes hard and long. It will snow for many hours and when the flakes cease to fall, varied thicknesses of snow claim the land. It takes effort to even leave the house. One must plow or shovel to leave the driveway at all, and then the conditions that greet them thereafter are not always smooth.
It is really not an unusual occurrence to come upon multiple vehicles in the ditch or snowbank on the way to a destination, following a snowstorm. Most individuals who have lived in the area have ended up there at least once in their lives. Routinely people pull each other out of the ditch rather than call for a tow truck which will cost them.
Aside from snow, other dangers await the northern traveler. Moose will make their way into the middle of the road regardless of who is approaching. Then, they will continue to stand there, or run further into the way of traffic. Typically they are not considered, by locals, to be the brightest members of the animal kingdom. Aside from moose there are deer and skunks and raccoon, which increase the likelihood of colliding with an animal.
Though conditions arise in all areas that create dangerous situations for drivers, Aroostook County citizens must tirelessly watch for moose and icy conditions. Anxiety fills many when leaving the house each winter day, or when driving at night in the case of moose. Yet commuting is an essential part of the lives of people in Northern Maine. Locations are more distant from one another, towns often spread many miles apart as well. Drivers in Maine must drive smart to avoid the hazards that await them every day.