People who live where it snows: What is your criteria for determining whether or not to go to work on a "snow day?"?

Since we hail from a place where we had a 13 foot drift of snow in the front yard every year, it would take a lot to keep me off the streets. If the people around me knew how to drive in snow, it would be a lot safer getting there.

So far this winter I’ve called in one time because of snow, and the reason was I got stuck in my own driveway. I think not being able to make it out of your own driveway is good criteria.

I think there was one day back in 1992 or so, when we got hit with over four feet of snow and the roads weren’t plowed because everything was shut down until the storm was over. They used a Trojan bucket loader to clear our roads about 10:00 the next day.

I’ve never had snow keep me in. I suppose my limit would be if I was genuinely incapable of getting out (like @Adirondackwannabe‘s example). As long as the bottom of my car is above the level of snow on the roads, I will be meeting my normal obligations. I will say that I feel much better doing that when I live in a place where everyone knows how to drive in snow. Where I’m living now, the roads are never as bad as they were in the more northern places I’ve lived, but it’s much more scary to drive in the snow here since people aren’t used to it.

I wish police officers had this choice. When you are considered “necessary personnel”, this means you shall report to work, even if this means another police car has to pick you up and take you to work. The inclimate weather conditions means nothing to police officers. We have no excuses.

Warm and snuggly sounds great, if it only applied to law enforcement. You can understand why.

We get alot of snow and ice where I live.It takes alot to stop me from going where I need to go.My vehicle gets me through anything. ;)

Usually I can always just about manage to make it in to work. The roads I use to get there are main routes and they are usually gritted well. Sometimes my work makes a decision to shut anyway so I only have a day off if my work has given me permission to.

Are the trains running? If so (and I have a job that requires me to be on site), then I go to work.

I’ve never called in to work because of snow. I’ve been late because of it, but have always made it in eventually. I’ve stayed home from classes if it looks too dangerous out there, but that’s been more because I just don’t feel like getting out of my warm and snuggly nest :)

The only reason I would not try to get to work is if the roads were at a Level 2 and my company closed or if they were a Level 3 and I couldn’t (legally) go.

I was born and raised in an area that saw significant lake effect snow, so I have never had that much difficulty driving in fairly bad snow. That said, if its a level 2 emergency I tend to flip a coin, and if its level 3 I stay home. Less because I’m worried I may wreck my car, more because I’m worried someone else may wreck their car into me. (especially around where I live, its like they have no idea how to drive in the stuff).

Whether or not I have some way safe to get to work.

1) If my car won’t start.
2) If the roads are slick with black ice.
3) If there’s a severe weather alert and I see lots of school closings.
4) If it’s below -10ºF.

In fact, I just had to go to class yesterday and it was -8ºF. The college was still open. Plus, living in this kind of climate for 22 years gives me enough experience to know when to just bundle up and deal with it.

I have not missed a day of work ever because of the weather. We have closed shop early to give the workers a head start going home. I have had 4 wheel drive it seems forever just so I know I can make it to work.

If I can’t get out of my driveway. That’s about it.
I guess that isn’t really a choice, though. If I can’t get out, I can’t get out. My mind is made up for me. :)

Schools close when it’s -10F? Really?

@TheOnlyNeffie That’s the criteria that was used per my distant memory, If you can get out of the driveway.

When I worked, it depended on if work closed. If it closed, then I had off..otherwise I had to figure out how to get the car out.

My line of work allowed me to make my own decisions. If the roads were open and safe to use, I would go in to work. If not, I would work from home.

For me, I have about an hour ride to work. If i wake up and it’s actively snowing hard, I won’t go. I have had experiences where it started snowing while i was at work and i have had a 3 to 4 hour ride home, and a very scary ride at that, so I try to avoid that. If there were flurries or snow overnight, and the roads are icy, I will wait a few hours and go late. If i wake up and there are about 6 inches or more, I will make a determination by the temperature and the roads. This winter we have been having one to two storms per week, so it’s kind of nice, kind of sucky.