Carolina Law Blog
Bread, Eggs & Milk – Are Charlotte Courts Closed?
Yankees may laugh, but the truth of the matter is, no one can drive on ice. And while the Winter Storm of 2015 may be a non-event for those north of the Mason-Dixon line, at least in Charlotte, North Carolina, when weather gurus predict snow, freezing rain and the most dreaded of all, “BLACK ICE,” it gets people’s attention.
As Boston and the upper East-Coastal states brace for another foot or more of snow due to the latest Nor’Easter, much of the Charlotte-Metro region may be scrambling to make child care, work and personal arrangements with only a chance of freezing temperatures and any form of precipitation.
In the event of bad weather, the answer to “Are Charlotte Courts Closed?” is . . .”It Depends.”
When Are Courts Closed?
Mecklenburg County Inclimate Weather Court Closing Policy
Once there are reports of an “Arctic Blast” or “Low Pressure Zone” bringing weather from Canada, it seems that even the most hardened, snowy-weather-transplants to the South make a bee-line to Harris Teeter, clearing the shelves of Bread, Eggs & Milk. While most big “snows” may last only 24 to 48 hours at the most, this is what we Southerners call “French Toast Weather.”
And while it may be easy to criticize as an outsider, we simply do not have the resources to clear the roads, keep schools and other public facilities open. It just is not worth spending money on snow plows. We deal more with heat than cold, so heat pumps simply cannot keep up with frigid temperatures and the average kid waiting for a bus does not enjoy a snow shanty or other protection from the elements.
For that matter, most kids waiting for the bus may have a light jacket and mittens to keep out the cold. And, as stated, NO ONE can drive on ice.
North Carolina’s relative temperate weather causes for some serious ice accumulations.
Have fun turning in the direction of the slide if you brave the roads. No one down South knows that rule or how to drive on snow, let alone ice. Remember, your driving may be perfect while someone else crashes into you because their driving isn’t.
THAT’S WHY THERE IS A RUN ON BREAD, EGGS & MILK. It’s just that important: Driving on blacktop roads covered in ice is dangerous. We don’t want to take a chance. We cannot assume someone from Emergency Services is available to save the day or drive on black ice themselves.
So, have a chuckle, break out the old-school sleds and garbage can lids, double up on the socks, eat some French Toast and enjoy a day or two off.