On January 9, 2024, Great Bend, along with other parts of the Northeastern part of the U.S. experienced blizzard-like storms and excessive amounts of snowfall. People have found it difficult to drive to work, or to leave they’re house as snow drifts leave them stuck in their driveway. Some car doors are even found frozen shut as well as windows.

Sophomore Ellie Newman, does not like snow. She said, “I really don’t think high schoolers should be driving in this weather because most of the high schoolers, at least the ones here can’t drive correctly when the roads are normal and to add snow and ice on top of that it’s going to be dangerous not only for them but everybody else on the roads.”

Sophomore Sariah Cox, likes snow in general and said, “I don’t think high schoolers should be driving in this weather because they aren’t the best drivers sometimes.”

Sophomore Quinton Heath said, “I do like snow, it’s just annoying when you have to drive and move it out of the way.”

It would definitely be a challenge for high schoolers and one they might not be able to handle. Heavy equipment operators such as, semi truck drivers, dump truck drivers, concrete mixer drivers and more, would be at a higher and more dangerous risk of driving on the ice and snow covered roads because of the weight. 

“When it gets particularly dangerous and slippery, no they shouldn’t be driving. Especially when someone lives out in the country, out far away like out of Great Bend and they have to drive to school everyday,” Heath said.

Cox said, “It’s very dangerous for truck drivers because they can slip and slide and crash into people.”

Heath said, “I think most truck drivers should be off work because that’s really dangerous.”

If the concrete mixer drivers were to go out on the road, they would be likely to tip their truck due to the concrete drum constantly spinning and rocking the truck back and forth when having a heavy load. Sometimes, it’s not just about how heavy their haul is but more less the truck turning when going around a corner. They already have to take wide turns.

How about going out and spending time playing in the snow? Newman said, “It really depends on the person, for me absolutely not, but I know that there are a lot in the high school, specifically boys, who would like to get out in their truck and take a sled and rope to the back of their car and start drifting around the parking lots just because they think it’s fun.”

Heath also said, “It depends on how cold it is, if people have families or kids that want to go out and play in the snow.”

Most kids want to get out and play in the snow or maybe build a snowman. However, there are people who would rather stay in because when snow melts it’s wet and cold like ice water. Some people pray for snow days like we had on Tuesday, January 9th.