Storm Aftermath: Don't Risk Your Life on the Monday Morning Commute

As Monday morning looms ahead for many commuters in the eastern United States, I am reminded of the employees who will be driving into work despite the potential dangers created by the aftermath of the storm. With the poor economy and unemployment rates, it is likely that a large number of people will take risks that they normally wouldn't for fear of losing their job.

Although most roads and bridges will likely reopen by Monday, there are several dangers to consider. With the power outages, there will be a number of traffic signals that will not be functioning, as well as downed trees and debris that have fallen into the roadways.

In addition, high water will continue to be a problem in most areas that were hit by the severe storm. If you're thinking about taking the bus or train into work, be sure to check with the respective company to see if they will be in operation. On Sunday, Amtrak had suspended service all the way from Florida to Ohio, and bus service has been stopped in many inner cities.

I am grateful that I don't have to worry about commuting, as I am able to work from home, but that hasn't always been the case. More times than I care to count, I have gone out on the road when I probably shouldn't have for fear of missing work.

One of the worst experiences that I recall happened the day after Christmas in 1996. I woke to an unexpected foot of snow on the ground and if I didn't make it into work, I wouldn't receive holiday pay for Christmas. At the time, that was the only thing on my mind, and made a not-so-smart decision to get the car out of the garage and make the 30+ mile commute into Seattle.

The neighborhood that I lived in was built on hills. As I slowly made my way out, I quickly realized my mistake. Just as I turned the corner there was a sharp drop in the road, and before I knew it, my car spun down the hill several times before ending on the edge of a sharp drop off. I was inches away from the car tumbling down at least 50 feet, with me in it, as there was no barrier at that corner.

I must have had an angel beside me that day. After I recovered from the horrific scare, believe it or not, I continued on, and made it into work after a three hour nightmare. Within minutes of my arrival, I was told that due to the inclement conditions, we were all being sent home.

I look back and wonder what I was thinking, putting my life at risk in order to make it into work. I worry that with economic times much worse than they were then, how many people will do the same thing, but won't be as lucky as I was.

If you're supposed to be at work on Monday morning, and are in an area that was hit hard by the torrential storm, please don't forget that there is no job so important that it is worth risking your life.