A winter storm is hitting North Carolina, and gridlock is slowly taking over Charlotte and other cities as drivers struggle to get home in snowy and icy conditions.
It's not nearly as rough as what Atlanta went through a couple of weeks ago, when hundreds of accidents created nightmare traffic. Drivers who gave up and abandoned their cars made things worse for emergency responders and teams trying to clear the roads.
North Carolina drivers are already following suit, and the state's Department of
If at all possible, do not abandon your vehicles - abandoned cars can hinder road clearing.If you break down or slide, call for help.
- NCDOT (@NCDOT) February 12, 2014
The Durham Sheriff warns that tow trucks may take several hours to respond:
The wait for a tow truck could be hours, but it's up to you. Move it if you can. @NoYinKatie @NCDOT
- Durham Sheriff (@DurhamSheriff) February 12, 2014
Drivers in stalled cars should definitely not leave them in a travel lane:
@DurhamSheriff @NoYinKatie Right, if you can get it off the road, then move it. But do not leave your car in a travel lane.
- NCDOT (@NCDOT) February 12, 2014
But know that if you end up in a ditch, the Sheriff isn't going to help you out:
If your car slid into a ditch, call a tow truck or call a friend, because we can't help you. We are responding to high-priority calls only.
- Durham Sheriff (@DurhamSheriff) February 12, 2014
Their efforts to keep abandoned cars off the roads seem like an uphill battle:
147 Northbound is a MESS! Cars off the road, plus driver who got stuck is now walking with his dog to safety. pic.twitter.com/Vkv5Kzi28q
- Diane Wilson (@DWilsonABC11) February 12, 2014