With its monuments, parks and low-building profile, Washington under a blanket of snow is hard to beat. It is downright beautiful. Just don't go outside!

Not if you value your life or sanity.

Snow/ice storms here often create a traffic nightmare where rush hour can become a dangerous 6 to 10 hour ordeal.

While weather will always be a wild card, the government, at long last, has come up with a plan that will take the mystery out of what feds should or shouldn't do on a snow day.

OPM Director John Berry, as reported here yesterday, says he'll make THE CALL by 4 a.m. The media will be alerted and anybody with a radio, TV or computer (that's working) can check on the status for the day: Delayed arrival, liberal annual leave (meaning you can take an unscheduled vacation day) or shutdown except for emergency workers. The early-warning policy might be adopted by Federal Executive Boards in other cities.

So what do feds think of the new policy? The e-mail has piled up in drifts:

• "...your column has sparked a small fire in me so that I must write and squelch the volcano building inside me. I certainly appreciate those winter warriors from snow drenched parts of the country that claim their previous area wouldn't shut things down for a little snow (heaven's no!), really I do.
  

  However, did any of those warriors let you know that in most of the places they come from (Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Montana, etc), closing down schools and business is only part of what they do - honey, they close down interstates for pete's sake! As in, during white out conditions, or conditions where there may be avalanches or the wind is blowing the snow so darn hard that your car can be buried in a second, or my personal favorite, the rogue tornado that pops up - those places shut the roads down, not just the businesses. As for Minneapolis-St. Paul, Fargo - please, they wouldn't know a hill if it smacked them in the face - they need to just hush. (The folks from Boston - I give them credit, they can handle their snow). So really, let those folks say what they will.......after all, we live in America where the 1st amendment allows every citizen the power of free speech - doesn't mean the speech makes sense but just means, they can say it.
  

  As for OPM Director, Mr. John Berry - thank you for your efforts for all federal employees, even those that want to come here and claim that their previous area is better than here - to them I say "of course it is sugar, that's why you left - bless your little heart!" Dixie Cansler

• I am from deep show central New York and have experienced DC's snow. Basically, I can (could) drive through it but not if the car in front of me didn't.
  

  Before retiring, I used to go in very early on snow storm days so I missed the people getting stuck. I even watched a Montgomery County (Md.) policeman stop his car at the bottom of a hill on Viers Mill Road; he had chains and I got stuck due to my lack of momentum.
  

  Up north, it takes about a week of snow driving for people to rediscover their snow skills." Frederick Prevo

• "...your article on winter weather closings is one of your best ever! I'm an old-timer in the Government... As you stated, many laugh at closing the Government with only 2 inches of snow on the ground. Even President Obama made light of it last winter. But... it is dangerous, and you explained very well why. I remember one ice storm. I was in a carpool. We left at 6 am, drove all day (had to continuously turn off the car for fear of running out of gas, while freezing, and huddling up together as our stomachs growled and prayed we didn't have an accident) and got home at 8pm.
  

  Once the darkness hit, we were more worried than during the daylight (and much colder).
  

  Speaking of accidents, can you imagine not having a potty break for that long? It was probably the most miserable day of my Federal career.
  

  Another snow storm where the Government didn't shut down... my brother lost a friend trying to make it to work. A truck couldn't stop at a light and skidded into her car and killed her.
  

  These tragedies don't make the news, but they touch lives and make those of us who live and work in this area think twice before heading out into a storm. I am very thankful to the person making the call at 4am, as my husband I are early-to-workers. We get up at 4:20am and often have to listen to the news for several hours until the Government has made a decision, way past our starting time, making us late, no matter what the decision is. So, we have started out in bad weather, just to skid through the neighborhood, run off the road and turn back.
  

  I think it's much easier for late-to-workers when the decisions have been made, and the sun is up and it's much easier to see. However, with flexible schedules in the Government, many are on the road with us in the wee hours, and therefore, I truly appreciate the decision being made by 4am. And think of those of us who have kids and schools are closed, and then need to decide what to do. Thank you for the great article!" JoAnn

And thank you, JoAnn and everyone who wrote in, for today's great article!

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

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Nearly Useless Factoid
by Suzanne Kubota

According to a study by Brigham Young University, university students in coed housing are 2.5 times more likely to binge drink and more likely to have more sexual partners.

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