Driving in snow the first time all over again

I'm glad that the first surprise snow storm and the first big snow storm of the winter season are over.

Now maybe we in northern New England can settle into the fact that it's winter and drive accordingly.

I'm amazed how many of us forget how to drive in snow from year to year.

This year, the first snow came as a bit of a surprise for many.

Just before Christmas a huge snow storm missed most of New England and parked itself just offshore.

It was close enough that some of the backwash from the big swirl created snow showers in many areas, particularly along the coast, enough for a coating in some locations, enough for several inches in others.

Driving panic ensued.

Cars skidded into each other and skidded off the road. Numerous accidents were reported. In Portland, Maine, more than 300 accidents were reported within a short period of the snowfall.

And I scratched my head in wonder.

If people who live in New England see that it's snowing, doesn't a little switch in their brains click on so that they start driving in snow mode?

We slow down. We leave more than enough space between our car and the car ahead of us.

We don't speed up and drive to our location as fast as we can in the hope of beating the snow there.

Maybe they act and drive like lunatics in the first snow as some sort of denial that it is indeed snowing. By driving like they do in July, maybe they try to convince themselves that winter doesn't really happen around here.

It took last week's blizzard, I guess, to finally get people to accept the fact that, yes, it snows here in New England. And sometimes in snows a lot.

We shouldn't be surprised by this. Not in the first snow in November or December, not in the last snow in March or April.

It's a long winter here. If we're going to winter well in New England we have to remember to drive with our heads screwed on.