Category: Rants a.k.a. Commentary || By

Clean items from a dirty mind:

. . .

Snow? Big Deal: I was in the Strip District on Saturday afternoon when the snow came through. The southbound lanes of the Glenwood Bridge were closed for repairs, so I had to use the Homestead Grays Bridge to get home.

The city of Pittsburgh didn't get much more than a quarter-inch of snow, but most of the streets hadn't been touched by salt or cinders, and I'm not talking about side streets --- I'm talking about major arteries like Bigelow Boulevard, Centre Avenue, Forbes Avenue, Murray Avenue. The streets were virtual sheets of ice --- I watched accident after accident as cars bounced from curb to curb.

(I also watched some fool on a mountain bike go arse-over-appetite in the middle of a busy intersection when his wheels slid out from under him. I'll refrain from commenting on the mentality of people who ride bicycles in traffic during ice storms, but doctors have a term for them: "Organ donors.")

Several streets were blocked by cars that had spun out. It took me two hours to get from the Strip to Browns Hill Road. Never once did I see a City of Pittsburgh DPW truck.

Once I hit Browns Hill Road --- which is maintained by Allegheny County --- I had smooth sailing through Homestead, Munhall and West Mifflin, except for the portion of Mifflin Road that's maintained by the City of Pittsburgh. That was glazed with ice and snow.

Back over the city line into West Mifflin and Dravosburg, everything was fine.

I can dig that Pittsburgh is a distressed community, but Homestead's not exactly swimming in money, Pennsylvania is looking to whack a billion dollars from the budget, and Allegheny County has many more highways to cover than the city. Yet they all seem able to send a salt truck or two out after a snow.

What do Betty Esper and Dan Onorato know that Opie "Luke" Ravenstahl doesn't know? Can they call Ravenstahl and help him? (I'm not the only one who's noticed this ... see the Notorious A.D.B.'s treatise on snow removal.)

Barring that, can we just send the Homestead DPW into Pittsburgh after the next snow? Sheesh.

. . .

Ah, December: I'm not sure which December task I enjoy less --- putting on the snow tires or going Christmas shopping.

One task involves risking life and limb, profanity, discomfort, swinging a tire iron, getting dirty and tramping around outside in bad weather.

The other requires a floor jack.

. . .

While We're On the Subject: Nobody asked me (I feel like Larry King all of a sudden), but cheap tires are not a bargain. Save your money, and buy good quality tires.

Cheap tires don't do anything particularly well. If they're designed for high mileage, then they'll be made of such hard material that they'll ride like wagon wheels, will be prone to skidding and will make a lot of noise.

If they're designed for a smooth, quiet ride, they'll wear out fast.

Take it from a guy who bought a lot of cheap tires before finally biting the bullet and investing in a good set of brand-name shoes for the hoss. They cost more, but they were worth it.

What kind? Tiger Paws, of course. (Groan.)