Re: An open letter to West Seattle residents

This may not resonate completely with Mr. Mariconda's comments, but I'll use this space to vent at our esteemed mayor over this issue. I find Greg Nickels' perspective on snow removal and mitigation rather inept. It reflects the simpleton, PC way in which he has managed his administration.

Let the snow "pack down" and cars drive over it? Funny - like a crutch... That may happen in the mountains or on less-traveled roads on the east side of the state, but my goodness - what a pathetic and naive way of managing a metropolitan area. The result of his "hands off" approach was a third-world-minefield patchwork of roads in West Seattle that rendered all cars, save four-wheel drive SUVs or those with chains the only way to get to and fro. If you could make the drive, you had to have the constitution of a marine to withstand the relentless pounding which the roads gave to one's car. But I almost forgot: this is Seattle and SUVs are persona-non-grata. And we're supposed to be taking the buses - except for all the articulated ones which the city had to temporarily bench until they could navigate the roads once again. And let me see... where are my snowshoes so I can make the walk from the bus stop to my home?

I love snow. I absolutely rejoice when it falls because it makes me feel like a kid again. Having a White Christmas was one of the best gifts of '08. But I found myself praying for a heat wave after a week of this debacle.

Mr. Nickels, I'm not one to expect my elected officials to wave their hand, part the waters and solve all my problems for me. That's change I cannot believe in. And I certainly do not think this city had the resources to clear all of the streets. That would be na