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There is an expression, dating from the mid-1700s that says “a revolution devours its children.” It originated in or near Paris during the French Revolution.

There is a newer expression (originating in Washington, D.C., effective immediately) which says that a big snowstorm in the nation’s capital devours the Office of Personnel Management director AND its children in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

What happened yesterday — after several days of brilliant pre-and-post blizzard performance was a traffic nightmare.  Of epic proportions.  Maybe as bad, maybe worse, than after the 9/11 attacks on New York City and the Pentagon. After leaving work after an extended day, I got home sooner than yesterday when I never made it in. Traffic elsewhere was just as bad.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.) was here to do a regularly scheduled show on our sister station WTOP.  It is normally done live, in studio. But even with his clout and state trooper escorts he was gridlocked.  When he called WTOP at showtime he said he was “close” to the station.  Close is as relative term.  He was stuck on 16th Street in D.C., near the White House. The station is in the 3400 block of Idaho Ave., NW. Uphill all the way on narrow (by snowbanks) roads jammed with cars taking “advantage” of the 3-hour delay ordered by OPM.  And thereby hangs the tale.  And maybe yours too!

After wisely telling feds to stay home on Monday and Tuesday, OPM  announced (at about 10 p.m. the night before) that the 400,000-plus feds in the D.C. area could come in 3 hours late.  Sounds good except for a couple of things:

• First, the a.m. and p.m. rush hour here normally lasts 6 hours.  Three in the morning, three in the afternoon.  So there is no “good” time to come to or leave work.  Also, the 3-hour delay meant (in theory) a 5-hour workday squeezed into a 5-hour day under hellish traffic conditions.

• Second, once people got to work, where were they going to park? Streets and lots were buried under snow.  In D.C., there is a neighborhood tradition.  If you clear a spot on the street, it is yours for the duration. Some people put up “reserved” signs.  Some of them warn that if you take the space they “will smash your f*****g windows out.”  One guy even shot another guy on Monday for taking “his” place on a public street.  Probably better to find a lot, or hide your car in Rock Creek Park and walk.

• Finally, believe it or not, this is not meant as a criticism of OPM.  In a situation like this — and this was one of the worst storms on record — in the end it can’t win. Close too much, get criticized. Close not enough, get criticized.

But the process — for the next time and for future OPM directors — has got to be different. It is nice to consult with 200 (no kidding!) state, local and national officials. And cops and transit.  But maybe that’s too many people.  Too time consuming.  And the late (10 p.m. call) has got to go!

If things are so bad you tell people to come in 3 hours later, in an 8-hour shift, maybe you should give them another day off and take the heat.

Which begs the question: If there is a 3-hour delay and you have annual leave available, who is dumb and who is dumber? The people who ordered it or the people who followed orders when, in many cases, they had a way out?

Your call!

Nearly Useless Factoid

By Michael O’Connell

On Sept. 13, 1899, Henry H. Bliss was the first person in the U.S. who was killed by a motor vehicle. An electric-powered taxi struck him as he was disembarking from a street car in New York City. He died from his wounds a day later.

Source: Wikipedia

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