# Snowstorm Cliché **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 10, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358 "2010-02-10T01:49:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tattman40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@tattman40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tattman40)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/1 "2010-02-10T01:49:22Z")
Well it’s time for all the TV reporters in the field interviewing people about the snow. You have the guy in the snowplow who has been plowing for 36 hrs in a row. The shot of the big dome bldg that holds the salt/sand. The reporter measuring the snow with his trusty ruler. Thousands of people buying snow shovels. Apparently the shovels expire after last years snow… Gotta buy a new one! Bread milk eggs…Say no more. Feel free to add more. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/2 "2010-02-10T02:11:30Z")
If it’s not a northern state, you have the requisite shot of the bare shelves at Wal-Mart. Because, you know, that 4 inches that you could get in Virginia could be the Apocalyspe. The Government could collapse. It’d be like a colder version of Mad Max. …so you’d better stock up on toilet paper. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/3 "2010-02-10T02:24:54Z")
I used to work in market analysis for a major Boston area supermarket chain. I got put in charge of a project to try and figure out what people buy before a snowstorm hits and how much for us to buy in advance. We figured out that we could sell millions more by buying up staples like milk, bread, eggs and batteries right before even a minor snowstorm struck. People, mainly older ladies, raided the shelves as soon as the weather forecast indicated there might be a problem and always wiped us out of those items previously. This is in NEW ENGLAND and it happens every single year multiple times. If you don’t have enough to eat for a few hours then you have bigger problems than I can help you with. The stores were mostly urban as well and people could always just walk to the nearest one if they wanted to. In Massachusetts, most supermarket chains can’t carry beer and wine in more than three locations but those were among the first to get wiped out in those locations. I am convinced that a lot a human activity is an extreme duplication of effort. Snow storm footage proves that. All you need is stock footage of: 1. One car spinning its wheels in the snow. 2. Shots of a car slipping and sliding at speed. 3. A car sliding down a hill into other cars. 4. Cute little kids going sledding. 5. One crappy snowman. You would never have to send another reporter back out on the street if you got your hands on those things but don’t tell them that because lots of people would be out of a job. I have similar ideas for floods and tornados that will make me a fortune some day. ---
**Author:** ![Pray\_for\_peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pray\_for\_peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pray_for_peace)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/4 "2010-02-10T02:50:41Z")
I would say you also need 1. footage of several cars stranded and abandoned off the side of the road on a highway, possibly near an exit ramp 2. footage or an interview of motorists stranded somewhere because a highway like I-80 has been shut down somewhere 3. footage of someone digging their car out from a parking space in a city neighborhood 4. a report from the airport, where all flights are cancelled and passengers are stranded and angry ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/5 "2010-02-10T03:39:14Z")
Don’t forget “Guy on cross country skis.” ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/6 "2010-02-10T03:41:34Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I used to work in market analysis for a major Boston area supermarket chain. I got put in charge of a project to try and figure out what people buy before a snowstorm hits and how much for us to buy in advance. We figured out that we could sell millions more by buying up staples like milk, bread, eggs and batteries right before even a minor snowstorm struck. People, mainly older ladies, raided the shelves as soon as the weather forecast indicated there might be a problem and always wiped us out of those items previously. > > This is in NEW ENGLAND and it happens every single year multiple times. Yeah, this goes with what I was wondering: if it’s true, is it a cliche? The grocery store thing happens multiple times a winter, not just on film. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/7 "2010-02-10T03:50:51Z")
Since this is DC, we get to see tourists interviewed and asked what they think about our snow. As if they don’t have snow in other countries. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/8 "2010-02-10T04:38:21Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > If it’s not a northern state, you have the requisite shot of the bare shelves at Wal-Mart. > > Because, you know, that 4 inches that you could get in Virginia could be the Apocalyspe. The Government could collapse. It’d be like a colder version of Mad Max. > > …so you’d better stock up on toilet paper. or trucks are late because of the weather making fast turnover items scares. You don’t see the shelf of water chestnuts empty because nobody uses them on cereal. 🙂 I just watched a news piece on a level 3 emergency (nobody allowed on the road). She’s standing on a nicely plowed rowed talking about how bad it would be if you slid off the road. :dubious: I guess we’ll all just stay home until the flowers bloom. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/9 "2010-02-10T08:14:43Z")
Soundbite from parents worried about having to spend extra time with their children when school is closed. ---
**Author:** ![maisoui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@maisoui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maisoui)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/10 "2010-02-10T12:33:21Z")
> [@Crawlspace](#): > > Don’t forget “Guy on cross country skis.” And the guy on a bike with snow up to the pedals! ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/11 "2010-02-10T13:03:43Z")
In addition to the cute kids sledding, you also need the cute little kids (or perhaps college kids) having a snowball fight. Viewers pictures of the snow in their backyard are important to share as well. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/12 "2010-02-10T13:36:45Z")
\*\*Baracus \*\*is right. Inevitably, a few days after the snowstorm, they have to share their viewer submitted pictures of their snowy backyard, kid’s snowman, snowy branches, etc. Hooray, snow is pretty. But I really don’t care what your backyard looks like… if I want to see snowy trees or a snow covered roof, I can look at my own back yard. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/13 "2010-02-10T13:47:45Z")
If this is a halfway major city, you also need interview footage of somebody who got stranded at the airport/train station/bus station. Bonus if they’re going somewhere warm, or on a vacation to someplace like Disney. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/14 "2010-02-10T14:05:30Z")
Ducks slipping clumsily on a frozen pond. Large and dangerous-looking icicles on a building (probably a shed or barn). Some mundane object frozen solid or encased in ice in such a way as to render it whimsical. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/15 "2010-02-10T14:09:40Z")
Footage of cars slipping down a hillslope or ramp, preferably several in a row at the same place. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/16 "2010-02-10T14:51:27Z")
I just realized that I have never in my life seen this kind of report, despite living in Canada, and then it occurred to me that I’ve never seen this kind of report _because_ I live in Canada and snow is not considered to be news. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/17 "2010-02-10T15:13:15Z")
> [@tattman40](#): > > Bread milk eggs..Say no more. What, no maple syrup or powdered sugar? And what is it about snow that makes people crave french toast? ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/18 "2010-02-10T15:25:24Z")
I don’t crave french toast. If anything, I wish I had some ice cream I could eat while soaking in a hot bath. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/19 "2010-02-10T15:37:39Z")
I made French toast for breakfast this morning, just to use up some of the eggs and bread we had left over from Snowpocalypse I. Yes, there was maple syrup (the real kind, not the fake stuff) involved. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358/20 "2010-02-10T16:53:09Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Ducks slipping clumsily on a frozen pond. Wait, wait - you can see the _ice_ on the pond? The only reason we ever clear off the ponds in Canada is to use them for ice skating. Otherwise they are under a foot or more of accumulated snow. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowstorm-cliche/528358.md?page=2)