I’ve been in my car for seven and a half hours.

At approximately one o’clock this afternoon, it began to snow in the northeast – the first snow fall of the season.

By the time the class we were attending was over and we walked outside, the snow was falling heavily, and two inches had already accumulated. We began our 43 mile journey to our hotel, delighted to see snow, and enjoying the beauty of it. We made plans to go into the city for dinner, and to see the sights.

The first four hours, we were fortunate to avoid running off the road, spinning out, or colliding with other vehicles or curbs.

We were blessed to get behind a snowplow as it went up a hill, and stared amazed at the handful of stuck cars, their passengers standing by their cars, at a loss as to what to do.

We got into the city, a mere mile and a half from our hotel, and breathed a sigh of relief. We were there!

Or so we thought.

As I sit here, I’m amazed at the traffic nightmare I’ve witnessed the last three hours.

At no time is anyone obeying the traffic laws. Every intersection is a melee – evidently it’s mob rule here in this large Northeastern city. People drive into intersections against red lights, two lane roads are shoved into three lanes. We sit through cycle after cycle of traffic lights, while cross traffic illegally blocks the right of way, or cuts the traffic off. Over and over.

Horns blare for no apparent reason, with nothing moving in the direction we are traveling in.

I wonder, did the snowstorm bring this out in these drivers, or is there always absolutely no regard for the law? Or even courtesy?

Our gas is running low. My insulin pump is suspended – I’ve got to maintain my type one diabetes for an uncertain time period. We have a half a bottle of water, and a box of granola bars.

As the eighth hour in traffic approaches, the snow is long gone, replaced by a steady light rain.

I just want to make it another 0.9 miles before we run out of gas, food…or both.