The Invincibility Delusion.

A phenomenon I observed in a couple of my friends: confident that their vehicles are invincible (Subaru, 4x4) they thought they could go anywhere at any time.

We actually had this discussion via e-mail hours before the snow hit because one of them was debating whether to cancel an evening meeting she was running. I pointed out what should have been obvious: doesn't matter how capable your vehicle is if the ones in front, behind and to your sides aren't moving.

She cancelled the meeting (no one else would have shown up anyway) and stayed home. We spent much of the night on the phone with our other friend who had delayed her departure from work and sat in her 4x4 for 11 hours.

I talked at length with the latter friend this morning. She's normally a cool customer and was in better shape than many as she was in a capable vehicle in an area where she was able to gas up, go to the bathroom, get bottled water and had a phone charger in her car. She was mindful of the anxiety she felt being trapped in traffic like that for hours on end -- not budging even an inch for an hour or more at times -- and being worried about other family members, some of whom were incommunicado.

She said that walking in the front door at home was the most incredible feeling. She watched her dogs play in the snow for an hour to decompress.

We're now working together to devise car kits for her and her family. We're only half-way through the prime snow months here.