SNOW SNOW SNOW!

You would think that because Finland gets a lot of snow - that everybody hates it.
But that's not true!
Because it's dark by 4pm...if not earlier...and the sun doesn't come peeking out until about 9-10am...it's pretty dark out!  The snow acts as a reflector of the street lights and it brightens up the area A LOT.

But at the same time, it has it's down sides too....like having to bundle yourself and your kids up in at least 3 layers....pushing a stroller with hard plastic wheels can be a complete pain when there's clumps of snow in the way (or the sidewalk has yet to be plowed)....oh and then half the side walk is usually gone too.

And a word of caution:

For some reason - Finnish drivers do not (doesn't apply to all) sweep the snow off the roof of their vehicles.
Can we say: DANGEROUS?!

• Scenario #1: Think of it this way...you're the driver behind the jerk who didn't sweep off their roof...a bit of warm air, a breeze or a sharp turn or brake - and POW!  You have tonnes of snow and possibly ice on your windshield...you can't see...it's a green light and you can't see.
  You're swerving...the people behind you are swerving...and the jerk up ahead is trucking along totally oblivious to the hazard they just caused you.
  
• Scenario #2: You're a cyclist (yes Finns ride their bikes in the winter) and you get a face full of snow....and then you fall and possibly get hit by someone else from behind or on the side.

• Scenario #3: Scenario 1 happens and your windshield cracks...it's totally possible with the weight of ice and snow and speed and other physics-related things...and 1 little tiny crack can cause you a huge-assed problem.  It'll spread and it costs a TONNE of money to replace your whole windshield!

So please, PLEASE, PLEASE...wipe the snow off the roof of your car.

Onto other Dangerous Snow-Related Accidents in Finland:

• Be cautious of walking under trees....they are heavy with snow and probably some ice because it's been raining....it hurts quite a bit when a chunk falls and smacks you in the face, head or neck.
• Be VERY cautious of walking near tall buildings...sometimes people are on the roof shovelling the ice and snow off and it hurts a lot if you get hit.  Normally there's someone below telling the shoveller when pedestrians are walking by....not always.
• Sometimes ice and snow just falls off the roof of buildings - the taller the building, the faster the fall, the harder it'll hit you.  So try to not walk glued to the sides/fronts of a building....

Many pine trees are so old that the weight of the snow is weighing down their branches and they are SNAPPING off...so be careful!