A new 2021 Bentley Flying Spur will run you roughly $210,000.
A loaf of bread, gallon of milk, or almost any other basic grocery item can be had for less than $5.
It makes you wonder what the Bentley owner who was cruising down a snow and ice-covered Main Street on Monday morning was after that could have possibly been worth it.
Snow falls regularly in Highlands during the winter months and for the most part the town public works crews and the NC Department of Transportation do a very good job of clearing the roads as quickly as possible. But there are circumstances where clearing the roads takes a back seat to ensuring the safety of plow drivers and other employees.
With temperatures in the low teens and a steady snow falling on Sunday night and into the early hours of Monday morning, it made sense for snow removal crews to wait for daylight to continue their road clearing efforts.
By the time the morning commute came around, the main roads (US 64, NC 106 and NC 28) were all passable, as long as driver’s used caution, while many of the secondary roads were still snow covered.
With warmer temperatures scheduled to arrive on Tuesday, and thus the opportunity for the roads to melt, it made good sense to stay put and not take any unnecessary risks. Macon County Schools decided to make the cautious call to cancel classes on Tuesday in order to keep busses off of potentially untreated side roads.
Overall, most of the population stayed sheltered in place and kept emergency responses to a minimum due to the snow. For that we are all thankful.
But there are always those few who decide caution is not for them, and it always leaves us scratching our collective heads. Is a drive up the Cullasaja Gorge, or Horse Cove Road, so breathtaking that its worth risking life, limb and automobile?
Hopefully, the Monday morning Bentley driver made it home safe.