Wintertime driving can often become pretty treacherous following a severe snowstorm. Luckily, a well-timed snowplow can clear the roads and free up traffic for commuters. 

Well, most of the time. 

A community in Philadelphia was forced to spend extra time digging their cars out of deep snow after a city employee appeared to have deliberately buried parked cars in snow. 

What's happening?

As NBC10 Philadelphia reported, a Department of Sanitation worker filmed himself improperly operating one of the city's plow trucks in the aftermath of a late-January storm. 

In the 35-second clip, the worker can be heard dropping expletives as he guides a significant amount of snow up against cars parked on the side of the road in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood. 

"If your car look like this just go and head the f*** back in the house. Just go in the house. Ain't no need for you to be outside today", the driver can be heard saying in the clip, per NBC10.  

Why are the actions of the city employee significant?

Snowplows are designed to clear roadways of snow by pushing most accumulation to the side and flattening the driving surface. This can certainly make driving much easier on roads that have already been cleared. 

However, driveways, side roads, and parked cars can often be the victim of collateral damage from the large volumes of snow pushed their way. While this is a common trade-off following snowstorms, the snowplow driver in Philadelphia appeared to take joy in burying the parked cars. 

In regions accustomed to heavy snowfall, they can be well-equipped and well-trained to deal with storms and other snowfall events. This can result in routine trips by plow trucks to prevent snow from piling up on the roadways.   

With an average yearly snowfall total of just over 20 inches, Philadelphia normally doesn't have to worry about being buried in massive amounts of snow. According to NBC10, the storm in late January dropped more than 9 inches of snow around the city in just one day. That was nearly half of their yearly average in one fell swoop. 

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As global temperatures continue to rise, the atmosphere can hold more moisture. This can add significant fuel to storms and increase rainfall and snowfall. As seen in Philadelphia, this can put added pressure on city services and wreak havoc on communities that may not be prepared.

What is the city of Philadelphia doing about the snowplow driver?

NBC 10 noted that a spokesperson confirmed the snowplow driver was, in fact, an employee of the sanitation department.  

Following a wave of backlash from frustrated residents, the city responded in a Facebook post reiterating its focus on clearing snow and making roadways safer. 

Carlton Williams, director of Philadelphia's Office of Clean and Green, condemned the employee's actions and attempted to reassure the public. 

"Unfortunately, I received several reports of activity when there were drivers who intentionally buried people in their cars, often causing safety and dangerous conditions," Williams said. "The city of Philadelphia does not tolerate this type of behavior, and if it occurs, we will address it immediately." 

According to the NBC10 report, the driver of the snowplow was identified, and the department handled the matter internally. It is unclear whether the employee will continue to operate snowplows within the city.

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