Snow with MINImal driving room

While we're not being dumped on with feet of snow like parts of NY State, the snow we are getting today is "Blizzard like" - at least according to news reports, etc. What's problematic with the snow is the wind and the snow itself being very light as opposed to wet. So the snow is blowing like crazy and shoveling is a virtually futile experience. You shovel and then moments later, the area you cleared has snow blown over it again.

In general, I would say such is life - we do after all live in Chicago AND it is February. It's not like this is happening in June or July or something like that. The only major challenge I have - well, two really - is the alley's don't get plowed by the city, which I understand, but it doesn't make it any easier. The second thing is my car being lower to the ground. She (my car is a she, her name is Sally) handles quite well in the snow actually. I have 17" wheels and tires - all-season tires - and front wheel drive. On a regular, plowed or even partially plowed street I'm fine. Driving through the alley to get to and from my garage is the challenge. Being so low, it is hard to "Plow" through the drifts, etc. DSC - Dynamic Stability Control (which I'll describe as the opposite of Anti-Lock Brakes in that it functions while in motion, not trying to stop motion) is great on slick roads. DSC is NOT good when trying to rock the car to move enough to go through the drifts. I have the S version - so my car is Supercharged (no, that is NOT what the S stands for) - which makes my car very quick. Quite powerful in fact. The only way to get through the drifts (see picture) was to turn off DSC, rev the engine to near red line and go.

This is still an endorsement for the MINI, just a word of caution in deep snow.