What I learned today.

[chaotic_nipple]

That a "snow"drift that one would easily drive through/over if it were, in fact, still snow, can trap your car for a good half hour if it has melted and refrozen into semi-solid ice. Furthermore, it will prove virtually immune to the plastic snow shovel that all civilized human beings northerners carry in their trunk. Had I thought to start whacking away with the tire-iron earlier, the quagmire would have been considerably shorter in duration. Luckily, one of my TAs and a random stranger happened along to help. Still, very annoying.