Tuesday morning, we asked readers via e-mail how their morning or afternoon commute went after Monday's ice storm: Do you have a beef with Oak Park or River Forest's salting methods?

Altogether, we received about 50 responses. Here's a sampling, in the order we received them:

Well if Oak Park's goal is to make drivers slow down, it is working.
Renee Zoltowski
Oak Park

It seems-thanks to Oak Park's overall concerns about dogs, plants and worthless statues-they have once again failed to address the main problem which is salting the streets. Our children are more important than any of these aforementioned entities. We've had three children fall, in the middle of the street, on our block in the last two weeks while walking to school. Stop making excuses and salt the streets. Feel free to take some of my $8,000 in taxes and purchase some eco-safe, dog-friendly snowmelt.
Anonymous

I thought the Oak Park roads were fine. In fact, Euclid between Van Buren and Harrison rides a little nicer with some snow and ice filling in the awful potholes!
Maggie Romanovich

Monday's commute? Tuesday's is still bad. It's amazing how the streets in the neighboring suburbs are already dry. Someone in those suburbs figured out how to buy salt.
John Mullins

I've learned to drive like a nearly-blind person who is operating on zero sleep...In short, I drive very slowly, barely exceeding 20 mph for much of my 1.8-mile commute from home to my office. Besides being more fuel-efficient (I've timed the Harlem Ave. lights quite effectively), it has enabled me to steer clear of fender-benders.
So Monday wasn't too bad for me-once I figured out how to open my car, which was jammed shut due to the ice and cold in a way that I've never experienced before.
Matt Baron
Oak Park

No beef from me...I was out driving all around Oak Park and River Forest starting at 7:30 on Monday morning, and I was pleasantly surprised!  Yes, there was a little ice, but weather conditions were unusual...I couldn't even keep my windshield free of ice because of the extreme cold. I just allowed a little extra time when I needed to slow down or stop and didn't have any problems.
Christie Hunt

I have a beef with businesses that don't salt their parking lots (Trader Joe's) or sidewalks. It seems a simple decision that if you want customers, you make it easier to reach your establishment. Salt your surfaces!
Jen Packheiser

I drive from Countryside, through part of La Grange, Brookfield, Riverside, Forest Park and Oak Park to get here. While some sections of the 'burbs were icier than others (near the Des Plaines river is always slick) it was almost COMICAL how icy the streets were as I crossed from Forest Park to Oak Park. Traffic immediately backed up as cars slowed way, way down, and anyone trying to parallel park was risking his or her life. Later that night, I had to come back to Oak Park to take my son to aikido on Harrison Street. All the other parents at the class-most of who live in Oak Park, River Forest, Berwyn or Forest Park-were complaining about the Oak Park streets and how dangerous they were. A boy in class asked, "They have that big salt dome thing by our house. Why don't they use some of that?" When someone explained to him that they hadn't been able to buy enough salt and were saving it for later this winter, he announced that Oak Park "should have planned better. It snows here every year." Maybe we should put 10-year-olds in charge of the process next year.
Bronwyn Wright
Editor's note: Bronwyn Wright is an employee of another publication owned by Wednesday Journal Inc.

I personally do not mind that our village has chosen to be fiscally responsible in the purchasing of road salt. Slowing down, allowing more travel time should be our response to winter weather and how it affects road conditions.
Sheila

My car slid halfway down a street lined with parked cars this morning while I was driving my child to school. I couldn't stop it-the pavement was too icy. We missed a car crash by inches. We could have struck children on their way to school. Someone should contact the village's liability insurer to tell them to get ready for the lawsuits. By eliminating salt in Oak Park, village trustees have deliberately created a serious personal safety hazard for residents.  
Meg Reynolds
Oak Park

I found the roads on Monday in Oak Park simply EMBARRASSING! It was just shameful how icy they were, and I really thought I was going to see accidents everywhere. I hope whoever got in an accident yesterday sues the village for all it is worth (which is probably nothing at this point). We didn't go out until about 11:30 a.m., and it was still horrible. We slid at almost every intersection we came to, so I can only imagine what it was like early morning with more traffic.  
This is the town known for its high taxes?? This is what I pay for?? David Pope, you should be ashamed of yourself!!
Molly Clark
Oak Park

We have morning mass at 8:15 and school starts at 8 a.m. The lack of salt was really dangerous, and I feel very fortunate that no one was injured on our street, which was pure ice.
Neil Heskin
Ascension business manager

I drive from northeast Oak Park to the Holley Court garage, park my car, walk to the Metra stop, and take the train to my office in the city. The streets were not in great condition, but many motorists were driving faster than they should have been, which made the streets even more hazardous. The best part of my morning commute was the Marion Street sidewalks-nice to see the heating system underneath working. I figured that my evening commute would be okay, as the village had the entire day to combat the ice. Wrong! The sidewalks on both sides of North Boulevard near the Metra/CTA station were treacherous. These are usually bad in the winter, but last night was worse than usual.
A nearly lifelong Oak Parker

I left my car in the garage, laced up my skates and off I went to work!!!!!!!!!!!!
Millie Cheronis

It is important that Village residents understand the situation clearly both in terms of the extremely low temps and the impact those temps have on salt performance, as well as the ongoing struggle to keep streets and people safe while looking at ridiculous price increases which have placed undue strain on the budget. Again, we all need to work together on this. We sure could use a break from this early and fairly severe weather for this time of year.
Janet Pate
Oak Park village trustee

I find it unbelievable that, with the taxes the people pay in this Village, they have to tolerate the terrible road conditions just so a buck can be saved.
Rhonda Doyle

I had a rather scary slide into Jackson Boulevard from Wenonah.  I think that meant there was no salt to help prevent it. Luckily, the guy coming down Jackson was able to swerve away from hitting me...
Aggie Stempniak
Oak Park
Editor's note: Aggie Stempniak's son is an employee of Wednesday Journal Inc.

When I left my home on Monday morning for a downtown meeting around 7:30 a.m., I immediately began skidding as I left my driveway and hit the street. Fortunately, there were no cars near me, so I recovered quickly. However, there were so many spinouts and fender-benders, that just traveling on Chicago Avenue toward Austin was very, very slow. As soon as I crossed Austin and ended up in Chicago , I could feel the difference with a well-salted road. Yes, I did have to be cautious and slow, but I knew it was not the impossible slippery conditions of Oak Park. Why can't Oak Park figure out how to take care of our streets under these conditions???
Mary Heidkamp
Oak Park

My 17-year-old daughter had her first accident on Monday. She was driving 20 mph and came to a stop at the William/Chicago stop sign in River Forest. The antilock brakes kicked in, and she slid into the person in front of her. The person in front of her stopped, looked at her own car and kept going, saying to my daughter, "This is your problem, not mine." We did not call the River Forest police, as she was so shaken up she couldn't remember a thing about the car, and it's an expense we will pay out of pocket to fix.
Please don't publish my name, as she would be MORTIFIED that I told anyone! But seriously, salt the intersections at least! 
Anonymous

The streets are so icy and slippery. Between that and all the leaves that were not picked up before it snowed, it's a mess!
Kerry and Julie Petertil

The only area to complain about is the forest preserve park at Harlem and Lake. Most snowy mornings, the staff only clears snow between the warming hut (if that is what you can call it) and their staff building.
The path to Bonnie Brae is never cleared, and the lights go on and off so that local residents have to walk through the dark, in snow and ice, while county employees get a clear and salted walkway.
Not either village's fault. Apparently, it is a no-man's land.
Dan Foley
River Forest

Walking to Mann School, the kids were falling all over on the icy sidewalks on Berkshire by Field Park. One kid hurt himself bad, and the mom had to carry him home. What are the taxes for?  Who's in charge there?
Alden Attwood
Oak Park

It had to be ice! What would Indy do? Yesterday I walked to the Lake from south of the Eisenhower dressed like Amundsen. I dodged cars. I jumped back and forth from dry pavement to the grass like a grasshopper for two miles. I barely survived the intersections of doom. Once an SUV bore down on me but I skidded to a stop barely avoiding certain injury.  That got the old heart pumping.  So I say get in touch with your inner adventurer- hero. Take back the streets and sidewalks. We can't let the ice win.  
John Hubbuch
Oak Park

Madison Street was so bad I assumed it was the park district's answer to not being able to turn Longfellow's tennis courts into a skating rink, due to the construction. Is it possible that a village employee mistakenly used the Ridgeland Commons Zamboni on the streets instead of a salt truck by mistake? Seriously, I have not experienced such poor salting by the village in as long as I can remember.
Chuck Marquardt

Who is surprised? The village announced that they'd do this (not salt much), and they are being fiscally responsible because salt is short and expensive. Yes, driving was ugly on Monday and it'll probably be ugly this afternoon, but this was communicated and is based on today's financial reality. Don't complain; suck it up and drive a little more carefully.
Hank Marquardt
Editor's note: Hank Marquardt works as an independent contractor with Wednesday Journal Inc.

Yesterday my car was rear-ended by another car that lost control on the icy intersection of Garfield and Home. A police officer happened to be sitting in his car right across from the accident. He was there because of a similar accident that happened just a few minutes before. While the other woman and I exchanged information, another accident occurred right before our eyes. The police officer informed us that this was "only" the 53rd car accident to be reported that day! My heart goes out to the woman who hit me because it was obvious that she was doing all the right things until she lost control on the ice. I think it is time for the village to take control of the ice by spreading some salt on our roads. If it is not even winter yet and 53 accidents occurred in one day, how many more will there before March? And it is not just the damage to cars that concerns me, but the damage to human life: physically, emotionally, and financially.
M. Rourke

Can anyone tell me why the Mann School playgrounds aren't salted? Is there some kind of scientific explanation? And did the Village of Oak Park salt the streets near schools? Wheels were spinning out of control on Division as cars all but careened into the crossing guard. Kids were falling in the crosswalks.  Do we need to start saving table salt in barrels in our yards next to our rainwater barrels?
Lori Malinski
Business association liaison
Oak Park Development Corporation

It was rough going yesterday. I only work a mile from my house. When I reached Chicago Avenue and Lombard, I almost slid into the intersection. Then when I went to go across Chicago, I could get no traction at all. I was really concerned that I would be hit by the traffic on Chicago. It was just one bad storm though. We are Midwesterners, and we'll tough it out.  I don't remember the side streets being salted when I first learned to drive. Driving in these conditions, you must remember to plan more and move slower.
Cindi Buchta

I was out at 4:15 a.m. and found the village crews out salting Marion Street and the area around Lake Street. I thought they did a good job.
Ed Costello

Actually, I have no complaints about the streets. It's the homeowners-some with pretty pricy corner lots-who refuse to shovel their sidewalks or have them shoveled. Particularly irritating are those who fastidiously clean their driveways and their own walks to their cars and leave the rest for neighbors to struggle with.
Roger Conner
Oak Park

I am shocked at how slippery the streets have been this week! It is terrible with the taxes we Oak Parkers pay, that the village puts us all in harm's way like this. Where is the salt? It is dangerous for not only drivers, but even pedestrians. Shame on Oak Park!
S. Barnard

All the side streets by our house are covered in ice. It is very difficult to see it while driving, so we are fearful some drivers may not be driving with extra caution. Every car that drives by our house (900 block of Home) is sliding. We are concerned that kids walking to school are in danger of a car intending to stop that cannot. I know the village is short on salt, but if they are not going to salt when the streets are covered in ice, when will they?
Michelle Dybal

I live on the 800 block of North Taylor. I'm very disappointed that our street hasn't been salted yet. Yesterday, I slid into the curb while parking my car in front of my house, despite going approximately 5 mph. I have a 12-year-old special-needs daughter who can walk but who wears braces on her lower legs and feet and has an abnormally poor sense of balance. Walking her into the street (we have to cross the street because of a quasi-one-way situation on our block) to the bus is very scary for us, as we're constantly afraid we're going to slip. I think we're being underserved by the village.
Laura Voigt

I live near a school (Brooks). Will it take a child being stuck by a car to make the roads safe?
Mike Vassolo
Oak Park

The middle of the intersection at Randolph and East was frozen all day. Most cars spun their wheels on the hidden black ice. The constant sound of tires spinning could be heard a half-block away.  Two different grade school buses make stops there twice a day. It's also between both high schools. Many students walk that route. Leaving this intersection icy all day is a recipe for disaster.
Mary Irving

I am actually pleased that Oak Park is doing less salting this year. Yes, the streets are messier, and it's a bummer for me as a runner because I have to take more days off. But drivers are forced to be more careful in these conditions. They're driving more slowly from what I've seen. And it's certainly better for the environment if we put less salt on the streets. It's also better for the village's beleaguered budget.
Sharon Bloyd-Peshkin
Journalism department, Columbia College Chicago

The streets in this village are a disgrace! With the taxes that are paid, the fees collected, our streets should be clear and dry! Most of the streets are STILL ice covered! What will it take for the village to spread a little salt? Does someone have to be seriously injured or even die before the powers that be realize that it is dangerous to NOT salt the streets? I'm not talking side streets here. I'm talking MAIN streets like Oak Park Avenue, Madison, Ridgeland, Harrison, etc. Shame on the village and the powers that be for NOT taking safety seriously!
Nancy Hill

The lack of salting of our roads is appalling. This past weekend, sections of my street were like sheets of ice. Then, yesterday, I did a 360 because of the poor road conditions. I just can't believe, with the amount of money that we pay in taxes, that our roads are not cared for first. Our village truly needs to revisit its priorities and fund essential services. If there is no money for salt, something is desperately wrong. Instead of paying for trolleys, fancy signs, "new development," and numerous other programs that would be great in better economic times, we must fund the basics of public safety, public works and other essential services.
Susan Raphael
Oak Park

I live close to the corner of Randolph and Marion where there are lots of commuters walking and families going to the YMCA. I awoke Monday morning at 6 a.m. to the repeated sound of sliding and squealing tires. After running errands throughout town, I returned home and watched as a car barely stopped in time to avoid a senior citizen trying to cross the street. I realized that this intersection was much worse than any I had encountered throughout town, so I called public works and asked them to please come and salt before someone got hurt. Right after my call, around 11 a.m., I saw four police cars in front of my home. Apparently a Forest Park police car hit another vehicle in this intersection and all the officers were out taking pictures, etc. I went out and talked with the Oak Park officer and asked if there was something he could do. I was tired of hearing that awful squealing on ice and the subsequent yelling and horn beeping. However, I spent the entire day listening to this from my second floor office, and by 5 p.m. I called the non-emergency police line and asked them to call public works again. I am unsure if anyone ever showed up, but the intersection did seem better later that night. I understand the restraints we are under with regard to salt supply but PLEASE make sure this intersection is taken care of in subsequent weather storms. There are too many people crossing here to ignore this!
Catherine Smith
Oak Park

I took my dog for a walk from south Oak Park to the mall in the a.m., and six cars slid right though their stops and would have hit me had I not been cautious. It was a disaster waiting to happen. Gotta figure the lawsuits would be more expensive than the salt.
Tim Kuhfuss

I'm an eighty-five-year-old woman living at Holley Court Terrace. I would like to deposit some insurance checks at Chase Bank, just across the street, but I'm afraid to walk over there because of the risks of falling and sustaining fractures for someone my age. Many of us are imprisoned in our homes. We are more fortunate here at Holley Court, but there must be those who can't get out to buy food or get their prescriptions. I'd hate to see somebody get hurt. In fact, as a citizen of Oak Park, I'd hate to see the village faced with a lawsuit by someone who is injured.
Marion Greenman
Oak Park

Ice storms like this don't happen too often around here. In some parts of the country where this weather is more common, people don't even try to drive on the ice. They stay home. Or they walk, etc. They do not expect the roads to be made drivable. Since we want to be more "green," then don't we want to go with nature's flow rather than beat it into compliance at any cost? Tipped off by another personal trainer in Vermont, I got myself some of those Kathoola micro spikes that slip onto the shoes and grip the ice, keeping me securely on my feet. If you like to be outdoors in the winter, I highly recommend them.
Nancy Trock

I saw the "salt shakers" out full-force Monday morning. They could not quite defeat Mother Nature though. What's wrong with them?
Brent Borgerson
Oak Park

Forget where's the beef! It's where's the salt! I was skidding everywhere along with everyone else. I didn't see any salt on South Oak Park Avenue, or for that matter, any streets. Cars were averaging 5 mph at four-way stop signs and lights. Cars couldn't move forward, tires just spinning in place. Get the salt out there Oak Park!
Molly Frank-Stewart
Oak Park
Editor's note: Molly Frank-Stewart is an employee of another publication owned by Wednesday Journal Inc.

I drove only 15-20 mph yesterday and slid into two separate intersections. Thank God collisions were avoided! Walking is an exercise in avoiding a broken hip! I understand the budgetary issues, but public safety has to be the most important consideration!!!!
Jerry Delaney
Oak Park

I take a class at Second City on Mondays, and I carpool with a friend who's also in Oak Park. She was afraid to drive after sliding through a stop sign near my house, so I offered to drive instead. Made it all the way to class without an issue-streets on the Ike and in Chicago were great. Came home around 11, taking the Austin exit and turning onto Jackson without a problem. But when I turned onto my street on the 600 block of S. Humphrey and braked to get ready to park, I lost control and skidded 50 feet straight on the ice and smashed right into my friend's parked car in front of my house.  You can still see my skid marks in the ice. Can't we just get tons of kitty litter or something? There's just *got* to be a better solution than tough luck to anyone who lives on a side street. I can't have my insurance go up every time it snows!!!!
Jennifer LaFleur