Survey says: Charlotteans would rather be in the Caribbean

One of the nation's leading online survey companies, uSamp, says it surveyed Charlotte-area residents recently for their opinions on winter weather.

I'm not sure if the survey was taken before or after last week's snowy weather, but the results indicate Charlotteans might not be as fond of snow as you'd believe. It's typical to hear local people say they enjoy their occasional experiences with snow, but uSamp's results indicate otherwise.

The company said 50 percent of the respondents in the Charlotte area said they'd rather be on an island somewhere, with sunshine and warm weather, rather than at home. Another 23 percent said they'd rather be touring Europe. Those who liked the snow and wanted to be at home? Just 20 percent.

When asked whether they go to work or stay home when the weather is bad, the survey showed 47 percent of area residents take the day off. Another 20 percent said they conduct business as usual.

A result that surprised me came to the question of how people felt about the way local school systems handle delays and closings. When the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools had an early closing in late January, I saw comments from a number of readers who criticized the school system for botching the effort.

CMS said it was very pleased with its response, and according to uSamp, most people agree. A whopping 70 percent of respondents said they were pleased with the way local school systems handle delays and closings.

The question with the least-surprising result was how Charlotte-area residents prepare for a winter storm. The results had 67 percent of people stocking up on food staples before a storm hits. Of those, according to uSamp, 10 percent said beer and wine has to be a part of the survival package.