ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
From the brilliant minds behind Plowy McPlowFace and Sir Plows-A-Lot, it's the 2022 Ohio Turnpike Name-A-Snowplow Contest.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
This year, the second annual naming contest drew more than 5,000 submissions. Ohio Turnpike officials picked out the top 50 names and put them to a public vote. And now we have the winners.
SHAPIRO: Last year, there was Snow Force One. This year, Ohio Thaw Enforcement will be patrolling the turnpike.
SUMMERS: Last year was "Star Wars" heavy. This year, names like Darth Blader gave way to '90s movie references like You're Killin' Me Squalls and The Big LePlowski.
SHAPIRO: If you don't know, we'll let you discover for yourself what movies Plow Chicka Plow Wow refers to. We don't recommend you watch them at work.
SUMMERS: Ferzan Ahmed, executive director of the Ohio Turnpike, has his favorites.
FERZAN AHMED: Blizzard Wizard, The Blizzard of Oz. Clearopathtra is a good one.
SHAPIRO: Yeah. Clearopathtra is clever, so is Ctrl-Salt-Delete. Ahmed says there is a serious reason for giving snow plows funny names.
AHMED: If people see that snow plow as more than just another vehicle on the road because we are creating these naming contests and perhaps they become a little bit more aware of it, then they will make an effort to stay behind that snow plow, not crowd the plow, and that would just improve safety for everybody on the road.
SUMMERS: So if you are on the Ohio Turnpike and you see The Big LePlowski clearing the lanes, you can point and laugh all you like, but please, please, just do not try to pass it. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
