Good morning, commuters! It's cold and slippery out there, but it won't last. Sounds to me like we're headed to double-digits tomorrow. So, maybe you don't need to shovel. Just wait it out.

That said, I expect this morning's commute to be unpleasant. Last week, five Ottawa police officers did a two-hour distracted driving blitz near Isabella and Bank. They handed out 39 $490 tickets. Many more were seen, but officers were too busy with offenders to stop them.

"We were in full uniform, stood beside the road in full view of drivers, and we were still getting violators," said Sgt. Robert Cairns of the traffic unit. "This proves what a distraction the cellphone is."

That's bonkers. Even more bonkers is the number of drivers without their full lights on when it's dark outside. David wrote to me about that:

"A couple weeks ago I asked you to remind motorists to keep an eye out for cyclists. I very much appreciate that. I have one other observation. On these dark commuting days, I see a lot of cars driving with only their daytime running lights on. This is bad for many reasons and makes the car almost invisible, especially from behind. However, it is an additional risk for cyclists.

"As a cyclist, I have lights and reflectors. My lights are very bright. The reflectors work best when a car's headlights shine on me and make me visible to the motorists. However, for motorists driving in the dark with only their running lights, their headlights may not be as bright as regular headlights. That makes me less visible to them."

Have a great day!

Live blog

If you have a traffic or commuter gripe about driving, cycling or being a pedestrian commuter — anything from problem intersections, to parking, to inefficient routes — send it to me at​ doug.hempstead@cbc.ca.

And remember, you can share what you see on the roads with me on Twitter at @cbcotttraffic. Or give me a ring at 613-288-6900.