Where to go? Which way to go? No gas anyway!

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Kelley Greenman <greenman.k () inkworkswell com>
Date: September 22, 2005 11:46:09 AM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Where to go? Which way to go? No gas anyway!


Hi Dave,

I don't know if this will be appropriate for IP. It's just more "real  
world" disaster planning. This is from a friend in Houston. She lives  
in a West Houston suburb, so her decision to stay isn't crazy. But,  
in spite of all the news that makes it look as if getting out is a  
snap, as long as it's done early, it's not always so easy, even when  
you have the money.

I hope the highways clear up with contraflow, since it will be  
horrible if anyone is still on the highways when the storm passes.

I've redacted her name and e-mail address to safeguard her from the  
spambots.

<begin forwarded message>

"It's taking folks ELEVEN FREAKIN' HOURS to drive just 20-30 miles on
I45, I59 and I10. Plus, there's not enough gas to fill all these
damn SUVS and Hummers, and so people are sitting in traffic, going
nowhere -- literally -- in 100 plus degree heat, because of course we're
breaking records here -- and passing out in their cars.

There's no good news to any of this storm, but I am hoping it
continues to shift eastward. Bad for Louisiana, I know, but this is
survival. I am most concerned about the winds. We're talking 75-140
mph winds for a minimum of 8-10 hours. The house is a one story,
mostly brick, composition shingle roof. Everything will become a
projectile. We've got water, are cooking up food, have tons of dry
and canned goods, medications, essentials, everything. Neighbors are
coming out and assessing who is still here -- most -- so that we can
watch out for each other. By tomorrow afternoon, we'll be circling
the mattresses and hoping for the best.

There really is nowhere to go. All those folks on the freeway?
Unless they have family, they are fucked and going to be in their
cars forever or in whatever shelter there is. BUT THIS IS THE KEY
THING: They've been telling everyone to go NORTH. That means
they're all coming up 45 and 59, going to Dallas and such. THIS
HURRICANE IS GOING TO STILL BE A CAT 1 BY THE TIME IT REACHES DALLAS
SOMETIME LATE SATURDAY. So if you're on the road, you're just
running in front of the hurricane.

Going west is just as problematic, because the roads are stacked.
Nowhere to stay in San Antone or Austin, and the wind range of this
mofo is about 200 miles wide. Oh, and then there's the problem of NO
GAS.

So, do you get on the road and be stuck in the heat or the deathly
wind, or hunker down and hope for the best?

I think they've done as decent a job as possible to evac the worst
zone -- the storm surge areas -- and getting the information out, but
beyond that, what else can you do with an area of 4 million plus
people and all of their cars, families, pets, etc.? To be
realistic, not much. I doubt that's something some of our folks in
tighter communities w/mass trans,etc., whatever on the east coast to
understand, but that's the way of things down here.

It's a mess."

<end forwarded message>


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