Not evacuating for Rita..

[C.Ann]

I don't understand why there are people who are refusing to evacuate anywhere in the cone of where this hurricane could make landfall.. Last night it made a slight wobble and there's still time for it to wobble again..

With Hurricane Katrina, many people couldn't evacuate - for one reason or another, they didn't have the means - but these people in Texas have had plenty of opportunity to leave and instead they choose to gamble with their lives.. I just heard on the news that they're telling these people to write their social security numbers on their bodies with permanent markers..

Why do people make such foolish choices? I would have been out of there yesterday morning at the very latest..

This is going to be the third most intense hurricane ever to come through the Gulf.. Does that not mean anything to these people?

 

[AllyandJack]

There was a local radio guy from TX on with the local Boston guys this morning. He said his family left, but he was staying to report on the storm. He said something funny and then said, "I'm doing this for posterity in case I don't make it....this way, you'll have me for the 'best of' shows."

He was trying to be funny.....but, it wasn't funny to me. It gave me the chills.

 

[chadfromdallas]

Why do people make such foolish choices? I would have been out of there yesterday morning at the very latest..

This is going to be the third most intense hurricane ever to come through the Gulf.. Does that not mean anything to these people?

People in general are ignorant. There were people who stayed during Katrina and could have left. I don't feel sorry for them. Well, actually, I do, but only because of their lack of common sense.

 

[dturner]

Well, from the sounds of what is occuring on I45, I think a lot of people can't get out because of the traffic jam.......I heard a report that said it took someone 25 hours to drive from Houston to Dallas - that's insane!!!

People are being stranded on I45 because they are running out of gas, no gas to be found - I wonder how on earth all those people are going to get far enough away when they can't find gas.

 

[Nancy]

One woman said "I don't think it will be all that bad when it comes ashore" I wish I knew where she was from, but she wasn't evacuating.

 

[WDWHound]

My BIL live in a mobile home north of Houston. Up until this morning, he was refusing even consider leaving. I think that only now is it starting to consider that his mobile home may be about to become a whole lot more mobile than he would like. However, at this point, he feels the roads are too jammed to try to get to Austin, so he, his family and my MIL are all heading to a ranch near Conroe. It will still be rough there, but they will be in a permenant building.

Why did he wait so long? I have no good answer. To be honest, I think he didn't want to look stupid if he left and later found out didnt need to. In my opinion, NOT leaving made him look stupid.

 

[ducklite]

that his mobile home may be about to become a whole lot more mobile than he would like.

Serious topic, but that was REALLY funny!

Anne

 

[Belle1962]

Just finished watching a news conference with the Governor of Texas--they are starting to position trucks along the highways to give gas to people who run out.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

They're stupid and think they know everything really.

One guy said that everyone is just being influenced by Katrina....like it was a bad thing.

Hate to say it--but sometimes you must laugh at the suffering they CAUSE themselves to be in. It is sad really--and not funny. But the temptation is--well then fire rescue should stand by their word and not rescue your sorry, think you know everything, immortal buttocks.

It really gets my goat--b/c rescuing the idiots takes the time away from rescuing those who could not help themselves.

We have one fellow here--lives on the island...but he built a hurricane house....pretty darn smart....sort of. Supposedly it will withstand cat 5...and I assume that includes surge....but really--who wants to live in their house when it turns into a submarine?

It's the whole "It can't happen to me" and if it does, I can take it. That and stuffitis.

 

[Grog]

I had to really bite my tongue (or fingers) when it comes to some of the ignorant comments here. The roads are so jammed that it is taking an hour to move one or two miles, and it is getting worse as people run out of gas. Part of the problem has been people evacuating too early, not too late. The low lying areas are broken up into evacuation zones to try to help alleviate that, but when three zones try to leave all at once, instead of waiting until their posted time, it creates chaos.

We're all packed and ready to go, but by the time we got off work and made our way home, the roads were already jammed. Given the choice, I'd rather ride it out at home, than in a vehicle stuck on the side of the road. If it were possible, we would be gone by now. We're hoping that the fact that a lot of people are on the road now, plus the fact that they are finally opening up the freeways to allow traffic to go the wrong way, will help alleviate that. We plan to head out at 4:00 am Friday.

Yes, there are a lot of stupid people out there, and there are those that are simply caught up in the events that are unfolding around them. Please try not to judge unless you have been through something like this.

 

[dturner]

Just finished watching a news conference with the Governor of Texas--they are starting to position trucks along the highways to give gas to people who run out.

Thanks for posting this - I was wondering what all those people were going to do with no gas.

 

[dturner]

I had to really bite my tongue (or fingers) when it comes to some of the ignorant comments here. The roads are so jammed that it is taking an hour to move one or two miles, and it is getting worse as people run out of gas. Part of the problem has been people evacuating too early, not too late. The low lying areas are broken up into evacuation zones to try to help alleviate that, but when three zones try to leave all at once, instead of waiting until their posted time, it creates chaos.

We're all packed and ready to go, but by the time we got off work and made our way home, the roads were already jammed. Given the choice, I'd rather ride it out at home, than in a vehicle stuck on the side of the road. If it were possible, we would be gone by now. We're hoping that the fact that a lot of people are on the road now, plus the fact that they are finally opening up the freeways to allow traffic to go the wrong way, will help alleviate that. We plan to head out at 4:00 am Friday.

Yes, there are a lot of stupid people out there, and there are those that are simply caught up in the events that are unfolding around them. Please try not to judge unless you have been through something like this.

May God look over you as your trying to get out of Houston.

 

[4nana]

Now they are reporting, for all those who won't evacuate, don't bother calling 911, as they'll have many emergencies keeping them busy.

Some people are not only stubborn, but must be thrilled by danger . After what happened in NO this ole' girl scout would have had her gas tank filled when hurricane first reported, stocked up with neccessities, and been outa there in a heartbeat!! For I learned long ago, it's not nice to pay with mother nature!!

Godspeed all those in the path of Rita. ^i^

 

[Nancy]

I had to really bite my tongue (or fingers) when it comes to some of the ignorant comments here. The roads are so jammed that it is taking an hour to move one or two miles, and it is getting worse as people run out of gas. Part of the problem has been people evacuating too early, not too late. The low lying areas are broken up into evacuation zones to try to help alleviate that, but when three zones try to leave all at once, instead of waiting until their posted time, it creates chaos.

We're all packed and ready to go, but by the time we got off work and made our way home, the roads were already jammed. Given the choice, I'd rather ride it out at home, than in a vehicle stuck on the side of the road. If it were possible, we would be gone by now. We're hoping that the fact that a lot of people are on the road now, plus the fact that they are finally opening up the freeways to allow traffic to go the wrong way, will help alleviate that. We plan to head out at 4:00 am Friday.

Yes, there are a lot of stupid people out there, and there are those that are simply caught up in the events that are unfolding around them. Please try not to judge unless you have been through something like this.

I was wondering if maybe it was better to wait until closer to the storm to leave. With so many getting out early I would think waiting a bit might be better. But I don't the comments are ignorant...just concern for those that choose not to go because they feel it won't be that bad.

 

[Lisa F]

After sitting in their cars overnight and going not even 20 miles, a lot of people are giving up and going home. Even if they can get out of houston, it seems like every hotel in texas is booked up (clear to the arkansas and oklahoma borders) so if you don't have a reservation, forget it. I can see why people who are not in mandatory evacuation areas and flood zones might decide to try to ride it out rather than spend hours and hours in 100+ degree (record breaking btw) heat going nowhere fast on the highway.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yes, there are a lot of stupid people out there, and there are those that are simply caught up in the events that are unfolding around them. Please try not to judge unless you have been through something like this.

As someone who lives walking distance to the coast line in Florida...

My judgements are reserved for those idiots who go on the news and proudly proclaim that this is nothing and everyone has Katrina fever.

Also--a friend of mine with 5 children....also living on the coast...tried evacuating one night and when traffic was too slow for comfort she turned around and came home...after stopping for bbq.....they left the next morning at 5am.

The traffic is sucky--but it probably won't stay that way forever. So to make a blanket statement that that is the sole reason for not departing...is pretty sad for anyone who insists on staying behind.

Having nowhere to go or somewhere to go and just problems getting there...isn't the same as the citizen still riding her bike with her son on an island in Texas.

ETA: Just as you are upset by the comments some of us are making...as I am for the insinuation that we are talking about everybody who can't evacuate or having problems doing so. So I'm sorry for being so blunt.

 

[Grog]

My judgements are reserved for those idiots who go on the news and proudly proclaim that this is nothing and everyone has Katrina fever.

No argument there. They just showed some fool on the news swimming in the water just off the sewall in Galveston.

Our biggest worry isn't the amount of time it might take to get somewhere, but running out of gas on the freeway. Hopefully that will be less of a problem by the time we get ready to leave in the morning.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I just feel bad for the people who can't get out because of the traffic and gas issues....it's like they're trapped. It's a very scary and unsettling feeling.

 

[cats7494]

I do worry about the people who refuse to evacuate and are in harm's way.
My dh's brother, wife, and 2 little girls are in Houston and are trying to leave today. I can not get through on their cell phone - the circuits have been busy all day.

I certainly keep all the people in the path of Rita in my thoughts and prayers!

 

[chadfromdallas]

After sitting in their cars overnight and going not even 20 miles, a lot of people are giving up and going home. Even if they can get out of houston, it seems like every hotel in texas is booked up (clear to the arkansas and oklahoma borders) so if you don't have a reservation, forget it. I can see why people who are not in mandatory evacuation areas and flood zones might decide to try to ride it out rather than spend hours and hours in 100+ degree (record breaking btw) heat going nowhere fast on the highway.

Hmm, I'd rather sweat it out and stick to the traffic rather than stay around and die from rising water....That's just me though. No hotel? No problem. Head to a shelter.

There are gas trucks on the highways now. Gas shouldn't be an issue any more.