[wolfman23601]

This is not a politically corect post, but it needs to be said.

I was out of power for 3 weeks after Hurricane Isabel. It wasn’t much fun, but workers were going around the clock and everyone understood. What I can’t seem to wrap my arms around is why New Yorkers just can’t seem to handle it. I thought they were suppose to be tough.

[Biggirl]

The thing of it is that, it is more talk than not. Northeasterners are more or less not as used to handling “weather issues” than those from other parts of the country.

[heylady]

I’ve seen quite a few people on this site feel no sympathy for the people in NY because they didn’t “prep” for the storm. In some instances you may be right but if you watch the NBC clip there were people whose houses were totally destroyed. One woman’s home looked like it had been hit by a tornado. She survived because they were wise enough to evacuate before the storm but now she has NOTHING. I am sure there are many more in the same situation.

[Mister Da]

“What I can’t seem to wrap my arms around is why New Yorkers just can’t seem to handle it. I thought they were suppose to be tough.”

There are some real differences between a “cane hitting a relatively lightly populated suburban area, & a densely populated, high-rise area like Manhattan.

You can't use a generator or grill in an apartment. No elevator means every trip outside is a major exertion & impossible for many old & disabled people. I'll bet the windows do not open in many apartments in NYC. Water service wont last long w/o pumps running to replenish rooftop reservoirs. No water, no toilet.

If you have a car - many don't, it may be in a flooded underground garage or floating in the street. Too, it is hard to evacuate the family, pets, & possessions with no car. With public transportation limited & crowded, going anywhere & getting back is iffy. Plus, most of the public transportation could not take you the 100+ miles inland necessary to be safe & relatively comfortable. A subway to Jersey is no proper evacuation.

These high-rise folks have some unique survival problems that those of us with trucks & single family homes do not have. As for the whiners on Long Island, they didn't evacuate & they didn't prepare, creating their own crisis. Good luck with that!

[null and void]

What I can’t seem to wrap my arms around is why New Yorkers just can’t seem to handle it. I thought they were suppose to be tough.

New Yorkers are hard. And brittle.