Rita's march on the Texas coast stirs residents into an agonizingly slow exodus

ap on San Diego Union Tribune ^ | 9/22/05 | Mike Graczyk - ap

[NormsRevenge]

also on ap news wire as

Rita approach sees Texas exodus

and

Texans Fleeing Rita Stalled by Traffic

[frankjr]

""This is the worst planning I've ever seen," said Judie Anderson, who covered just 45 miles in 12 hours after setting out from her home in the Houston suburb of LaPorte. "They say we've learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina. Well, you couldn't prove it by me.""

Wait a minute!!!! The Times and this paper found the same person with the same quote.

[frankjr]

"The Times and this paper found the same person with the same quote."

I now see both are AP.

[CaptainKeyword]

what's the over/under on Houston vs. New Orleans in hurricane preparedness? Gotta handicap Houston to make it even.

[claudiustg]

---"This is the worst planning I've ever seen," said Judie Anderson, who covered just 45 miles in 12 hours after setting out from her home in the Houston suburb of LaPorte. "They say we've learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina. Well, you couldn't prove it by me."---

Well, Judie, you're the planner, you know. Each of us is responsible for our own life.

[Williams]

I love it, as a joke I was going to post they are already blaming this on President Bush, and the article is exactly blaming the traffic jams on poor planning. Notice this time it's not just Bush because they also want to cause trouble for the republican governor.

Houston is a big city and you only have so much warning that a hurricane is coming and this results in traffic jams. I guess the feds should be helicoptering the city out of there. Must be the Iraq war making that impossible.

[frankjr]

"who covered just 45 miles in 12 hours"

By the way, if she made it 45 miles, she should be in the clear anyway.

[peyton randolph]

"They say we've learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina.

The nitwit should have left two days ago. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that when 2 million decide to evacuate simultaneously there would be traffic jams.

[Arizona Carolyn]

One person is p.o.ed and they find her? or could she be a fictitious person they all choose to quote?

[Arizona Carolyn]

If some of these people were bright they would get off the freeways and take side roads.

[jveritas]

They are both using the same Hate Bush media source, the AP.

[jveritas]

They are both using the same Hate Bush media source, the AP.

[Mears]

I could have walked it as fast as some of them are getting out of Houston----and I'm old.

[frankjr]

"If some of these people were bright they would get off the freeways and take side roads."

I read a story where some other people did that and they had an easier time getting out. I don't know if it was today or earlier, but it would still be a good idea. It's not like they need to get 500 miles away. The weather guy on the Weather Channel basically said if people could even get 15-20 miles away from Houston, they were be out of the worst of it (i.e. potential flooding and max winds).

[NormsRevenge]

article also on yahoo as

Texans Flee Rita for Major Traffic Jams

[browardchad]

Well, Judie, you're the planner, you know. Each of us is responsible for our own life.

Yup -- my son made it to Dallas with his family and two pets last night; it didn't take any longer than it normally would.

[xzins]

"This is the worst planning I've ever seen," said Judie Anderson, who covered just 45 miles in 12 hours after setting out from her home in the Houston suburb of LaPorte. "They say we've learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina. Well, you couldn't prove it by me."

Well, Judie, let me say that you are the worst planner ever.

A city is not supposed to have all 5 million people leave at once. It doesn't work that way. It's called disaster.

In my opinion, it's going pretty good.

HOWEVER, You and I both know that Hurricane was coming at you. We knew it yesterday, the day before that, and maybe the day before that.

If you'd had any sense, you'd have bundled up your family and left then. If one needed to stay on to work -- for whatever reason -- then that one should have had a motorcycle/dirtbike for easy regress from the area NO MATTER the traffic conditions.

[NormsRevenge]

In this image provided by The Governor's Office, Gov. Kathleen Blanco tries to comfort a distraut man who told the Governor how he was evacuated from New Orleans to Lake Charles and now he is being evacuated again due to the approach of Hurricane Rita, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005, in Lake Charles. (AP Photo/The Governor's Office, Kenneth Wilks)

---

distraut = distraught,, :-)

[claudiustg]

I checked the website for the city of Lake Jackson two days ago and they had already posted a evacuation notice. Folks that called ahead for reservations and left then are watching HBO in their air conditioned rooms right now.

[Cobra64]

"This is the worst planning I've ever seen," said Judie Anderson..."

Well, some folks should LEARN from past dopey mistakes by others and take responsibility for their actions. Including FLOOD INSURANCE. We live in Western NC, but we had 14" of rain that caused a lot of damage to our dock. The wife and I roped off the dock and kept it and the boat from shooting off a 140 foot spillway.

I understand there is a difference. My point is that PEOPLE need to THINK and PLAN. Iy was three weeks ago with the Katrina disaster. Now... we are unprepared?