Posted on 09/22/2005 8:14:48 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
FINALLY the media reports what I have been posting since this morning, that Rita would make landfall near Port Arthur. My NOAA friend told me this around 11am CST Thurs morning. He now believes it will mosty likely cool down to a Cat 3 when it hits. I pray he is right. In any case, Galveston will be spared.
Isn't Houston the 4th largest city in the U.S.? And it seems that it has been almost fully evacuated in 2 days. It wasn't totally smooth, but that was millions and millions of people and I've yet to hear about anyone dying or getting killed in the exodus.
Not to sound insensitive but at rough average of 4 miles an hour these folks should consider a bicycle.
I am so sick of people's whining. How would she like to "plan" the exodus of 5-9 million people at once? Does she expect Bush to suddenly erect 10-lane highways? It is really pathetic what whining toadies so many Americans have become, or at least the ones the media selectively quotes.
Wolf Blitzer was ripping into (Houston's) Mayor White for "traffic" and gas lines. At least he got his people out. To this day, I have yet to hear Blitzer assail Mayor Nagin for the perhaps 350 people who perished as a result of his criminal neglect. Nagin belongs in jail.
I won't hold my breath. After all we all have to "confront the issue of race in America", and for the media that means attacking white mayors for doing their jobs, and excuse black mayors for failing to do theirs.
I'm inclined to agree. Judie is an idiot who waited too long and is now trying to blame others for her own stupidity. Terrible planning.
Somebody oughta stuff a sock in Judie's piehole. Look, I went to a Bush rally last summer in a rural area. Access was by a two lane country road. Thousands attended and it took two hours to go a couple of miles and get to a freeway. Even with contraflow, you are gonna have a bigtime jam. It will prolly lighten up by Friday around noon.
Judie, darling, you have no one to blame but yourself.
It's time for you to stand up and take responsibility for your actions (or in this case, inaction).
To all: What has happened to this country? Whatever happened to the notion of self sufficiency? Are we really so dependent on the government now that we can't take care of ourselves anymore?
I'm getting worried.
Hey Judie; how many different ways are there out of town, and why did you choose the most-crowded?
Those lanes ARE open on both I-45 and I-10 outside of town.
One particular pain point is that US59 has a road construction project locking it down to only one lane for outflow that could have been addressed and opened up. So in conclusion both the people in Houston and the Texas Department of Transportation have compiled lessons learned.
My prayers for all that are impacted by this storm.
FYI, XM Radio Channel 226 is the Houston weather-traffic station with up to the minute traffic and weather.
One thing I love about Texas is their web of roads that lead in every direction. Is the only route out of Houston a single highway? Are there no exits one could take to go off in different directions and diffuse the jam? No one has a road map to show alternate routes? I know they exist in Texas. Sheesh. Do I have to do everybody's thinking for them???
Excellent point! While watching TV footage of the highways out with thousands of cars crawling, or not moving an inch, but on the side roads a couple of cars moving briskly along.
Maybe more traffic cops are/were required to speed things up as well?
Another major thing the State didn't take into consideration -- people taking all their cars to evacuate -- some took three or more cars in caravan to take all their belongings... that significantly increased the traffic.
I also heard people (stupid people IMHO) actually turned their dogs lose along the sides of the road -- because of the heat and fear they would expire from lack of water.
WHAT are people thinking starting out without ample water for everyone in the vehicle? Did they think they would stop at the local McDonalds for a coke??
The 5 day projected models are very disturbing in that Rita may STALL and not leave Texas FOR DAYS, thus dumping enormous amounts of rain and causing massive long-term flooding all over the eastern half of the state as well as La.
See: http://maps.wunderground.com/data/images/at200518_model.gif
This looks very ominous for the millions of Houston area and other Texas evacuees who may not be able to get home for weeks.
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I hope the storm does bypass Houston (God Bless them for helping so many Katrina victims) and Galvestan.
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