OT: Pet peeve of mine: People who don't evacuate hurricane zones who then need rescuing.
- Thread starter LionJim
- Start date
Recall that officials advised New Orleans residents who stayed behind, to use magic markers to put their Social Security numbers on an arm or leg, so their bodies could be identified.
Even such chilling warnings were ignored by many.
The tragic outcome is that those irresponsible people also use scarce rescue resources that should be used in a timely manner to help those who are legitimately endangered and in need of help, through no fault of their own.
RISING. INSURANCE. RATES.
Some insurance companies eventually wise up and say no to coverage.
Which houses have been washed away again and again? Where did you hear that? A lot of ocean front mansions are self-insured because it's the only real alternative.In the same high-risk area? Some of these places get washed away again and again. MOVE.
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Yes, everyone makes decisions based upon their life's circumstances. Usually the shelters take in the poor, and I would be surprised if that is not happening during this storm.
But the poor are responsible for their own safety as well as everyone else. It is safer to be poor away from the coastlines these days. Except in Chicago. So there are lots of places to be poor if those on the coast don't like the weather risk.
It seems to me that a poor person should not be risking everything they might have by living in the hurricane zone. But this is a free country and they can live where they want and accept the risks that go with it.
My former boss moved to inland Naples a few years ago, and he and his wife drove up to Tallahassee and waited out the storm last year. He knew the risk of moving there, but he can afford to recover from lots of storms..... There again, a personal decision that those that make it must live with the consequences....
I'll add ranchers and farmers, especially if its dairy farms.
I know a few that rode things out in TX a couple of times.
The key difference there my friend is, you've never had to be rescued.
I know and respect your hurricane awareness as we've talked about it many times over the years.
However, we will agree to disagree on this topic. You've done fine with every storm that's come your way over the years, because you know what your home can take and you act accordingly. However, I think you will admit there are circumstances for which you would evacuate.
In my example regarding Matthew, those friends of mine from Melbourne Beach to Cocoa beach that stayed on the barrier islands made a very foolish decision to not leave. They are alive today not because they were smart, but because of the vagaries of mother nature.
The people in North Carolina can only be deemed wrong in their decision to stay since they had to be rescued.
There is a bluff between me and the ocean (thus the Bluffs, of course) that rules out me getting any storm surge. I could possibly flood from behind - the marina/intracoastal, but if that happens, then everything's flooded. I live in a concrete box w/ custom 3/4" plywood shutters. Can't get much safer. I do still fear wind though and if a Cat 5 were to hit WPB and I was on the dirty side, I would probably flee somewhere.
Irma was very difficult. Living on a barrier island on Florida's east coast, we usually opt to leave. Irma's path made us decide to stay in place, despite the fact we had already evacuated to my parents house in Ocala.
Not saying everyone should automatically evacuate. Know your home. Know your storm surge vulnerability. Know your flood vulnerability.
But as I said in another post.....the people being rescued guessed wrong.
Some people have a hard time weighing risk vs. reward. The worst case risk if you stay is that you and everyone with you dies. The best case reward for staying is maybe you're proven right and the storm is no big deal and you get to go about your daily routine undisturbed. Personally for me, that risk/reward equation doesn't add up when compared to the risk/reward for leaving. Granted in some cases there's still risk of death if you evacuate, such as the example for Houston given above. If Houston floods and you're stuck in traffic during evacuations sometimes that could be riskier than riding it out at home. It's a personal decision and there are lots of variables, but in general I do agree that those able-bodied enough and with the means and sufficient notice to evacuate but choose to stay should face some repercussion, such as potentially footing the bill for their own rescue.
Where are you. The eye is about to pass over me. In a wicked strong part right now right before the eye.
Storms suck, but it's good for people to go through them who haven't been through them before. Each storm you learn something new that makes it easier to prepare next time. Just little things like moving your vehicles and trucks from spot A to spot B based on wind direction, then move them back after the eye comes through.
Exactly. I'm tired of hearing it. Other than perhaps the Outer Banks, find me a place that has been leveled by hurricane more than once in the last 50 years. Even the Keys.... Irma was the first time they really got crushed in a long time. Homes are not getting destroyed "over and over again." I've lived on a barrier island for 15 years now and have never even filed an insurance claim, let alone had a house destroyed.
Yes and no. While there is more development, the building codes are better as well (pre-Andrew Florida building codes were abysmal). While there will be some downed trees and fences, short of a direct hit from a stong Cat 3 or greater hurricane, you are not going to see much true structural damage.
Plus, a lot of the damage you'd see is "culled" from the first storm an area gets. For example, here on the Space Coast, we had high winds from Jeanne and Francis back in '04. A lot of blue tarps after those storms. A couple houses severely damaged.
After Matthew 2 years ago and Irma last year, some missing shingles, but zero structural damage.
Matthew took down almost every fence in town, so when Irma came through, since they were all pretty new.... very few downed fences.
I'd say Jeanne was the worst I've been through. 90 mph winds while moving 1 mph. It just went on for hours.
The track of Jeanne was also a complete kick in the groin:
It's pretty simple - when officials tell you to leave, you leave. Arguments on storm track etc don't hold water because they establish shelters for people. You always have a safe place to go and it's not your home.
HUH! They have the right to stay and die like dumb idiots. President has nothing to do with it.
You do realize that a lot of poor and homeless live in these hurricane hot zones because it's less of a risk compared to freezing in the winter. Up north.
Let me state one more thing that should really explain this entire situation and this is not a knock on anyone here but most of you are getting your information from the mainstream media who does nothing but sensationalizes everything. Take every single thing they say with a grain of salt. When you live in these areas and have been through a few it really is night and day between what is reported and what is actually the norm. The will find the worst possible outcomes, destruction, and disasters and roll with it like it is the norm.
The media is part of the problem when it comes to these storms by causing mass histera.
The most stressful and dangerous time is probably before a storm. I'm willing to bet that more people get killed before and after these things than during them.
The media is part of the problem when it comes to these storms by causing mass histera.
The most stressful and dangerous time is probably before a storm. I'm willing to bet that more people get killed before and after these things than during them.
A few years ago TWC was set up at the pier in Juno Beach w/ live shots that were very carefully chosen to make it appear worse than it was. People were out watching them, walking their dogs, etc... A block away I was grilling a steak.
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Exactly! They literally send out hundreds of "reporters" and cherry pick to find the most intense dramatization they can find.
I partied all night in a local famous dive bar during Katrina while the reporter was outside putting on a show. Luckily for us it came through at a 2 I believe and didn't ramp up to the destructive 5 until it sat in the gulf.
Another thing people don't realize is when they see the graphic on tv. 25 to 35 miles from the center of the storm is a HUGE difference. If you are the unlucky ones that get the center it sucks but if you are lucky enough to be 25 miles away it's a different ball game. Example is homestead got level during Andrew (partly because of building codes), Fort Lauderdale dodged the bullet
Mis-information and changing predictions makes it difficult to make a plan. Last year in Florida the storm was going to destroy Miami so everyone went North and West. When the gun was pointed at Tampa, there wasn't a hotel room left for hundreds of miles.
Deciding to flee to nowhere or imprisoning yourself in a shelter are both horrible options. Go to a hurricane shelter sometime. It's misery. Sit on the highway for hours without moving while the storm draws closer and run out of gas in an unfamiliar area with no supplies available where you don't know anyone. You're surrounded by crazy people in either situation. There is no good option.
Deciding to flee to nowhere or imprisoning yourself in a shelter are both horrible options. Go to a hurricane shelter sometime. It's misery. Sit on the highway for hours without moving while the storm draws closer and run out of gas in an unfamiliar area with no supplies available where you don't know anyone. You're surrounded by crazy people in either situation. There is no good option.
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Most of my Mom’s family moved to FL in the 80’s. At a family reunion about a decade ago, they were talking about the year that four major hurricanes crossed the state in one season. After listening to their stories there is nothing that would make me want to live there.
Talk to me in January.
I moved here the year after that and it took 12 years until the fun machine turned back on. 12 years of sitting outside in my underwear every day all year long.
Worst I've been through is 17 days of no power. It sucked pretty bad, but I wasn't going to die. In return, I have a 10 minute walk to this every morning if I want it:
Stated differently twc is basically an entertainment product which should not be confused with a meteorology product. Caveat emptor.
Sorry I couldn't get it to copy. It's a clip I saw on twitter and while this guy is fighting to stay upright two guys go strolling past him in the background.
Heh...note the guys in shorts walking normally behind him:
I'd say Jeanne was the worst I've been through. 90 mph winds while moving 1 mph. It just went on for hours.
The track of Jeanne was also a complete kick in the groin:
Lol I was just talking about the one!!!! I didn’t know the name but I said to my friend “remember that year we kept getting hint and the dam things starting doing loop d loops”
You do realize there are warm climate areas of the U.S. that are not in traditional hurricane paths?
And you do realize that the more well run northern cities have a number of programs to help the homeless in the colder months.
Just curious as to why you think “officials” know better when telling people to leave their own houses and why you feel “shelters” are safer than someone’s own house?
What’s the difference than a concrete building with hurricane windows/shutters vs a concrete building with hurricane windows shutters 3-4 mild away? These shelters aren’t out of the storms path
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