Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Automobility key to evacuation
The Seattle Times publishes an excellent article about automobility and the Katrina evacuation. At least, I think it is excellent, but I may be biased.
Comments:
In all the comment about emergency evacuation there's been no mention of Harry Truman who had a car but chose to remain in the path of the Mount St. Helens eruption. There was no military attempt to carry him away like they took Montgomery-Ward Chairman Sewell Avery out of his office in 1944.
Time goes fast. I guess those events are all ancient history now.
Time goes fast. I guess those events are all ancient history now.
In all the comment about emergency evacuation there's been no mention of Harry Truman who had a car but chose to remain in the path of the Mount St. Helens eruption. There was no military attempt to carry him away like they took Montgomery-Ward Chairman Sewell Avery out of his office in 1944.
Time goes fast. I guess those events are all ancient history now.
Time goes fast. I guess those events are all ancient history now.
From the Article:
>>>>Buses are so much more efficient than cars, my friends add, that people should use them to escape a disaster instead of driving. But buses are too uncertain. Are they going where you need to go? Will they take your pets and belongings? Will one be around to take you back when you are ready to go home?>>>>>
During the 9/11 disaster, there was plenty of bus service and all I did was take a commuter ferry and bus to go home. If bus service is abundant, this is all that is needed to excape a disaster.
From the article:
>>>>Personally, I would rather bicycle or take the train anywhere than drive. But we can't let personal preferences or ideology get in the way of the basic facts: Most New Orleanians with autos were able to escape, while most without autos were not.<<<<<<
During the last blackout in the northeast, I rode my bicycle back home or could have taken the bus. I did not let personal preference or ideology get in my way. It just used common sense and millions others followed the same route. Those living 30 miles away in the burbs ended up sleeping in the streets because the trains weren't working and cars were stuck in traffic.
As for the New Orleans disaster, maybe the writer didn't see all those autos that didn't make it. There were loads of pictures taken of streets flooded with cars practically underwater so how do we know how many of those who were stranded were carless? I suspect 40-60 percent of those in living the the Superdome had motor transport except it was underwater!
>>>>Buses are so much more efficient than cars, my friends add, that people should use them to escape a disaster instead of driving. But buses are too uncertain. Are they going where you need to go? Will they take your pets and belongings? Will one be around to take you back when you are ready to go home?>>>>>
During the 9/11 disaster, there was plenty of bus service and all I did was take a commuter ferry and bus to go home. If bus service is abundant, this is all that is needed to excape a disaster.
From the article:
>>>>Personally, I would rather bicycle or take the train anywhere than drive. But we can't let personal preferences or ideology get in the way of the basic facts: Most New Orleanians with autos were able to escape, while most without autos were not.<<<<<<
During the last blackout in the northeast, I rode my bicycle back home or could have taken the bus. I did not let personal preference or ideology get in my way. It just used common sense and millions others followed the same route. Those living 30 miles away in the burbs ended up sleeping in the streets because the trains weren't working and cars were stuck in traffic.
As for the New Orleans disaster, maybe the writer didn't see all those autos that didn't make it. There were loads of pictures taken of streets flooded with cars practically underwater so how do we know how many of those who were stranded were carless? I suspect 40-60 percent of those in living the the Superdome had motor transport except it was underwater!
If automobiles were the "Key to Evacuation" look what's happening to Houston. It's a joke! You're better off walking than riding in a car!!
>>>>>Houston resident Tim Conklin told CNN that he had been in bumper-to-bumper traffic for 13 hours and had only gotten about 48 miles. He said the drive to Dallas, where his father-in-law lives, usually only takes about four hours.
On Highway 290, the main road between Houston and Austin, people were pushing their cars and minivans to save gas -- and were moving just as fast as the vehicles that were driving. Others were stopped on the side of the highway after breaking down or running out of gas.
48 miles in 13 hours = 3.7 mph. <<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>Houston-Area Residents Flee As Rita Nears By ALICIA A. CALDWELL, Associated Press Writer
Highways leading inland out of Houston were clogged with bumper-to-bumper traffic for up to 100 miles north of the city. Gas stations were reported to be running out of gas. Shoppers emptied grocery store shelves of spaghetti, tuna and other nonperishable items. Hotels hundreds of miles inland filled up. Police officers along the highways carried gasoline to help motorists who ran out.
"We ended up going six miles in two hours and 45 minutes," said Moreno, whose neighborhood is not expected to flood. "It could be that if we ended up stranded in the middle of nowhere that we'd be in a worse position in a car dealing with hurricane-force winds than we would in our house.
With traffic at a dead halt, fathers and sons got out of their cars and played catch on freeway medians. Others stood next to their cars, videotaping the scene, or walked between vehicles, chatting with people along the way. Tow trucks tried to wend their way along the shoulders, pulling stalled cars out of the way. <<<<<<<
>>>>>Houston resident Tim Conklin told CNN that he had been in bumper-to-bumper traffic for 13 hours and had only gotten about 48 miles. He said the drive to Dallas, where his father-in-law lives, usually only takes about four hours.
On Highway 290, the main road between Houston and Austin, people were pushing their cars and minivans to save gas -- and were moving just as fast as the vehicles that were driving. Others were stopped on the side of the highway after breaking down or running out of gas.
48 miles in 13 hours = 3.7 mph. <<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>Houston-Area Residents Flee As Rita Nears By ALICIA A. CALDWELL, Associated Press Writer
Highways leading inland out of Houston were clogged with bumper-to-bumper traffic for up to 100 miles north of the city. Gas stations were reported to be running out of gas. Shoppers emptied grocery store shelves of spaghetti, tuna and other nonperishable items. Hotels hundreds of miles inland filled up. Police officers along the highways carried gasoline to help motorists who ran out.
"We ended up going six miles in two hours and 45 minutes," said Moreno, whose neighborhood is not expected to flood. "It could be that if we ended up stranded in the middle of nowhere that we'd be in a worse position in a car dealing with hurricane-force winds than we would in our house.
With traffic at a dead halt, fathers and sons got out of their cars and played catch on freeway medians. Others stood next to their cars, videotaping the scene, or walked between vehicles, chatting with people along the way. Tow trucks tried to wend their way along the shoulders, pulling stalled cars out of the way. <<<<<<<
Anonymous obviously doesn't know me or he/she would know that my bicycle is my principle and preferred form of transportation. But I wouldn't rely on it to get me out of the way of a hurricane. Anonymous' Manhattan examples fail to recognize that nowhere else in the United States is there anything like Manhattan.
As for the "joke" of the Rita evacuation, reports indicate that 2.7 million people were able to evacuate prior to Rita hitting the Gulf Coast and most of those left by auto. Yes there was congestion, but because rates of auto ownership in most of the Rita area were much higher than in New Orleans, the Rita fatality rate was much lower than Katrina's.
In fact, the main Rita-related fatalities were people who died while evacuating in a bus that caught fire. While this isn't an argument against buses for those who can't drive, it drives home the point that autos give people who can drive (and you only need one driver per family) more freedom, independence, and access to safety.
As for the "joke" of the Rita evacuation, reports indicate that 2.7 million people were able to evacuate prior to Rita hitting the Gulf Coast and most of those left by auto. Yes there was congestion, but because rates of auto ownership in most of the Rita area were much higher than in New Orleans, the Rita fatality rate was much lower than Katrina's.
In fact, the main Rita-related fatalities were people who died while evacuating in a bus that caught fire. While this isn't an argument against buses for those who can't drive, it drives home the point that autos give people who can drive (and you only need one driver per family) more freedom, independence, and access to safety.
Regarding the excessive freeway congestion as people attempted to flee Rita, I would conclude that it merely underscores the fact that our current road systems are woefully underdesigned to meet necessary capacity.
Social engineers have replaced transportation engineers over the last couple of decades and this is the sad result. In addition to daily commuting congestion, we have a situation where it is next to impossible for everyone to get out of a potential disaster area on short notice.
Post a Comment
Social engineers have replaced transportation engineers over the last couple of decades and this is the sad result. In addition to daily commuting congestion, we have a situation where it is next to impossible for everyone to get out of a potential disaster area on short notice.
