Even with head start, Houston had a problem

Waterbury Republican-American ^ | September 24, 2005 | Erin McClam (A.P.)

[Bob Mc]

"Can any American city empty itself safely and quickly?"

No.

[Texasforever]

I have taken 12 hours to drive from Houston to Dallas many times on the Thanksgiving holiday. This evacuation was remarkable and it will now be spun into a crisis that has to be fixed.

[patriciamary]

I hate the media!!!

[Larry Lucido]

Obviously, we need to install a vacuum-tube system like at banks to "chute" entire families out of town. Just drop the tube in the slot, hit "send," and chute yourself to the city of your choice.

[Paleo Conservative]

Considering this is the biggest evacuation ever attempted in US history, we didn't do too bad.

[beckysueb]

In Galveston County along the Gulf, authorities set up three evacuation zones, beginning Wednesday evening and staggered at eight-hour intervals, with the most outlying areas to be the first to leave. But people in all three zones left early anyway, further snarling traffic.

Not one word about this from the lame stream media. They want to be able to blame the traffic jams on Texas officials. Won't do for the public to start seeing the difference in Texas and LA. They just have to find something to make Texas look bad. One info babe asked an official in Beaumont this morning how many looters did they have. He said none. No looters. She looked absolutely shocked. Instead of asking him IF they had any looters, she asks how many looters they had. I despise the media.

[WV Mountain Mama]

Pittsburgh could empty itself pretty quickly, unless the evacuation was on a weekend. They usually close some of the inbound and outbound parkway lanes for paving. Honestly, unless you own a hovercraft, no one is leaving Pittsburgh in an orderly or timely fashion.

[No Truce With Kings]

It only took me six hours to get from League City to Austin.

Of course I left before noon on Wednesday. My employer reseased folks at noon., but if you hit the road promptly, you still would have beat the crush out of the evacuation areas.

The problem was made worse by nimrods in safe areas of Houston (Katy, Cypress, the Heights, the Woodlands, etc) that decided to leave for Dallas or Austin. Once you are fifty or so miles inland you are just as safe staying at home (assuming you do not live in a mobile home) as you are in Dallas or Austin. A tornado is just as likely to take the roof off the evacuation center you are in as off your house.

[IronMan04]

I had to evacuate New Orleans ahead of Katrina and it took 15 hours to get from New Orleans to Austin. During Rita it took friends of mine 20 hours to get from Houston to Austin.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

I give the fine people of the Great State of Texas two thumbs up! Their kindness towards the LA people after Katrina will never be forgotten. IMO: The evacuation ran like clockwork as compared to the bumbling Gov. Blanco & the inept Mayor of NOLA ! No buracracy is perfect , however this was a wide scale evacuation, they saved many lives.

[Black Tooth]

"Can any American city empty itself safely and quickly?" No.

Agree. One can imagine what it would be like with no warning if several radition (dirty) bombs were set off in Houston.

There would be no "getting out" period.

[beckysueb]

I give the fine people of the Great State of Texas two thumbs up! Their kindness towards the LA people after Katrina will never be forgotten. IMO: The evacuation ran like clockwork as compared to the bumbling Gov. Blanco & the inept Mayor of NOLA ! No buracracy is perfect , however this was a wide scale evacuation, they saved many lives.

Amen! God bless Texas!

[IronMan04]

The problem was made worse by nimrods in safe areas of Houston (Katy, Cypress, the Heights, the Woodlands, etc) that decided to leave for Dallas or Austin.

You are correct. I think many people high inland parts of Houston suffered form Hurricane Envy.

[frankjr]

This is why I think the Federal government should provide everyone with their own personal jetpack.

[IronMan04]

How was the Evacuation of Houston better than that of New Orleans?

[IronMan04]

I do not think taking 24 hours to drive from Houston to Austin is clockwork.

[beckysueb]

How was the Evacuation of Houston better than that of New Orleans?

Well, because Houston was actually evacuated?

[livius]

LOL! I want to see Jesse in his Jetpack! Maybe he'll hit the wrong switch and be shot into a different galaxy.

[beckysueb]

I do not think taking 24 hours to drive from Houston to Austin is clockwork.

No dissrespect intended but what do you expect when nearly 3 million people try to leave at the same time? You're not going to get me to criticize Texas. LOL