The experts have shifts the projected path of hurricane Ike even further to the west. The cone of uncertainty now barely touches the Louisiana border.
And while I am sympathetic to the Texans that will be having to flee or weather this storm, I can't say I would trade places.
I was not mentally or emotionally prepared to go through another evacuation. It's stressful, even if you do omit the annoying, self-centered sister-in-law.
First there is the decision to stay or go. If you stay, you may end up in one of those situations you see on the Weather Channel where people are luck to have escaped with their lives, or even worse... not even be that luck. Best case for staying is that it turns out to be more like a really bad storm, and you just spend the night glued to the news, scared, hoping the lights don't go out and you'll be really in the dark considering that your flow of information will become limited to what ever you can pick up on a battery operated radio.
And if you decide to leave, you have to decide which way you are going. Which way is the storm going? Where's the traffic there worst? What are they doing with the contra-flow (where they turn the incoming lanes to outgoing= no incoming traffic.) And where to stay? Every time, people seem to get on the phone with their credit cards and reserve rooms earlier and earlier, as far as you can drive in a day, in any direction.
And then the mind boggling choices of what to pack and what to leave. Leaving your home, not knowing if you will ever see your stuff or your home again. What's most important to you? And what can you fit into your vehicle (and still have enough room for you to be stuffed into for at least eight hours.)? And don't forget to take pictures for insurance purposes. Although the insurance companies have been known to wiggle and worm, declaring something as flood damaged... and you don't have flood damage; declaring something as disaster damage, wind damage, etc... And even the pictures will be looked at skeptically. Where's you receipts!? They'll even deduct a calculated depreciation value. Oh the stories that could be told, when dealing with an insurance company that's supposed to be your protection. And if you are one of the responsible people that have insurance, don't expect any help from FEMA. They only help the ones who claim no personal responsibility. These people that take advantage of a system designed to help have tarnished the way our country looks at hurricane victims and evacuees.
The greedy and lazy strike again!
But I could go on and on... I'll stop here.
Thinking about our country's future...
 Gweener · Wed Sep 10, 2008 @ 08:04pm · 1 Comments |
