GM Inside News Forum - View Single Post - Hurricane Ike: An Argument for Small Trucks, and Shreveport

**Ming** · 09-17-2008, 12:52 PM

And Houston is hardly the worst place to have a V8 pickup...when you really need a pickup.

They are turning these folks away today -- some came back from Dallas, Austin and San Antonio...for nothing but stress and wasted gasoline:

Chance to 'look and leave' at Galveston causes 10-mile jam
By TERRI LANGFORD, ROMA KHANNA and JENNIFER LATSON
Houston Chronicle
Sept. 17, 2008, 5:33AM

GALVESTON — A decision to allow local residents back for the day gave evacuees an up-close view of a city in ruin Tuesday, but it created such a problem that officials dropped the idea indefinitely.

The reason given for allowing the daylong return was to keep a promise to evacuees that they would be permitted to go home, even temporarily, as soon as possible after Hurricane Ike had passed. A terse announcement reversing the decision offered no explanation, though it may have arisen from logistical problems and deteriorating sanitary conditions on the island.

Traffic stacked up on southbound Interstate 45 as thousands who live on the island tried to go back for a few hours to inspect their property and retrieve possessions. Because motorists had to go through a checkpoint and show proof of residence, the backup grew and grew until vehicles were finally turned back.

When city officials first announced the look-and-leave policy, road crews were clearing boats and debris from the causeway, limiting traffic to one lane. Returning residents, many of whom heard the announcement on their car radios and headed immediately for home, were backed up for approximately 10 miles. One man said crossing the bridge from Dickinson took two hours.

Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough said there was a lively exchange among officials before they agreed to the return.

"The people who leave, generally these are responsible people," Yarbrough said. "They think: 'I followed the rules.' "

The idea was not to penalize people for doing as they were asked, he said. And keeping them away from their property any longer could pose an even bigger issue down the road.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6006236.html

09-17-2008, 12:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ming GMI Staff Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: An Alternate Timeline Posts: 14,684	Re: Hurricane Ike: An Argument for Small Trucks, and Shreveport And Houston is hardly the worst place to have a V8 pickup...when you really need a pickup. They are turning these folks away today -- some came back from Dallas, Austin and San Antonio...for nothing but stress and wasted gasoline: Chance to 'look and leave' at Galveston causes 10-mile jam By TERRI LANGFORD, ROMA KHANNA and JENNIFER LATSON Houston Chronicle Sept. 17, 2008, 5:33AM GALVESTON — A decision to allow local residents back for the day gave evacuees an up-close view of a city in ruin Tuesday, but it created such a problem that officials dropped the idea indefinitely. The reason given for allowing the daylong return was to keep a promise to evacuees that they would be permitted to go home, even temporarily, as soon as possible after Hurricane Ike had passed. A terse announcement reversing the decision offered no explanation, though it may have arisen from logistical problems and deteriorating sanitary conditions on the island. Traffic stacked up on southbound Interstate 45 as thousands who live on the island tried to go back for a few hours to inspect their property and retrieve possessions. Because motorists had to go through a checkpoint and show proof of residence, the backup grew and grew until vehicles were finally turned back. When city officials first announced the look-and-leave policy, road crews were clearing boats and debris from the causeway, limiting traffic to one lane. Returning residents, many of whom heard the announcement on their car radios and headed immediately for home, were backed up for approximately 10 miles. One man said crossing the bridge from Dickinson took two hours. Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough said there was a lively exchange among officials before they agreed to the return. "The people who leave, generally these are responsible people," Yarbrough said. "They think: 'I followed the rules.' " The idea was not to penalize people for doing as they were asked, he said. And keeping them away from their property any longer could pose an even bigger issue down the road. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6006236.html __________________ Follow WoH on Facebook Follow C64 Walkabout on Facebook Thanks! Last edited by Ming : 09-17-2008 at 12:57 PM.