I heard the same thing about the relief tankers, but never saw or heard any evidence that it really ever happened. Then again, I got so tired of looking at the news reports about the traffic that I tuned out and went and read a book. So it could've happened, somewhere.

Yeah, it was probably one of those brilliant ideas that the big-wigs spout off the media to show that they're working on the problem, but in reality, nothing happens or it turns out to be a miserable failure and the result is the same as if nothing was tried.

No, if you have empty space you can't justify, why aren't you filling it? 12 people in 3 cars use a lot less resources than 12 people in 4 cars. I already have made arrangements that if for some reason my hilltop has to evacuate, my plan is to go out on a certain route. There are two people who are on my evac route who know that if I wait too long, I leave without them, but they have a decent time window. One has a four mile hike from the main road (about a mile if he goes cross country), the other takes me a half mile out of my way when I'm almost to my folks.

Planning... Not just for chess any more.

In a situation like Houston they should probably just close the freeway to low occupancy vehicles. 4 people per car minimum, and have free evac buses picking people up at all points in the region. In fact the contraflow lanes could be reserved for buses and emergency vehicles, no cars allowed. Use TV and radio broadcasts to urge people to evac by bus instead of car, and hire some big name rock bands to put on free shows at the evac centers that can only be reached by bus. That ought to do a lot towards lowering traffic congestion in an evac.

Yeah, there we go. You put into better terms what I was trying to say. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Programming erodes the use of the tounge.

My sister has a 2-seat sports car and a medium-sized dog (about as big as a German shepherd or a lab) -- there's no way she could fit 3 other people in her car even without all the stuff she was taking from her home. Are you saying that she should have been barred from I-45, which is really the only feasible evacuation route out of Galveston?

Nope, she has a family member with her. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

That, and if the dog is big enough to eat the car, the car can go.

I-45 is not the only possible evacuation route. Unless my maps are wrong you can take 3005 to 332 and then there are NUMEROUS roads, streets, small state highways, and other such routes which take you in all directions. Pre-planning and EARLY action is the key.

If I remember correctly, once a hurricane evacuation is declared, Route 3005 (aka Seawall Blvd) is turned into a one-way road headed toward I-45 and the causeway. So I doubt your solution would work for my sister -- expecially since she lives on Tiki Island (between Galveston Island and the mainland, just north of the causeway). And she couldn't leave early, because she's a surgeon at UTMB and I don't think the hospital decided who'd be E-1 until Wednesday.

Heh. Wally's not huge, but you're right, he's certainly a member of the family!