Houston ---pix->>>

[Stephanie]

Why does it feel like the end of the world?


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Thousands of people stay at the George Bush International Airport waiting for flights to evacuate Houston, before Hurricane Rita hits the coastal communities of Texas and Luisiana, September 22, 2005.

http: //news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050922/ids_photos_ts/r2115257901.jpg
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Hundred of people stay at the George Bush International Airport awaiting flights to evacuate Houston, before Hurricane Rita hits the coastal communities of Texas and Luisiana, September 22, 2005.

http: //news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050922/ids_photos_ts/r3767765904.jpg
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Martha Velazquez stands on the road in stalled traffic while she tries to evacuate in advance of Hurricane Rita in east Houston September 22, 2005.

http: //news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050922/ids_photos_ts/r2898709360.jpg
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Motorists wait in line for fuel at one of the few open gas stations in Pasadena, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050922/480/txps10209221626
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Jackie Thomason waits anxiously in line for fuel at one of the few open gas stations in Pasadena, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050922/480/txps10109221620
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A man leaves his truck to look around during stalled traffic while people try to evacuate in advance of Hurricane Rita in Houston September 22, 2005.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050922/photos_ts/2005_09_22t133416_450x290_us_weather_rita
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Bumper to bumper traffic heads out of Galveston, Texas towards Houston, September 21, 2005.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050922/photos_ts/2005_09_22t073322_450x327_us_weather_rita
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A dog tied into the bed of a truck filled with birds and cases of water is seen in stalled traffic as people try to evacuate in advance of Hurricane Rita in east Houston September 22, 2005.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050922/photos_ts/2005_09_22t115741_450x311_us_weather_rita
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[Verve]

1. George Bush Airport looks chaotic!

I'm sure those people all have happy thoughts of their president right now!

[SammyBlue]

17. George Bush Airport looks as efficient as George Bush himself.

[AspenRose]

18. One of my former professors is supposed to be flying out of Houston

tomorrow (they were leaving for a wedding anyway). He's probably stuck in that chaos.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Thanks. What a scary thing.. And to barely be moving in that traffic

I am amazed there isn't some serious road rage going on.

[lse7581011]

4. With a Heat Index of 102 degrees!

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Ayuh. Not good

[enid602]

3. houston

Boy, you really don't see a lot of economy cars in the traffic photos, do you? I wonder if next hurricane season's photos will show more fuel-efficient automobiles. Way things are going, we might see horses and buggies.

[lse7581011]

7. Thanks for pointing that out

didn't notice at first but very true!

[redacted]

5. It might feel like the end of the world, but it certainly is not.

I know because if it were the end of the world my clients would'nt be calling me demanding I finish their projects.

It's just a mess of people trying to get out of the way of a big storm 2 days before it hits.

NOLA should have looked like this, but it didn't.

This kind of chaos is very very good.

[Spazito]

9. 80% got out of NOLA before Katrina hit

I would say that is damn good. LA had the counter flow in a lot faster than Texas has, another point for LA.

[Lex]

11. Umm . . . I remember the bumper to bumper traffic in Louisiana

and people in NO being stuck in traffic for hours and hours. It was all over the television, just as it is now.

Do you seriously think it didn't look like this heading out of NOLA?

Hell, 80% of NOLA was evacuated.

[Stephanie]

14. They also opened the opposite lanes so they could get out

[peekaloo]

15. So do I. 8-9 hours sitting on I-10. Houston/suburbs are at least 5

times greater in population.

Sheesh, I used to get annoyed with regular rush hour traffic when I lived there.

Hope they have a destination mapped out.

[redacted]

22. Yes and no. I also remember no traffic at midnight pacific time 2 days out

People here are getting out much earlier. The freeway was packed yesterday and overnight.

But I'll never foget that -- watching NOLA news late Saturday night and the newscasters kept saying -- roads look good, you could leave now -- and the freeways were almost empty. Everyone waited for Sunday it seemed.

Galveston is a ghost town.

Hospitals are being evacuated before the storm.

Also, the roads in NOLA kept moving, however slowly -- there are so many people getting out here, that the freeways are in some cases have been at a complete stand still.

But you miss my point -- it's not the end of the world. It's a damn good thing.

[nonconformist]

21. NOLA DID look like this. nt

[Lex]

23. I thought so.

nt

[shraby]

8. Wow! There are no words.

[rkc3]

10. My aunt and uncle, cousin, and grandmother left Galveston

on Wednesday. We haven't heard from them since they packed up - they might still be stuck on the highway.

Doesn't look like its too much fun for anyone.

[American Infidel]

12. It'd be faster to walk

I feel sorry for all of those people who are stuck in the 100 mile traffic jam. It makes you wonder what the evacuation would be like if we had a national rail network that was comaparable with Europe's.

[Tactical Progressive]

13. Damn, those Texans sure do love SUVs

With gas projected to hit $4 a gallon, it may be cheaper for them to just relocate and not drive back.


Jay Leno: You know why they call it a category 5 hurricane?
Because the oil companies will use it as an excuse to charge $5 a gallon for gasoline.

[katty]

16. Chaos,Lying & Terror brought to you by: The Bush Family Cartel

screwing goverment and the people for 100 years.

[AspenRose]

19. My gosh

All those days I lived in Houston, fighting bumper to bumper traffic....never, ever, EVER, have I seen such a nightmarish scenario.

Sometimes I miss it, but I'm glad I don't live there anymore. And I fear for my friends and family trying to get the hell out.

[Danmel]

20. My nephew and his fiancee live in Houston

I spoke to his mom today and she told me they are having a hard time getting out- traffic is at a complete standstill, they can't get any flights at all. It took them three hours to get about 30 miles. Cell phones are overloaded and there is no plywood anywhere. I'm pretty worried about them.