Advocacy & Safety - Bicycles in Katrina Evacuation?

Lots of news about Katrina and the evacuation of New Orleans and Gulf Coast. Images of massive slow moving lines of cars leaving the low laying areas. Conta flow traffic being allowed. Stories of the tens of thousands without cars being unable to leave the area and having to seek shelter in the Super Dome.

My question, if anyone from that area can tell us; are bicycles being allowed to use all the evacuation routes including limited access highways and bridges, or are they told that only motorists being allowed access to evac routes.

Seeing how that the motor traffic is moving less than bicycle speed, and I am seeing empty shoulders on the highways, it would not seem right if bicycles are turned back.

where would you ride to ???????

where would you ride to ???????

Out of the area, to higher ground. The same as the cars. Find a hotel or an evacuation center out of New Orleans.

They should head west then, so the wind is at their back.

It's funny..
I was considering starting this very thread.

I could EASILY use a BoB trailer/panniers to get outta dodge with all the important stuff - rather than sit in a vehicular log-jam, wondering if I would run out of gas!

Even if you left NOW, (assuming you're comfy riding in rain you could be 50 miles north before it hits the coast)

Those folks are for it. If I was there, you'd best believe I'd be riding my bike out of town, and if anybody wanted to prevent it, let them try to catch me.
If I couldn't lay my hands on a bicycle, I guess I'd grab a couple of bottles and head for the party at the Superdome, devil take the hindmost.

Remember now...
Most of us cycle faster than the hurricanes foward movement... so... basically if you can ride in your current conditions, you can ride away from the danger

I lived in Florida thru most of the 90's, and "evacuated" from a couple.
What a clusterfluck... sitting in 90 degree heat with the engine off (to save gas) for 5 to 15 minutes at a time until the traffic "snake" pulsates for a 1000 yard advance... then turn her off, and wait again....

Here's how I would do it....BTW this is my "evac plan" for my area, to hit a shelter if anything hits the fan.

Use a large eater-resistant suitcase (the rolling kind for me), bungie it to the rack, inside is a pillow and some blankets, a few days worth of canned goods, and some hygeine stuff.

Panniers will have clothes, and a dry pair of shoes, a few 9-volt batteries and the "emergency charger" for my cell phone. All contents of panniers and suitcase are wrapped in garbage bags and tied to ensure dryness.

Two full water bottles, and fully charged lights, with TWO LED backups on my handlebars (using my talus)...and I'm off.

My theory is with the gridlock that ensues, I may be wet and sad looking, but I am moving faster than the cars.

Here's how I would do it....BTW this is my "evac plan" for my area, to hit a shelter if anything hits the fan.

Use a large eater-resistant suitcase (the rolling kind for me), bungie it to the rack, inside is a pillow and some blankets, a few days worth of canned goods, and some hygeine stuff.

Panniers will have clothes, and a dry pair of shoes, a few 9-volt batteries and the "emergency charger" for my cell phone. All contents of panniers and suitcase are wrapped in garbage bags and tied to ensure dryness.

Two full water bottles, and fully charged lights, with TWO LED backups on my handlebars (using my talus)...and I'm off.

My theory is with the gridlock that ensues, I may be wet and sad looking, but I am moving faster than the cars.


That's really a good thought, considering where you are.
Do you wonder how many people really don't have an evac plan, even after last year.

As of this afternoon, hotels and motels were full as far as Baytown, Texas, and the report said the evacuees may have to go as far as Houston to find a room. That's a long way for most of us to go on a bike!

Seeing how that the motor traffic is moving less than bicycle speed, and I am seeing empty shoulders on the highways, it would not seem right if bicycles are turned back.
While it may be slow to be in a car until the main highway branches out, I just don't see how anyone can just ride out 200 miles. Maybe a few BF'ers here can, but that doesn't sound realistic. And what about hauling out your valuables - family heirlooms, etc.? Plus you have the added danger of cars skidding out in the pouring rain and hitting you. Maybe you could squeeze out on a motorcycle if you're good at riding in the rain, but I highly doubt on a bicycle.

I suppose it can be done if one is fit and determinned to make it.

That's really a good thought, considering where you are.
Do you wonder how many people really don't have an evac plan, even after last year.


You can probably tell I used to be in the Boy Scouts :p

I tend to be prepared for all kinds of stuff. I'm also a big nut for hand crank powered objects. so far I have an am/fm/shortwave radio with built in light that's hand crank, and a 3-led hand crank flashlight. what I really need is a handcrank cellphone charger, as my relatives go off their rocker every tropical storm, and keep call-bombing me, despite me telling them to knock it off so my battery is good in case of a real emergency call.

/sigh...I know they do it because they care, but man....family can drive me bonkers.

How do you find the nearest FEMA shelter. It would seem wise to know where the nearest one in proximiyt to work AND home.

While it may be slow to be in a car until the main highway branches out, I just don't see how anyone can just ride out 200 miles. Maybe a few BF'ers here can, but that doesn't sound realistic. And what about hauling out your valuables - family heirlooms, etc.? Plus you have the added danger of cars skidding out in the pouring rain and hitting you. Maybe you could squeeze out on a motorcycle if you're good at riding in the rain, but I highly doubt on a bicycle.

200 miles is about 17 hours at 12mph and you'd probably make better speed with the wind driving you. True most people couldn't just do that for the fun of it, but when you're talking about survival you might be suprised. As far as heirlooms go, anything valuable that couldn't fit in a backpack or a pannier shouldn't be coming with you even if you are taking a car. If I was stuck in car traffic trying to get out and I had to sit there behind some moron with a U-haul full of crap, he'd better be more worried about me popping him than getting drowned by the hurricane. Nobodys stuff is worth someones life.

It's funny..
I was considering starting this very thread.

I could EASILY use a BoB trailer/panniers to get outta dodge with all the important stuff - rather than sit in a vehicular log-jam, wondering if I would run out of gas!

Even if you left NOW, (assuming you're comfy riding in rain you could be 50 miles north before it hits the coast)
Wouldn't that go against your hard-liner vehicular cycling stance? You should be waiting in line with everyone else.

LOL :)



Wouldn't that go against your hard-liner vehicular cycling stance? You should be waiting in line with everyone else.

catatonic, if you turn off your cell phone, the battery will last until you need to make a call.

For someone evacuating by bicycle, the main goal should be simply to get away from the storm surge, which for a Cat 5 storm in S. Louisiana, could be 30 MILES from the coast :eek:

I would ride north, find a public shelter in a steel framed building, and just try to survive it.

To ride straight west on I-10, you'd have to go a much longer distance to get away from the surge... and if the storm takes a sudden shift to the west, you and everyone sitting in gridlock traffic on I-10 is f***ed.







They should head west then, so the wind is at their back.

catatonic, if you turn off your cell phone, the battery will last until you need to make a call.

Yes, but if he has people calling him to see if he's OK, they will be very scared if he doesn't answer.


There are other options, there are gadgets that you can hook a 9V battery into and get a 1hour or so talk time from, or bring a spare (fully charged) battery with you.

Perhaps change your voicemail message to say:

Hi, you've reached ___name___. My phone is currently turned off due save my battery during Hurricane Katrina. If you are calling because you are concerned for my safety, please leave a message and I will get back to you when conditions improve. Thank you, here comes the beep:

Yes, but if he has people calling him to see if he's OK, they will be very scared if he doesn't answer.
:


If he's told them ahead of time not to call, that would help train them. Sometimes a bit of "tough love" is necessary. I hadn't thought of changing his voicemail message. Good one.

I'd have loved to escape by bicycle. If it was a typical storm I would have. Katrina was THE BIG ONE though, and I knew my house would go under water and that I'd have to live for days, maybe weeks, out of backpack.

I'd have loved to escape by bicycle. If it was a typical storm I would have. Katrina was THE BIG ONE though, and I knew my house would go under water and that I'd have to live for days, maybe weeks, out of backpack.

So how did you fare? Tell us your story.

Bicycles were used in World War II effectively. An American brigade moved thousands of men 100 miles overnight by bike and surprised a German division, overwhelming them.

I suggest folks go out to the NPR web site, look up This American Life, and listen to the stories from NO. (not sure if it's posted yet, it may take a week or so for the Real Audio stream to go up).

Basically, anyone too poor to have a car was shot at by police from the higher income areas, to keep them from pooring up the nice part of town. They were not allowed to leave. Very interesting stories. There's going to be some more interesting stories to come out of this in the months to come.