Sad Pic.

What I don't understand is why they left the bike behind. In any sort of emergency requiring evacuation packing a bicycle makes a lot of sense to me.

It's still a sad picture though :(

Maybe it was a choice of the pets or the bike. As much as I love my bike, my cat will always win. Also, some of those winds changed so fast, they may have had no time for anything. :(

Donna, that's the first thing I thought of when I read post #2 as well. But then I had a change of mind.
Perhaps those people, lime a majority of Americans, think of their bicycle no differently than they think of a basketball or hockey stick... just a piece of sporting equipment and not worthy of wasting their time to save.
...maybe.

Maybe they had more than one bike and could only save a couple?:( that is what would happen around here. I guess we may never know...

I have taken to always keeping a bike in the back of my truck for dinghy/lifeboat use. I also keep a medium sized book bag full of necessities so if I have to evacuate from an area I have the basics to keep me going for a few days. I have to travel by truck pretty extensively along the eastern seaboard. During hurricane season and in the winter in particular I have a larger duffel bag that stays packed and in the back seat. I am prepared to go 3-7 days at any given time without having access to clean water or food. I figure with the bicycle at the very least I can get out of harms way and get to a more stable area, even if there is no fuel available or the roads are packed or damaged to the point that a normal vehicle can't get through.

Aaron:)

. Also, some of those winds changed so fast, they may have had no time for anything. :(

Fires, hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes; if I lived in California, Florida, or the gulf coast, I'd be prepared to evacuate at all times. If you live in those places, you are always moments from total distruction.

Fires, hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes; if I lived in California, Florida, or the gulf coast, I'd be prepared to evacuate at all times. If you live in those places, you are always moments from total distruction.

Yep and large chunks of the midwest suffer from blizzards, ice storms, floods and tornadoes...been there and lived through couple (of each). I think every part of the country has it pluses and minuses;) But on that note I have no inclination to put myself in a high risk area if at all possible, ie; Florida coast or California canyons:p

Aaron:)

maybe it was what many bikeforums members call a "bicycle shaped object".

Gee, and I just thought someone had a particularly great flame job painted on the bike.. ;)

I've got two bikes. My good one, which I'll use for almost everything except winter riding, would come with me. The beater might not. I paid nothing for it and I may have spent a total of $30 on it. To fix it properly would cost a lot more than it's worth. There are other items in my home which would come with me before I'd even consider taking that bike.

Fires, hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes; if I lived in California, Florida, or the gulf coast, I'd be prepared to evacuate at all times. If you live in those places, you are always moments from total distruction.Not quite.... If ya live in CA over a fault in loose dirt or right next to a bunch of brush in an area that's hard for emergency vehicles to get through, then a little vigilance regarding earthquake preparation or on Santa Ana days helps out, but it's a far cry from total destruction (In powerful announcer's voice!). :p

Fires, hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes; if I lived in California, Florida, or the gulf coast, I'd be prepared to evacuate at all times. If you live in those places, you are always moments from total distruction.

Moments?

Well, I've lived in the Florida Gulf Coast and in the canyons of California. I think that you overstate the danger. Hurricanes are pretty big, and relatively slow moving phenomena that only occur in their season. Furthermore it depends on how directly you encounter these beasts and when. Going through a hurricane is not synonymous with floods and destruction.

Nor is an Earthquake synonymous with flattened buildings. I went through the strongest earthquake in California in the 20th century and rolled over and went back to sleep. In fact, it didn't cause a single death. A far smaller one was much more entertaining. The dogs were stunned and I had to run over and stablize the hummingbird cage that was rocking wildly, causing the hummingbird to go crazy. But then again, we were just a few miles from the epicenter and on the same mountain range so there was no buffer. The house rode it out just fine.

Living near the San Andreas fault, yes you should have water, food, batteries and candles set aside. But those are exactly the precautions that authorities give every winter in Arkansas in case an ice storm blows through. And Arkansas is close to Tornado Alley, so that's always a concern.

There is no where on this planet that is "safe". Deal with it.

Yep and large chunks of the midwest suffer from blizzards, ice storms, floods and tornadoes...been there and lived through couple (of each). I think every part of the country has it pluses and minuses;) ut on that note I have no inclination to put myself in a high risk area if at all possible, ie; Florida coast or California canyons:p

Aaron:)

I've never had to evacuate. I've never burdened the state, or federal government by having them save me, or rebuild my house.

I've never had to evacuate. I've never burdened the state, or federal government by having them save me, or rebuild my house.

Good for you! But I am sure plenty of people do when the Mighty Miss floods, ice storms knock out power to Chicago in the dead of winter. FWIW I have yet to draw any type of government assistance even when I qualified. (too much hassle IMHO)

Aaron:)

That must have been quite a crash...

While I agree, I'm sure there are sadder things about that photo than just the bicycle.

While I agree, I'm sure there are sadder things about that photo than just the bicycle.

True.

Moments?

Well, I've lived in the Florida Gulf Coast and in the canyons of California. I think that you overstate the danger. Hurricanes are pretty big, and relatively slow moving phenomena that only occur in their season. Furthermore it depends on how directly you encounter these beasts and when. Going through a hurricane is not synonymous with floods and destruction.

Nor is an Earthquake synonymous with flattened buildings. I went through the strongest earthquake in California in the 20th century and rolled over and went back to sleep. In fact, it didn't cause a single death. A far smaller one was much more entertaining. The dogs were stunned and I had to run over and stablize the hummingbird cage that was rocking wildly, causing the hummingbird to go crazy. But then again, we were just a few miles from the epicenter and on the same mountain range so there was no buffer. The house rode it out just fine.

Living near the San Andreas fault, yes you should have water, food, batteries and candles set aside. But those are exactly the precautions that authorities give every winter in Arkansas in case an ice storm blows through. And Arkansas is close to Tornado Alley, so that's always a concern.

There is no where on this planet that is "safe". Deal with it.

What is with you Californians? You are always trying to find fault! :p

What I don't understand is why they left the bike behind. In any sort of emergency requiring evacuation packing a bicycle makes a lot of sense to me.

It's still a sad picture though :(

It is possible that the owners were away at work or something and not allowed into the neighborhood to save their property once evacuation orders went out.

The fire could have started nearby and consumed their property with little warning.

Very tragic in any case.

Perhaps those people, like a majority of Americans, think of their bicycle no differently than they think of a basketball or hockey stick... just a piece of sporting equipment and not worthy of wasting their time to save.
...maybe.

Well, most of the bikes you'd see out there, whether in homes or sidewalks, were bought in sporting goods stores. Plus, all the bikes anyone ever sees on TV are being ridden in races, not to the grocery store. No wonder that most people think of bikes as toys.

It is still sad to see the bike in flames.