Why do so many people do this when evacuating?

[beenthru6]

I have wondered this for years, and thought I would throw it out to you guys. When evacuating from somewhere on the east coast, why do people head north knowing that the chances are good that the hurricane is just going to follow them up the coast? This happens all the time, and people get stuck in traffic jams. Our next door neighbors did this when hurricane Floyd was coming, and they got 20 miles away and couldn't go any farther, so they turned around and came home to ride the storm out.
This is the only hurricane our city ever evacuated its public safety personnel for, and my husband, brother and I went straight west, and then south and had absolutely no problem. I hear this scenario time and time again. I mean if the hurricane is heading for somewhere along the coast, wouldn't it make more sense to go west and then south to avoids being chased by it? I realize this doesn't apply for people in Florida, unless you would live in Jacksonville and the thing is already about paralell to your position and heading north, but I don't know why people do this.

[alicia-w]

for the same reason that everyone here heads to Maxwell AFB in Alabama. Habit.

Of course, if you dont have a reservation two days before evacuation starts, you will have to drive a heckuva lot farther. We ended up in Sevierville TN before we found a vacancy. Things were already full as far west as Mississippi and I wasnt going to my in-laws in Arkansas. Heck, I'd tie myself to a tree in my front yard first.

[Scorpion]

I agree, many people did this during Frances. It would seem more logical to head south, because usually a hurricane heading for the East Coast of Florida hits a little more north than originally thought. I know some people now who are heading west to Naples and such, which is a much smarter idea.

[SeaBrz_FL]

I think you saw this mass "exodus" more during Frances last year, and I'm sure it was the SIZE of the storm that made most people flee. As other central Floridians will confirm, the only way to escape that monster was to leave the state.