New orleans...Why the evacuations are not mandatory.

[Rob Beaux]

Watching the streaming video from http://www.wwltv.com.

They did not make the evac mandatory because they can not follow throught with it. Too many people that would need assitance to get out and not enougth time. HE quoted 100,000 people that would need public transportation to get out. They are also not giving out sandbags because they will not do any good if the city is hit. He told the reporters to go and see teh slosh models to show the sandbags wont be useful. They also have started Contraflow goig west at Loyal exit on I-10.

Good luck and prayers to those that cant get out.

[Cape Verde]

They won't, because they can't. Simple enough.<P>I hope they get lucky.

[wxwatcher2]

Is that really a good reason for not issuing a mandatory evacuation???

If they expect it to be bad enough to evacuate then it's not doing a service to the citizens by not telling them to leave.
In any situation, there will always be those people who can't or won't leave.

Let's hope for the best.

[StrongWind]

This is When this is over, and hopefully everyone is ok, pray that the 100,000+ who were told they are expendable - along with everybody else - remembers this when it is time to vote. I hate political expediency even more than hurricanes.

SW

[ColdWaterConch]

I'm sorry...but when you live in any region of the country which is prone to natural disasters, you have a responsibility to monitor those events.

In FL, residents have a responsibility to keep on top of tropical weather...and even moreso for the residents of NO...who live BELOW sealevel.

One does not need a politician to tell them when it is time to leave. And if you can not take such responsibility, then you should not live in that region.

Just my opinion...

[wlfpack81]

Track from NHC still slowing slight w-ward trend. Other day track was right up Mobile Bay now just slightly west. We saw what Charley did at the last moment. While I wouldn't go gloom and doom in NO yet I hope this thing doesn't decide to come in 50-100 miles west or we are looking at a movie like disaster in that city. Terrible call by officials in that area in my opinion.

[Nimbus]

The 20 foot storm surge and 20+ foot seas will extend over a wide area not just 50 miles from landfall. Nobody will be able to say that the amount of destruction or the strength of the storm could not be predicted beforehand.

[Innotech]

people who wanted to leave, have left. The gas sitatuation here is preoof of that. Weve had runouts from Marrero to New Iberia around here and the company I work for can barely keep up with fuel demand. N any case, I think New Orleans is prepared for whatever comes, for better or worse.

[BigBeep]

It wasn't political expediency-- It was just facts. Look at traffic reports. Most major roads out are already clogged with the ones smart enough to leave early. Theres not enough room/time to handle the panic of a mandatory evac. It's a known fact that it takes better than 72 hours to get everyone out of that area! And how much time is left??? Its the addage of first I reccomend, then I suggest, and finally I demand. The only politics I see are the ones of trying to keep civil order. I spent 20 years there, so I have some knowledge.

[Carlisle]

Well, the site manager at the office where I work took the position that he would only let people go until a mandatory evac order came... if anyone wanted to leave before that it would be against vacation time. I report directly into HQ so his decision does not affect me (i'm already sitting tight in a hotel room near Jackson, MS), but IF he knew that a mandatory evac will never come, his position would surely have been different. IMO, bad news early is better than bad news late, so the city should issue some sort of Mandatory Evac with a compromise, letting everyone know that a mandate will never come. In other words, it should be very clear to everyone when the highest level Evac plan has been put in action. What he did is almost criminal because many business managers can only follow the city's lead.

Either that, on Nagin never really thought about it and it was a snappy answer made up on the spot. One he is probably already regretting.

[themusk]

I'm sorry...but when you live in any region of the country which is prone to natural disasters, you have a responsibility to monitor those events.

It's a little more than that, from what I can understand from this post (and I have no first hand knowledge, so I might be misunderstanding things). There are 100,000 who need public transportation to get out and, apparently, won't be able to access it. That means old people and disabled folks, like me. I could see a disaster coming for weeks and still not get myself out of the way without help. And, apparently, the city would rather not help.

That's disgusting.

[TS Zack]

Contraflow is not helping at all. Interstates are completely packed. 2 hours to go about 5 miles.

[jlauderdal]

Well, the site manager at the office where I work took the position that he would only let people go until a mandatory evac order came... if anyone wanted to leave before that it would be against vacation time. I report directly into HQ so his decision does not affect me (i'm already sitting tight in a hotel room near Jackson, MS), but IF he knew that a mandatory evac will never come, his position would surely have been different. IMO, bad news early is better than bad news late, so the city should issue some sort of Mandatory Evac with a compromise, letting everyone know that a mandate will never come. In other words, it should be very clear to everyone when the highest level Evac plan has been put in action. What he did is almost criminal because many business managers can only follow the city's lead.

Either that, on Nagin never really thought about it and it was a snappy answer made up on the spot. One he is probably already regretting.

they mayor was just seen at the airport on a private plane heading due North.

[dennis1x1]

the 20 ft (actually probably closer to 15) will NOT occur over a large area....sorry...couldnt let that one go.

[MBryant]

[It's a little more than that, from what I can understand from this post (and I have no first hand knowledge, so I might be misunderstanding things). There are 100,000 who need public transportation to get out and, apparently, won't be able to access it. That means old people and disabled folks, like me. I could see a disaster coming for weeks and still not get myself out of the way without help. And, apparently, the city would rather not help.

That's disgusting.

It kind of reminds me of Death Race 2000...I wonder when they'll start giving points for "eliminating" the old and infermed?