How bad is the public's 'I don't get it' about Cat 5 Ivan???

[anjou]

EXAMPLE:
(From a message board at StormCarib)

Cayman Islands...

Those who had trips booked for the next few weeks, should they still plan to go?
Author: Sarah (---.classicnet.net)
Date: 09-14-04 00:53

we are booked for sept 25 - oct2. would like to hear from others in a similar situation.

-----------------
Re: Those who had trips booked for the next few weeks, should they still plan to go?
Author: Nita (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 09-14-04 01:06

Honestly Sarah, the island has been hit by a Category 5 hurricane, there are no trees left standing, buildings are destroyed and parts of the island are literally washed away. Go only if you can be part of a relief effort or use some common sense and delay or change your trip.

[MBismyPlayground]

This is the craziest thing. I heard from a friend in Cali and she had no idea there was even a hurricane!!!!

[FritzPaul]

Local cruise ships here were advising people to still come here, so that they wouldn't lose their security deposit!!!!

[MBismyPlayground]

Yea, a friend of mine actually had booked a cruise last week. They drove all the way to Miami coz the place said they were still going, even though they were evacing the keys. They actually did go, but not to the Caymans.

[anjou]

Local cruise ships here were advising people to still come here, so that they wouldn't lose their security deposit!!!!

Need an emergency order from the mayor on stuff like that.. they should have to contact and warn all passengers about the situation and offer to refund deposits or else. Sheesh.

[birdwomn]

While it makes NO SENSE, on the other hand, these places are losing enough money and want to get as much tourist money as possible.

Jimmy Kimmel joke "Florida is so deserted it looks like a late season Clippers game."

[anjou]

While it makes NO SENSE, on the other hand, these places are losing enough money and want to get as much tourist money as possible.

New Orleans, maybe. Grand Cayman, I don't think so for AWHILE. Those poor people. Though I have to admit I know not everybody spends their evenings on weather and Caribbean message boards either.

[goodlife]

People are definitely clueless..We live just north of Lake Pontchartrain....north of New Orleans. My son's friend and his mom stopped by this afternoon. Her mother lives ON THE LAKE...she has a beach in her backyard. I asked her what her mother was going to do...she said....and I'm not kdding....that she and her son went a put a few sandbags outside the downstairs door so that should keep the water from getting into the house. She said that worked the last time it flooded...
The last time it flooded....it wasn't even during a tropical storm...it was just bad weather...
Clueless...

[TLHR]

I see a busy Darwin Awards season.

[tonyc]

nothing like a good cleansing of the gene pool

[Peki]

This is the craziest thing. I heard from a friend in Cali and she had no idea there was even a hurricane!!!!

MB here too! How do you think we will do with Jeanne? We have been dodging bullets left and right this year! Hope it continues~

Peki

[Josephine96]

Sounds to me like there are a few clueless people out there

[anjou]

I know there are people who just don't keep up on the news. (Maybe there COULD be more coverage of Ivan too, all things considered.)

I also wonder how much of it is some sort of denial function. Not sure, but still amazed by the number of people who - when presented with the pictures of past damage, forecasts, even official warnings, just don't think it will happen to them when odds suggest a very good chance it will.

Maybe most people have a point at which that realization clicks in - it's just a lot deeper in some people. (For instance, Charley scared a relative of mine a little - but it was the prospect of spending another week with no electricity and no A/C - that finally prompted them to vamoose ahead of Frances. So it was perhaps not so much the danger but the gross inconvenience that was the persuading factor. And I know Frances turned out less bad than it could've been...)