TO ALL:
We are back. Not a blemish on the place. This was my first experience with an evacuation and it was a real bummer.
As you all probably heard, this was thelargest mandatory evacuation in the history of the U.S. (Hey! at least we made history.) If this was their idea of an evacuation, and they plan to keep this plan, FORGET IT.
We departed, using the evacuation routs, as directed. Traffic was bumber to bumper, that was expected, however, due to lack of coordination with neighboring citis and counties, traffic was at a stand-still much of the time, and when it did move it was at a snail's pace. It took 5 hrs to make it 40 miles, and as we cleard the 40 mile marker, That's the first town after ours, the Local's were directing traffic.
This was a comclomeration if you ever wanted to see one. With traffic semafors going, there was an officer directing traffic. He obviously hadn't done this before as he was having difficulty getting the sequences straight. There was a lot of frustrations on the evacuees.
After clearing that obsticle we proceded on, only to encounter the county mowers, (6ea)inline going home. Their speed was approx 15mi per hout and they wouldn't concede to the traffic. (This county was not in the Floyd vicinity)
Traffic was in bumper to bumper status for over 100mi. and averaging my speed, against my distance it took me 12 hrs to go 130 miles. The last 20 miles was clear of traffic going out way, but loaded bumper coming our way.
On our way home today, the traffic was somewhat the same. However, there were no locals directing traffic or heavy machines on the road. Took us just a little over 2 1/2 Hrs to get home.
If this is how an evacuation should take place there needs to be more evaluation and coordination regarding the cities, towns and counties along the route.
HJN
