Before insulting Atlanta (and other cities) about their response to the weather

[rainbow4321]

Remember that as recently as the 2011 Super Bowl week had Dallas paralyzed by a similar problem. Ice storm hit on that Tuesday, the city and mass transit shut down. We had rolling blackouts all week, to the point where Texas had to get electricity from MEXICO to keep our grid limping along all week. The only places in Dallas with consistent electricity were The NFL Experience event, the hotels where the players stayed, and the stadium itself ....and those 3 places only got that by order of Homeland Security over the Feds not wanting to make those places at risk of terror attacks. The rest of us here (the locals living here) meanwhile dealt with either rolling blackouts OR just plain day or week long blackouts.
2 days of ice and sub freezing temps were followed with a snow fall of SEVEN inches which forecasters had told us would be an "an inch or two". 7 inches later they said oops...
Aaaaaaannnd the city of Dallas owned not a SINGLE snow plow. Well, they found ONE and used it to drive ahead of the bus carrying the players as they made their way to and from the hotels and practice fields. The rest of us were fucked.

Local journalists were pissed when some national sports writer called Dallas roads "a barren moonscape look" because of the not plowed roads covered with thick ice and 7 inches of,snow.,hell, it DID look like a barren moonscape!!!!

Pre-SB parties that Friday and Saturday that hotels and restaurants/bars were initially going to charge hundreds of dollars cover charge?? They slashed those prices by 50% or more because NO one wanted to get on the deadly roads that weekend.

It was an overall disaster of a week PR wise for Dallas. We were laughed at by places that 7 inches is considered a dusting, mocked by Northerners who said "OUR train systems run in ice and blizzards...Dallas' shut down their system with "just" ice.

A year after the national/international embarrassment Dallas announced it had purchased like 7 snow plows. As if 7 could ever do much of anything with the next snow go around except maybe be on hand IF the NFL ever picks this city to host a SB. At least they could show some video of a lame attempt at clearing the roads as opposed to "heh, we have NO plows...sorry!!

I feel for the locals in the Southeast...been there, done that. They are probably all in a state of survival mode right now and the last thing they need is grief from any other part of the country.

[Abq_Sarah]

1. I remember

The rolling blackouts in Texas caused a loss of pressure that prevented the delivery of natural gas to New Mexico and gas was cut off in parts of New Mexico for up to 9 days... including the mountains in the northern part of the state which also had record breaking overnight low temps in the -20's.

Having lived through ice storms and snow storms in the Atlanta area back in the 80's - 90's, I'd never snicker at them. I remember all to well trying to drive 12 miles home from work in a Miata when the surface streets were coated with black ice the entire way. If I were facing the same conditions here, I'd sleep in the office. Snow I can handle. Ice? Screw that.

[madrchsod]

7. a miata? you were a brave soul...!

[Abq_Sarah]

20. I think I was more stupid than brave

I was all over the road. It was like taking a skateboard onto an ice rink. The only experience I've had here that even came close was driving down a north facing, ice covered dirt switchback with no guard rails. It was a 600 ft drop from the top to the bottom and I hugged the wall the entire way and wasn't even remotely concerned about any body damage to my jeep. I just wanted to make it out alive. Ice doesn't give a shit what kind of vehicle you're driving or what level of skill you might have.

[Jenoch]

2. The Powers that Be in Atlanta have admitted they screwed up in how they handled things.

The office workers should have been dusmissed in intervals rather than all at once.

I live in the Twin Cities. There are approximately 250 snowplows in the metro area.

The problem was too many vehicleszgetting on the freeway at once. I understand people wishing to get home, but why would they continue to get on the on ramps? Were the traffic reporters asleep?

[Fumesucker]

5. A surprising number of people only know one way to do their commute

I've known quite a few people who have real difficulty with maps, directions, spatial orientation and that sort of thing.

[TexasProgresive]

6. And rely on GPS. n/t

[kelliekat44]

18. Atlanta government dismissal may have been done poorly but the streets were clear. nt

Sometimes people have to use their own common sense.

[Phentex]

22. It's nice to read a post from someone

Who understands what really happened.

[beachbum bob]

3. hogwash attitude....if people keep silient, nothing is done

what bs........the issue in alanta was a failure of govt entities to to their job.......the mayor is toast and should be. I don't care if its 1in or 20in
if you are a leader and have to make decisions, you best understand what you a facing. The local govt entities failed in the Atlanta region and they should be tossed out on their butts in their next election.

[Glitterati]

4. Perhaps you should explain this......

The Mayor of Atlanta cleared the streets HE was responsible for, you know Mayor of the CITY OF ATLANTA...

On the other hand, the Mayor of Atlanta has no control of interstate highways and state roads, now does he?

Yeah, you might want to re-direct your anger at the correct party..........that would be the dumbass republican governor, Nathan Deal.

Thankyouverymuch

[Thirties Child]

10. Nor does the Mayor control the suburban roads

Atlanta is 135 square miles in an 8,000 square-mile metro area, has a population of 450,000 in a metro area of 6 million. The neighborhoods that surround the City of Atlanta are voting themselves as City of [My Neighborhood]. No one will say it, and maybe I've lived here so long I'm seeing the situation through 60s or 70s eyes, but a lot of it is race.

[Glitterati]

12. I posted this on Facebook this AM to all my Repub loving family

Gridlock 2014 = exactly what you get when your fondest wish comes true - government out of your lives and local control.

Local control on Jan. 28, 2014 - "Everybody run for the HILLS!"

[rurallib]

13. Same thought that bugged me - Atlanta is 400,000 people

the area is 6,000,000. So why is Atlanta getting all the grief? They are less than 10% of the area.
Seems to me that there should be some regional commission that should have some power.

[Glitterati]

16. There IS. It's called GEMA

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency

The GEMA guy at 3:00 said "Everything is fine" and had not even opened the emergency center.

[kelliekat44]

14. My relative in the city of Atlanta said the streets were clear and not may problems except for peopl

who insisted on going out in suburban areas. The Interstate highways country roads are not the Atlanta Mayor's responsibility. The media should get this straight and so should a lot of people who don't know what the hell they are talking about but just love to blame.

[B Calm]

8. This is the results when you have republicans who want smaller government.

The interstate hwy's are under control by the state hwy dept.

[Abq_Sarah]

19. It's really not a partisan issue

The worst storms of the 1980's and 1990's happened under Democratic leadership on both the State and Atlanta levels.

No one of either party would tolerate the amount of money that would be required to purchase enough snowplows and road salt to clear the metro area for a once a decade event. The cost to store and maintain equipment that will be rarely used just can't be justified compared to other needs.

[B Calm]

21. Oh but what you say ever stop republicans from playing the blame game?

Of course it would be expensive, we understand that up north. But we also understand that government is not bad.

[leftynyc]

9. The Atlanta mayor was the only

Last edited Fri Jan 31, 2014, 10:10 AM - Edit history (2)

one who got his roads done. It was the surrounding suburbs that the problems were and their local officials are standing around with thumbs up their asses letting people like you blame the wrong person.


Edited to change governor to mayor thanks to an eagle eyed DUer.

[Thirties Child]

11. Yes!

[kelliekat44]

15. You mena the Atlanta Mayor. Atlanta doesn't have a govenor. nt

[leftynyc]

17. Yes, I did and thank you

I've edited the post.