Hysteria and Chaos grips Florida

I have friends and family in Florida, thankfully, on the Gulf Coast side. My buddy and his wife and two kids are on the road today fleeing North, just in case. They live in Fort Myers. Currently they are on I-75 up by Gainesville.

I've heard from him a couple times today and he said traffic has moved at 25 to 45 mph all day, and even on the side roads, there are gridlocked cars as far as the eye can see. They are merging off the side highways into the freeways from all up and down the East Coast of Florida because the path of uncertainty has the Irma most likely going up the coast to the Carolina's.

Anyways, he was just at a gas station that far North and all but one pump had signs on them, "Out of Gas." And as I was on the phone with him he said to a guy all the other pumps were out. I guess the guy he was talking to waited a long time for the last pump only to pull up and it was out of gas, with a long line of cars behind him. The guy said he was in the middle of nowhere now with no way to get gas and needed it.

It's only Wednesday!

One can only imagine how many thousands of people are going through these very same situations all over the state right now as the gas pumps are running dry and so many are trying to evacuate. My buddy told me that back in Fort Myers as he was trying to fill up before he left, he went to 8 gas stations that were empty before finding the 9th one still had gas. He has a hybrid, so will get a lot further than most, but imagine even the people who filled up and got on the road, can only drive 400 miles before running out of gas, just to find out that even that far North, the pumps are dry.

At this point, what is the safest option for people? Do they flee into the unknown, because from what I'm hearing, the hysteria and chaos spreads all the way up into Georgia, and now that forecasters are predicting Irma may track all the way up to the Carolina's, it's only going to get worse up there as well.

My buddy's wife's sister is an assistant manager at the Walmart in Port Charlotte and she has been posting on Facebook about the chaos at her store, which is pretty much the same for all Walmarts in Florida right now. She said they ran out of water and then yesterday morning got 60 pallets of water trucked in, but that was gone in an hour. She said two guys got into a fist fight in the aisle over the last case of water.

Here's a pic she posted of the shelves in her store



First was the beverage isle, and now the canned foods are emptying, she said.



My buddy says what he is seeing out there reminds him of the apocalypse.

If the people continue to flee from South Florida to the North, as you know they are because mandatory evacuations are beginning, what is going to happen? There will be no gas. There will be no water. And a lot of other things on the shelves will be empty as well.

I picture abandoned cars along the freeways. My buddy said he brought his gun along with him because it's that scary of a situation.

This is the chaos gripping the inland areas of Florida as millions flee. Imagine the chaos along the coast when Irma makes landfall. It's going to be a rough couple of weeks ahead for the Sunshine State.

We had talked about how far he would have to go because there most likely won't be any hotel rooms for a long ways, but now that forecasters are saying it's most likely going to hit the East Coast, he is contemplating turning back. He said he never would have fled in the first place if he didn't have two little ones, 8 and 3, so basically, the wife told him, "let's go."

Florida has been through evacuations before, but I'm not sure if they've ever been like this. Irma has definitely created a lot of hysteria and panic, probably because of Harvey only two weeks ago.

Praying for everyone down there. Stay safe!

I don't get what the big deal is.

originally posted by: SR1TX
I don't get what the big deal is.

That's just it. There may have been some overreaction, more because of the devastation from Harvey two weeks ago. The news played this one as the biggest storm ever, and the path of uncertainty had the whole state of Florida covered, so the entire state panicked and now you have a very bad situation that will only be made worse when the storm hits.

a reply to: Rezlooper

What about the People in Cuba ? I doubt they are Peeing in their Pants over this Storm .

As a person in the potential path of the eye, I am keeping calm and will go on with life as normal without worr....OMGZ, WERE ALL GONNA DIEEE!!! SEND HALP AND BEER AND INTERNET WHEN THAT GOES DOWN. ITS THE END DAYS.

So all is normal.

a reply to: Rezlooper

Yeah, this has all the hallmarks of being a serious disaster. My company is based in West Palm and is closing down initially Friday and Monday, yet none of them will be able to evacuate as there is already no gas...no gas for cars or generators since theyll have to stay...very concerning.

I spoke with one of my Florida based peers and she said she could only get 5 gallons of water and no gas 2 days ago!

I pray the people on the roadways get out safely...and that everyone else that is forced to stay are ok...very unsettling and a sneak peak into human behavior during even worse scenarios.

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit
a reply to: Rezlooper

What about the People in Cuba ? I doubt they are Peeing in their Pants over this Storm .

How do you know? And what choice do they have in their options. Nothing to do but stand in their pee, really.

a reply to: BlueJacket

I would be so stoked and thrilled at the idea of surviving a cataclysmic disaster with little more than a knife and a barely working flash light and no reserves to go off of.

Jesus Christ people are a spoiled bunch.

originally posted by: Rezlooper
That's just it. There may have been some overreaction, more because of the devastation from Harvey two weeks ago. The news played this one as the biggest storm ever, and the path of uncertainty had the whole state of Florida covered, so the entire state panicked and now you have a very bad situation that will only be made worse when the storm hits.

I dont know man, we had a number of hurricanes in 05 and we lost power for over 2 weeks in my neighborhood. Its good to be prepped, but would be better if there was a prep system in place to begin with instead of freaking out everytime a hurricane is heading towards us

This is gonna do some damage. a cat 5 is gonna level some areas.

originally posted by: BlueJacket
a reply to: Rezlooper

Yeah, this has all the hallmarks of being a serious disaster. My company is based in West Palm and is closing down initially Friday and Monday, yet none of them will be able to evacuate as there is already no gas...no gas for cars or generators since theyll have to stay...very concerning.

I spoke with one of my Florida based peers and she said she could only get 5 gallons of water and no gas 2 days ago!

I pray the people on the roadways get out safely...and that everyone else that is forced to stay are ok...very unsettling and a sneak peak into human behavior during even worse scenarios.

I kinda thought the same thing. We are getting a glimpse at a SHTF scenario and public reaction. This is what happens when millions of people all try to react at the same time. Not good.

originally posted by: SaturnFX

originally posted by: Rezlooper
That's just it. There may have been some overreaction, more because of the devastation from Harvey two weeks ago. The news played this one as the biggest storm ever, and the path of uncertainty had the whole state of Florida covered, so the entire state panicked and now you have a very bad situation that will only be made worse when the storm hits.

I dont know man, we had a number of hurricanes in 05 and we lost power for over 2 weeks in my neighborhood. Its good to be prepped, but would be better if there was a prep system in place to begin with instead of freaking out everytime a hurricane is heading towards us

This is gonna do some damage. a cat 5 is gonna level some areas.

yep, like Andrew in 92. Leveled Homestead.

Having grown up there, I can say with relative ease that Floridians tend to go one of two ways with hurricanes coming their way -- extreme DGAF, or extreme OMGWTF panic. They went for the latter this time.

a reply to: Rezlooper

I rode out Hurricane Sandy , a lot of Damage but we Survived . Mother Nature does not Mess Around , we must Always be Prepared for Natural Disasters . That's Life .

a reply to: SR1TX

That really isnt the point is it? I too enjoy man against nature, but I am also experienced enough to realize most people are not good in crisis.

a reply to: Rezlooper

Human behaviors are fascinating.

Before the storm people will fight each other for last bottle of water, food or gas.

After the storm, most people will give another their last food, or water and risk their own life to save another.

This storm is worse than Andrew. If you're not sure whether to leave or stay, look at the pics of Hurricane Andrew. It flattened houses and buildings.

Don't ride it out. Get yourselves to a safe spot.

a reply to: Rezlooper

That is precisely where my mother is riding out the storm. She will be staying at the hospital she works for though. I am hoping she had time to prepare as we usually would considering she had to get my grandparents out of dodge yesterday. Hope she filled the gas tanks and secured the boat correctly...damn now I'm gonna have to call her again to confirm. I will try to get reports from my friends and family still in the area.

Was kinda crappy how my company had a bunch of guys up here in Nashville from Orlando this week and instead of springing for the hotel time a bit longer, they're gonna fly them back to Florida Friday...just in time to not be able to get supplies. We are trying to put them together packages of batteries water and other essentials here and overnight them southwest back so they're not screwed completely. Hell I may be taking time off to go help out down there after its over if I can afford to do so.

a reply to: Rezlooper

yeah, I swear I have preached keeping a pantry all my life, so few see the value, but as a result I am always prepared, and me and mine have no cause to enter the fray of last minute mania.

a reply to: BlueJacket

Don't get me wrong. I don't want the elderly/kids at risk. They cannot help it.

But as a grown man with neither to worry about or a Wife for that matter...Show me hell and I will take it over by morning.

if you live in florida which is a prime target for hurricanes you should always be prepared with,extra water,gas,generators etc.
if you don`t want to live in a state of constant preparedness then you should move somewhere else besides florida.

a reply to: SR1TX

I appreciate your bravado and still share it for the most part but with a child and wife depending on me, my wading into battle option is slightly diminished.

I agree with you regarding the old and children, but that returns to my point...Florida is the snowbird capitol of America, theres a helluva alot of old folks there.