PU trashed by Alex...

[Gone-Camping]

I just saw a report coming in from the NC Outer Banks in the Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island about damages from Hurricane Alex. Apparently authorities didn't bother exactuating vacationers as they thought it was going to blow on out to sea.
 
In one of the reports, there was a lady standing there besides an older Coleman PU that was completely trashed. She described being inside, and standing there trying to hold the door from blowing in. The picture showed the lifter arms of the trailer completely bent in 90

[chasd60]

I just saw a report coming in from the NC Outer Banks in the Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island about damages from Hurricane Alex. Apparently authorities didn't bother exactuating vacationers as they thought it was going to blow on out to sea.
 
In one of the reports, there was a lady standing there besides an older Coleman PU that was completely trashed. She described being inside, and standing there trying to hold the door from blowing in. The picture showed the lifter arms of the trailer completely bent in 90

[brainpause]

They predicted winds of up to 80MPH, they should have been smart enough to leave without them forcing an evacuation. Hard to blame the authorities for this one.

True. But I have been on trips where I would not have known a thing about a storm coming because we don't listen to radio or TV. I do, however, try to watch the weather BEFORE we leave.

Larry

[campingboaters]

ALL the more reason to get a weather radio -- One with an alert programmable to the area you are in (S.A.M.E. technology).
 
 Here is just ONE radio that's out there.
 http://www.weatherradiostore.com/product.asp?itmky=586&mfgno=WR102&cat=2&scat=1

[byrdr1]

Hey,
I'm 200 miles from the storm and I was about ready to pull my TT out of the driveway and take to an open field at my friends house.
I have way to many trees in my yard for the campers to be parked under during a wind storm.
I move it to his 6acre  field for the winter storage.
Ice Storms the last 2 years have me scared to leave them parked in the driveway.
Plus today the weather center has issued severe thunderstorm warnings for my county with the cold front moving through with 60+MPH winds and 2" of rain an hour forcasted.. SO I was like I need to go home and button down the hatches.
 
randy

[Gone-Camping]

I think Brainpause hit the nail on the head. I didn't catch what campground they were at, but looking at the surroundings it appeared to be one of the National Park Service Campgrounds, perhaps the one down on Ocracoke Island where they got hit the worst. If they were at the NPS campground, there are no hook-up's and might be difficult getting tv and weather reports. However, it's hard to believe the NPS rangers wouldn't have gone around and informed everyone ahead of time!

As of today they are NOW evacuating visitors & tourists from the island....talk about being A day late and a dollar short

[bearbait]

Do you mean to tell me they didn't notice the wind blowing and that's somehow the park rangers fault?

[Gone-Camping]

Who said it was the rangers fault? I said it's hard to believe they didn't go around and tell visitors about it, as I'm sure they must have done!!!

What they are reporting was, that when it all started, it was just a big tropical storm that was going to brush the coast. By the time it closed in and intensified, it was already too late to evacuate due to the ferry had already stopped running.

Me...I would have left at first report of an approaching tropical storm, at least down there on one of the barrier islands!!!

[garym053]

Weather Radio(s) have saved our butts more than once! I have a desktop model that runs on a 9V battery OR 110v power and a smaller hiking / paddling version that doesn't have quite the range, but has helped!
(On soapbox:)
I figure that when you're out there, your safety is your concern. You need to be able to make informed decisions where the weather is concerned. (off soapbox!)
I have never been in a National park OR a state park where they came around and told you that severe storms may be heading your way. So I've never thought that I could rely on them for warnings.
Just glad it was only their camper and not themselves as well!

[Wild Wild Qwest]

We also have a 12V/AC weather radio. I think it's the Radio Shack - Suzeyque model for around $15. If the winds are that predicted to be strong, we're outta there! If it's only slightly windy, we open the tenting to allow the air to flow through the PU.

[SkipP]

What they are reporting was, that when it all started, it was just a big tropical storm that was going to brush the coast. By the time it closed in and intensified, it was already too late to evacuate due to the ferry had already stopped running.

And the difference between a tropical storm and a hurricane is..... ONE mph! Camping on the Outer Banks, or vacationing there period, in the face of an approaching storm is not smart.
 

Me...I would have left at first report of an approaching tropical storm, at least down there on one of the barrier islands!!!

Yep, me too. All the vacationers on the island found themselves stuck... roads overwashed and ferry's halted. I feel somewhat bad for the ones that had to leave their damaged campers behind when they could finally leave.

[angelsmom10]

We also have a 12V/AC weather radio. I think it's the Radio Shack - Suzeyque model for around $15. If the winds are that predicted to be strong, we're outta there! If it's only slightly windy, we open the tenting to allow the air to flow through the PU.

I don't know who else got this radio, but I did and we still have it in the PU... it is a fantastic radio.. we got a great price
http://21st-century-goods.com/page/21st/PROD/SM837
 
I'm going to post a thread in product reviews about this, so anyone who has one can also voice their likes or dislikes.
 
Ebay does have some on their site, as I just did a search for info-mate, some as low as $9.99
 

[tlhdoc]

According to a guy I work with and who was there, they evacuated people in busses to get them off of the Ocracoke Island.  They had to leave their vehicles behind and that there were rental cars waiting when they got off of the island.  Many of the cars that were left behind were totaled.

[Gone-Camping]

According to a guy I work with and who was there, they evacuated people in busses to get them off of the Ocracoke Island. They had to leave their vehicles behind and that there were rental cars waiting when they got off of the island. Many of the cars that were left behind were totaled.

That was covered in the local news extensively here, since this area is considered part of our local tv veiwing area. What you said is 100% true, unfortunately all the bus trips were started after the storm had passed and then they evacuated the island!! Prior to the storm the sea's got to heavy for the Ferries to run, a lot of people got trapped on the island for the storm as they didn't expect to actually get hit like that!
 
If I'm on the coast, and the weather Guru's say a storm is coming up the coast, I'd say it's time to head for the hills...FAST!!! Living here on the coastal plains for the last 25 years has me convinced to do so!