Low Water Crossings

[ERNIEB]

Not sure where to put this, but this seemed as good a place as any. We are finally getting some much needed rain, and as usual once it starts, it don't want to stop. All over South Texas there are dry creeks and low crossings, that flood everytime we get substaintial rainfall. And every time that happens, there are numbers of people who try to cross them and end up sitting on the roof of their vehicle. The lucky ones are rescued. This has become such a problem that in San Antonio, the Police are ticketing people who run barricades and try to cross. The fine. $500.00. People who have to be plucked out, not only get the fine, but are also charged for the cost of the rescue. Still, people continue to do this.
I have two questions. 1. What is wrong with these people?
2. Is this the only area that has a bunch of lunatics, or does this happen in other areas too?
ErnieB

 

[W5FL]

Good judgement is not taught well in schools. There are a lot of people who just don't think. Others that think and get the wrong answer. Others that think that they should be protected from all things by someone else.

Rising water just isolates a few of them, so you can see who they are, but there are many more that just haven't made that mistake, YET.

Yesterday a teen ager on a dare jumped off an over pass bridge and drowned in the storm swelled river below.

 

[bpence]

It happens here in Michigan when it rains and the low areas flood, especially under some of the freeway over-passes. I thought maybe it had something to do with the air up here, but it must have something to do with the gene pool if it happens in Texas, too.

Bob Pence

 

[glennmac]

Most people, no matter how otherwise intelligent, commonsensical or educated, have no idea of the power of moving water. As a whitewater boater and former instructor, I know the horror stories are all too frequent.

You can easily drown in 2 feet of swiftly moving whitewater. Unfortunately, I have witnessed it. If your foot becomes wedged in between underwater rocks and you lose your balance, your body, bent at the knee, will be swept downstream with you head under water. You will have nothing to grab onto. This is what happened to a raft passenger who got thrown out of the raft and tried to stand up in 24 inches of water in a class 2 rapid. No one could reach him and he drowned.

The biggest killers are low-head dams. A vertical drop of 2 1/2 to 3 feet will cause a reversal wave at the bottom of the dam that will hold and "windowshade" a body (and a boat) for hours.

Many rescue squads are not skilled in swiftwater rescue. They end up killing themselves. Sometimes there is nothing you can do. One of our Olympic whitewater kayakers drowned last year when his kayak got sucked into an underwater sieve hole.

On a lighter note, at the put-in of the famous Dead River run in northern Maine, a bunch of us watched in amazement as two guys were driving some sort of 4wd vehicle around in the river, beers in hand. It had a vertical exhaust stack coming up from the hood area. They definitely weren't boaters, so from their behavior we could only conclude they were hunters. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Glenn

 

[Thomas]

ERNIEB,
I think there some of there cousin live up here in the northeast at times.

About 5 years ago the northeast had a real bad ice storm,and even with the roads closed people still try to drive thru.
The strangest part they were non resident which want to take pictures,and became trap by sliding off the road plus falling trees.
About once a year do to a heavy snowstorm and blowing winds plus drifts,some of the rual roads are close for saftey,but there seems to be that someone who thinks they can beat the odds..and well I guess I don't need to write anymore. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif



Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Bird]

Ernie, from what I've seen it happens everywhere! I sure saw a lot of it in Dallas during my years with the Police Department. And it even happens with folks you'd swear would know better. In 1966, I got off work at 11 p.m. one rainy night and turned my brand new (one week old) squad car over to my relief, and less than 2 hours later, it was swept off a major thoroughfare into a creek. Fortunately, the two officers survived, but the car didn't./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Bird

 

[glennmac]

Many people venture into flooded roads because it is difficult to estimate the depth of the water. Two inch deep water looks much the same as four foot deep water unless you are very familiar with elevation points of reference.

In Austin, Texas, one of the many places I have lived, they have gauge staffs, like the ones on river banks or in snow country, along some of roads and at some intersections. I couldn't figure out what they were at first. They are placed at low spots on roads to serve as a visual reference for motorists to judge the depth of water during gullywashers. A good idea.

 

[Rowski]

Has it been 5 years? A lot of damage done in that icing event!

There is a portion of a road (RTE 58) that is closed in the winter (not plowed) for snowmobiles. There is a sign right next to the snowbank were the plow stops that reads ROAD CLOSED, it is a large red sign. This guy tries to jump the snow bank to get to the grommed snowmobile trail. Well he gets gets stuck, call the tow truck (me), I pull him out, he gets a 20 buck stupid fee on top of his recovery fee. By the way, he says he didn't see the sign or the 3ft snowbank.

Derek

 

[ERNIEB]

Just to update. after a couple of days of on and off rain. Numerous rescues have taken place including, a day care van with three preschoolers aboard, and a family of seven. Fortunately no fatalities. They do have the gauges Glenn mentioned, but I guess they just ignore them. San Antonio is now planning to install gates across the roadways that can be closed and locked, thus protecting people from themselves.
ErnieB