Cycling in Emergency Situations

[Mr. Bloom]

I'm looking for stories.

Last night, a tornado ripped through Tuscaloosa where my daughter is in school. She was in a shelter and is fine. But the tornado cut a 1 mile wide swath through town making it impossible to get from one side of the damage to her home (or anywhere else) on the other side. This was due to massive damage, emergency services, and AUTOMOBILE GRIDLOCK. of course, with a bike, she would have had complete mobility in the aftermath.

I'm on a local task force for cycling where we've discussed the role that bicycle transportation might have in a disaster.

Does anyone have stories to share where your bicycle has been critical to you in a crisis situation?

[sundial]

First, I just wanted to say that I'm so glad your daughter is safe and wasn't injured in the storm.

In '96 a devastating tornado hit a nearby town and demolished most of the homes and getting around by bike was optimal because of the debris littering the streets. In Vilonia, AR, a tornado hit and ripped up the asphalt of the streets so having an ATV or mtb would be to your advantage. Having a bike with Stan's is my choice set up as there is so much that can puncture car tires, much less bike tires. Emergency and relief workers often carry Fix A Flat for their vehicles when emergency transportation is critical. Tornados are scary and I hope you never have to experience it first hand.

[limewave]

I don't have a story either but so glad your daughter is safe! How scary.

[bmccasland]

Mr. Bloom - I'm glad to hear that your daughter is safe.

The husband of a cousin of mine rode his son's bicycle out of New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina hit. Apparently he didn't leave with the family, so was stuck without a car by his own choice on the day before the storm made landfall (let's not get into the family dynamic, they're a tad disfunctional). His boss begged him to leave - so the guy hopped the bike and rode some 30 miles north past the gridlock. This is a man who never did more than casually tool around the neighborhood.

I road my 3 speed when I got home (post Katrina) partly because gas prices were so high, or stations weren't open. And I figured I'd be less likely to get a flat than if I was driving my car. So for local stuff, it was on the bike. I even bike commuted until traffic got heavier and I was scared I'd get hit by a car. Sometime in there, I did get multiple nails in my car tires, and had trouble finding a tire shop that was open.

[Pedal Wench]

Kinda related, after 9/11, my (long-distance) BF and I put together an emergency plan that's basically we drive as far as we can then use bikes to meet up in a town that's halfway between us.

[paiger81]

My mother and brother might be considered "survivalists" (they prefer the term "prepared") so bicycles have always been the backup plan for any emergency travel situation.

[marni]

I have outraced a thunder storm with lightning on my bike, squeeked in under the overhang of a shell garage as the first bolt hit about 1/2 mile away behind me. This was followed by marble sized hail.

We also rode into a town and found shelter in a gas station from a major windstorm and a small tornado that went through about 5 miles from us on the cross country.

Because the storms blow up so fast in Texas, I always check the radar and then keep an eye out for storms and if the wind suddenly changes direction, temperature or intensity, I start looking for bail out points or if out in the country, a nice ditch away from power line and trees with somewhere to put my bike away from me or on the other side of the road.