Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Desert flash floods.

Not much is going on with me right now. Editing, reading, taking care of my family. The usual. We are in monsoon conditions and were finally able to let the teens see why the drainage tunnels are so dangerous even though it is so dry. This pic is of a road not even 100 yards from the house. The rain had only been falling for about 20 minutes when I took this picture. I had ventured out to get Miss. Bug to school. I know the road and the depth and have a heavy 4x4 and crossed it but found immense traffic getting to the school and decided to keep her home. I saw a small mustang decide to skip the intersection pictured and go to turn around only to be hit broadside with another wave and be pushed into the rushing water. Driving in conditions like these require a knowledge of your road, a slow and steady hand, and a very heavy vehicle. Do not ever even consider crossing a road like this if you are not sure of the depth. It does not take a lot of force to lift a smaller car and float it off despite what you might think. In a SHTF situation you need to make sure the route of escape you have chosen is one you can traverse in any condition. Know the road. Drive the route even if it is out of the way so you are not forced to attack a road like this with no knowledge of it. It can and will save your life and your belongings.


6 comments:

  1. See, you need always keep a snorkel in the truck. Be careful out there, I'd miss you if you were to float away....

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  2. I think I'd stay off the road in conditions like that! The picture looks really extreme.

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  3. Good points all! If you don't HAVE to drive in that stuff, don't go out, plain and simple...

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  4. Snorkels and scuba gear Stephen!!

    Hermit if the road was not known to me I would stay away no question. Not worth the risk.

    NFO, Exactly. Avoid it if you can and know the road if you can't. Never just attempt it. People die very fast that way.

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  5. We get a lot of flash flooding down here. One of the things some don't realize is that there may not be a road under the water. That's how a lot of people here get washed downstream. It looks shallow, but the bridge is washed away underneath. Scary stuff.

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  6. That water in the pic hit the wall at the end of the road and demolished it. Flooded out a homeowners backyard and caused major damage. Even worse is that they didn't have flood insurance.

    That is a very true thing. Avoid these conditions. Even known roads can be washed out beneath. Especially in conditions such as bridges or where the ground is not firm under the road. Sink holes can occur easily under the force of these conditions.

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