Entry Archive: May 16, 2005
Utah Day 2: Windblown Chaos
High winds and torrential rains are causing chaos in the streets of Salt Lake City tonight. A good chunk of the city is without power. Entire stretches of traffic lights are out downtown, seemingly at random. My hotel is very lucky to have power, but the television is out. Sirens can be heard screaming through the night at regular intervals. The end is near.
I just came back from a 15-minute trip to the business center so I could use the printer, and there was a continuous stream of people calling and stopping by to see if rooms were available. Since the hotel next-door is without power and this hotel got the overflow, no rooms are to be had. I feel just a little bit guilty.
And here's a helpful hint to people who may not know what to do in this situation: When a traffic signal has gone out, the intersection becomes an all-way stop. Each car comes up to the intersection, stops, and then everybody takes turns proceeding through the intersection on a first-come, first-serve basis. YOU DO NOT JUST RIP THROUGH AN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION AT FULL SPEED, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE STUPID. S-T-U-P-I-D!! The car ahead of me was nearly totaled by some ass-clown in a charcoal-gray S.U.V. who was apparently oblivious to this handy tidbit of knowledge. RTFM, idiot, because it's the LAW.
Where is Judge Dredd when you really need him?
Ah well. I am out of here tomorrow morning anyway... electricity or not.
Comments
Just got fuel in Twin Falls and a guy there said that I should have been down in SLC because three tractor trailers were blown over by the wind as he was coming through. He was in an Excursion and said that he thought he was going to be blown over. Hopefully the end is far enough off that you will be able to rest a bit before you are crushed by something big and wind blown. No matter what her name is.
Wow, and I just watch The Day Before Tomorrow last night. Now it's actually happening? Freaky.
We get the high winds here that blow over the random tractor trailer or other 'high profile vehicle'. Well, not in the city, but in the desert it happens fairly often..
What we also get are the jackasses that don't understand to stop at the intersection of a non-functioning stoplight.
The city of Los Angeles' solution is to dispatch a traffic control monkey to direct traffic so there aren't accidents, but I'd like to know is why are the assclowns always driving SUV's?
Why can't they drive 1988 Toyotas instead? Then they won't cause any damage to the person they hit!
Make sure you go to the HRC for a nice cold chocolate shake.
Maybe even to the 'private' bar upstairs as well.
Take it easy and watch out for fallen trees etc.
In the past week I've been in the traffic lights out situation. Thankfully most people are smart enough to know the four way stop rule, though there are still a lot of plyons out there who don't.
Natalie Portman alert:
Well, I hope you'll get to have some fun before you go. I go to SLC a couple of times a year, and I'm determined to stay the weekend and go hiking at least once. The scenery when you're landing is just awesome.
Salt Lake City was pretty harsh. I never did find out if they got power and traffic lights restored.
Southern Utah is remarkable just in the sheer volume of wonders you can see. It is destination-worthy for any ONE of them, but there are DOZENS.
Sorry, but Natalie Portman is hot... with or without hair. :-)
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