Our van became a boat...
By wmaharper
@wmaharper (2316)
United States
June 2, 2007 6:20am CST
We live in Oklahoma, and we recieved a massive storm last night. Well, the hubby got home later than normal, but we had to go get groceries, as we were out of just about everything. It was still pouring rain from the sky. (I think we got about 7 1/2 inches in about 30 minutes or so) Anyways, a lot of the streets were flooded, so we went a different way. We went through one of the streets, and our van stalled out. COmpletely, it wouldn't start, at all. SO, here we are in a "river" on 3rd street. It was great, especially since we had the baby and the 3 year old with us! The hubby had to get out and push, and right behind the van, I guess was a huge dip, because the water was up to his waist! IT was ridiculous! Thankfully someone came out and pushed, but it was very strange. Someone passed us, (with a car no less, and they didn't stall) and when they passed us, the van lifted off the ground momentarily due to the waves they created. Also, there was a very strong current in the street, and they were pushing the van againste it, making it that much more difficult. Well, finally the kid's grandpa came and rescued us, and triple a took the van. It's been an ordeal, and was an adventure. Hopefully the van will start this morning. (:
Has this ever happened to you?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
2 Jun 07
oh yes, definently. It was actually quite funny, the hubby and I couldn't stop laughing. I don't think it would have been so funny if the water had been much deeper, and the boys didn't really enjoy it that much, they both got soaked, but it will be one of those memories that I never forget! (:
1 person likes this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
2 Jun 07
I forgot to add, that some college students down the road, tood out some intertubes and were tubing accross the street in the current, they looked like they were having a blast! (I would have joined them, had I not had to be the responsible parent and all!) (;
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (161554)
• United States
3 Jun 07
I was in your neck of the woods, actually, left just before the rains set in. We were in Guthrie. We have had similar rains in central Kansas this last month. I have, fortunately, escaped stalling out from flooded streets, but just barely. I was very foolish once, and was trying to take my sister home, in southwest Oklahoma City, and I was somewhat unfamiliar with the area, and it was flooding. I thanked my lucky stars that we did not stall. She was very ill with bone cancer, and it would have been awful for her to have to walk. I am thankful that your van and your whole family did not get swept away when you stalled out. It sounds pretty close. You probably went down into the dip and the car got wet inside and stalled, and the car was in a shallower part of the street.
2 people like this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
3 Jun 07
Yes, I think that it problably just splashed it just right, and that's why it wouldn't start afterwards either. Thankfully we have gotten it to start, and it doesn't seem like it's anyworse off. It was leaking water and spewing black smoke for awhile, but not runs great. It's amazing how quickly the streets flooded, I had never really been out in a flash flood (because we usually stay home when the streets are that bad) but we had to be out, (needed groceries and formula desperately) and it just came out of nowhere really. I know whenever I had heard of this happeneing to someone else, I would always think, why were you out in that? Or What were you thinking, but being in it myself, I realized, some times there is just no way of knowing.
1 person likes this
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
2 Jun 07
We've never attempted to go out when it's raining that hard, but it did rain about that bad here recently. The area where we are buying our house just got about 4 inches in around an hour's time. They had hail and everything, too. We went and checked on the house the next day, and there was mud and stuff everywhere, but at least no one was stuck.
2 people like this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
3 Jun 07
Yeah, we wouldn't have tried, had we known how bad it was going to get. It wasn't so bad when we left the house, it was pouring, but not severely, after about 2 minutes into our drive though, it seemed like someone was pouring buckets of water over the car, or like we were going through a car wash, it was crazy how much rain came out of the sky so quickly (I suppose that's why they call them flash floods) (;
They forcasted more for tonight, so we aren't going anywhere, although there's not a cloud in the sky (and they said it wasn't supposed to rain yesterday.. ) *sigh* (:
1 person likes this
@mi2ok02 (406)
• United States
17 Jun 07
Oh my goodness! No it hasn't and that must have been something. I live in OK too and in the Tulsa area. We had some rain too this year but not to that degree. I try not to go out when it rains like that here because I never know what street will be flooded out and where. I remember last spring, I had quite a trip home from work. I had to take a huge detour because it had flooded across a major highway that I travel to get home! It took me 3 times longer to get home that night.
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
18 Jun 07
I lived in tulsa for awhile, it can get quite dangerous there as well when it rains quite hard. I know there were many times we just stayed home, because there was no way of telling if you'd be able to get out or not.
