Flooded Roads and Deaths

Noooooo I never thought id see the day you started posting news stories. Youd never drive thru a flooded street oh yeah its gotta be a sand pit for you to get stuck in it thats right hehehehe.

He11 yes! My old truck has 9" of clearance, and there's one area that always floods down near Camden, NJ. My mom had been dropped off at the train station by my dad earlier in the day, and needed to be picked up. My father was unable to leave what he was doing to get her, so he asked me to go. I had mud plates on the bottom, as well as manual steering and brakes, so those systems didn't shut down when I was in high water. I had just watched the cops drive through and barely make it (in cars), so I waded on in with my truck, continued to the station and picked my mom up at the curb (well, on the curb). But I only did it because I saw someone cross the flooded area moments before, took it slowly, and because of the vehicle I had--I couldn't do it with my current truck.

Being a first responder in the rural community I lived in in Texas, I was the one trying to get people to understand, it doesn't even take a foot of water to wash a full size duelly downstream! What gets me the most about these stupid people that think that 'have' to drive on that road and will not turn around....is the fact that not only are they putting themselves in danger, but they are also putting the responders at risk, that show up to save their a$$. I have seen people drive around barricades that was blocking a flooded road....... hellooo, how stupid can they be?! For those idiots that drive across a flooded road, and those thinking about doing it.......is it that much of an emergency that they 'have' to take that road and can't take a detour a little out of their way?

That is so sad to read about things like that and I must confess we have driven on flooded streets here in town. The water came just below the doors. I think we did it only because other cars and trucks were doing it too and we knew the road was ok.

Grandpa Bob I once had the most frightening walkof my life to cross the street to get home. I had got off 'the bus and the cloudburst had filled the intersection' with water up to my hips. if it had not been for a strong' young man who held onto me and helped through that moving water to the other side where I could walk into less high water on my way to my apartment. I was numb with cold and I think in a bit of shock too and my husband had sent our son out on his bike as he was worried about me in the 'down pour. I mean that water was really moving and there was a line of c ars still going through this, people are crazy sometimes. the short walk home was sort of an anticlimax.' my husband poured hot coffee down me for an hour or more to'get me warmed up.This was a really frightening short walk and had that young man not helped me I might well have drowned right there in that rushing water.

No, I will never attempt to cross a flooded road! I even avoid the large collection of water on the side of the road when it comes out into the road. Like you said, you never know what's underneath that water! I think the majority of people who actually try it are honestly thinking that it won't happen to them. You would think that, after reading and hearing so many stories before, that they would take heed. The stupidity of some people just hurts my brain! They hear the warnings. They know about the dangers. I'm sure they've heard of other deaths occurring by trying it. Yet, they still do it. Amazing.

Maybe this person has something urgent to deal with.

I will drive into the water on a road long as I can see just how deep it really is and I'll never do it in the dark no matter if it's just trickling. I know my car sits exactly 8" up from the road so if the water is over 6" deep, I turn around and try another road. Last week, can't remember which day thou, I had to make 7 frigging detours cause of deep rushing water on the roads. I couldn't get to a few of my customers either. Now I can but just heard we might be back to road closures again tomorrow with over 3" rain predicted on top of the flooded rivers/streams/ditches.

Not me, I worry crossing low water crossing when the water is SUPPOSED to be over the water. I had a friend who's car was flooded when a small dam broke and a normally dry dip was flooded. She had to spend a lot of money to fix her car. It really gave her a scare as the water came in and started flooding her car. She grabbed her text books and got out. Mind you, this was a part of her street that she had driven on hundreds of times, and it never happened again even tho she continued to live up the street for 30 more years.

Wow, that must have been some deep water. I never try to cross a road that has water over it. I am not going to take any chances. There have been bridges that have washed away around here when they are covered with flood waters.

With all the recent flooding the newscasters have been warning us to not drive over flooded roads you do not know what is under that water plus they say it only takes 6 inces of water for your car to be swept away. It is easy for your car to stall out too so I would not drive into standing water.

This is sad to hear that a life has been lost in this way but I myself even if no flooding and it is torrential rain and poor visibility will pull over and park and wait for it to subside before continuing my journey if out in the car. If weather bad like that am I am home I will stay home if I can. I have once in the past gone out in floods but that was because my daughter and four school friends were stranded as there was no rail service and I wanted her home with me. I managed to get to them eventually and got them all home safe but by taking many detours as so many roads were flooded and only drove very caustiously. Ellie :D

What is with the weather just lately? I heard about the bad weather on the news today and I was really surprised by it. I do not know why people court danger in the way that they do, it is like they think that they are invincible and can make it. I do not know what goes through their minds, and no I would never attempt a crossing like that I would rather just try and stay somewhere safe.

I like to think i have better sense and so far i have!

There is no way I would try to cross a flooded road. Even if it was only a few inches deep. I have a fear of getting stuck. And trust me, it could happen to me. lol It is sad that people do that and then die because of it.

That is crazy. I cannot believe someone tried to cross those raging flood waters. They must not watch the news very often to know that there are many risks for driving into flood waters. I would never drive through flood waters either. It is hard to judge where the road is and like you said, the road may have holes or washed away underneath.

How awful AGB! I don't think I would ever have tried to go through such deep water anyway and I guess that water was deeper than anyone could have imagined! xxx

I never understood why people do that. In Arizona, so many people do that during the "monsoon" (rainy) season that they had to pass a "stupid motorist" law. If you cross a flooded road or wash and the fire department has to come save you, you are charge up the wazoo for the rescue! I remember one time the only road to my house there was flooded and it didn't look as if it would go down anytime soon. There I was with two small children and no way to get home for at least an hour! Well, one of the many people waiting there turned around and drove 6 miles back up the road to the gas station and brought back a couple dozen donuts and we all shared them and talked while waiting for the water to recede.

I live in Tucson Arizona where, during the summer monsoon, someone alway has to cross that flooded wash. It was happening so much that several years ago, Arizona came up with The Stupid Motorist Law which forces those who are stupid enough to try and cross a flooded are to pay for the rescue efforts. It seems to work a little, but there is always someone who has to try to get through the wash. As for me, yes, I have been a STUPID MOTORIST in the past in my first year in Tucson but I learn my lesson after following a school bus into a flooded wash. I figured if the bus could make I should be able to make it as well. DUH!!!! The frame of the school bus sits a bit higher off of the ground than my little Toyota Rav. Next think I know, I'm floating sideways and if it wasn't for my neighbor John and his big wheeled monster truck, I could have been in for disaster. Even now, it's sometimes tempting but I have to think back on how scared I was when I followed that bus and I know that next time there may not be anyone to help me out.