Tornados and Driving == What to do?

[rebelcowboysnb]

No way I am getting out of a car. The EF4s an EF5s I have seen have all left the cars in better shape than the buildings. Yes they are both in bad shape but I take my chances in the car. Dont think I would stay in a road tractor though. There not safe at all in wind.

This year here.

 

[bakerjw]

I used to be a technical officer / storm spotter for Peoria County ESDA back when I lived in Illinois. None of the glory of the people you see on TV. Our role was to report what we saw and to be visible to people living in the county. It was quite an experience to show up at a farm that just suffered a wind event and take a damage report.

Although we were in the upper reaches of "Tornado alley" then one thing that we stressed to all of our spotters was to pick spotting locations with multiple retreat routes. There were many well known spots that gave a good view of the horizon and offered 4 directions to flee if circumstances dictated.

 

[spacecowgirl]

Quote:
I just asked this exact question to my husband yesterday! We were driving home to North Georgia from Montgomery, AL, on Hwy 59, which, due to construction had only two very narrow lanes seperated by a concrete barrier, and only forest to either side. Not much of a ditch at all. The rain had been coming down hard for the whole time we had been driving ( a couple of hours at that point ), and we were averaging about 30-35 mph. We were still hydroplaning, even at that speed. There were tornado warnings all over the state. The wind really started picking up and the trees were going crazy, leaning this way and that.

I realized we really had nowhere to go if a tornado hit right then. It was miles to any kind of exit; we really were in the middle of nowhere. Unfortunately my son was in the backseat, who is terrified of storms due to a bad one that came through our town a few months ago.

I had to ask my hubby, what would we do? Just pull over and hide in the floor board of the car? Stay buckled up in case the car was tossed, and risk debris breaking in the windows ( and into us )? Keep driving and pray we get away from it? (And there was only one way: straight forward)...and no real ditch to jump into, nor overpasses to drive to...He seemed to think pulling over, staying buckled, and hunkering down as much as possible would probably be our best bet, but I don't know...

Tornados are scary!!!!

 

[herefordlovinglady]

Quote:
I just asked this exact question to my husband yesterday! We were driving home to North Georgia from Montgomery, AL, on Hwy 59, which, due to construction had only two very narrow lanes seperated by a concrete barrier, and only forest to either side. Not much of a ditch at all. The rain had been coming down hard for the whole time we had been driving ( a couple of hours at that point ), and we were averaging about 30-35 mph. We were still hydroplaning, even at that speed. There were tornado warnings all over the state. The wind really started picking up and the trees were going crazy, leaning this way and that.

I realized we really had nowhere to go if a tornado hit right then. It was miles to any kind of exit; we really were in the middle of nowhere. Unfortunately my son was in the backseat, who is terrified of storms due to a bad one that came through our town a few months ago.

I had to ask my hubby, what would we do? Just pull over and hide in the floor board of the car? Stay buckled up in case the car was tossed, and risk debris breaking in the windows ( and into us )? Keep driving and pray we get away from it? (And there was only one way: straight forward)...and no real ditch to jump into, nor overpasses to drive to...He seemed to think pulling over, staying buckled, and hunkering down as much as possible would probably be our best bet, but I don't know...

Tornados are scary!!!!

so glad you are safe.

After reading all of the comments. Common sense is the best thing. if there is a ditch, go for it. if you can head in another direction, go for it. I think I did the best thing at the time and headed for a building (a fire station). I really feel now that getting out the car is the best move, if there is a safer area to be in.

All these comments really have been such great help. thanks everyone for such a great response. We all learn from each other.