According to the Houston Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3366165
traffic jams developed on limited access highways going out of
Houston, TX, on Thursday, 22 September 2005, two days before Hurricane
Rita. If true, this is worse than simple negligence.
Robert Seeberger, what is your experience? Do you know of any traffic
jams or congestion beyond what is normal?
Traffic jams occur when many cars try to drive on a road at the same
time. This is well known. Traffic engineers, such as those from
state departments of public works, know the numbers.
A road can carry a maximum number of vehicles. Add more vehicles and
the rate drops. (Substract vehicles below the maximum and the rate
drops, too.) All this is well known -- very well known.
Hence, if they happened -- and from the number of reports I have seen
from different organizations, I reckon they did -- these traffic jams
should never have occurred.
It is a matter of good governance. Police or troops can limit access
to `limited access' highways such as US interstate highways. Many are
needed since in any large population some will ignore single cops.
To enable the maximum number of vehicles to travel on a road, the
procedure is to permit a specific number to enter at any one time.
Given the rate, the time needed for an evacuation can be calculated.
Doubtless, the calculation has no better accuracy than a fifth or a
third, or even a half, but that is enough to figure whether the time
is sufficient, or not, and to recommend alternatives if the time is
insufficient.
Two centuries ago, people expected incompetence from paid
professionals, such as the protectors in the Texas state police. But
since the 1880s, people have strived to improve the quality of civil
services.
Years ago George R Stewart wrote a book called `Storm'. This is a
novel about a storm that hits a US state. It is about how the various
parts of government tackle the effects: flooding, power failures,
communications difficulties, and so on. This book was used by the
British Civil Service for training, and perhaps by American civil
services -- I do not know about the latter, only that when I was
young, it was a `good read' and that a British civil servant told me
that his training had included it.
However, even if civil servants fail, such as state police or a state
department of transportation, politicians are supposed to act.
Since many police or troops are needed, and many local jurisdictions
crossed, political leaders in either a state government or the US
Federal government must act. Lower level political leaders lack the
power.
The presumption has been that at least one political person, whether
in a state or in the US Federal government would know that too many
cars on a road lead to traffic jams and not only would know, but would
tell those in power, and that they would pay attention.
Evidentally, this did not happen. According to the reports I have
seen, on Thursday, traffic jams occured on multi-lane, limited-access
highways going out of Houston, TX.
This means either that
* no common-place training with civil servants and the
powers-that-be took place over the past year or two.
If common-place training had been held, relevant politicians,
state police, and people in the state department of
transportation would have learned about traffic jams.
* or no state police man or woman or any person in the Texas
Department of Transportation remembers older training, if it
occurred, or could act on such training or knowledge.
Otherwise at least one would have succeeded in informing the
powers-that-be, unless the powers-that-be were not willing to
listen to those they pay to be professional protectors.
* or no relevant politician knew about traffic jams, listened to any
traffic engineer talk about road carrying capacities, or read any
of the books written about civil defense over the past half
century, or, if he or she did, paid attention.
Otherwise that politician would have acted to reduce the
traffic jams or directly acted to convey the danger to
powers-that-be or indirectly acted through news media to
convey the danger.
Since the governor of Texas is a Republican and since the legislature
and executive branch of the US Federal government are also Republican,
the conclusion must be that the Republican party is
* cunning, since members of the Republican party have won elections
* incompetent, since no one with the power acted to reduce or
prevent traffic jams ahead of time
Other politicians in the United States may also be incompetent, along
with paid professional protectors, but they are not in power at the
moment.
People depend upon collective action to `provide for the common
defense'. In some cases, there is no alternative. Government is
necessary: individual action is impossible.
Cunning incompetence fails.
We know that in the United States it is possible for governments to
ensure competent collective action. Let's see it again.
Otherwise, more people will be hurt.
--
Robert J. Chassell
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http://www.rattlesnake.com http://www.teak.cc
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