Know Multiple Routes ‘Out’
February 9, 2012
How many driving routes do you know from your place of work to home? How many driving routes do you know should you have to evacuate from your city or town or workplace? How many roads along these routes are major roads traveled by the majority of others?
Why is this important?
Because during a time of disaster, emergency or evacuation, you, along with most others will be sharing the same roads together, and they very well may be clogged or impassible.
Face it, we are all creatures of habit, including the routes and roads that we travel on a regular basis. During ‘normal’ times, commuting to and from work can be busy enough as it is – but imagine it magnified by a disaster situation where nearly everyone is scrambling to get out at once.
Nearly everyone will instinctively head out to the same roads that they normally travel. You however may have the opportunity to outsmart them all, having previously planned several routes out of your location, roads that are less traveled and are off the beaten trail, so to speak.
What should you look for or focus on while planning out alternative routes?
- Roads that are not traveled by the main stream.
- Don’t be too concerned if your alternative route is longer than your normally traveled route.
- Neighborhood streets that zig-zag their way alongside main roads may serve you better.
- Avoid routes with bottlenecks of roads which come together at major traveled intersections.
- Roads with fewer traffic signals may be better.
- There are often lesser known ‘shortcuts’ through the countryside, older roads which once were main routes and have mostly become forgotten.
- GPS can be great, but be sure to keep street-level maps of your region.
You should discover these alternative routes, and then drive them once in a while. Not only will it be a nice change of scenery, but you will be assured of multiple ways out if you have to evacuate.
