What prevents people from taking action/heeding warnings when faced with a potential disaster?

Question

What prevents people from taking action/heeding warnings when faced with a potential disaster?

Answer 1

It's complicated and emotionally hard to abandon your home and move to somewhere safe. It's easier to think "it'll never happen to me".

Answer 2

There are several reasons. Some people believe the danger is overstated. Some people don't want to be ordered around by "officials" they perceive to be authoritarian. Some people don't want to leave their pets behind. Some people understand the danger but have decided to play the odds.

Answer 3

Simple answer: denial

Answer 4

I've lived on the Florida coast for 50+ years. Every hurricane warning was exaggerated. The one time I heeded the evacuation warnings (Charley), I got a hotel room a couple hundred miles away, and I ended up being directly in its path. The car parked beside mine was destroyed by a fallen tree.



Because of traffic and junk in the streets, it took all day to get home the next day. Not a single branch had blown down at my house. The truth is that hurricanes are fun if you're prepared for them and not directly on the beach. In Key West, they turn on the generators and have hurricane parties. Believe what you want, but I just fire up the generator, make sure I have food in the freezer and enough charcoal, water, and beer, and enjoy nature. I'm protected by barrier islands, and my home is high, dry, and built to take it. Assess your own risk factors and act accordingly.

Answer 5

"Hurricane" Sandy or soon to be stormy sandy will no doubt have a serious impact. People have become jaded with multiple patronising "crying wolf" messages in the media. Give the people the facts and let them decide if they want to kill themselves by staying in risky flood plains.

Answer 6

Lack of resources. Money and transportation.

Answer 7

They don't just ignore the warnings, people were standing watching as a tsunami was coming towards them, I cannot understand why anyone would do that.

Answer 8

They have faced "natural disasters before that were over rated, they don't believe it'll live up to the hype.

Answer 9

I think that when we hear things from the news and from our friends who have heard it from the news we tend to get suckered into the feeling of excitement that natural disasters bring out in everybody. It is a drug - and the only thing that makes it less real is that we are hearing about it through the news. We as a nation are conditioned to hearing about terrible things happening via the news. So - when something happens that we should heed we shrug it off as just another suicide, just another shooting, or just another natural disaster. We are apart from it.



We almost have more fun hearing about the hurricane as it is happening on the news than we do peeking outside our windows. Its a game. Its on the news, so it has to get through the TV screen to get to us. Until a tree falls through the roof or a flood comes through our basement, it doesn't become real. We are safe inside our homes listening to the roaring wind outside, and watching the TV develop the story. Its just like any other disaster we have ever seen.

Answer 10

Well, there have been many times a bad weather pattern was predicted, yet nothing happened. In high-risk areas, I'm sure this happens more often than we know. People get tired of having to pack up, board up windows, make preparations for their children & pets, move in with friends & relatives--basically becoming a nuisance just to have nothing happen in their hometown.

Another thing may be that they have nowhere to go. Not every friend or relative will accept children. Fewer will accept pets (add 'hotel' to that one). And shelters fill up quite fast.

Another thing is they may not have the money to relocate for a while. Those living paycheck-to-paycheck may not have the financial resources to stay at a hotel or relative's for a few days or weeks while not making an income.

And homeless people have NOWHERE to go--if they did, they wouldn't be homeless in the first place.

Some people just don't feel comfortable staying anywhere besides their own home.

Maybe some have health issues that they feel cannot be met if they relocate.

Answer 11

Most of the answers were rather simplistic.



1.) The Boy Who Cried Wolf

The media acts like EVERY storm is going to be the apocalypse. It is one of the few things that has people glued to the TV watching local news. Also, national news gets hysterical about things that will be disasters far from where you live.

After a few storms that are over-hyped, people stop listening. Everyone responds by raising the "volume", emphasizing the disaster more. When the real disaster comes, it's hard to distinguish it from last year's media hyped "Snomageddon".

For disaster preparedness, it is as important to not give false warnings as it is to give real ones. Many people only have so many vacation days and so much money to prepare for disasters. Evacuation takes vacation days, and moving to a hotel costs money. Many don't have enough of either.

2.) Their Employer won't let them

This is a factor everyone leaves out. If your employer won't give you the day off, you HAVE to drive to work...and evacuation becomes problematic. Often when you have to make the decision whether to come in or not, it is like an hour before your work opens. (To allow for a commute in bad weather.) Often there is no one with the authority to say "stay home" available that early. In this bad economy, it is risk to not show up at work.

3.) Everyone tells people there is a crisis, but few clearly and realistically explain what they should do about it. It doesn't matter weather people think this storm will be a disaster or not, if they don't know what they should *DO* about it.



I think if you want people to heed warnings, you need to have fewer "false alarms". You also have to get rid of this notion that raising the volume of your warnings gets more people to respond. Clear instructions on what to do in a crisis are more useful then hysteria.



People who blame it all on ignorance and pig headedness are condescending and just don't get it.

Answer 12

It's like asking how to stop a hurricane, but we can't.



We can't stop a hurricane. We can't stop an earthquake. We can't stop tornadoes, volcanoes eruptions, blizzard storms, thunder/lighting storm, dust storm, etc... We can't do much about it and we have to let nature run its course.



What we do every day is what we are used to. Even if we consider the warning and do something about it, all we do is be prepared when the day comes whether we in denial or lacked of money in need to get out. We all have our own reason to handle the matter of our own.



Often, we would have to know how we are adapted to the weather. If we rarely get the certain type of weather like Earthquake, there's no way of being prepared or anyone sitting down to take the time to talk to us how to actually be prepared or handle the situation.



We're just human beings following our own nature as well as weather is following mother nature. There's nothing we can really do about it.

Answer 13

I'm In Longisland New york and I am getting hit still at the moment and got hit the worst at around 6PM (We think we got over 100MP gusts) and our fences ripped from the ground and flew into our shed and along with out neighbors and a BUNCH of trees.



I honestly found out that the hurricane was hitting us on thursday and we thought it would be like Irene so we just got D batteries and etc and gas. Then towards saturday we realized it is a 900 Mile monster!



We didn't want to go off the Island because the waves were bad enough as it is and we didn't want to get into traffic going through the city and we realized that no where we go, we will be affected.





So we had no choice to stay, but luckly we have a generator.







Also it was a good choice to stay because the tunnels are flooded and are closed till the end of the week and i supposingly have school Wednesday (Which I doubt I will have because I got hit pretty hard and there is no clear roads and there are limited power/tree cutter trucks.)





But long story short its too much of a hassle. Luckily we stayed here because if we went out we would of been screwed either way....







___





Things that prevent people from taking action is denial and lack of plans.

Answer 14

make a big deal out of these hurricanes and storms and superstorms and blah blah. And they ALWAYS send people into a frenzy. People stock up food, batteries, water, lodge in their basement or 'safe spot' and these 'disasters' always turn out to be a small weather changes/wind. If you actually weren't experiencing these 'storms' and 'hurricanes' you would think that something like a disaster was actually happening because of all this over-exaggerating. For example, so many people from around the world posted pictures in Instagram that said things like "Prayers to New York from Russia," or "Stay Safe from Hurricane Sandy". I'm pretty sure these weathermen also alarmed international folks and worried them sick. The thing is, both the government and the weathermen are exaggeratin

Answer 15

times a bad weather pattern was predicted, yet nothing happened. In high-risk areas, I'm sure this happens more often than we know. People get tired of having to pack up, board up windows, make preparations for their children & pets, move in with friends & relatives--basically becoming a nuisance just to have nothing happen in their hometown.

Another thing may be that they have nowhere to go. Not every friend or relative will accept children. Fewer will accept pets (add 'hotel' to that one). And shelters fill up quite fast.

Another thing is they may not have the money to relocate for a while. Those living paycheck-to-paycheck may not have the financial resources to stay at a hotel or relative's for a few days or weeks while not making an income.

Answer 16

Another thing is they may not have the money to relocate for a while. Those living paycheck-to-paycheck may not have the financial resources to stay at a hotel or relative's for a few days or weeks while not making an income.

And homeless people have NOWHERE to go--if they did, they wouldn't be homeless in the first place.

Some people just don't feel comfortable staying anywhere besides their own home.

Maybe some have health issues that t

Answer 17

The "tsunami" in Hawaii ended up 3ft waves, smaller than they get for ordinary surf wave sometimes.



Are those people going to run for the hills for the next warning?



IF you live on the edge of a forest fire, EVACUATE. Nobody survives being burnt to death.



If it's just a storm and you're in a house? at worst you have to hide in the bathroom while rubbish breaks all your windows, or a tree falls n your roof. And you're going to get VERY wet. But you're on the spot to make repairs or rescue precious items in danger of turning into a sodden mess. Of course have good first aid gear, batteries, torches, food that doesn't need cooking etc. .



In a high-rise, you won't be able to get in or out when the power goes off, which might be off for a week or more. In many places the toilets won't flush, either, because the water is pumped with electric pumps. If the expected disaster is only flooding, it's ok to stay in a high-rise, as long as you go up to higher floors.



Slow-rising river flooding is easily survived locally, if you're on high enough ground. Evacuation is needed usually only to the local hill. Food and first aid supplies are essential. In many places with regular floods, it is only a foot or so deep in the houses, so it is quite possible to stay there.



Flash flooding can kill, can wipe away entire towns, but by its nature there are never warnings about flash floods.



Earthquakes are NOT PREDICTABLE so you're stuck there, like it or not.



Volcanic eruptions? the locals live with the mountain all their lives. They watch it more than the experts do. But apart from the rare unexpected huge explosion, most volcanoes spew lava or ash slowly enough for people to get away once it is heading their way. Nobody lives or works right on the edge of the craters.





The only important thing to evacuate from is if the ENEMY IS APPROACHING in wartime, and even that only if they have a name for being arbitrarily cruel.

Answer 18

I think that for most people it comes down to one of two things; 1. fear of what they might return to. Fear of coming back and their home being destroyed, or worse, not destroyed by the storm, but ransacked by thieves. Or 2, not being able to afford to evacuate. It is expensive to evacuate. If you do not have the money to go, you don't have a choice but to stay.



We had a flood here. We were lucky and didn't get flooded personally. However, much of the town did flood. Our neighborhood was on high enough ground it missed us. However, we were stuck here for 3 days on a little island. We couldn't evacuate due to not having the money to leave. By the time we got someone who could help, it was too late. If we had left, though, I would have been so worried about what we might be going back to. We've been through a tornado, and it is not something you want to be in when it happens. However, it was harder to leave, and then come back to it than go through the tornado.

Answer 19

It's complicated and emotionally hard to abandon your home and move to somewhere safe. It's easier to think "it'll never happen to me". I think some of it's laziness but mostly the whole "I'll be ok" or "It won't happen to me" type of mindset.

There are several reasons. Some people believe the danger is overstated. Some people don't want to be ordered around by "officials" they perceive to be authoritarian. Some people don't want to leave their pets behind. Some people understand the danger but have decided to play the odds.

"Hurricane" Sandy or soon to be stormy sandy will no doubt have a serious impact. People have become jaded with multiple patronising "crying wolf" messages in the media. Give the people the facts and let them decide if they want to kill themselves by staying in risky flood plains.

It is also ego. It gets in the way of a person's intellect and her true self. Also, distrust of looters, which, apparently, is a real threat. See documentaries about Hurricane Katrina.

I think for most people, they stay behind to seek a thrill and have an incredible story to tell their friends/family.

Cynicism and Denial. There are always going to be people who believe that the storm is not as bad as it sounds/the media is lying to them, and others who simply want to duck their heads into the group and pretend the storm is not going to hit them even when it is right in front of their eyes.

Either that or they have a morbid fascination with storms and facing death.

As Camus once said, “Stupidity has a knack of getting its way."

- I think it is that people are not trained to handle emergencies

- like we get to five years old / kindergarten school high school / then work == = = and the people who call the shots for the family are twenty to fifty years old - - twenty to fifty years of being a baby going to school and working - - - at no time did they or were they " trained " for an emergency

- - - the only time many dealt with an emergency was while watching television / / / and some education that is most people know most television stories are a bit phoney

================

- so when many people are faced with an emergency such as this hurricane sandy well they are like soldiers at war - - -- where silently they hope they will be o kay - - the other guy will get it but not them - - - and to think BAD is negative thinking - - - so they discourage themselves from thinking bad and cheat themselves out of being prepared for that particular situation

========================

-- dealing with a real emergency requires all kinds of unique thinking that is NOT NORMALLY used



--- and the situation changes thinking - - - like for example a father thinks about his kids 10 percent of the time and his wife 10 percent of the time and the rest of the time - - - he thinks about work and himself

=== now an emergency happens like this hurricane sandy - - - that same guy is now spending all his time thinking and worrying about his kids and his wife - - - - - and he may not be aware of the shift of gears he has put his mind in - - - he is now in a different frame of mind ///// the mother like wise

Answer 20

Because these weathermen ALWAYS make a big deal out of these hurricanes and storms and superstorms and blah blah. And they ALWAYS send people into a frenzy. People stock up food, batteries, water, lodge in their basement or 'safe spot' and these 'disasters' always turn out to be a small weather changes/wind. If you actually weren't experiencing these 'storms' and 'hurricanes' you would think that something like a disaster was actually happening because of all this over-exaggerating. For example, so many people from around the world posted pictures in Instagram that said things like "Prayers to New York from Russia," or "Stay Safe from Hurricane Sandy". I'm pretty sure these weathermen also alarmed international folks and worried them sick. The thing is, both the government and the weathermen are exaggerating.

Answer 21

I think a lot of people dont have a way out. Maybe they dont have the money to buy gas to travel that far or possibly no vehicle at all. A lot of people in New York use public transit that was closed down. Or maybe they simply dont have have a place to go. Not every one is lucky enough to have relatives out of state or a vacation home. Not saying that i would have stayed if I didnt have gas money or a vehicle..I would have found a way. But, Im sure there are many factors for some people beyond "just not wanting to go". Then again, Im sure there were plenty of people that were stuid enough to think they could just wait it out as well...



http://www.carinsurancequotesinformation.com

Answer 22

You should not expect a generalized answer that applies to everybody, even most people. You would have to ask each individual for their own reasons, there are probably almost as many reasons as there are people who elected to stay behind, though a few may have the same reason. You are smarter then this question, but then perhaps you have indeed done your job considering the number of answers you've generated.



Edit: Also, give me a link where the U.S. weather service says this is a "superstorm" I think those are only your words not those of the weather service. Even your own spell checker doesn't like that word superstorm.

Answer 23

Denial is the main reason. People do not want to accept that they have to leave all their possessions behind and they will be destroyed. They find it easier to just forget about the warning and keep on thinking it won't happen to them. Which is very reasonable, because to have a stranger come to you and tell you to leave your home is a ridiculous concept, if you think about it like that. Abandoning the home you've lived in for your whole life is bound to have to break some emotional bonds. I don't blame these people because they're trying to look at it realistically, but in reality they're probably just living on hope. Prayers and thoughts to all on the east coast.

Answer 24

What we tend to forget is life is cycles of experience, not how we skate from point A to B in a comfort zone! Unfortunately, we are deceived and trained to beleive we are above the natural laws of the universe! That we are able to escape death! We are locked into a world that has real-life scenarios that can not be turned off like a video game or television! When a natural disaster like hurricane Sandy happen then, people are actually living for the first time! Unfortunately, the message has to be as strong in order to wake the masses! Including the water on the floors of Wall Street!

Answer 25

- like we get to five years old / kindergarten school high school / then work == = = and the people who call the shots for the family are twenty to fifty years old - - twenty to fifty years of being a baby going to school and working - - - at no time did they or were they " trained " for an emergency

- - - the only time many dealt with an emergency was while watching television / / / and some education that is most people know most television stories are a bit phoney

================

- so when many people are faced with an emergency such as this hurricane sandy well they are like soldiers at war - - -- where silently they hope they will be o kay - - the other guy will get it but not them - - - and to think BAD is negative thinking - - - so they discourage themselves from thinking bad and cheat themselves out of being prepared for that particular situation

Answer 26

Wow, a lot of dick answers. I have lived through 7 hurricanes. Even though we were "middle class" in the 60's (for the first three) there is no way we could afford to drive to a hotel 100 miles away, so we rode them out and made due with Spam and baked beans cooked on Sterno.



People don't always have relatives or friends nearby and who the hell wants to end up in a shelter like the Superdome where people were raping, robbing an killing others?



I'd rather die with family than be murdered by scumbags in some shi# hole rescue station.

Answer 27

Best Answer: Well, there have been many times a bad weather pattern was predicted, yet nothing happened. In high-risk areas, I'm sure this happens more often than we know. People get tired of having to pack up, board up windows, make preparations for their children & pets, move in with friends & relatives--basically becoming a nuisance just to have nothing happen in their hometown.

Answer 28

Two words would describe your question-denial and complacency. Remember when, back in late August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina was approaching New Orleans and the adjacent Mississippi Gulf Coast. Complacency and denial caused many people to not heed the officials' warnings to leave the area. The end result was almost 2,000 died in Louisiana alone and hundreds have to be rescued off rooftops-mainly in the Lower Ninth Ward. Katrina was the worst hurricane in recent American history and part of the year's extra-active season.



It goes to show people need to take those hurricane warnings very, very seriously. When officials tell everyone to leave the area of potential impact, that means they must do so immediately and without any delay whatsoever.

Answer 29

Ignorance. People do not believe unless they see it for themselves. Of course, some people are more reasonable like those who can't leave because their homes will be vulnerable to theft. Some people also keep thinking "It can't be that bad, can it?" Overall, it is the lack of the ability to judge and take action after weighing facts and possibilities.

Answer 30

Earthquakes are NOT PREDICTABLE so you're stuck there, like it or not.



Volcanic eruptions? the locals live with the mountain all their lives. They watch it more than the experts do. But apart from the rare unexpected huge explosion, most volcanoes spew lava or ash slowly enough for people to get away once it is heading their way. Nobody lives or works right on the edge of the craters.





The only important thing to evacuate from is i

Answer 31

On the one hand the disaster could arrive as horrible as forecast, and one would be glad to be out of there or regret having not heeded the warning.

On the other hand, officials often want to protect themselves by making worst case forecasts, and the possibility of it being exaggerated is high.

It is a big nuisance to leave the house behind. Even worse is the possibility of looters moving in as evacuees are moving out.

Answer 32

During the ice storm of 1998 everyone was warned ahead of time to have supplies. Every time there had been storm warnings previously, it was never so bad that supplies were needed. We weren't prepared and the storm hit. We had to drive to my grandmothers house. On a good day, it usually takes fifteen minutes, it took us three hours. People ignore storm warnings because of disbelief and/or denial. We're prepared for Sandy, evacuation has not been called where I am but there are flood and wind warnings.

Answer 33

It's the fact that sometimes they are wrong, so people just say whatever. Especially people in areas that either get hit a lot or not enough. The people that don't get hit think it doesn't happen so it can't be that bad, and the people that get hit too much say that it's just another one.

Answer 34

I really thing desensitisation. So many time we are told that it's going to be the worst storm in history. That if your going to go outside make sure your insurance is paid up. Mandatory Evacuation! We can expert 11 inches of rain an hour, then the next morning we have to go out and water the flowers because the storm never came.

Answer 35

- I think it is that people are not trained to handle emergencies

- like we get to five years old / kindergarten school high school / then work == = = and the people who call the shots for the family are twenty to fifty years old - - twenty to fifty years of being a baby going to school and working - - - at no time did they or were they " trained " for an emergency

- - - the only time many dealt with an emergency was while watching television / / / and some education that is most people know most television stories are a bit phoney

================

- so when many people are faced with an emergency such as this hurricane sandy well they are like soldiers at war - - -- where silently they hope they will be o kay - - the other guy will get it but not them - - - and to think BAD is negative thinking - - - so they discourage themselves from thinking bad and cheat themselves out of being prepared for that particular situation

========================

-- dealing with a real emergency requires all kinds of unique thinking that is NOT NORMALLY used



--- and the situation changes thinking - - - like for example a father thinks about his kids 10 percent of the time and his wife 10 percent of the time and the rest of the time - - - he thinks about work and himself

=== now an emergency happens like this hurricane sandy - - - that same guy is now spending all his time thinking and worrying about his kids and his wife - - - - - and he may not be aware of the shift of gears he has put his mind in - - - he is now in a different frame of mind ///// the mother like wise

Answer 36

It takes a *smart person to know when to *back off, hearing what I've heard about electricity, I know it is a real danger in these storms, people are more upset, and driving is not too smart either, as people are anxious, and unfortunately (particularly the younger persons in our society have that feeling, they are uniquely different and they can handle the warnings of that storms, as well as drugs, porn, *alcohol, *gambling, even *sexual permissiveness, as *we all know what we have from that, *too many pregnancies of teens, drug addicts, addicts of pornographer, alcohol, & rapid *diseases are *Epidemic, *they all thought they could *handle it, as is also with these storms, *even tonight, I heard the water-puddles, newly made are dangerous, for several reasons; even places where water is accumulated at all, *is a real danger, *(do not go near it,) they sited on TV,* several reasons, *so, it dose take a rather *bright person to know/heed to such advice; *(not the know it all- s) *who *take chances; so *foolish, so, when to heed warnings, is the best way to go, do it, as well as *not push *most issues/things too far, is definitely the way to go, *safer too!. Backing off can be of a great advantage, *especially in *storms or other issues, *its just plain *smart!

Answer 37

*take chances; so *foolish, so, when to heed warnings, is the best way to go, do it, as well as *not push *most issues/things too far, is definitely the way to go, *safer too!. Backing off can be of a great advantage, *especially in *storms or other issues, *its just plain *smart!

Source(s):

Answer 38

Denial

Answer 39

It's obviously a combination of things, and many have been mentioned already... stupidity, over-confidence, distrust of officials, etc etc.



There is also what has been described as "womb syndrome" - the reluctance to leave a warm safe home environment which has always kept you secure in the past and move out into somewhere less certain. It's not confined to ordinary citizens - even pilots in burning aircraft occasionally go through it.

Answer 40

I think (certain) people have this thought process that they are, to some degree, untouchable, and that when faced with danger, they can simply take shelter somewhere, and be safe. It could also be that they don't fully understand how big the storm that is coming is, and assume that the weatherman is just exaggerating it, to make it seem more extreme than it is. That and most people seem to have an "it won't happen to me" mentality.

Answer 41

People find it more convenient to not take action, which can involve either underestimating the threat or attaching oneself to a set routine. It might help if the weathermen used computer simulations to show and emphasis the severity of the issue.

Answer 42

I think for most people, they stay behind to seek a thrill and have an incredible story to tell their friends/family.



I am guilty of this myself. Growing up in Nebraska, every time the tornado siren would sound off, instead of heading for the basement, I was heading outside to see it.



Now that I have a family of my own, I have to make better choices and I would not be fooling around in a storm like Sandy.

Answer 43

I think some of it's laziness but mostly the whole "I'll be ok" or "It won't happen to me" type of mindset.



I just saw a story though that looks like people are actually heeding the "don't go out in the storm!" warnings. Or at least people aren't in the subways...

Answer 44

well in some cases it can be tracked to ones brain,its in the fight or flight part of the brain,theres nothing you can do to protect your belongings in most disastors but when the brain has a desision to make the fight or flight part of the brain can make a huge impact on what one does,sometimes its curiosity that keeps peoples intrege.if faced with this delima what would most people do?a car comming down the road and a child runs in front of car what would you do?fight the urge to help the child or flight yourself into helping child?quick you have 3 seconds to answer whats your brain tell you,if its to help the child chances are you wouldnt abandon your belongings in a disastor.

Answer 45

Cynicism and Denial. There are always going to be people who believe that the storm is not as bad as it sounds/the media is lying to them, and others who simply want to duck their heads into the group and pretend the storm is not going to hit them even when it is right in front of their eyes.

Either that or they have a morbid fascination with storms and facing death.

As Camus once said, “Stupidity has a knack of getting its way."

Answer 46

Someone pointed out that the best time to commit a crime is right after a disaster. He was explaining why the criminals hang around but in fact that is why many homeowners refuse to leave. They would rather take their chances with a storm that may or may not be over hyped than leave their home and possessions to the mercy of looters and vandals.

Answer 47

i think some people feel that since they are stocked up and not near the danger areas or feel they are being brought somewhere just as dangerous as where they are why bother. for me i am lucky because i am not getting sandy full on. just the rain

Answer 48

Why do so many people not see the obvious: Many people just can't afford to move out!



The USA is a truly wonderful caring nation, for those that have money!



For the other 80% of US citizens, life is either difficult or very difficult.

Answer 49

Belief of over exaggerated on the warnings & hearty attachment over the surroundings, reluctant to leave on the confidence of the hurricanes change its path.

Answer 50

a lack of money.

during those times when people are warned of impending disaster, with very short notice, there is little time to react. they may have no money to travel. especially the homeless and those in hard times, which right now is a large number of people. where are you going to go with no gas money? and no hotel money? what about those who are disabled, or in hospitals, or in jails in those areas? its hard to move entire cities of people at a time across several hundred miles to safety. all we can do is pray.

Answer 51

No money, no supplies, no support, people believe its nothing to worry, and above all, they don't care how dangerous it is. America doesn't care about anything at all.

Answer 52

Stupidity.

Answer 53

Well people really wanna get ready if there's gonna be a bad disaster like go hopping and buy all the groceries and that's all the weather man need to mansion

Answer 54

The best time to commit a crime is right after the disaster, no one is able to respond. Ie Looting, murder, Im sure thats not most peoples motives, but why wouldnt you need a flat screen TV to use in your house thats 10 ft under water.

Answer 55

Easiest answer; Stupidity

Answer 56

the same thing that prevents people from merging into the correct lane and avoiding traffic signs for miles- they think it doesn't apply to them

Answer 57

Leaving behind their 50 inch tv's

Answer 58

Basic common sense!

Answer 59

Simple answer：

laziness , leave things to chance

Answer 60

Maybe because of the name sandy.



if the name Behemoth, or Haedes, things will be different.

Answer 61

Untrustworthy to weather systems.

Answer 62

What prevents people from taking action/heeding warnings when faced with a potential disaster?



WE CAN ASK THE SAME QUESTION OF JOE-PA AND THE OTHER PENN STATE CEO'S CONCERNING THE SODOMY ANTICS OF JERRY SANDUSKY.

Answer 63

Stubbornness. Some simply think they can "wait out" or survive the storm.

Answer 64

Because they are humans and humans are naturally curious. They want to stick around for the fireworks!

Answer 65

It is probably the lack of belief and faith in such warnings they have that makes them inactive, i feel.

Answer 66

EGO. It gets in the way of a person's intellect and her true self. Also, distrust of looters, which, apparently, is a real threat. See documentaries about Hurricane Katrina.



Have a nice day...

Answer 67

because no one want to spend money to go hotels or go to shelters....

they stay till very lasts moments...

so the real responsible is mayor and gov.

they have rights to evacuate them.

Answer 68

It's the whole "it won't happen to me" mentality. People are constantly reading about disasters happening to other people, but it never happens to them, so they assume those sort of things just happen to other people.

Answer 69

a lot dont belive the hype o the weather people

Answer 70

Suicidal instincts.

Answer 71

Their judgment was compromised because of Irene. Also their homes were burglarized so they don't want to leave their property.

Answer 72

people know that they will die in circumstances beyond their control and planning; if their time is "up," people feel that fleeing for refuge may be something that goes beyond the extent of what is their destined life-span

Answer 73

Stupidity, Thick-headedness, Fear, Underestimation.

Answer 74

Because people do not think that some thing bad will happen.

Answer 75

A simple answer- Fear.

Answer 76

Their own choice or ignoring it because it's over-hyped.

Answer 77

Overconfidence.

Answer 78

i think it's because you get a lot of those "storms are coming" false warnings.....so they don't prepare because they assume it won't happen this time neither....

Answer 79

Because real men aren't scared of storms

Answer 80

Stupidity...

Answer 81

stupidity

Answer 82

Complacency, overconfidence and low priority for safety

Answer 83

Sometimes, people are brainwashed by charlatans like Pat Robertson who are able to convince the sheep that they can "pray" the storm away.

Answer 84

Some people say I will ride it out

Answer 85

Lack of knowledge, curiosity, ignorance.

Answer 86

Ignorance, arrogance, stupidity etc.

Answer 87

Probably because they're too lazy to do anything about it.

Answer 88

Mis-guided Belief that Obama & FEMA can handle it ... Ha Ha Ha

Answer 89

its so simple..........fear and denial

Answer 90

procrastination.

Answer 91

Leave THEM ALONE! these ppls are doing best they can...

Answer 92

To the point: It's all due to a corrupt and dishonorable government full of lawyers, taxes, and thieves, working alongside insurance companies and egocentric Jewish doctors who torture people to death for profit.



Remember: The longer and slower you torture them, the more money you can extract. Slowly now... and make yourselves proud of your accomplishments!

Answer 93

In a word, stupidity.



There's a lot of it around. you know. Look how many working class people there are

who will vote Republican next week.



There are always plenty of people who'll act against their own best interests.

Don't forget that exactly one-half of the population is under average in intelligence.

If that were not so, people like Reagan and the Bushes could never have been

elected.

Answer 94

because i can fight the hurricane

Answer 95

fear