NationStates Jolt Archive

So Britain experiences torrential rain yet again. About 1,000 homes estimated to be flooded (one of which is mine). So has anyone else experienced flooding, especially this time in the UK.

If so, how did you cope with it?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7602110.stm

So Britain experiences torrential rain yet again. About 1,000 homes estimated to be flooded (one of which is mine). So has anyone else experienced flooding, especially this time in the UK.

If so, how did you cope with it?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7602110.stmSorry to hear about your home. I hope it wasn't a total loss.

when my home (on Maui) got flooded, we just pooled our resources and cleaned up. Having family and friends come over to help was a big boost to morale.

When my apartment got flooded (busted water pipe) I used it as an opportunity to get new carpets and furniture.

People take the wrong attitude about flooding. They're all... "Oh, no! My carpet! My tv! Aieee!!! The COuch!"

Flooding should be a fun event like a snow day. It's a change of pace. Instead of going to work in your car, you get to paddle around in a boat looking for the neighbor's dog. Flooding is fun!

So Britain experiences torrential rain yet again. About 1,000 homes estimated to be flooded (one of which is mine). So has anyone else experienced flooding, especially this time in the UK.

If so, how did you cope with it?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7602110.stm

Sorry about your house. I've been fortunate enough not to have to worry about flooding very much, though I think the storage room in my Mom's apartment flooded once when I was young.

People take the wrong attitude about flooding. They're all... "Oh, no! My carpet! My tv! Aieee!!! The COuch!"

Flooding should be a fun event like a snow day. It's a change of pace. Instead of going to work in your car, you get to paddle around in a boat looking for the neighbor's dog. Flooding is fun!This is essentially what i did. I leaned out of the window and called over some kids who were mucking about in a boat and went for a ride.

Before that though I turned off the electrics at the fuse box and then moved all the expensive stuff up to the next floor (we have TV with surround sound and an xbox360, my flatmates also have a drum kit, guitars and amps). I don't think the water got that deep before it receded, but it's under the carpet and laminate flooring. Luckily I don't own the house and the landlord has insurance (legally required to).

Right now I'm at a friend's house drying out and chilling with an ale in one hand and pizza in the other.

This is essentially what i did. I leaned out of the window and called over some kids who were mucking about in a boat and went for a ride.

Before that though I turned off the electrics at the fuse box and then moved all the expensive stuff up to the next floor (we have TV with surround sound and an xbox360, my flatmates also have a drum kit, guitars and amps). I don't think the water got that deep before it receded, but it's under the carpet and laminate flooring. Luckily I don't own the house and the landlord has insurance (legally required to).

Right now I'm at a friend's house drying out and chilling with an ale in one hand and pizza in the other.

Well done. :)

Right now I'm at a friend's house drying out and chilling with an ale in one hand and pizza in the other.
another way to make a flooding fun.

Glad it wasn't a total loss.

we was lucky this time no waking me up with the blasted air raid siren that they use for when theres a flood

People take the wrong attitude about flooding. They're all... "Oh, no! My carpet! My tv! Aieee!!! The COuch!"

Flooding should be a fun event like a snow day. It's a change of pace. Instead of going to work in your car, you get to paddle around in a boat looking for the neighbor's dog. Flooding is fun!


..which, if it was water and mud, not water, mud and human excrement, it would be.

Flooding is fun!


Tell that to the 5 dead people.

Tell that to the 5 dead people.

I will be the first to admit that dead people are a killjoy. On the other hand, even the best amusement park thrill rides have the occasional accident. Sad, but fun has risks. I suspect that most(not all, unfortunately) people who die in floods are probably stupid. That's a small comfort, but I see death as a pretty steep price to pay for stupidity. I favor long-term injury with an eventual full recovery. Being in traction for a year is a fantastic learning experience. *nod*

In short, risk is part of the game. *nod*

this is why I live on a hill :tongue:

however that doesn't mean I didn't get wet from the rain : /

I will be the first to admit that dead people are a killjoy. On the other hand, even the best amusement park thrill rides have the occasional accident. Sad, but fun has risks. I suspect that most(not all, unfortunately) people who die in floods are probably stupid. That's a small comfort, but I see death as a pretty steep price to pay for stupidity. I favor long-term injury with an eventual full recovery. Being in traction for a year is a fantastic learning experience. *nod*

In short, risk is part of the game. *nod*

Not funny. You think a 17 year old girl who got trapped in a car and drowned is stupid? Not really. Just unlucky.

Not funny. You think a 17 year old girl who got trapped in a car and drowned is stupid?

Yes. But if I had my way, she would have survived to learn from the experience. :(

Explain how she's stupid.

this is why I live on a hill :tongue:

however that doesn't mean I didn't get wet from the rain : /
Yeah, hills FTW!

I can't stand people who, when all this flooding happens, are interviewed for local/national news and moan about not being able to get flood insurance...when they live on a frikkin' floodplain! A piece of land whose sole purpose is to get flooded! Arseholes.

Anyway, yes, I have been flooded...well, my parents were (I was at uni, but it was shortly before the holidays). Burst pipe under the sink while no one was home - two months of having dehumidifiers in and no carpet downstairs. Not fun for me, even less so for them.

Hooray for living on a hill and for that hill being on an old sea cliff which is about 100 feet high. The river isn't going to flood that badly...though the few shops and houses might.

Explain how she's stupid.
She forgot her trusty "Break the window open" hammer?

I don't know. Really, Lunatic is being unfair here.

Not funny. You think a 17 year old girl who got trapped in a car and drowned is stupid? Not really. Just unlucky.
I can't actually find any story about a girl drowning after being trapped in a car, so I can only assume you mean this story instead (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7600998.stm) (doesn't give a cause of death, but she died in hospital). So, not trapped and didn't drown. But she was 17. One out of three isn't bad. And they shouldn't have been off-roading in conditions like that, so yes, stupidity did play a part.

I can't actually find any story about a girl drowning after being trapped in a car, so I can only assume you mean this story instead (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7600998.stm) (doesn't give a cause of death, but she died in hospital). So, not trapped and didn't drown. But she was 17. One out of three isn't bad. And they shouldn't have been off-roading in conditions like that, so yes, stupidity did play a part.

Ah. I was told the car went into the river and drowned, but they were only off roading because the track they were on flooded.

Explain how she's stupid.

You missed the part where he said most, but not all, are from stupidity, didn't you?

He didn't say every single death was from people being stupid. He said the majority are. He never called her stupid.

I can't actually find any story about a girl drowning after being trapped in a car, so I can only assume you mean this story instead (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7600998.stm) (doesn't give a cause of death, but she died in hospital). So, not trapped and didn't drown. But she was 17. One out of three isn't bad. And they shouldn't have been off-roading in conditions like that, so yes, stupidity did play a part.

So wait...she was a tourist who went into an area experiencing flooding to offroad in poor conditions, causing the car to flip and her to die hours later?

Yeah. Stupidity. And wasn't a true victim of the flood...the flood contributed to her death, yes, but it was likely ultimatly the car accident and hypothermia/exposure.

There are a number of freak accidents that can occur during a flood. Had she been electrocuted, or pinned by something suddenly collapsing or, depending on specific circumstances, washed away in a flash flood, I wouldn't lean toward assuming stupidity played a part. But when a person drowns in a car during a flood, I can't imagine a set of circumstances where any clearminded person would be driving in such a way in such a place where they could end up drowning in their car. My suspicion is that something stupid occurred.

Upon hearing a bit more about the circumstances, I see I was most likely correct in my assessment. Keep in mind I still consider dying to be a rather harsh penalty for a 17 year old to pay. :(

Edit: That story mentions a National Mud Festival. I'm intrigued. :)

Edit: That story mentions a National Mud Festival. I'm intrigued. :)
Have you heard of the annual mud race in Maldon, Essex? And the bog snorkelling championships in Llanwrtyd Wells? We are a nation that loves mud. Over here you would be treated like a king, or possibly a god.

Have you heard of the annual mud race in Maldon, Essex? And the bog snorkelling championships in Llanwrtyd Wells? We are a nation that loves mud. Over here you would be treated like a king, or possibly a god.

Yes, I know of the Maldon Mud Run and bog snorkeling. Then there's all those muddy music festivals like the one in Glastonbury. All of which are on my list of things to experience. *nod*

..which, if it was water and mud, not water, mud and human excrement, it would be.
Not just human excrement. You find all sorts of disgusting things in floods, and not disgusting in a "cool" way, but just disgusting. Like used diapers and soiled condoms, disgusting.

Not just human excrement. You find all sorts of disgusting things in floods, and not disgusting in a "cool" way, but just disgusting. Like used diapers and soiled condoms, disgusting.

Think of a flood as a big game of 'Let's Make a Deal' and every so often you get a zonk. *nod*

Not just human excrement. You find all sorts of disgusting things in floods, and not disgusting in a "cool" way, but just disgusting. Like used diapers and soiled condoms, disgusting.

Sounds like a typical walk through my local park. You missed to used hypodermics though.

didnt i tell you to move to the US we out lawed flooding in 1927 and throw the river in jail if it breaks the no flooding rule.

I will be the first to admit that dead people are a killjoy. On the other hand, even the best amusement park thrill rides have the occasional accident. Sad, but fun has risks. I suspect that most(not all, unfortunately) people who die in floods are probably stupid. That's a small comfort, but I see death as a pretty steep price to pay for stupidity. I favor long-term injury with an eventual full recovery. Being in traction for a year is a fantastic learning experience. *nod*

In short, risk is part of the game. *nod*After having considered this statement for a while I really have to call bullshit. If life is full of risks then why would the majority who have the risks they take backfire have to be stupid.

It's also quite demeaning to people who die because of other people's mistakes or sheer chance. For example, that plane that crashed near Madrid recently; or even the people who risk their own lives to try and save others.

After having considered this statement for a while I really have to call bullshit. If life is full of risks then why would the majority who have the risks they take backfire have to be stupid.
It's measured risk. It is risky to ride a roller coaster. You could be injured, or even killed. But that risk is low.
It's risky to walk off the ledge of a tall building. You could be injured, or even killed. That risk is high. And you are stupid for taking it.

Yes, everything is a risk. Not knowing when to say no is kinda stupid.It's also quite demeaning to people who die because of other people's mistakes or sheer chance. For example, that plane that crashed near Madrid recently; or even the people who risk their own lives to try and save others.Again, he didn't say all deaths are a result of stupidity. Many, however, are. He also limited it to floods, not plane crashes. And yes, placing yourself in harms way for others can be construed as stupid. Heroic, but stupid.

hands up who's pissed off with "summer"?

oh and sorry about your house :-S

So Britain experiences torrential rain yet again. About 1,000 homes estimated to be flooded (one of which is mine). So has anyone else experienced flooding, especially this time in the UK.
Yes, I was in York in 2001, what a débâcle.
If so, how did you cope with it?
Helped putting up sandbags with my dad, and walked around the streets on my stilts for a bit (although the latter was just for the lulz).

hands up who's pissed off with "summer"?
Yo. It's been such pish.

hands up who's pissed off with "summer"?

oh and sorry about your house :-SWouldn't that be pissed on?

hands up who's pissed off with "summer"?

Yo. It's been such pish.

"A year passed. Winter changed into Spring. Spring changed into Summer. Summer changed back into Winter. And Winter gave Spring and Summer a miss and went straight on into Autumn."

Thank you once more, Monty Python.

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh292/Dan_Rollison/Yorkshire/20080906_0043.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh292/Dan_Rollison/Yorkshire/20080906_0048.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh292/Dan_Rollison/Yorkshire/20080906_0050.jpg

Well, York was certainly interesting to visit this weekend.

Ah. I was told the car went into the river and drowned, but they were only off roading because the track they were on flooded.

it did go into the river. she died at the hospital tho.

Insp Robert Price, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said that flood water from the river had caused the vehicle to "lose its footing" and tip into the river.

sounds like they were awfully close to the river. dunno if it's a typo, but it sounds like the vehicle was in, at least partway, the river when it tipped over.

driving off-road near a flooded river is not exactly smart.

There are many accounts of people drowning in their cars when they try to cross overflowing rivers. sometimes a 4X4 off-road vehicle is no gaurentee that it will keep you from being swept away.