Jalopnik: hurricane ike

Insight Owner Not Sweating Gas Lines In Houston

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:20:00 EDT

When we reported on lengthy fuel lines in Houston after Hurricane Ike, we made an off-hand joke about Prius owners no longer being a target of ridicule for truck owners. Walking our way to the coffee shop we now call home we noticed, amid the trucks, a lowly first-gen Honda Insight waiting to fill up. Damon Reed, the owner of the little hybrid, didn't seem to be too worried about the gas lines.

Reed says he's been getting up to 60 miles on a gallon of gas while driving around suburban Houston and this is the first time since the Hurricane, which struck late Friday night, that he's gone to the gas station. He still had half a tank, but this particular gas station recently reopened and the line was therefore not as long as it had previously been. Though drivers in large trucks physically look down on Reed, he claims that, for the most part, people are merely curious about the vehicle. His entire family drives hybrids so they're doing better than many in the area. Unfortunately, he's been living in hard-hit Galveston and has no idea whether or not any of his possessions survived.

Hurricane Ike Has A Big Appetite For C4 Corvettes

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EDT

Hurricane Ike may snack on Mazdas, but it clearly wants to fill its belly with C4 Corvettes. We're not sure if this was a shop or just the warehouse of an owner, but it's a popular vehicle in this area. If the photo makes you sad we'd like to remind you that, even if these cars were running, chances are they would have a tough time finding gas to fuel them. The gas lines continue. Thanks to Keith for the tip! [Photo: Chron.com]

What Car Is This Trapped Under The Ceiling?

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:20:00 EDT

When we woke up Saturday morning, the eye of Hurricane Ike having just passed us in North Houston, we found this waiting for us in my parent's garage. It actually looks much worse than it is. The top of a pine tree crashed into the roof over the garage, creating two holes that let water drip into the attic. The rain eventually built up on the sheetrock and insulation causing the whole thing to collapse onto the car. Damage was limited to a small dent in the roof and a broken mirror, but the initial shock was fairly intense. Looking over the insurance pictures, I realized this does a good job of hiding the vehicle make and model, so enjoy guessing what it is. My parents don't have power so they won't know or mind.

Gas Lines Forming In Houston After Ike, Prius Drivers No Longer Target of Ridicule

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:20:00 EDT

Now that Hurricane Ike has passed, the Houston area is grappling with few working gas stations and many people wanting to drive. As the energy capital of the U.S., it's a strange site to see police guarding gas stations and lines crawling down the street and running through parking lots and neighborhoods. Though there's been some anger and violence at unsupervised stations, most of what we've seen has been orderly. The cause of this? First, there's a sudden demand for gas caused by generators and gas-powered tools. Additionally, many stations still don't have power, don't have fuel or have been damaged in the storm. It has caused a temporary cultural shift in driving behavior in Houston.

For the first time in our entire time in Houston we witnessed a majority of people driving the speed limit around Beltway 8, the main toll road in the metro area. All of a sudden people driving fuel efficient cars are kings of the road and people are leaving their giant trucks and sport utility vehicles at home when running simple errands. Finally, people are walking. In order to save fuel, your very own Jalopnik reporter walked to one of the few coffee shops around with power, Internet and fresh food.

[Photo by David J. Phillip-Pool/Getty Images]