Hypothetical-Nuke in Houston-Hypothetical

First of all, there is NOT a nuke in Houston (that I know of). This is a hypothetical thread.

First, open up a seperate window and go here. Do a search for Houston, TX.

Now, open up a seperate window and go here.

Go back to the first window. Look in the upper right hand corner and switch to satellite view.

Now, look at the slider on the left. Move it to the 7th position from the top or the 12th position from the bottom (same thing).

Switch between the two windows and notice they are now the same thing.

Now, switch the google view to hybrid.

Locate your desired spot in Houston for your location. Anywhere will do. Just pick a side of town, zoom all the way into the random selection and write down the intersection.

Now pick a spot in Houston for the nuke. I would suggest downtown, the ship channel, or IAH (Bush Airport) in north Houston.

I think it would be easier to have it in a car then a plane so lets put it in a car.

Select the size of the nuke.

Did you survive?

If so, how do you intend to leave Houston. Based on Hurricane Rita, you dont have a lot of time to think about it before the roads make travel impossible and before the government corals you onto whatever roads they want you to be on.

Pick another city and try again.

In my next post, I'll post what I would do.

Im doing this becuase sometime between this instant and the next 25 years, its going to happen.

Go here to see how one guy already played this out.

EDIT TO INCLUDE MORE INFORMATION

[edit on 1/17/2006 by Genfinity]

If you put a 1 KT nuke in a van and simply drive to the pick up/drop off area of IAH, that entire airport gets turned to dust as does any incoming and outgoing flight.

The area between FM-1960 (north), I-59 (east), Beltway 8 (south), and I-45 (west) (also shows up as 75 on google) simply goes away.

That would be all it would take to have citizens in every major city in America running for the hills.

In Houston, its absolute total chaos. I randomly selected a home on Aspen Point Dr. Its located west of N Fry Rd. inbetween Clay Rd and FM-529/Freeman Rd.

I snatched my car keys and wallet. I barely remembered to get my cell phone.

I got in my car and noticed I had a half tank of gas.

I started it up and drove south on N Fry Rd to I-10. I went west on I-10.

Because I reacted with little hesitation, I managed to get out of Houston in less then an hour. Being ahead of alot of traffic, I stopped for gas in Sealy.

It took over an hour to get gas but at least I was ahead of the game.

I called family in Arizona and got them to get me a hotel outside San Antonio.

When I get there, Im told I have to call a federal number and register before they can give me a room.

"Well, let me go to my room and calm down for an hour. Then I'll call. Its been pretty nuts today. I just need to relax for alittle bit."

I get the room and have no intention of calling the federal number. I make a number of calls to tell loved ones Im okay. I go to the bar and see that I beat the rush; the hotel is getting crowded with paniced people.

I talk to the bartender; "Whats going on here? I just got in from Dallas for some business."

"You havent heard?"

"Heard what?"

"Houston got nuked, man! Where have YOU been?"

"Are you serious? I didnt listen to the radio on the way here. My God! What are you going to do with all those people?"

"The Army is coming to pick them up to see if they are radioactive."

"Pick them up and take them where."

"Where ever. I dont know."

I finish my drink and leave the hotel.

I make it to Arizona, terrorfied of stopping unless I have to.

About 30 minutes from family, a trooper pulls up behind me and pulls me over.

"What part of Texas you from?"

Knowing my plates say Im from Houston, I say "Dallas. I just moved there."

"Uh-huh. What are you doing in Arizona?"

"Im on my way to visist some family."

"Sir, I need you to open your trunk."

I get out and pop the trunk. No suitcases.

"Sir, you dont live in Dallas, do you? And this isnt a planned vacation, is it?"

"Whats the big deal?"

"You need to be checked by the military. You dont want to spread radiation and make the situation worse, do you?"

"Well, I guess not. Can I call my family first."

"Your not calling anybody."

I am later declared by the government to have been killed in the massive nuclear explosion in Houston.

My family insists they talked to me but they are ignored and my sign in at the hotel in San Antonio no longer exists.

[edit on 1/17/2006 by Genfinity]

Another informative link.

According to this website, you would have less then an hour to get about 40 miles away providing you were not nar the blast zone. If its a mere 1KT nuke, you will need to run stop signs and red lights, veering around traffic with the pedal to the metal to escape.

Odds are that you will crash your car. And the car that you hit will beat you or shoot you because he cant use his car either. No matter. You can die trying or you can die not trying.

Odds are you wont get away in time. If you donmt turn into a pile of ash, you'll slowly evolve into a 3 armed half-man.

[edit on 1/17/2006 by Genfinity]

How bout IAH, live next to the Houston Ship Channel.
But if this is about terrorism and it would have to be that dreaded Al-Qiada, or some other Arab tribal clan, I don't think they even know what Houston is. i think all they know is New York.

Houston is the home of NASA-Mission COntrol. The home of GWB Sr. He lives in a neighborhood full of multi-million dollar mansions off Memorial Dr near downtown Houston.

It home of one of the largest ship channels in the country. 4th largest city. And home of the most refineries in the country.

On a good day, the air quality is still near the worst in the nation.

Its the largest conservative city in the nation even though it prefers democratic mayors.

If you come across the Mexican border, its easier to get to Houston then to travel across the nation to any other major city.

Its a middle of the country target unlike Pearl Harbor, NYC, or DC.

Still, its not an inland target like Dallas or Denver. But it has to be on their radar.

(Hopefully, this post wont be the event that puts it on the radar, GULP.)

But if you live at the ship channel and a 1KT (a small bomb) blows up on the ground, I'll doubt you'll want to stay.

Lets say you live in Texas City. Would you drive south toward Brownsville? The border will be closed; where do you go from there?

Do you head to New Orleans? I wouldnt even consider it.

That means you will have to drive through or around Houston to head west or north. Your starting on the SE side. To get on the outside of Beltway 8 from Txas City to the north or west, your looking at over an hour's drive on a good day when there ISNT traffic.

Maybe in your case, Brownsville is the best bet. Try to call ahead for a hotel. If you dont, you'll wish you had.

And dont make a big deal about being from Houston. Keep a low profile. If Houston is the only city hit, get out of state ASAP. If cities outside Texas are hit, it wont matter if you leave Texas or not. Your on your own.