NYC Power Outage 2003

[The Dames 0]

NYC Power Outage 2003

(aka Why does this always happen to me?)

 

This is my personal experience from last night’s blackout.

 

Yesterday, at around 4:14pm, I was sitting at my computer desk working on deleting members with zero posts from the forums (ironic isn’t it?) when all of a sudden, everything shut off, including all of the lights. The back up generators went on at my job as we wondered what was going on. At first, we had thought that it was just our building.

 

I started calling some people to let them know what was going on and my initial reaction was “Great, I get to leave work early and meet Bob (Barron) now”. For some reason, the phones weren’t working very well, but I was able to receive calls. A friend of mine who works nearby called to tell me that the power was out in her building too…and all over the city. Amazed by this news, I decided that I was going to pick up and leave right then and there.

 

As I left the building, I noticed that there were tons of people standing outside, listening to the radio. We heard reports of people stuck on the subways, in elevators, etc. I decided that I was going to try and meet up with my friend so I walked over there. As I headed in that direction, I could see that Grand Central Station was in chaos, so I avoided it like the plague. I got to my friends building, only to see thousands of people outside, so I figured that I wouldn’t be able to find her. I said to myself “hey…I’ve done this before (9/11) so I’ll just walk home”.

 

I started walking up 5th Avenue when I noticed that even the traffic lights were out. My first thought: “Oh shit, we’re all dead.” As I continued walking, the mass exodus began and people were stuffing into any buses they could and even piling into the back of hatch backs and pick up trucks of strangers. Surprisingly enough, there was no road rage or any real confusion on the roads, despite no lights. Some pedestrians actually started acting as traffic cops for the major intersections, which put a smile on my face.

 

As I continued walking, I noticed stores like Rite Aid and major supermarkets with electronic doors had people stuck inside…and I’m sure that must have really sucked. At least they had food and water.

 

I was making very good time, as I’m in much better shape than I was during 9/11 and work on my cardio a lot. I couldn’t help but wonder the effect this would have on our already weakened economy as I’m sure that meat and other perishable food would all end up rotting during the night, offices would be closed, people wouldn’t be getting paid, etc.

 

I made it towards 108th Street & 5th Avenue where a friend of mine lives, so I stopped by to check up on his mother. He actually moved to Ohio a couple of months back and I heard over the radio that this happened there too, so I wanted to see if his family was alright. Unfortunately, the building was pitch black and not being familiar with the layout of it, I couldn’t find the stairs. I finally did, but I couldn’t see anything in front of me, much less climb 6 flights of steps, so I turned around.

 

The crowd seemed to die down now, taking buses at 125th street, but they weren’t going in my direction. I put on my mp3 jukebox, which really came in handy, and listened to a couple of albums as I crossed the bridge on 138th street.

 

Now in the Bronx, I was on Grand Concourse, which is the longest street in the Bronx and I knew exactly where I was headed. I saw tons of people waiting for the bus, but I wasn’t about to wait. The way service was going, I’d probably wait three hours to get on a cramped, uncomfortable bus, so I kept going.

 

I continued walking, past Yankee Stadium, and all the way up to about 167th street where a man was handing out cups of ice cold water for free. I wasn’t really dehydrated at all, but I figured “why not?”, so I took a couple of glasses. Of all things, taking a moment to drink some water slowed me down considerably. As I continued walking, I saw even more people stuck inside supermarkets and places with electronic doors.

 

I started to feel pain in my legs and on my feet as I was hoping to just get to 181st and call my friends place, the same friend that I was trying to meet up with before. I called and no one picked up…so I said to myself “there’s no way that I beat her getting home walking, could I?”

 

I had no choice but to keep on walking and I finally made it towards Fordham Road, so I realized that I wasn’t very far. It was about 7:30 now and I was making damn good time. I was trying to get home by 8, just to test myself, I guess.

 

I got to University Avenue at 7:45, where the Bx3 bus was running and it would have left me in front of my house. With only a few blocks left, it became a manly pride thing…so I just kept walking all the way home.

 

I finally got home at 8:00 on the dot, but my building was pitch black. I had to feel around the walls and staircases until I was able to make it into my house, which was just as dark. I didn’t have a flashlight or anything, so I was stumbling all over the place.

 

Then, I remembered that my digital camera takes ultra clear pictures in the pitch darkness with the flash, I was taking pictures of the rooms in order to maneuver around. It worked pretty damn well, I might say. The super knocked on the door and handed me a lighter incase I needed one and after that, I made a few calls, including one to my friend in Ohio. He didn’t know what was going on, so after speaking with me, he called him mom.

 

I went to sleep after that and I was knocked the fuck out. I woke up this morning, with my entire lower half VERY sore and I’m barely mobile. I’ve got a rash on my inner thigh, blisters on my feet and I feel like I’ve lost a couple of pounds since yesterday.

 

Power was restored here at 8:30 or so and I started placing a few calls. Someone that I know is still stuck in Brooklyn, where she works. I hope she gets home safely.

 

Today was actually supposed to be my last day at work, but fuck that. I’m just going to pick up my things on Monday. I was supposed to meet up with Bob yesterday, but I’ll have to do that sometime this weekend…so obviously, the Diatribe will be late.

 

There’s no train service today, so I don’t think I’ll be able to see Freddy vs. Jason tonight, which sucks. I can’t walk very well anyway, so maybe that was just a moot point. Anyway, it seems this always happens to me every two years, where I have to make a huge trek home, so I’ll be prepared for it in 2005.

 

Dames

[caboose 0]

Moral of the story: Power Cuts suck.

[rising up out of the back seat-nuh 0]

As does walking.

 

Dames: Why didn't you go round stealing stuff from shops? I know I would...

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Eat a big tin of Crisco today. You've earned it.

[rising up out of the back seat-nuh 0]

Also:

 

Blame Canada!

[Guest The Old Me]

It's the TERRORISTS~! OMG!

 

Yeah, that would have sucked man. I heard parts of jersey were affected too. I'm glad I don't live there anymore.

[Internet Warfare 0]

Power was restored here at 8:30 or so and I started placing a few calls. Someone that I know is still stuck in Brooklyn, where she works. I hope she gets home safely.

And he coud'nt pick her up.

[The Dames 0]

Power was restored here at 8:30 or so and I started placing a few calls.  Someone that I know is still stuck in Brooklyn, where she works.  I hope she gets home safely. 

And he coud'nt pick her up.

TRUST ME...I would have definitely picked her up if I knew where she was. I didn't find that out until I got home.

 

Dames

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

I was supposed to meet up with Bob yesterday, but I’ll have to do that sometime this weekend…so obviously, the Diatribe will be late.

lazy-ass motherfucker...

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Power was restored here at 8:30 or so and I started placing a few calls.  Someone that I know is still stuck in Brooklyn, where she works.  I hope she gets home safely. 

And he coud'nt pick her up.

TRUST ME...I would have definitely picked her up if I knew where she was. I didn't find that out until I got home.

 

Dames

Of course you would have. It's a female. And she's vulnerable right now. We all know Dames would be on top of that before you can say, "I'd Hit It"

[Guest The Old Me]

"Dames, he's there for you in your time of need...IF he can find you."

 

Great slogan.

[bob_barron 0]

My internet is back so Dames- if you read this- pm, im or email me and you can get your TNA

[SteakGrowsOnUecker 0]

"Dames, he's there for you in your time of need...IF he can find you."

 

Great slogan.

That's a great slogan. That should be in his sig.

[Rendclaw 0]

Damn Dames, if I remember the size of NYC city blocks correctly, you must have walked at least ten miles.

 

::Makes a mental note to get a calling card along with filling up his gas tank, so he can call his mommy. Bridgeport was hit too::

[Boner Kawanger 0]

"Dames, he's there for you in your time of need...IF he can find you."

 

Great slogan.

That's a great slogan. That should be in his sig.

It would go great with that picture of hm shrugging his shoulders.

 

When I saw that about the power outage and knew terrorists weren't involved, I immediately thought about the NY/Canadian population of the board. And the Diatribe, since I knew there was a Low-Ki/AJ match.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

*flips his lights on and off with glee*

 

I live about an hour away from where the westernmost part of the blackout was located. I actually had no idea what was going on until I glaced at the TV in the breakroom at work at about 3:15 in the morning. My first thought was actually "So?" considering that the power goes out here about fifty times every single winter, and about every other good storm...but then I got to thinkin'.."Yeah, there's a lot of people in NYC though..."

 

So in conclusion..There will be a lot of babies born on May 15th next year..

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Hey guys,

 

Being a proud Clevelander, I guess you all can thank the Heartland of America for the East Coast's inconvenience. At least, that's according to Yahoo and Fox News Channel.

 

Sure did suck to have our power to come back on at 7:30 AM only to have to go back off at 1:00PM until 7:00PM. We're still on a boil alert for our water.

[Perfxion 0]

Too all you had power I want to say a whole heartly FUCK YOU~! Losing power Weds night sucked. And Thursday fucking blew. Since I live in Stamford, which is a mini NYC, we were not only hit but the last to get power it seemed. I got power 3:30 in the morning. But my brother in Milford(just outside of New Haven), had power so my family went to his place to relax. I didn't have to walk at all. So Dames and all New Yorkers had it worse. But still it sucks.

[Guest TheArchiteck]

Blah, New York gets all the attention....where's the love for the midwest?

Power went out here (Detroit) around the same time as elsewhere. It wasn't that bad, everyone was pretty cool about it. I was listening to the radio like all night. People calling from NY saying they had power and such. Lucky bastards....get all the glory plus power first. Detroit and Cleveland was like dead last.

Funny thing though....as soon as power went on. I was in the backyard with the family grilling some burgers that was thawing.

We found out the power was on because we forgot the filter in the fishtank. So we heard it kick on and saw the burgers when we went back in the kitchen. Flick a light to test it and everything was on. This was friday evening by the way. Like 2 minutes later, the streets were deserted. Nobody on the porch anymore...no millions of kids riding the bikes....no one sitting in the air conditioned cars. Everyone on the entire block was indoors withing a span of a minute. It was pretty damn spectacular.

Btw, Meijers was the spot for all the cuties. Next blackout, i'm posting up there.

lol

[Rendclaw 0]

Stamford a mini NYC???

 

BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

That's the funniest thing I have heard in some time.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I'm disappointed. Where's the Walk Background and Rating?

[Guest EQ]

I was at work when this happened too. Across the river in Jersey City. When the power went out, I looked out my window into the city and saw a lot of smoke and thought to myself "oh shit, what did they blow up now?!".

 

Then I realized that it was diesel smoke from all the back-up generators and I calmed down. I left my office at around 4:40 and went to Hoboken train terminal. Even though trains weren't running yet, that was the only way I was going to get home so I had to wait it out. Eventually the trains started running (very slowly... signals were still out) and I got home at about 9:40 that night... thankfully my place had power so all in all, it wasn't that bad for me.