Do you hit your brakes or do you put the car in reverse and try to floor it to escape the tornado's pull?
2006-07-02 15:57:39 · 25 answers · asked by be_ez_2004 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
If there is a tornado in front of you, you'll know it. It's not the pull you have to worry about. It's flying debris that you have to worry about. Everyday house hold items become very lethal projectiles. Most things do while travel at 100+ mph. Grass can become dangerous. Oh and if you approach the storm from the east and north don't punch the core! The core is the mesocyclone, and in order to punch it from this direction you must go through an area of very heavy precipitation. Very dangerous. To not get hit by the tornado stay out of the damage path, "if you are looking at the tornado and it isn't moving but is getting bigger you are probably in the damage path". Best bet would be to drive in the other direction. If that is not possible get out of your car and into a low lying area. It is a common belief that you should get under an overpass. Two problems can arise from this. An overpass can act as a venturi tube and increase the speed that the wind is traveling (flying debris). Two if everyone parks in the middle of the freeway accidents and jams can happen.
2006-07-02 16:28:56 · answer #1 · answered by amish_renegade 4 · 5⤊ 3⤋
I actually drove THROUGH an F0 tornado once when I used to live in Florida(I did not see it- it was raining so bad and not all tornadoes are extremely visible).
But on to your question: If there is a ditch nearby that you can get into safely, then do so. In any case, do safely stop your car, get to the side of the road, and if there are no ditches nearby. Stay in your car, crouch down low and pray.
DO NOT go under an overpass. This used to be the recommended course of action, but not anymore. This is probably the worst thing you can do.
EDIT: Follow up to some of the other answers. While driving like hell may seem like a good idea, keep in mind that if you are near a tornado, you're probably not in good weather even if you are not that close to the tornado. Hail, very heavy rainfall, updrafts, and lightning are other things to consider.And you can't outrun a tornado or predict where it will go, so you only add another variable to the danger equation by driving.
2006-07-02 23:33:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The ONLY thing you can do is stop your car, get out of it and lay as flat as you can in a ditch or on the ground away from any objects and cover your head with your hands and hope it doesn't pick you up.
You could try to run parallel to it like the storm chasers do, or like many people try to do is try to outrun it. But that would depend on the category it is, F1 - F5. F1 being the smallest and F5 being the deadliest. An F5 there is no running away from. the Fajita (F)scale it based on the amount of damage the tornado does. If you watch the movie "Twister" you will get the gist of what to do and what not to do. Tornado's usually occur when a warm air mass collides with a cool air mass. That results in a thunderstorm and if conditions are right a tornado will form. What size will be based on the temperature.
2006-07-03 18:31:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try to get out of your car and lie flat in a ditch if you can find one. Despite what has been said, do not go under an overpass to find shelter. All else failing, put car in reverse and drive like hell away in the opposite direction of the tornado.
2006-07-02 23:03:47 · answer #4 · answered by fiddlefix 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The thing you are supposed to do is get out of your car and get into the nearest ditch and duck down on your knees and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands. Because your car is so heavy it will be easy for the tornado to pick it up and put you in more danger. Surprisingly the safest place when choosing between your car and a ditch would be a ditch.
2006-07-02 23:02:26 · answer #5 · answered by LT 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do intermediate U-turn and had the opposite way, away from the tornado! Take a right turn to the direction of the tornado! And get the hell away from it. After that find a safe place to park and see if you can get below ground!
2006-07-02 23:06:04 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it is really starting to pull on your car,get out as soon as you can,get away from your car and quickly look for the lowest point/ditch in the ground.Once your on the ground cover the back of of your head and neck and hope for the best...tom science
2006-07-04 02:09:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turn around, and out run it. If that is not possible, get under an overpass, get out of the car and tuck yourself up against the concrete between the supports and the underside of the bridge deck.
2006-07-03 09:18:41 · answer #8 · answered by GC 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
mmmm...the most logical thing to do would to be pull over to the ditch, find something secure and grab or tie your self to it, then hold on for dear life.Me? Id probably floor it, hit the tornado full throttle, if im gonna die id rather make it good....
2006-07-02 23:04:19 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get out of the car ASAP and lay down in the nearest ditch with your face down and your hands on your head.
2006-07-02 23:00:58 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋