Aerial photos of people crossing a flooded roadway

[clipper453]

Last year, when the nearby Salt River flooded across one of the main roads leading to my neighborhood due to heavy rains, I shot some aerial photos of people trying to drive through it and posted the results to RCGroups: www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=814716

This year, the Salt River flooded over the roadway once again, but not due to heavy rains, but because of heavy snows in the mountainous areas during the winter which caused the local reservoirs to fill to near capacity. Because the reservoir release was a planned event, the local government installed permanent, lockable barriers to keep stupid motorists from trying to cross the river. (Arizona's "Stupid Motorist" Law: www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/28/00910.htm&Title=28&DocType=ARS/.)

Well, as you can see there were some folks that didn't think the barriers applied to them. Some of the people with 4x4's made it through, but I had to laugh... While I was down there flying, I saw several people in sedan-type cars who successfully made it across the river, only to fail to make it up the steep grade where some of the local 4x4 drivers cut a path around the barriers. What was even funnier was that about the time some people were trying to go around the barriers, a sheriff's deputy came by, saw what was happening, and ticketed some of them.

- Matt

[ginginho]

Matt, as always great quality pictures. Rest assured that it's not just your locals who believe they are beyond the recommendations of the highway signs. I used to live in a house that was next to a small railway bridge over the road. Sewerage work was being done down said road meaning that there was a great big hole in the road under the bridge. There were mulitple signs stating that the road was closed. One woman who managed to weave passed all these and other barriers (she was not the only one to attempt this) retorted with a mouthful of obsenities when I advise her that the road was actually closed and the signs were not for fun. I did smile and chuckle as she was forced to reverse her way back round the obstacles (road signs, barriers etc.) after she'd driven up to the ditch to see it was about four feet deep and the road wasn't wide enough for her to perform a three point turn. It seems stupidity and disregard for sensible advice is widestread, if not global.

[admiralev]

matt...just thought id share a story...

im currently in phoenix visiting family. we were driving up to mesa friday to watch my cubbies at hohokam stadium and as i round a corner to the park there is the salt river flooded across the road in front of me! i thought it was ironic as i had just viewed these pics a few days earlier. im thinking its not in the same location as where you are but nevertheless it shows you just how small the world can be

great pictures as always!

admiral

[clipper453]

Hey Admiral,

That is ironic. Hohokam Stadium is located in Mesa, which is about 22 miles east of where my photos were taken. The river was probably even more swollen at your location, as I am downstream from Tempe Town lake, which sometimes keeps much overflow from coming my way.

Hope you enjoyed the spring training game. Unfortunately, I cannot wish your team good luck, as I'm a Cardinals fan.

- Matt