For the love of God, NEVER EVER try to outrun a tornado in your car!!!
So say all the tornado safety experts out there.
Anyone wanna tell me why? A tornado moves laterally at, what, 60 mph tops? My car, when pressed, can do 100 mph.
Furthermore, I live in a mobile home. If they sound the tornado sirens, you bet your ass I’m getting in my car (and heading for Mammarasta’s house, where there’s a basement). What else am I gonna do, sit here and wait to die?
For what it’s worth, I’ve never heard that advice. Then again, the tornado safety experts I’ve heard were mostly in about 6th grade or earlier, when they probably weren’t too worried about our driving habits.
But to hazard a guess, they might be worried about traffic jams, accidents, etc., if everyone tries to outrun the twister. Or possibly, people leaving their nice, secure basements to flee, and getting caught in their driveway.
You can easily outrun a tornado under those conditions if you can travel in your car in any direction unrestricted. In the readl world you can generally only travel on roads and may have to contend with other traffic that has the same idea you do. The tornado has no such restrictions and the situation may leave you trapped. Since your mobile home isn’t much of an option either you have to weight the risks.
They’re probably thinking that the average driver will be scared spitless looking back at the tornado behind them and not notice the (truck|ditch|old woman crossing the road) in front of them. I’m thinking they’re trying to avoid general chaos on the roadways. Once you’ve hit that gridlock resulting from the accident caused by someone trying to get away from the tornado, you’ll get picked up and it’ll be Auntie Em time.
The general consensus is, if you’re in a mobil home go to the nearest ditch. Personally, I don’t know what I’d do in that situation. I’d probably end up in my car dodging old ladies.
It’s probably relative. Don’t leave the brick bank building and hop in your Yugo when you aren’t positive when it’s going to hit but if you’re in a trailer home and can avoid the likely path, well, that’s probably worth a shot.
My guess is this advice is partly given to those that see a tornado that will intersect their intended route. Just like with a train, don’t try and beat it to a crossing.
If you do get hit by one while you’re in a car, it’ll probably be a closed casket funeral.
From a man who has lived among tornadoes, the advice mentioned in the OP is not that bad.
First off: you are limited when driving in the family Stutz or Hupmobile to staying on roads or highways. The tornado is not. It is completely unpredictable and your 100 MPH doesn’t mean that much if the funnel cloud has the angle on you. Second: those tricky devils of tornadoes don’t play by the rules. They will leap frog all over the place. What was behind you a minute ago is now just in front of you. Third: Hi Opal! Fourth: A tornado is not a single funnel cloud traipsing across the countryside. In fact it engenders multiple versions of itself. While you may well be ahead of tornado “A”, tornado “C” or “D” could be coming down on top of you while tornado “B” is sideswiping you.
In addition, much damage can be done by collateral winds miles away from the base of the tornado.
Also visibility is severely limited anytime you are even mildly close to one of these beasties. A fact, you cannot see to travel at 100 mph with a tornado in the vicinity even assuming that you have not cut back your speed because of the hydroplaning of your car on the water covered highway.
From a guy who has chased a few, respect those suckers!