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James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer
and amongst other things lived in a tent outdoors for 7 years.
Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i
with his best friend and spiritual adviser Ivanka-Obama, The Bipartisan Dog!
Above photo;Being prepared with the bathtub filled with water and 2-10 gallon buckets of water. Thank God they were not needed!  |
The Hurricane, Price Gouging,The Miracle
~Plus comedy relief memes of Lane~
The worst part was waiting. The hours seemed liked days and the minutes were like hours in the days prior to the media hype, madness and hysteria of hurricane Lane.
For 3 days government offices, schools, and many business were shut down in what the media was making seem like the end of times.
Costco, Walmart and most major retailers sold out of almost all bottled water, batteries, toilet paper and Ramen noodles.
The other worst part for many during the storm was, Hawaii McDonald's turned off their famous discount app that allows you to purchase either a Bic Mac or a Quarter pounder for $1.00. There reason was they were afraid of running out of food with barges being docked at sea until the storm was over. They actually wanted to slow production.
Price gouging is illegal during natural disasters. Marking items up because people are in need does happen. What I say won't be popular with many, however I believe price gouging happens year round on Kauai in this tourist haven.
Food trucks charging $15.00 for a hamburger and not even supplying restrooms or a place to wash your hands and having the audacity to ask for tips in a mayonnaise jar with a rusty lid? I spoke with a visitor that couldn't believe they spent $32.00 plus tax at a local food truck for a burger and a burrito, that was ala carte.
The local farmers market have vendors selling mangoes for $5.00 each with no middle man involved. I can buy a similar mango imported form Mexico at the local Safeway for $1.00 with a middle man, truck driver, barge, farmer and retailer all involved for $4.00 less. If price gouging is illegal during disasters how come it isn't illegal during our everyday lives?
The reality is the big box stores are the only places you can feel comfortable not getting ripped off whether during a disaster or in your day to day life. Americans are capitalists, they are greedy, it's in their blood.
According to a local politician there are consequences if a merchant violates the price gouging law?
"Violation of the price increase prohibition is an unfair method of competition, and an unfair deceptive act or practice under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 480-2, subject to civil penalties as provided for in Haw. Rev. Stat. § 480-3.1. Each item sold in violation of the law is a separate violation. Fines of $500, up to $10,000, per day, per violation, are possible."
Why aren't there laws for everyday price gouging for places like some food trucks and a few vendors of the farmers markets?
All in all they say better safe than sorry! This could’ve been Armageddon, instead we live to tell another story about the one that got away, but this time it's not like the fish that got away. It's great that it got away!
Hawaii dodged a bullet, a category 5 hurricane nicknamed by locals "Hurricane Lane change," downgraded to a tropical storm, downgraded to a tropical depression in the shortest time the meteorologists had ever seen in any
hurricane or storm of this magnitude.
The professionals cannot answer why it changed, all the satellites said the contrary. I believe in prayer and with so many praying for safety, I call it a miracle!
“Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path!”
I am hoping this storm experience has made you a better person, made you appreciate your friends, family and the basic and simple things in life, including the tourists!
High prices, price gouging, who cares, it's paradise, right?
Lesson learned!
For 3 days government offices, schools, and many business were shut down in what the media was making seem like the end of times.
Costco, Walmart and most major retailers sold out of almost all bottled water, batteries, toilet paper and Ramen noodles.
The other worst part for many during the storm was, Hawaii McDonald's turned off their famous discount app that allows you to purchase either a Bic Mac or a Quarter pounder for $1.00. There reason was they were afraid of running out of food with barges being docked at sea until the storm was over. They actually wanted to slow production.
Price gouging is illegal during natural disasters. Marking items up because people are in need does happen. What I say won't be popular with many, however I believe price gouging happens year round on Kauai in this tourist haven.
Food trucks charging $15.00 for a hamburger and not even supplying restrooms or a place to wash your hands and having the audacity to ask for tips in a mayonnaise jar with a rusty lid? I spoke with a visitor that couldn't believe they spent $32.00 plus tax at a local food truck for a burger and a burrito, that was ala carte.
The local farmers market have vendors selling mangoes for $5.00 each with no middle man involved. I can buy a similar mango imported form Mexico at the local Safeway for $1.00 with a middle man, truck driver, barge, farmer and retailer all involved for $4.00 less. If price gouging is illegal during disasters how come it isn't illegal during our everyday lives?
The reality is the big box stores are the only places you can feel comfortable not getting ripped off whether during a disaster or in your day to day life. Americans are capitalists, they are greedy, it's in their blood.
"Violation of the price increase prohibition is an unfair method of competition, and an unfair deceptive act or practice under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 480-2, subject to civil penalties as provided for in Haw. Rev. Stat. § 480-3.1. Each item sold in violation of the law is a separate violation. Fines of $500, up to $10,000, per day, per violation, are possible."
Why aren't there laws for everyday price gouging for places like some food trucks and a few vendors of the farmers markets?
All in all they say better safe than sorry! This could’ve been Armageddon, instead we live to tell another story about the one that got away, but this time it's not like the fish that got away. It's great that it got away!
Hawaii dodged a bullet, a category 5 hurricane nicknamed by locals "Hurricane Lane change," downgraded to a tropical storm, downgraded to a tropical depression in the shortest time the meteorologists had ever seen in any
hurricane or storm of this magnitude.
The professionals cannot answer why it changed, all the satellites said the contrary. I believe in prayer and with so many praying for safety, I call it a miracle!
“Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path!”
 |
| Drivers fill up with gas with the warning of Hurricane Lane at the Kapaa Texaco station. |
I am hoping this storm experience has made you a better person, made you appreciate your friends, family and the basic and simple things in life, including the tourists!
High prices, price gouging, who cares, it's paradise, right?
Lesson learned!
 |
| Hold onto to your Bottled water, Ramen and Spam Hurricane season is not over until November! OY! |
(Loco Hawaii Humor!)
6 comments:
Interesting commentary. I would imagine you will catch some flak for saying trust big box stores because local farmers market vendors and food trucks will rip you off if they can.
I like the line about it not disrupting your life, but clearing your path.
Cali shared and said, "I was not thankful enough, according to some people about the hurricane, but hopefully this will explain why I was going stir crazy."
Spoke too soon, look what the garden island news reported this morning. ;-(
http://www.thegardenisland.com/2018/08/28/hawaii-news/north-shore-faces-more-flooding/
It felt like Hurricane Lane skipped Kauai at first. As it turned out, we aren’t out of the woods yet.
One hint that the storm wasn’t done was Monday morning when I heard cars moving on Ananalu Road about five in the morning. They were moving their cars because they were anticipating flooding in their yards due to the heavy rain and the river nearby.
Later in the afternoon the water did rise into their yards, which is horrible especially considering that it happened after the April flood, too. Many people have been forced to deal with a second round of bad flooding during this storm.
Another hint was the slick muddy road, some parts of the road had a foot-thick layer of mud on it. Fortunately, my Subaru had all-wheel drive and was able to make it through. My husband picked up my daughter from Hanalei School which closed around lunch time Monday, due to the weather.
My daughter and husband waited in the convoy line with other residents to get through to Haena and Wainiha. It took a while we heard because debris fell on the roadway. They decided to let some people through before closing the convoy until conditions improved. Meanwhile people were U-turning and leaving because they didn’t want to get stuck in water flooding into the road, and because Hanalei River was rising.
The bridge closed soon after.
While going for a jog Sunday, I took in the scene around the neighborhood. There were a lot of big puddles on the road and I could see people loading up their cars to leave, hoping to dodge the storm.
People around town were hanging out in front of Last Chance or Wainiha General Store, a hot spot for people to talk story and find out what’s going on.
It’s a place where people can go to see their neighbors and make sure they’re doing OK, too. Also, people were gathering there because they couldn’t get past the double bridges, since the river was overflowing onto the road.
Social media helps to shed light onto the struggles people are facing because of the storm, though it’s not easy to take in. Photographs and videos of people’s yards and homes filled with water can be seen online.
Some images, for example, show stilt houses that though about a story above flood water, the car parking and storage area beneath it are underwater. This is just a glimpse into what people are dealing with, as there are so many different and difficult situations people are facing now.
All in all, neighbors helping neighbors, people helping people, are keeping Kauai going right now.
KPD Sgt. Rod Green, at last week’s emergency meeting in Haena, called Haena and Wainiha people very “resilient.”
It’s a great word to describe all people on Kauai, and if everyone got through the flooding in April, we can this time, too. Now all we can do is continue to be there for each other, as we ride out the rest of the storm and the hurricane season together.
•••
Monique Rowan covers the North Shore for The Garden Island and can be reached at melizrowan@gmail.com
Glad you're ok....there's always people that want to profit in someone's misery....truly sad
This has been a stressful year for all of us who live Hawaii. Hawaii people stand strong!
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