6th Anniversary of August 14, 2003 blackout

[Bracamonte 124]

Today is the 6th anniversary of the Northeastern US and Canada blackout of 2003. Share your experiences during that awful day.

[R62A 1991 2]

I got off of a plane from the Bahamas with my family 2 hours before the Blackout. You don't know how happy I was to actually be in my house when it just poof: went out.

[KeystoneRegional 246]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[SubwayGuy 2,314]

Hard to believe that was 6 years ago. I was on the computer when it happened and I thought I blew the damn power supply on my desktop again. Then I realized nothing was working. I'm calm in emergencies, so I just grabbed my mother who was with me, a flashlight, and said "let's go get some ice, water, and batteries" and that's exactly what we did, using the flashlight to navigate the hallways and stairs of the apt building to get down to street level to get that stuff.

[mark1447 685]

hmm i thought it was 2002? Cuz i dont remember it being 2003 a few months before I moved to current location in bronx.. But i see u right after i googled

 

Anyways I was living in Manhattan during this time. Was at the Local libary in harlem when all the computers shut down during day light as well as the building. Radio kept saying most Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn Resident had power. As well as Project building or homes with generators. The whole street was crowded with people, like a fair. At Niht it was dark as hell! At least i saw more stars inthe sky!

[metsfan 2]

I only remember watching it on the news, & my mom coming home from work early cuz she works in NJ.

 

To be honest the rain & flooding on august 4 2007 (2 years ago this month) will stick out more than the blackout, because my then new girlfriend of a month (now of 2+ years) was 30 minutes late to work due to all hell breaking loose in the NY metro area. When she got in she was expecting a reaming, but it became clear to both of us via her calling me and us talking bout it that the airports had massive delays because flight crews were stuck in the city and it was just a real mess, and they were just glad she got in at all to help etc.

 

One thing i do remember about the blackout though, was the sun setting and the office lights were not on in lower manhattan, and CNN obsessing over it and CNBC having to relocate people by helicopter from NY to NJ to continue proper coverage of the day's other news, since their studios at the time were in NJ, with reporters in various spots in NYC.

 

I also remember my friend was trapped in a subway car for a very long while under the east river & the had to come and get them.

 

- A

[mediccjh 454]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[S78 via Hylan 1,076]

My mother, my sister and I went to the ferry and hung out for a while. I had a lot of fun. The next day, all bus rides were free.

[FamousNYLover 553]

I was near 50s when I saw traffic signals blackout.

As I walk walking north on 1st Av, I met Japanese lady and I went to East End Av/79th St and help with traffic, but I got trouble with my mom and roommate.

B/c of blackout, my roommate got home before night. I got home b/f night also.

[Bracamonte 124]

For me, I was at the YMCA Summer Camp during dismissal when the lights went out. At first I thought only the whole YMCA facility lost power, but when my dad picked me up, I noticed that there were lots of traffic and the street lights were off. My mom was stuck on the train between 5th Avenue and Grand Central for three hours (The still had redbirds back then). She came home at 11:00 PM.

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

This weekend of August 15-16, 2009 is filled with '3 anniversities of huge news events all with huge impact on New York. Besides the '03 blackout(the blackout actually happened from Thursday August 14-Friday August 15th) we also have the 40th anniversity of the 1969 oringal Woodstock festival(feel free to comment in that separte thread)in Sullivan County, NY.

Not to mention the 15th anniversity of the 1994 Woodstock 'reunion' concert festival down the block from my current home in Saugteries, NY.

 

And lastly down on the memory lane this weekend the start of the 15th anniversity of the infamous 1994-95 MLB strike that cancelled the 1994 post season and world series as well. The Yankees at start of the mega work stoppage in 1994 like this weekend in '09 was in first place and I was angry at MLB for a while after the players returned for ending the '94 season so soon. Perhaps Don Mattingly that year gets his world series ring and might be in the baseball hall of fame by now. That a different topic altogether.

 

 

Quick reply on where i was at time of the event. In August 2003, my last full year living in Brooklyn, I was on my way to denist office when the blackout started. The nurse said 'go home' and when i did all of the lights were out. Some people on the street panicked and thought possible another 9/11 acr. Long story short i walked home 2 miles to get home.

 

An intresting weekend to look back on indeed. with historically events all with deep New York roots:cool:

 

FYI. Anyone remember the 1977 NYC blackout? or even 1965? I guess not that anicent history to most of you on these boards lol.:confused:

[DNJ 10]

Today is the 6th anniversary of the Northeastern US and Canada blackout of 2003. Share your experiences during that awful day.

 

Oh Yeah, i remember that day i was coming home from Casey Stengel Depot one hour before New York City went Blackout. I was in the living room after i came home and all the subben my TV went blank & i thought the fuse blow out but i notice something not right and i went out side to check to see if any traffic light working & it not working. My father who was a B/O in MJQ Depot working on M9 until 8pm because he helping people to get home near Downtown and got home after 10pm.

 

David:cool:

[LRG 216]

Six years?! Seems a little longer than that.

 

I was at my cousins' in Long Island and one of them was doing laundry. He even dried the clothes with the dryer (idiot!!!). I still believe that he's the reason why the blackout occurred because he was too lazy to hang his clothes on a laundry rack and have them dry in the sun!

 

Nonetheless, the day was fun. At night we walked their dog and played manhunt. But the most beautiful thing was the sight of the stars in the sky.

[N-Trizzy2609 11]

Was stuck on the train just south of City Hall when it happened. We actually got lucky cuz the train stopped right next to an emergency exit. It was scary though because there were soo many freggin rats! I actually touched the 3rd Rail on purpose when we realized it was a blackout. My hands got dirty.The T/O was on her first week of the job so she was scared poopless.

[R68 Subway Car 254]

I was watching tv in my bedroom at the time, then my overhead fan and light just turned off as well as the T.V. When me and my mom asked looked outside, we realized that the whole block was out, then I heard a radio next door tuned to 1010 WINS or some news station saying there was a massive power outage. It was so crazy and the lasting image of the day for me was that the only thing shining that night was the moon. It was weird, cool and annoying at the same time! :cool:

[lilbluefoxie 820]

That was the worst, but what sucks further is that we havent done anything to increase our power supply. We are still using the same few power plants and they havent built any new ones in the Long Island/NYC area. They have that nuclear one they mothballed shortly after it was built, why cant we bring that thing online?

 

Theres gotta be a point where we tell the enviormentalists to shove off, let em live in the dark by themselves and stop letting them ruin our electricity and way of life.

[R32 3348 10]

I actually touched [it] on purpose when we realized it was a blackout. My hands got dirty. [she] was on her first week of the job so she was scared poopless.

That's what she said! ROFL :cool: