Governments at all levels screw up on a regular basis. That, in addition to spending money hand over fist, is what they do best.

From some reports, the government has been giving unclear evacuation orders. Some parts of Houston are prone to flooding but others aren't. Instead of trying a phased evacuation (most vulnerable areas first), they're just telling people to leave. Having several million people trying to hit the road at the same time is a sure recipe for gridlock.

If this report is true, then governmental stupidity is making the problem even worse. (emphasis added)

From a reader:

The traffic situation in Houston is lapsing into incompetency on the part of local and state officials. First, they tell everyone to evacuate the city, especially in low lying areas, and then they ask them to sit on highways that do not move.

Case and point: My parents left at 6 a.m. this morning for Austin (regularly a 2 1/2 hour commute). I have not been able to reach them all day until just now 4:00 p.m. I learned from them that they are still in the city of Houston. This is ridiculous!!! Another friend of mine left with her elderly parents and grandmother at 5:30 a.m. this morning. They too are presently still on the outskirts of Houston. They've traveled about a total of twenty miles. Mind you the temperature is in the upper 90's and people are not using the A/C to conserve gas. My mother was very upset and noted that people are beginning to simmer. To add to the stupidity of it all local law enforcment officials have closed of local farm and country roads which would ease the traffic flow along the major evacuation routes. One friend of mine who lives in Angleton, 40 or 50 miles south of Houston and who is very familiar with the back roads was not allowed to use them; local law enforcement officials forced him back on to the major evacuation routes which lead to nowhere. They are virtual parking lots. There are numerous reports of people turning around and returning to their homes. My parents just informed me they were doing this. They're about to run out of gas. Authorities only decided a while ago to open both sides of I-10 for outbound traffic--nice timing Houston. Tempers are really starting to boil over down here. I may drive into Houston tomorrow just to ride out the storm with my parents all the while local officials will be telling us to evacuate.

If (and I stress the word "if" because I can't find confirmation) this is true, the local officials are making the problem worse by forcing everyone onto the major highways that are already saturated. That's simply stupid. If people are giving up and returning home because of the gridlock, then it's likely that some of them could get killed as a result.