Earthquake drill

[MikeH]

Man, I just realised how much I actually hate the earthquakes even after several decades in here.

I am visiting a customer and their building has a earthquake drill today. I knew it and they actually had a warning at the speaker system first to say this is just a drill.

But still when they announce we are expecting a big earthquake in 30 seconds I can feel the chill going down my spine.

 

[TAG Manager]

But still when they announce we are expecting a big earthquake in 30 seconds I can feel the chill going down my spine.

Scarred much?

It just doesn't phase me anymore.

I was at the top of a Tokyo high-rise office building when the quake struck on 3/11/2011. That was undoubtedly a defining moment in my life when I truly thought we weren't going to make it out that one alive. However, things were fine despite the building swaying for a good long time after the main quake and having to exit the building via stairs for some 35 floors (I think).

 

[e-smile]

I looked stupid the first time I felt an earthquake in Japan.
It was during work and I kind of panicked when I realized why my screen was shaking so I stood up and said "Jishin da !" and everyone in the open space started laughing.
I was then told that it's a small one and there is nothing to worry about.

 

[MikeH]

That was undoubtedly a defining moment in my life when I truly thought we weren't going to make it out that one alive.

I remember thinking that time that OK, this is it, Mike's life is going to end now. And I was totally not cool with it, didn't give me any Buddha-like calmness or inner peace, I was just truly pissed.

 

[Frenchy]

I remember thinking that time that OK, this is it, Mike's life is going to end now. And I was totally not cool with it, didn't give me any Buddha-like calmness or inner peace, I was just truly pissed.

No sexy "spinner" in sight to end the world in her arms ? (What does spinner mean btw , in the context you use it? Always happy to better understand the English language )

 

[TAG Manager]

No sexy "spinner" in sight to end the world in her arms ? (What does spinner mean btw , in the context you use it? Always happy to better understand the English language )

Spinner = Hot young girl. (commonly thin, can be 'spun')

 

[MikeH]

No sexy "spinner" in sight to end the world in her arms ? (What does spinner mean btw , in the context you use it? Always happy to better understand the English language )

Obviously the name comes from the fact that when you are doing it standing from behind she is small enough for you to stand up, slap her in the buttocks and she stars spinning around...

But it was our @meiji who put it in numbers "I'll argue to the death that a provider isn't a spinner unless they are like 150cm and under 45kg". So anything over those figures is not a spinner anymore in my book.

 

[Frenchy]

Obviously the name comes from the fact that when you are doing it standing from behind she is small enough for you to stand up, slap her in the buttocks and she stars spinning around...

But it was our @meiji who put it in numbers "I'll argue to the death that a provider isn't a spinner unless they are like 150cm and under 45kg". So anything over those figures is not a spinner anymore in my book.

Aaaah!!! Okayyyy!!! Well spinners are not really my type then , but at least I learnt something today!

 

[MikeH]

Aaaah!!! Okayyyy!!! Well spinners are not really my type then , but at least I learnt something today!

You are now my favourite person in TAG to go to have drinks with. Not that I wouldn't think you obviously have a very bad taste in girls but because we would then never go after the same girl in the bar!

Nothing is better than laying on your back and watching through the mirrors in the ceiling when a spinner is having her way with you. No, that was a lie. Nothing is better than looking two spinners do it the same time!

 

[Anna Summer]

I haven't experienced the 2011 earthquake but have been to a simulation center who recreated that one.
Earthquakes do freak me out tho... and the fact that my school is constantly reminding us that we should prepare for the next 'big' one...

 

[just4fun]

Spinner = Hot young girl. (commonly thin, can be 'spun')

like a propeller

 

[Frenchy]

You are now my favourite person in TAG to go to have drinks with. Not that I wouldn't think you obviously have a very bad taste in girls but because we would then never go after the same girl in the bar!

Nothing is better than laying on your back and watching through the mirrors in the ceiling when a spinner is having her way with you. No, that was a lie. Nothing is better than looking two spinners do it the same time!

Yeah well, that plus I don't chase girls in bars anyway , so yes I'm the perfect wingman .

 

[roots reggae]

And I thought, from the title, and from the OP's past posts, that the thread was about something like a "mile high club."

 

[Rusty Trombone]

Yeah well, that plus I don't chase girls in bars anyway , so yes I'm the perfect wingman .

Get a room boys

 

[MikeH]

Get a room boys

He is too expensive for me. I should know, I set his prices.

 

[Hofmeyer]

My first earthquake happened when I was butt naked in the shower, covered in soap and blind because I opened my eyes when I felt the shaking and the lather got in my eyes.

I was more angry that this is how I die rather than scared. Of course it was all fine.

Another time, more recently, I was in a restaurant in Akihabara where you could get the waitress to mix you a cocktail. Just when she started shaking one for the guy at the table next to me, a fairly decent one hit. Everyone kind of quieted down, and when it subsided the dude said to the waitress "Damn you shook that hard."

The whole restaurant started laughing.

 

[ShowaJidai]

I was in the office no the second floor of a building during the 2011 earthquake For those who don't know it was a couple large quakes followed by months of aftershocks. When the first one hit it was long enough for me to get up and guide some of my co-workers down the stairs and outside. After it stopped we went back inside - but a while later another one hit and I lead some people out like before. The management had told us to stay in place during an earthquake but I would rather take my chances getting outside.

I had a really long walk home after that. I believe the Oedo line was the only train or subway running that evening.

 

[Sudsy]

I was at the top of a Tokyo high-rise office building when the quake struck on 3/11/2011. That was undoubtedly a defining moment in my life when I truly thought we weren't going to make it out that one alive. However, things were fine despite the building swaying for a good long time after the main quake and having to exit the building via stairs for some 35 floors (I think).

I was lucky - only on the third floor. The 25 km walk home was something though..... it was surreal seeing people getting in full on fist fights over taxis just after it hit.

 

[foobarxyzabc]

I remember that day very well. At that time I was living in Tohoku area, but was in Tokyo for a short visit. I was lucky enough to be near the Tokyo station when the first blast happened. Of course all trains stopped immediately and I had to invent ways to get back home. In the end I was able to get on the Shinkansen going on Jōetsu line, then few buses between cities and I was home.
... and then it was a whole week of aftershocks with magnitude 5 or 6 ...
Unfortunately, it seems I got used to that, so now unless it's 6.5 or more my brain doesn't even consider it to be important enough.

 

[MikeH]

The management had told us to stay in place during an earthquake but I would rather take my chances getting outside.

That's actually my thinking too and as I was only in lower floors I did get out of the building. But actually the advice seems pretty solid; stay inside seems to be the safest thing to do.

In around my area the only people who got killed or injured were outside and got hit by falling stuff like billboards and neon lights from the buildings next to them.

 

[ShowaJidai]

...the only people who got killed or injured were outside and got hit by falling stuff like billboards and neon lights from the buildings next to them.

In my case we ran/walked out to a big parking lot next to our building. Far enough away from the building so no falling glass would hit us if that happened. Nothing else close enough to be a danger.

 

[MikeH]

In my case we ran/walked out to a big parking lot next to our building. Far enough away from the building so no falling glass would hit us if that happened. Nothing else close enough to be a danger.

Sure, and that was my exact action too. Still the odds for getting hurt while moving during the quake seem to be higher than just staying put and taking a cover under your table and only moving out when it stops.

But yeah, even if I know that it's hard to not to try to get out of the building. Too many movies with people trapped inside I guess. But if you look at the actual footage after the last big one too you can see the buildings/houses are intact, some even knocked off and floating with the tsunami but still in one piece.

 

[ShowaJidai]

I dunno. During the 1995 earthquake in Kobe it looked like an elevated highway toppled over on top of a number of buildings. 6,000 people were killed and I'm pretty sure many if not most were killed in buildings.

 

[MikeH]

I dunno. During the 1995 earthquake in Kobe it looked like an elevated highway toppled over on top of a number of buildings. 6,000 people were killed and I'm pretty sure many if not most were killed in buildings.

If I remember correctly the buildings built after the new regulations in 1981 didn't suffer much damage. It was mostly the older ones and even with those the older single family houses. Most of the deaths are almost always by the fires started by the quake anyway.

Even if you try to get away a typical quake only lasts around 30 seconds. If you are anywhere higher than the first few floors you are not going to get out before it already stops.

 

[ShowaJidai]

Yup. Anytime I am on the third floor or higher I find something sturdy to hide under. It was only because I was on the second floor and very close to the stairway that I decided to move.