Sound Off: Did Officials Overreact In Preparing For Irene?

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Tropical Storm Irene has blown through the area, leaving parts of the Tri-State awash in floods and other parts relatively unscathed.

In New York City, mass transit was shut down entirely - an unprecedented step which brought the city that never sleeps to a virtual standstill. Mayor Michael Bloomberg followed that with another unprecedented action: The first-ever mandatory evacuation of some residents.

"I think in retrospect we did the right thing," Bloomberg said Monday. "Common sense says we should do what is right to protect the public."

CBSNewYork has been asking our viewers on our Facebook page all weekend what they thought of the measures taken by officials. An unofficial survey of your comments suggests that most of you think they did the right thing.

"The concern for the safety of the people was very important," wrote Judy Hojnowski Hunter on Sunday. "The information and preparations surely saved lives."

"Better to be safe than sorry," wrote Dawne Marie. "There's nothing worth your life and the lives of others."

Not everyone agreed, though.

"HUGE overreaction," wrote Rob Postrel, also on Sunday. "I'd be pissed if I got evacuated over a rain storm."

"This mismanagement is exactly what we don't need here in NYC," wrote viewer Kevin James Dalton. "Because now when the next really big storm comes people will not take it so seriously due to media/politicians crying wolf over this one prematurely."

One Gulf Coaster wasn't impressed.

"I used to think New Yorkers were tough as nails," Patrick Lemire wrote. "Lee Press-On nails is more like it. It's one thing to prep for the worst case scenario, but this is laughable.

"If they didn't take precautions, people would still complain about them not doing anything and knowing it was coming. You can't win," wrote Kimberly Welsh.

"What people fail to grasp is that for a few hours of inconvenience you are kept safe, your family is safe, your loved ones can feel you are safe," wrote Ruth Croson. "What price do you put on your life?"

So now, once and for all, tell us what you think: Did officials do the right thing by shutting down the subway, ordering evacuations and more or was this an overreaction? Tell us more in our comments section.