stay or bug out?

[SSChameleon]

I'm prepared to stay as long as I can. Things would have to be so bad that I could no longer run my business before I would leave. I'm not up for the 'run for the mountains' thing. If I have bug out it will be to another state or another country.

Think about the sequence of events leading up to a situation that is so bad you would leave your home. If it's a natural disaster (tornado, earthquake, fire, etc.) it will be localized and the best option is to drive to your in-laws/friends in another state for awhile. Or send the wife and kids while I stay behind and start putting life back together.

If it's economic it will not turn anarchy overnight. It will take at least a few weeks if not months. If things start going real bad I have set trigger events that would prompt me to leave the country all together. I have friends in Canada and Germany I could stay with.

Looking back at the great depression and what happens when other country's economies collapsed it is unlikely that I would bug out. More than likely my business would contract but still run and I could move to a gated community or get an alarm for the house and stay put. When the economy goes south crime goes up drastically but even in Russia and Argentina no one turned into zombies.

In order to make running for the hills a good choice it would have to be a significant event. I'm talking total world nuclear war or a russian/chinese invasion. Even these events would likely have a week or two warning while nations pound their chests and make threats. Unless the nuclear attack was by terrorist which would still, most likely, be a localized event. This is really the only scenario where I would pack the car with food, water and ammo and run for the hills and it's very unlikely.

My plan is based on the circle defense (mentioned in another post) where I have a 72 hour kit prepared for natural disasters and temporary displacement. For anything longer than 72 hours I have plans to stay as long as possible.

[Delfuego]

Not one person mentioned Red Dawn. Really? Hollywood gave me my plan years ago....

Wolverines!!!!

[SA Friday]

Not one person mentioned Red Dawn. Really? Hollywood gave me my plan years ago....

Wolverines!!!!

That might be because we're talking about staying alive in disaster situations for the most part. War is a different animal, and the chances of a CONUS wartime invasion is literally zero. Even the Japanese knew that as early as 1942.

[jason303]

I am one of the "in" crowd, mainly because I don't have anywhere to go. Staying home has it's upside clearly, but I think it can't be sustained long term. Something I didn't think of until I watched the after armageddon show which you've probably seen, even after the first waves of scavengers go house to house, in the long run scavengers will still be combing through the huge junk pile of urban areas. When the supplies run out, you'd have to become a part of some kind of agricultural community. There's not space in my backyard for that. Lastly, I think Colorado would be particularly challenging given the climate and soil.

[refryguy]

I'd be taking over and clearing out the nearest Walmart. Get a bunch of friends together to barracade ourselves in. Plenty of supplies and a fully stocked workshop to armor up some vehicles for recon if needed. hahah, just kidding, it would be hard to defend but if you had a big enough group you could do it.

[Beprepared]

I'd be taking over and clearing out the nearest Walmart. Get a bunch of friends together to barracade ourselves in. Plenty of supplies and a fully stocked workshop to armor up some vehicles for recon if needed. hahah, just kidding, it would be hard to defend but if you had a big enough group you could do it.

HYPOTHETICALLY...front of store has 3 entrances, all other doors are very secure exit doors....hmmmmmm

[jason303]

HYPOTHETICALLY...front of store has 3 entrances, all other doors are very secure exit doors....hmmmmmm

Auto shop, garden center, very few windows to lob a firebomb through, you all may be onto something here. I hope you have a BIG group of friends. Everyone goes to Walmart.

And a nice flat roof to shoot from.

[Eow]

If it's economic it will not turn anarchy overnight. It will take at least a few weeks if not months...Looking back at the great depression and what happens when other country's economies collapsed it is unlikely that I would bug out. More than likely my business would contract but still run and I could move to a gated community or get an alarm for the house and stay put. When the economy goes south crime goes up drastically but even in Russia and Argentina no one turned into zombies.

What is different about America today than during the depression, and different from those other countries is that hardly anyone has any 'real life' skills here any more. Very few people know how to hunt or gather their own food any more, know how to fix and fabricate things. I think things will start to unravel very quickly as people get hungry and desperate.

[theGinsue]

Even for those who might have the skills, the availability of the necessary tools for accomplishing things without power just isn't there. Without power (gasoline, diesel fuel, electricity, etc), everything will have to be done either by hand or animal power. this requires a whole different set of tools than we currently have available in mainstream society; the Amish have the tools. Unfortunatley, the Amish won't be available to teach the rest of us how to make those tools since they are pacifists and will likely be killed in short order to have their food and possessions stolen.

[SA Friday]

Even for those who might have the skills, the availability of the necessary tools for accomplishing things without power just isn't there. Without power (gasoline, diesel fuel, electricity, etc), everything will have to be done either by hand or animal power. this requires a whole different set of tools than we currently have available in mainstream society; the Amish have the tools. Unfortunatley, the Amish won't be available to teach the rest of us how to make those tools since they are pacifists and will likely be killed in short order to have their food and possessions stolen.

See. Just another reason kidnapping an amish family to envelope into my community after everything swirls the bowl... They won't like me killing all the raiders, but they will like living.