If the SHTF . . . where will you go?

[melensdad]

Originally Posted by abnk

I'm wondering that myself. It sounds like the OP is talking about civil unrest.

I think many have wet dreams about these scenarios where hordes of people will attempt to storm your house for food, etc. However, you'd be surprised how well order is maintained in an anarchical situation by people themselves. Just keep a low profile and help organize a neighborhood watch group and you will likely be okay in a residential area.

Well not too far off.

There is another thread here about people getting their supplies ready to bug out. I was curious where they would go??? Many people have a Bug Out Bag for when they get stuck in the car, or other short term event. Its probably a lot more important in the real wilderness than it is here in the wilds of Indiana.

HOWEVER, suppose we do have some economic calamity, steep depression that lasts for a year or more, and crime really picks up as people start to rob for food/survival.

I read where people will have a generator and some gasoline . . . but if you run the generator will you not be 'advertising' to everyone that you have stuff? In fact if your generator is one of those portable 3000 to 9000 watt units sitting outside what will prevent people from walking off with it? Do you have it chained to your house?

As for the concept of neighbors banding together, I understand that, but lets say you are the only house on the block that has a year supply of food, and lets say the other 20 houses around you are full of people who went to the grocery store last friday but don't have much more than a refrigerator full of food. Will they be knocking at your door? If they know you have food then it is likely they will. A 1 year supply of food for a family of 4 will shrink to a 1 month supply of food for an entire neighborhood.

If a typical house has a big sliding patio door, and windows on every side of the house, and a group of hungry neighbors sees your house as the next best thing to a grocery store, then do you have the ability to board (wood or steel bars) up your windows to keep them out?

What will prevent the "have nots" from turning on the "haves" given that you are one of the "haves"?

For anyone in the 'suburbs' or 'urban' environment there are some very interesting tactical questions they need to face.

[W9ZEB]

This is one of the few advantages to not really being friends with any of your neighbors. They kick my doors of windows in, and the same thing happens to them as any other intruder.

Regarding the "SHTF" scenarios.

1) major earthquake near Evansville actually destroys most of that city, and damages major infrastructure in Indianapolis.

2) major tornado goes through the heart of Indianapolis

3) terrorist strike at the Indianapolis 500 / First game at Lucas Oil Stadium / or other major event in Indianapolis

4) terrorist strike in a major city within a few hours drive of Indy.... Louisville, Cincy, Chicago.

All of the above could cause some serious problems for those of us living in the Indianapolis area. Mostly likely short term, maybe a week or two. This does still require some planning on the prepared family's part.

[abnk]

melensdad, I don't rule anything as impossible, but an event of the scale you describe is very improbable. In my previous country, I lived through at least three major anarchical events. The police agencies were a joke; deserting repeatedly every time SHTF. During the worst one, there was no police presence for almost two months. Electrical power and water were strictly rationed for several years. There were gangs of thugs galore, but rarely messed with the average citizen as they were more concerned with blackmailing, robbing, and "offering protection" to prominent folks. The nascent private industry was so primitive that it isn't even comparable to our industry.

Yet, no one starved to death nor broke into houses for food. As I mentioned earlier, if you keep a low profile, you will likely be okay.

I am more worried about preparing to buy a new house in a good neighborhood and putting my kids through good schools than preparing for a SHTF.

[melensdad]

I started that thread because of another SHTF thread because it strikes me that many people over prepare for some things and ignore other things completely. I'm not one who thinks we will see the type of events that are described. But I wondered about others here and what they are planning for given some of the posts in the other SHTF thread. It seems like some here are planning to live in a bunker and survive off buckets of rice and MREs.

You point about the LOW PROFILE is well taken, but again in other threads people talk about running generators. Last time I checked, those are loud and not low profile. Same with many other activities that people can/may do.

While I live MILES from town I choose to do that because I like the country, I probably have more food/supplies than the typical suburban dweller and could easily last a couple weeks eating good food, not worrying about fuel issues, etc, without poking my head out of my hole, but that is because we lived through an 8 day power outage during sub-zero temperatures, with the only road in closed for the first 3 1/2 days. We were PARTIALLY prepared for that. We are better prepared for a localized problem than we were. But in our very rural situation we have had to rely on ourselves and learned how to do that far better than when I lived in Munster where houses are packed cheek to jowl on small lots and pampered princesses panic when they break a nail. We've had 45 minute response times from our county Sheriff on 2 occasions when our burglar alarm was triggered, and one of those was a fly-over with the helicopter where they "talked" to me over a bullhorn why hovering over my driveway!!! How the heck did they know I was the homeowner???

[obijohn]

my plan a is to bug in. if the zombie hoard looms, i've had a plan b in place for years. of course i may have to run up north to get rhino before bugging in, he's my reserve food source. hehe.

[indyninja]

Originally Posted by Royal-1

cats sleeping with dogs....

[indyninja]

I agree with this post 100%. I think there is some really good info to be had in this forum but these mad max beyond thunderdome type threads make me laugh.

where am I going? I'm staying right in my house. where the heck else am I going to go.... into the woods where I have stashed my years supply of rice

Originally Posted by abnk

melensdad, I don't rule anything as impossible, but an event of the scale you describe is very improbable. In my previous country, I lived through at least three major anarchical events. The police agencies were a joke; deserting repeatedly every time SHTF. During the worst one, there was no police presence for almost two months. Electrical power and water were strictly rationed for several years. There were gangs of thugs galore, but rarely messed with the average citizen as they were more concerned with blackmailing, robbing, and "offering protection" to prominent folks. The nascent private industry was so primitive that it isn't even comparable to our industry.

Yet, no one starved to death nor broke into houses for food. As I mentioned earlier, if you keep a low profile, you will likely be okay.

I am more worried about preparing to buy a new house in a good neighborhood and putting my kids through good schools than preparing for a SHTF.

[rhino]

abnk knows what he's talking about.

If we lay in a few extras of what we normally use, plus keep well stocked on absolute necessities, we should be good for most of what could befall us here in the cushy US of A.

[baldmax]

I plan on staying put. I live out in the country, with a lake near by. Fishing and hunting is good. Plenty of water from the lake (it will need to be purified). Off of some major roads, but plenty of back roads. If we have to bug out, friends in NC.

[longbow]

Plan A - stay put
Plan B - Stay at Parents if plan A won't work. They have a massive home