Hello my friend and welcome to today’s post! When SHTF happens, some people will be forced to bug out on foot simply because they have no other option. In today’s post, we are going to look at the dangers of bugging out on foot when it all falls apart and how to avoid some of them. Grab yourself a cup of coffee and have a seat while we visit.
Making the decision to bug out on foot is not one that should be made lightly! Any trip, of any distance, made on foot in a post SHTF world is sure to be fraught with danger. With that said, in some cases, you just may not have any other options. Of course a lot of the dangers that you may encounter will depend on just what has caused the SHTF and where you are at the time. It will make a lot of difference if you are in town and you simply can’t stay where you live versus being out-of-town on a business trip far from home. Any way you look at it, your chances of safely reaching your goal will depend on how well prepared you are, how far you need to travel and how quickly you get moving.
If you are away from home, then you need to immediately take stock in what you have available to you at that time. DO NOT wait for help to arrive from the Government! It will just slow you down and they will most likely show up at all in the end. Once you realize that SHTF has happened, then you will need to get on the road as quickly as possible. This is especially true if you are in a large city when it happens. Large cities will come apart at the hinges much faster than small towns. You will need to be sure you have the basics such as drinking water, some type of food, a flashlight, knife of any kind, emergency blanket and a way to make a fire. If you are in a hotel out-of-town, consider bringing the shower curtain to use as a tarp for shelter. Grab a blanket or quilt from the bed and roll it up then shove it in a pillowcase to use as bedding. Chords from the window blinds are another thing you should take as well. It can be used to make a sling for the pillowcase to help carry it over your shoulder. The snack machine is a good place to find extra food and items you might need for your trip. Vending machines in hotels usually have items like Bic Lighters as well as medicine in them along with food. Remember that your life may depend on what you can get out of the machine, so don’t hesitate to break the glass in it to get what you need. Save your money for buying other items at the nearest store.
It is generally agreed that society will start to fall apart almost immediately so get on the road as fast as you can. Go to the nearest corner store and use what cash you may have on you to buy food and other items you will need on the road as you travel. Items to look for are Maps, knives, bottled water, food, toilet paper and other items that you might need. Once you have all that you can safely carry, get on the road and keep moving until you are away from the city or town. Once there you need to find a safe place to hide and take stock of your supplies. At this point it is time to take out the map and make a plan to get you home safely.
Once you are on the road there are a few things to consider. The first one is to avoid roads whenever possible as they will be full of people who have no idea how to cope and if they see you with supplies, they will try to take what you have. One person once said that roads are for those who want to get killed. I would agree with that so plan your route using hiking trails and railroad tracks as much as possible.
Another thing to consider is to travel at night. While this will make traveling slower, it will lessen the chances of you being seen by others. Avoid others and only go around them when you have absolutely no other choice. When you are forced to enter a crowd, become the “grey man” and keep your head down and try not to make eye contact with anyone. Keep walking and don’t stop until you are clear of the group. As one person once put it, you want to become a ghost while traveling home. The other thing is not to trust anyone unless you have no other choice. Remember that the rules will have all changed and it will be every person for themselves so take care and be sure that you are the one that comes out on top and reaches your destination alive! Well that is it for today and I hope you have enjoyed today’s post. Until next time, stay safe, stay strong, and stay prepared! God Bless America!
-The Sargent-
Sarge, I like how you used stuff in the hotel for survival. A thought for travel if it is by foot is to know your surroundings, perhaps a map from the hotel of local attractions such as bike trails or kayaking or raft rides on rivers. Things that keep you away from the main stream traffic and people. Just a thought.
I agree 100% ! 🙂