[budgetprepp-n]

When the SHTF the first few hours will be confusing but those of us that are awake will know what's
going on. And there will probably be a few hours of operatunity to move around on the roads.
They will let the sheep come home to make the round up easier so before the check points go up.
I plan on getting to my BOL fast as possible (with my grandkids) I have a 4 wheel drive truck but it won't
be with me when I'm in the city. But I plan on getting there chop -chop

 

[Verteidiger]

Why does this remind me of the Mad Max movies?

Oh, must be the blower!

 

[budgetprepp-n]

If the road turn into a mad max thing I will be ready LOL
"Interceptor last of the big V-8s"

 

[bennettvm]

In the first few hours most people are going to be sitting around complaining that their cell phone isn't working.

 

[Verteidiger]

In the first few hours most people are going to be sitting around complaining that their cell phone isn't working.

That is so true. LMAO. "OMG, what is wrong with this THING?"

 

[Chipper]

I went a different route. Yes it's a Hemi. I'm thinking no one will want to mess me and the cops aren't going to give me a second look.

 

[paraquack]

I'd rather feel like a fool than be a fool by staying put .

 

[MI.oldguy]

A simple large truck will suffice....Run of the mill....old ford...460...385horses able to shove anything short of an MRAP out of the way.If we dont bug in it will depend on the situation.

 

[Go2ndAmend]

If I'm not at home my priority will be to get there. If I am at home, security will be my first priority. Lock the gates, block the driveway, communicate with neighbors etc.

 

[livinitup0]

just a question....if all the phones are down, TV's probably down, neighbors dont know anything....how will you know when to go?

 

[Prepadoodle]

Our power went out during a storm last summer. When it didn't come back in a few hours, I went to bed.

It wasn't until the next day that we realized it might be off for some time. High winds had caused wires to cross and blow transformers all over the area, and there was no way they had enough to replace them all. Replacements and additional crew were said to be on the way from far off states, but it would be days before they arrived. Hearing this, I went back to bed.

The next day, we had a barbeque and invited the neighbors over. The food was going to go bad anyway, might as well use it, right? One of the neighbors mentioned that a local church was giving out 20 pound bags of ice, so we went and got some.

Power was off for 8 days.

I think that, in any long term SHTF scenario, it would take at least a week for the reality to sink in. Right or wrong, people tend to think that it's going to get better soon.

One of the main reasons that we acted the way we acted was that we were able to access hard information online. We understood the situation and knew it was going to be a week or so before power was restored. Without this information, I don't really know what we would have done.

 

[Rigged for Quiet]

With the exception of the dreaded EMP which will likely come out of nowhere, thereshould be signs leading up to it all. It's even possible international saber rattling will be an indicator for an EMP.

Things like rapidly declining stock market, mass layoffs, fuel shortages and drasticly rising cost of available fuel, store shelves not refillingas they should, talks of government restructuring or ending of programs, local government services stopping, constant reassurances from the government, increased military/govt agencies presence etc.

Being ahead of the curve is desireable, but not a game ender if you aren't. It just becomes a case of having to work harder rather than smarter.

 

[dwight55]

just a question....if all the phones are down, TV's probably down, neighbors dont know anything....how will you know when to go?

Internet and cell phones can be down and while a lot of folks will be inconvenienced, . . . angry, . . . it happens today, yesterday, and will happen somewhere tomorrow.

BUT, . . . if you cannot get a land line call through, . . . if the radio is nothing but static, . . . and the TV is blank, . . . those are all GOOD indicators that something other than soup is dripping off the fan blades.

I regularly call around the neighborhood if the net is down as many of us have the same ISP, . . . but like today, . . . it was just me.

I'm hoping somebody will come out with another TV/radio, . . . loved mine, . . . switched bands on it, . . . could at least get audio portion of TV. New HD stuff is different band.

May God bless,
Dwight

 

[PaulS]

The first few hour will be spent by most folks trying to figure out what is going on. Humans refuse to accept a reality different than they have experienced before.
It will be the major cities that are first in trouble - runs on the bank, malls and stores closing down and then riots in the streets. After that it will spread quickly and even smaller cities will be on fire with no response from emergency personnel. Police will try for a while but they too will decide to go home to protect their families - some will band together for strength and some - like all the other people will be looking out for themselves. By that time - three days to a couple of weeks it will be too late to move and too dangerous to stay. Checkmate.
It is OK to "go camping" for the weekend and be wrong about something - and a lot better than staying put to find out that you are in the sh!t as it goes through the fan. Maybe it is just a power outage so you are gone for a few days getting used to the BOL and come home knowing better what you need. That is better than waiting too long and not being able to get there at all.

 

[Smitty901]

Right now I am up while others are sleeping. We have some major storm warnings in the area to night and with all the rain we have had this year it must taken seriously. Chance are great it will be a non event as is always the case, but you never know. Natural disasters are one thing.
Civil unrest bought on by a natural disaster or political reasons are another.
Not being in a major city we have more time to react , the signs will show in the major cities first.
I would hope we would not ignore them . Better to over react then to act to late.

 

[StarPD45]

Our power went out during a storm last summer. When it didn't come back in a few hours, I went to bed.

It wasn't until the next day that we realized it might be off for some time. High winds had caused wires to cross and blow transformers all over the area, and there was no way they had enough to replace them all. Replacements and additional crew were said to be on the way from far off states, but it would be days before they arrived. Hearing this, I went back to bed.

Transformers are a huge problem in this country. There are very few spares when you consider the number in use nationwide. We don't have the capability to quickly build large numbers of them.
A major EMP, whether natural or otherwise, would throw the country into turmoil. Power would be out for weeks, or even months.
Most likely, up to 2/3 of the country would be without power.

 

[KingM]

Transformers are a huge problem in this country. There are very few spares when you consider the number in use nationwide. We don't have the capability to quickly build large numbers of them.
A major EMP, whether natural or otherwise, would throw the country into turmoil. Power would be out for weeks, or even months.
Most likely, up to 2/3 of the country would be without power.

It's crazy how much money we waste turning our airports into little examples of a police state while ignoring very real infrastructure issues like this one. The same thing goes for energy issues. Instead of wasting trillions on military adventures overseas, we could have used that to wean ourselves off foreign oil.

 

[Ripon]

We all have an advantage. We don't need to run on the grocery store, bank or gun shop. While others are figuring it out I'm putting distance between me and civilization.

EMP or solar flare with no warning is the worst case scenario. I do worry about LE wanting my truck as I exit town in 40 minutes from lights out ( 3 to realize oh crap / 32 for emergency grab and go packing the F150. 5 to stop at the church and leave instructions for my prepper group. I can clear town in 5 more minutes. My biggest concern is Rambo PD wanting my moving vehicle....so I pray it's at night.

 

[Lucky Jim]

just a question....if all the phones are down, TV's probably down, neighbors dont know anything....how will you know when to go?

It all depends what kind of thing zaps us, but I'll probably just sit tight at home munching through my food and water stocks for a while and see what happens.
"It's a dangerous business going out your door"-Bilbo Baggins

 

[rickkyw1720pf]

I wonder how many people rely almost entirely on using a credit card, I know I normally carry very little cash because a debit card is so convenient but I do have cash on hand in case SHTF an nothing is working. Most people probably don't have enough cash to fill their car without going to the bank. Just something to think about if the network ever went down.