[Captjim_NM]

If shit happens on the 10:00PM news you might have to leave the city by midnight. Unless you have a school bus, there is a limit to what you can carry. You would need to have food, equipment and clothes stockpiled somewhere. When I lived in a big city, I always had a plan and kept food, equipment and ammo stockpiled at a relative's place 50 to 200 miles away. Living out in the country, now the rolls are reversed and I store stuff for friends in a big city.

 

[Captjim_NM]

Chipper has a good point, ever watch a video from a hurricane evac in Houston TX? Traffic gridlock can kill your chance for escape. In a traffic gridlock you might have to WALK out, after you run out of gas.

 

[Captjim_NM]

Something to consider, IF THE POWER GOES OUT! The traffic lights will not work, there will be no way to buy gasoline or food. At that point in time, evacuation will be imposable and in some parts of the city, society will break down. All this chaos might only take 3 to 6 hours to unfold. Again, you may watch something on the 10 o'clock news and wake-up in a third world country full of chaos the next morning. Consider the Rodney King riots of years past.

 

[Captjim_NM]

If I were in your shoes: 1. Start camping to scout the areas and learn outdoor survival skills. Camping serves as an excellent cover to learn the local area and gleam info about people. 2. Find a small town 3 to 5 hours away and at lease store food, clothes and supplies there. 3. Start the search for some land. Mel Tapin wrote in his books about merging into a rural society. Since 2004 I have worked in that direction. I don't regret that one bit. 4. Set up a 3 year plan to move to a safer town, even another state.