Evacuation of Cities

In many of these cases, we are in agreement that a city is generally not somewhere good to be, so how best to get out of one then? If we were to assume that sit X has only just begun, but there would likely be many people doing the same thing, what is the est way to get out? Some cities are vast, it would take a long time to get out of them, here I am relatively lucky I could get out of the main city fairly quickly, but there is still a large suburban area to get past before the free country. So how is best to get out of a city in a desperate situation?

I suppose if a lot of people are trying to get out, road travel is useless, but if the roads are jammed bicycles etc aren't much faster (due to the difficulty of the roads being gridlocked), only leaving walking really, and In some cities that would take a long time to get out from them.

This limits how much you can bring somewhat, to only that which you can carry, which will probably leave a small number of day's food supplies.

My only suggestion would be walking a distance, with obviously what you could carry( have a well equipt bug out bag) to a short distance away where you have a vehicle or other means to take you to your safe place.ie: Make friends on the outskirts of your city,or aquire a storage facility where you can keep a vehicle and more supplies.Use "check points" so to speak.Where you keep enough supplies to get you from one place to another.Assuming of course you have a safe place to go some distance away from your city.

First off, wait a few days. At least 3 if not 5 days before leaving a metropolitan area. There are a couple of reasons for this.
First, the time that you spend waiting will allow much of the contaminate to settle.
Second, 99% of people will start to herd out of the metropolitan areas immediately. This will surely cause traffic congestion.
Third and one of the most important but not thought of or discussed much, the time will allow you to emotionally come to terms with what has happened. The time will allow you to pass the state of shock that would normally paralyze someone.

A couple of other notes, you are correct in that major roadways would be places left alone. I would suggest that you contact your city / town and get an idea of what plans they have in place for emergency evacuation. memorize it and then find another route out. If the powers that be start telling everyone to go down route 66 for example, don't you think this would be the worst way out? Look at the recent Hurricane Rita evacuation from the Houston area. A trip that would normally take 6 hours now took over 18.

A good thing to do it to learn the back roads around your area. Check out the old roads that are no longer much used (and thus not widely known). If you have one use a bike, or if you are really prepared, have an old desiel engine vehicle nearby and use that.
One other note, yes travel time will be greatly increased so it is a good idea to have supply stashes setup between you and your final destination. I would suggest having a food / water / medical / and even fuel (if you have a vehicle) as well as simple parts for quick repairs of your transportation method, spaced out every 5 to ten miles.
This should be sufficent to get you to your safe haven.

All good points I think there yes, but if you wait to get out of the city, won't the people that have already left have set up whatever they intend to do after such a situation, so the rural areas will be full of people that are potentially hostile? But I can see also that waiting would mean that they might already be running out of supplies by then, so it would be useful to wait as well.

True, if city people knew the first thing about survival this would be a concern.
But take into account some of the reasons that I presented for waiting the first few days. The first one would be to allow time for the dust to settle. If in a radiation environment or a virus outbreak, the people who take off immediately would become infected with either radiation poisoning of whatever sickness is abound.
How many city folk know the first thing about how to survive without electricity, prepared foods, running water any and all of the luxuries that we enjoy today. The lack of these services alone will probably kill off more people than a nuke war or viral outbreak.

The other thing is that the number one priority that you need in this situation is preparation. If you have your safe haven set up and secure. If you have your supply stashes setup then you will be much better at surviving and retaining what is yours than any of the "survivors" who leave immediately.

Originally posted by kenshiro2012
True, if city people knew the first thing about survival this would be a concern.
The first one would be to allow time for the dust to settle. If in a radiation environment or a virus outbreak, the people who take off immediately would become infected with either radiation poisoning of whatever sickness is abound.
How many city folk know the first thing about how to survive without electricity, prepared foods, running water any and all of the luxuries that we enjoy today. The lack of these services alone will probably kill off more people than a nuke war or viral outbreak.

I get the feeling you have a fair amount of experience in these things then either that or it's a large interest.

I can see your point, I wouldn't expect many people to be able to keep going normally after a couple of days, I could probably manage longer, but the initial phase is probably the hardest bit, as there are the most people.

I think Access has a great idea. Rent a storage unit on an egress route that would appear to be the best during an evacuation. The only problem surfaces if that particular egress route is compromised during the actual bug-out event. You can be virtually assured that you'll need to be hiking out of the city so prepare accordingly. Whether you can stash some transportation in a storage unit depends on your personal resources. Also keep in mind that having a prearranged destination is great --- as long as Sit-X doesn't interfere with your getting to that particular destination. The very best advice is to bug-out early. People are going to start to move. You want to be well ahead of that wave.

A safe option would be to head for the coast as places such the Lake-District and the Pennines that are regarded as 'countryside' by most folks would become a mass refugee-camp within days of a mass Sit.X. The coastal option would enable you to fish and harvest shellfish, though fresh water sources may be an issue, and also the possibility of 'aquiring' a vessel to travel further afield up the coastal waters or escape the country completely if you are brave*/skilled*/daft* (* delete as appropriate) enough.

An idea would be to head out of the city as soon as the impending crisis becomes apparent, and make for the nearest edge-of-city suburb and re-evaluate from there. If you wait 3-5 days depending on the X-factor, the police/military will have already mobilised and posibly set-up checkpoints and/or quarantines that would make bugging-out all the more difficult.

We live in a just-in-time supply-chain society with stores relying on deliveries every 2-3 days to keep stock levels maintained...after that runs out, anarchy and panic happens...never underestimate the mind of someone who has lost their consumer-lifestyle and not eaten for 2-3 days

Originally posted by apex
if you wait to get out of the city, won't the people that have already left have set up whatever they intend to do after such a situation, so the rural areas will be full of people that are potentially hostile?

I guess that if you turn up on the doorstep of a group that has already set-up, and show that you have already demonstrated your preparedness and can offer that group skills and abilities that would be a beneficial contrivbution then they may well let you join

Waiting 3 days or more inside a city would probably mean your staying their for allot more time than you intended to. Even if you do have a chance to make it out after that time, its going to be even worse that it would have been. People will be hungry, desperate and willing to take whatever you have by force.

Trying to sit it out and then drive out wouldn't work because of the newly formed car parks that were previously main roads. If you plan to use any type of 4 wheeled transport you need to be AHEAD of the rest not behind.

I'm lucky enough to be far enough outside of the nearest city that i wouldn't be affected by any sort of jams. I would suggest its almost the opposite for anyone, like myself, living outside the city. Wait and see what is going on, you might just get yourself in more trouble if you bug out too soon.

Having items stashed in storage facilities somewhere is a good backup plan if you can afford it, just don't count on having access to them when you bug out. Treat them as contingency only because by the time you get their some random person could have found it and already be long gone.

It's True people could break into your storage unit. However most people I know do not store survival gear in theirs. It's usually out of season sports equipment or furniture. No one I believe at that state of panic, would think to look in a storage unit for a diesel powered vehicle , MRE's and ammo.Personally I think it's plain and simply the best idea to bug out before sit.X, as you don't know what the scenario will be.

One way to exit a city might be through the storm drain system. Naturally, there are hazards to this. It should be considered only as a last option, IMO.

But, in the event that the city was put under some type of lock down, and a person or group wanted to leave without authorization, this could be initially left unguarded by the occupation units. This route would have to be used almost at once, as the enforcement group would think of it before too long.

Most drainage systems lead to the outskirts of a city, well past the suburbs. It would be a good idea to know this route well ahead of time, be able to traverse it without much light, and have all your 'goods' in waterproof bags.

Also know more than one egress point along the way, so that if you met resistance in one form or another, you could backtrack and exit, to start traveling on the surface.

Good bolt cutters and /or a plumbers cutting torch would be advisable for some barriers.

Wow NGC2736, fabulous idea! What about hiding out in some of the subway tunnels? New or old.Old would probably be better, as less conspicuous.That too would have to be something investigated in advance.

Access, subway tunnels pose another hazard, they have a lot of residents already. I read once a few years back that NYC estimated that as much as 10,000 people might be living full or part time in the old unused portions of the system.

I'm glad that all of you just assume that you would be able to just stroll out of this type of event. First and fore most under marshall law your going to be routed to a federal camp area. If a big event happened the government would now after New Orleans move so fast to set up check points that it would make your head spin. Given that New Orleans was a force of nature their responce time was all second guessing. If this were a military type event the city would be on lock down. I highly doubt that there would be much leaving any area that wasn't destoryed with how much scar tactics the government feeds us every day about terrorist. This would be ample chance for them to run their terrorist responce plans. I would plan on trying to keep your family together and remain as close to friends and relatives that are in government positions/jobs that could be of some weight for you in the processing point of the event.

NGC2736- yes I am aware of that.I suppose in New york it would not be a good Idea.The closest Major city to me is Toronto, not sure if Ottawa has a subway system but I don't believe it does.Sorry Iam not familiar with life in the US.The only reference I can draw on with that topic is a novel I read once-" The Manhattan Hunt Club". Pure fiction of course but the facts about the homeless living in the subway tunnels 100% true.

If you could get out and that's a big if, It may be a good idea to be an ATV or dirt bike owner. This would allow you to bypass paved roads and even dirt roads if need be. Heck, you can make your own trail if needed.

I agree, owning an ATV or dirtbike could prove useful, even if they limit your cargo pretty severely compared to larger vehicles. Combined with a storage facility on the outskirts of town it could give you a very significant head start in an emergency evacuation scenario.

How many average citizens abandon the city I think depends greatly on what form sit X actually takes. You can be sure the government will strongly discourage evacuation in most cases unless there's no other alternative, and I think the vast majority of people will be too obedient, shocked and unprepared to even conceive of abandoning the city even if it's literally a war zone, so those that do take to the roads early may not face much resistance.

I'm all for getting out of the city as fast as possible. I don't like the idea of holding out for up to 3 days. After all, people are fleeing the area for a reason, right?

While some form of transport is preferable, you must be prepared to tab (walk) it out, so your BOB had better be light enough to manage. This is not as simple as it sounds - there is a lot of difference between being able to lift a bag and being able to carry it for the 10 - 15 miles it's going to take to get out of a perceived danger area in quick time.

A 1964 published prophey says the following:

All communications were destroyed. This was synchronised with a widespread reign of terror, caused by communists blowing up bridges power plants dams etc. People fleed to the mountains deserts and open fields and there hunger disease and death overtook them
Harvest Time May June 1964

Now I have spent about ten years of my life and shifted around 50cu meters to do so; in establishing for my family a mooring place so that they can if they wish moor a 40-60ft boat so that they can travel to the other part of my nation where we traditionally have land and can quickly become a worthwhile part of the community.....
so i do agree that having established a rural backup for our families then establishing a method of travelling from the city to that land is also part of the preparation people could do.

However without such an entry into a rural community or the skills needed to become a worth while part of such a community it is better to stay in the city as the next paragraph of the dreadful prophecy i quoted from says.
But saying that the trick is to leave the city before it ceases to function.
Why not go now- and while you are moving- move out of USA would be wise; as far away as you can afford to go and whereever you can get in;
Zimbabwe is about as disfunctional as any nation can get- so why not go there for the only way for that nation now is up especially as God's people are praying....
Natural disaster have always been a concern to me and so i have calculated what a 50ft high tidal wave at the habour enterance would do but having said that i have moved other family members out of another place where the predicted tidal wave will be devistating..... so some times moving ahead of a predicted natural disaster is a wise move.
But if you are going to move out on foot then make sure you are fit enough and have worked out what to take and have a bicycle wheeled push cart.... just some thoughts paul.

One definate plan on my list of escape/transport/shelter options is by narrowboat..

The UK has an extensive canal and waterway network that would allow travel from most towns and cities inland, to the coast. Typical narrowboat design is 60ft x 7ft, and could fit 4people with planty of room for provisions/equipment and tools. A small steam-motor, such as the type traditionally used to power the original boats, could be fired to drive a generator, with propulsion and power coming from a bank of marine batteries in the hold.

The 1/2" steel-plate hull and cabin shell construction can be easily 'up-armoured' (using power from the onboard battery bank for arc-welding) by spot welding scrap metal plating to the hull to create a tortoise-shell. Being afloat adds a defensive bonus as to reach your boat/s (cunningly disguised to look like a small island) moored on a lake-area, any attacker has got to swim to get to you

Also, once you have transported your tribe and all your tons of gear to a rural location such the High Peak canal, the boat can form the basis of a permanent shelter spot. The easiest method of creating a secure bunker would be to sail the boat into a narrow-guage lock(8ft wide, 100ft long, 20ft deep) and secure the downstream gates. The opposite upstream end of the lock will have its doors wedged tight by the head water, and the inflow and outflow sluice-gates modified to run hydroelectric turbines for battery charge/power. Fresh-water supply would be no problem as the canal network is kept filled by huge reservoir systems. Once the lock has been emptied, a roof structure can be built over the top of the boat inside the lock-chamber (including escape hatch/tunnels) and backfilled with sandbags to 10-15ft depth and camouflaged to look like a impassable collapsed lock. The second option would be to gather a small group of 4-6 boats and moor-up in one of the many mile-plus long tunnels. Once the tunnel mouths are barricaded, you have a deep bunker to sit the worst out...6boats-worth of supplies would last 4 several months.


...of course, having survived the X-event and emerge into the aftermath, you also have the option to carry enough in tonnage of materials and tools and equipment aboard to do the full A-Team works...

The power stored in the several 48V 1 Ton, 37 kWh/1050Ah batteries used to for the propultion could be linked to electrified plates added to the exterior hull and deck to elecrocute boarders, also the bilge pumps could be tweaked and modified and used to power cabin-roof mounted riot-grade high pressure water-cannons...and best of all...steam-powered artillery!

Having assembled the fleet, you are now able to take over and protect trade routes along the canals linking the surviving communities in major cities (assuming all the petrol has run out) and start your own East-India Co. trading empire...muhahahahaha!

canal network map
solar electric boat