I have been reading up on survival strategies from this forum and other sources for some time now. Though I am no expert in it, I feel I can fair better than the average american. The one thing that has begun to concern me is this quesiton: Where can I go when it is no longer safe to live at home? When civilization turns into a police state? Or when it becomes an every man for himself mentality in which people are willing to take another's life for a meal? Will there be a safe haven? Will there be a place I can count on ? It makes me sad that I can't come up with a single one.
Do any of you all have any ideas?

Your best chance probably comes in getting out of cities into the countryside. Even then if you can find some sort of mountain retreat chances are you will be better prepared for survival. In terms of a safe haven it would depend on what sort of situation X occurred. For instance if a nuclear war occurred likely somewhere like Switzerland would be secure (due to all the mountains). And island nations, e.g. Australia; would probably be the safest for other things as you could conceivably lock down the boarders. What perhaps is the more interesting question is whether, even if there were safe havens, they would let you in. For instance you might be a carrier of the dieses that wiped out your own nation. Or instead you might be viewed as an illegal immigrant and seen as damaging to the economy and hence deported or you might have a right wing party in power whose manifesto is to stop migration to protect the nation’s jobs and resources. So to sum up even if you can find a safe haven, what makes you think they will let you in?

Any ware ware there is people is going to be in chaos. the only safe place would be as far out in the bush/woods/mountains as you can get.
Also remember a lone survivalist is usually a dead survivalist.

It scares me just thinking about it. I feel like I have no means to travel to an island or anywhere outside the country really. I don't have anyone to count on either. I feel like I'm screwed if a situation X happens. I suppose the best thing for me to do is move somewhere that is ideal for surviving most situation X's. Somewhere remote but close to the equator.

In a Police state, the areas of their focus will be large citys and surrounding areas, because the more people in one area means more of a threat of an uprising what you wanna do is find yourself a small town somewhere out in the country away from any major landmarks, major citys, and most important..few people, the "Man" wont care about a city with 2,000 people thats a 3 hour drive from anywhere, or at least not at first. Im allready juiced in, because I have family in one of those towns. But my number one rule will be to avoid areas where mass ammounts of people will be.

in an every man for himself situation i believe the sewers are a great way to escape a city/town (well part way) the use of odourless soap to wash is essential (this wont work against tracking dogs ect-) but the average man hunting you could smell perfume or tobacco smoke as well as body odour so keep clean for stealth and health reasons. move slow and don't panic

Depends on situation X of course, but the most common answer will be away from the masses of other people but somewhere where every other survivalist will not go as well. I have a place chosen that is only a 40 minute drive from home, or (depending on the situation) 2-3 days of hiding and crawling. Smaller wilderness areas with an "end" are a good idea. Some place where you have to walk an hour through unwelcome terrain to get to, that is mostly unvisited. We have dozens of wilderness and conservation areas in Central Florida where I go hiking and camping and a few of them I have never ever seen another person there, even on weekends. Most of them have access to fresh water that can be filtered and cleaned and enough room to grow crops if needed. Most also happen to be "off the beaten path". I would go away from any major highway or interstate/toll roads.

I was on another forum once and a guy in upstate New York was planning on running to a place in Georgia, while a guy in that same area of Georgia was planning on running to the other guy's area of upstate New York.
Best laid plans, right?

Away from people, bring lots of supplies, bring fresh water or a good filter (life straw for example), and hope that every other guy does not show up at your spot Liek Yellowstone, you do not want to be the last of 2 survivalists shooting each other for the last MRE's.

The idea of running to another country is nice but for those of us without money it would be impossible.

There will be no good place, get it in your head. If you have another rural location it may be better if you can get there. For us I believe some rural family property well off of any main thoroughfare with a buried shipping container or two might see us by. Realize please that surviving in an environment, in which you are not familiar will be precarious at best. It has taken many years of study and hands on experience to be comfortable in a primitive. environment. It was once said to me that the majority are wrong. This applies in many situations. Be prepared and never ever become a refugee.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

I would dig a hole, every day dig it deeper and wider through some supports in (4x4 presure treated)stock it with water or something to purify water, dig close enough to water and a food source.

I got a practice hole in the back it is 5x5 feet about and has a wood top

I live in ther countryside and I can guarantee that the locals will block the roads and keep hordes of city dwellers from depleting what we have now: clean air and water and some space in between people, and most of us intend to keep it that way. City people cannot have it both ways: the money and jobs and services and convenience that big cities afford, and then be able to come and plop down behind my house because you didn't prepare and buy some land and establish a get away.

The desperate ones will be committing crimes to survive and the cops will be rounding up all but locals and getting them out of the area..so do not feel that fleeing the cities will work. There are no moonshine making good old boys with a spare cabin for you and some extra food too..thats fantasy. It will be ' root hog or die ' as the saying around here goes...make it or don't. I think that the city people will be relocated to the massive FEMA camps and the country folks will make it a little longer but sooner or later all of us will fall under the thumb of the new way: The NWO is about to make major moves, and the hour is late.

my personal opinion

when Chaos rules i'm just gonna lay around by the river and do nothing and watch all the cool stuff happrning all around.

but you will always have the people who band together and try to remake civilization who I will have nothing to do with.

Police state would suck because seriously are there any good Police in this world? can't say I've ever heard of one anyway.

thats my opinion

Survival of the fittest. You can have all of the coolest survival gear in the world but if you soft and passive by nature you wont survive no matter where you run and hide. Its not a place or gear that will keep you alive, just your attitude.

I live in Alaska. I have heard numerous times from others. There are only 3 reasons why you are in Alaska:

1. the military
2. the pipeline
3. your hiding from something

I strongly believe number 3......it would be soooooooo easy to hide in Alaska. The state is flippn huge. And most of it is remote and only inhabited by animals. Winter would be hard. But if you have a cabin with a wood burning stove....and like to hunt. You would probably survive for God knows how long. Shoot, the bears manage to do it!

[edit on 8-12-2007 by greeneyedleo]

All good insight people! I think that for this point in my life, I may not make it but I still have the right attitude to want to survive. I am thinking about buying a boat and living off of it but I need to up my navigation skills.

Depending on what may ensue and your location it may be better to just hunker down and weather out the storm. If everyone leaves that leaves more for you. There really are a lot of places to hide out if a small amount of preparation is made. Underground tunnels and abandoned buildings are readily available in many areas. And the wilderness is wide open. In the conus many state parks and wilderness preserves go unvisited. Just another idea.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

So what do you all think Tennessee Mountains or North Georgia? We are ready to get a plan together and start working on some action, we live in North Ga. a suburb of ATL but still considered slightly rural but not rural enough for us. We are thinking of a move up to Tennessee mountain area, within a hour of knoxville, very rural.
I can think of a lot of pros for Tennessee but 1 con that gets me are the very cold winters and snow in the mountains, Georgis gets cold but no snow and the cold snaps are usually never longer than 3 or 4 days.
We have 3 small children and this worries me if God forbid we lost a heat source in the mountains.
Am I being overly concerned about this?
What do you all think Tennessee or Georgia?