Best way to travel out of a crowded city after a major disaster

[mikehemi]

During a major disaster in a large city everyone will be trying to take to the roads and they will become chocked up immediately. From accidents to people that will take advantage of individuals trying to make it down the roads using them as choke points. Trying to escape in a vehicle could be very disastrous.

Well The best ways of getting out of a city during a major disaster, in my opinion, is by walking or riding along railways. If you must use a mode of transportation a bicycle may be your best bet. Traveling this way will keep you away from most people you do not want to run into and when you do have to sneak past people you will be much more quiet. Because as we know when things get bad people tend to lose sight of themselves and may decide that what is best for them is taking what you have by any means necessary. So for my two cents I think that is the way to go.

Anyone have any other ideas on this subject?

[nakadnu]

Travel on foot may be the only option in many scenarios. I am currently saving money for an ATV. I have a 4x6 trailer that I am modifying to carry passengers and gear. This a good thing to keep in mind when putting a BOB together. You may not have the luxury of motorized transport. That arsenal of AKs and ARs will do you no good if you can't carry all that ammo with you. I have a good supply of guns and ammo and am currently stocking up on primitive weapons. We practice spear and axe throwing in the backyard as a means to harvest food. It is impossible to prepare fully for every possible scenario. But we are trying to gain a Jack of all trades set of skills.

[kenno]

It all depends on the city. A city with a river system will have many bridges that will choke-up so I would escape by water.
Citys in the SW are drier but have large drainage tunnels and dry river beds to travel through. A finial means of escape is via air.

[mikehemi]

That's a very good way of travel I didn't even think of is the water ways like drainage ditches.

[rsanders]

It all depends on the city. A city with a river system will have many bridges that will choke-up so I would escape by water.
Citys in the SW are drier but have large drainage tunnels and dry river beds to travel through. A finial means of escape is via air.

I would stay away from those dry river beds, flash flooding is a B*%#H,look at what happened in Arkansas this past weekend.I live just a few miles from the mighty Ohio River but trying to use that as an escape route would lead me away from my BO location. I'm sticking to the back roads and off the beaten path it will take longer but making it there alive is the ultimate goal.

[slowz1k]

I use the Google maps satelite view quite a bit. It can show a lot about an area that is often not obvious from the ground.
For instance... In my area I have found that the powerlines offer an option for travel that is for the most part out of the way and more secure than traveling on the roads. As you can see, the maps also show bodies of water, as well as what land is developed and what is wooded, or farmland.

I have researched my surrounding area and printed off any that I feel might be needed for future travel.

[rsanders]

Great idea slowz1k , I didn't think of that but since you have I would add that I would also laminate them,only to keep them dry,and maybe make duplicates.

[Skyowl's Wife]

That's a very good way of travel I didn't even think of is the water ways like drainage ditches.

The illegals here in AZ use the washes (drainage ditches) as superhighways.

[Brother Bill]

I would stay away from anything you know illegals use. They might make the most of a situation to take advantage of any travelers that they know usually don't travel that route.

[Illini Warrior]

Every SHTF situation depending on it's severity and cause/effect may need different solutions ....... in almost any SHTF scenerio involving leaving a major city on the interstates/freeways are a joke ........ unless you have great foresight and leave early .........

What I encourage newbies ......... especially those short on cash for prep supplies ........ learn the "lay of the land" for possible/certain SHTF bug outs ......... incorporate these recon trips into a daytrip for the family ......... ride those back roads leading out of the city ........ study the "pinch points like state road intersections, bridges over rivers/interstates/railroads, and especially where the small county/rural roads intersect possible city evac roads ........

All the various exit routes mentioned in the previous posts should be explored ......... your family's lives might depend on it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Recently_Awoken]

I use the Google maps satelite view quite a bit. It can show a lot about an area that is often not obvious from the ground.
For instance... In my area I have found that the powerlines offer an option for travel that is for the most part out of the way and more secure than traveling on the roads. As you can see, the maps also show bodies of water, as well as what land is developed and what is wooded, or farmland.

I have researched my surrounding area and printed off any that I feel might be needed for future travel.

While scouting for possible land purchases, I've used and printed out Google imagery extensively. What I've learned:

- The imagery can be VERY deceiving. It's possible you're looking at decade-old imagery. Roads, structures, trees, hell even subdivisions can sprout up.
- Imagery is seasonal. Keep in mind, if your map is using Summer imagery, traversing that ground in Winter can throw you WAY off.
- Knowing the imagery/map by heart means little. It all looks different down on the ground, regardless of season or "freshness" of the imagery
- The imagery is flat (obviously). Use the Map-Terrain option of Google to have an understanding of the topography. Better yet, check out Google-Earth app for 3-d view

Experience speaking here. Google Maps terrain is an excellent resource... but you MUST travel the land and routes ahead of time to be really prepared to utilize them effectively.

One final note... while scouting for land, on the way back, we were trying out a "back road route" to get home. 20 miles down the road, we come up on signs... "bridge out" and the road is barricaded. No sign at the last town. No warning. We had to backtrack many many miles to access the nearest alternate route. This was in a non-SHTF setting on a state highway. If we had been low on gas or on foot or, generally speaking, in trouble... not good. Have alternate plans. Have alternate plans for your alternate plans.

RA

[Oscar Wilde]

Leave now and avoid the rush .... or wait until the streets are clear; its unlikely you'll find yourself alone along any avenue of escape in this scenario.

O.W.

[700bdl]

big city gridlock

I have personally wittnessed every major highway completely gridlocked for days during a hurricane evacuation,yet all side roads and farm roads,neighborhood streets were void of traffic.plan several evac routes in case of roadblocks.backroads are best.if all else fails hop a train or use a boat to escape major metropolitan areas .once clear of these areas travel becomes easier.above all it is far better to leave earlier than everyone else.have your bob ready and your bol ready and stocked.worse case scenario is you will have to walk with only what you can carry on your back.if leaving by vehicle carry extra fuel because fuel was the first thing to run out.have current maps showing all county roads because there is a good chance the gps system will be scrambled or shut down when you need it the most.

[DustCovered]

Best bet - leave early, before the crush.

Personally, I'm staying away from railways. Why? Because everyone else is going to be using them, especially the people that use them now as paths. Ask yourself what kind of folks those are....

And here's a hint - never, ever, if you can ever avoid it, stay on paths, roads, railways, trails - always keep a few meters off them. Parallel if need be, but if at all possible, don't stay on the trail.

[plowboy65]

hey let me tell you some thing about these maps. like res.awoken said they are not accurate. and gps is not eather. i was camping on faimly farm its on a dead end road there is no one lives on this road and well groups of people use it because they know they can hear the cops coming a mile away. well here came a young couple from NC all kinds of band equitment in the back of the truck they were following there gps and it told them that the road was a short cut to livingston. now think you don't get cell service there lucky they ran in to me and i showed them the way out it could have been like in that book a bad ending. its like i told my boy trace your route out don't go by a map road get closed. and run a it thru your head as you travel these roads now what will it be like can i trun around easy get a way