Choices

[CDT]

Back to the original question, I don't think the Hollywood bugout driving across the country scenario would really happen in the UK as we're just too small of a country, so as much I love the huge lifted hiluxes and defenders, small cars although light probably aren't practical enough, so I would probably fall somewhere in the middle.

I would sway towards something like an older Volvo XC70 or an older Subaru Forester. These are both estates, have AWD which obviously isn't as capable as full blown 4wd, but will be enough to get you over some rougher terrain (up mountain lanes, up curbs over grassy muddier areas should a road be unpassable, etc). I have seen someone online in the US who has a Forester with a slight lift, and for normal day to day driving has his normal wheels and tires, but also has a 2nd set with knobblier A/T tires in his garage to swap over should he need them if he ever decided that leaving the city would be a better option. Plenty of space in the back, 5/7 seats, pretty reliable if looked after, less complicated to work on than new cars and not too expensive to buy. Also they stay under the radar far easier than a full blown off roading monster truck.

For staying local you really can't beat a bicycle though as long as you the fitness to rife it about up hills etc.

[Frnc]

For staying local you really can't beat a bicycle though as long as you the fitness to rife it about up hills etc.

Perfect bug in or out vehicle imo. Needs no fuel. Easy to fix a flat. Can carry quite a lot. In fact someone I know tows 2 kids in a trailer! Personally I have 2 racks (4 panniers available, plus the racks themselves) attached to a mountain bike that has just one eyelet (each side) just above the rear axle. A new seat post clamp contains a pair for the top. Front rack is strapped on. It's been on ages and not come loose. I also have a lock and extra water strapped on.

[CDT]

For staying local you really can't beat a bicycle though as long as you the fitness to rife it about up hills etc.

Perfect bug in or out vehicle imo. Needs no fuel. Easy to fix a flat. Can carry quite a lot. In fact someone I know tows 2 kids in a trailer! Personally I have 2 racks (4 panniers available, plus the racks themselves) attached to a mountain bike that has just one eyelet (each side) just above the rear axle. A new seat post clamp contains a pair for the top. Front rack is strapped on. It's been on ages and not come loose. I also have a lock and extra water strapped on.

Yeah completely agree. I have a bicycle with just a rack over the back wheel for carrying stuff. I've only carried some log cuts i found for my wood burner once but as I live in quite a hilly part of Wales it REALLY highlighted a gap in my fitness level with the extra weight strapped to it definitely something to work on!

[Frnc]

For staying local you really can't beat a bicycle though as long as you the fitness to rife it about up hills etc.

Perfect bug in or out vehicle imo. Needs no fuel. Easy to fix a flat. Can carry quite a lot. In fact someone I know tows 2 kids in a trailer! Personally I have 2 racks (4 panniers available, plus the racks themselves) attached to a mountain bike that has just one eyelet (each side) just above the rear axle. A new seat post clamp contains a pair for the top. Front rack is strapped on. It's been on ages and not come loose. I also have a lock and extra water strapped on.

Yeah completely agree. I have a bicycle with just a rack over the back wheel for carrying stuff. I've only carried some log cuts i found for my wood burner once but as I live in quite a hilly part of Wales it REALLY highlighted a gap in my fitness level with the extra weight strapped to it definitely something to work on!

I try to do a couple of hour long rides a week, apart from when it's cold and wet, or potentially icy. I don't go flat out for an hour, but I try to push myself most of the time. I always carry one panier which has tool kit, pump, tube, chain pliars, CO2, spare light, and maybe waterproofs or spare gloves, or a hat. And maybe a light windproof. Weighs about 4 kg. There's not many hills, just a couple were the road goes over the canal and railway. I stick to roads, although it is a mountain bike.

The panniers are only sold in pairs, so the other one, plus an ultralight pair I got for the front, have bugout gear in them. Originally I wanted to go camping using the bike, but not sure that will ever happen now. I have all the gear, but can't cycle far enough and don't fancy trying to get it on a train. Plus I would struggle with the camping, due to my back.

[GillyBee]

Real emergency bug outs by bike. It works when everything else fails.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... miles.html
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cycl ... -v2mq07fdh
Last paragraph of this one. The rest is about the hell of Mariupol.
https://en.hromadske.ua/posts/anesthesi ... and-escape

[Frnc]

Real emergency bug outs by bike. It works when everything else fails.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... miles.html
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cycl ... -v2mq07fdh
Last paragraph of this one. The rest is about the hell of Mariupol.
https://en.hromadske.ua/posts/anesthesi ... and-escape

First one reminds me of a tweet I saw...had a pic of a bloke riding a bike carrying a rocket! But yes, I imagine bikes are frequently used for real life bugouts.

[Arzosah]

Very interesting - I've been offline in relation to UK Preppers for a couple of weeks, it was the one site that didn't update automatically when my internet provider had a bit of a meltdown, so I'm just catching up now.

I'm still undecided about whether to buy a car it seems a crazy time, between inflation /my fixed income/ pensioner status/ terrible upcoming economics. But it would give me and my extended family a lot of flexibility ...

Anyway, even without that, a bike would still be a good purchase - a folding one, so I could store it in the house, and in the car to act as a backup in case of breakdown and no other options. I hate not having any form of transport other than shanks' pony.

[Nurseandy]

So, I was caught up in this -

BBC News - Three dead after Highlands crash at Slochd Summit
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... d-62058184

The A9 South of Inverness was closed for several hours. Diversion was ~70miles to avoid it and it was a total mare due a combination of minor roads and the increased volume of traffic on them even on a Tuesday afternoon in a rural area.

It did demonstrate how quickly the roads would become snarled up in a shtf situation and how impractical bugging out may be.

As a side note, I was 2 1/2 hours late to my patient but she'd seen the news and had the kettle ready for my arrival

[Arzosah]

So, I was caught up in this -

BBC News - Three dead after Highlands crash at Slochd Summit
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... d-62058184

The A9 South of Inverness was closed for several hours. Diversion was ~70miles to avoid it and it was a total mare due a combination of minor roads and the increased volume of traffic on them even on a Tuesday afternoon in a rural area.

It did demonstrate how quickly the roads would become snarled up in a shtf situation and how impractical bugging out may be.

As a side note, I was 2 1/2 hours late to my patient but she'd seen the news and had the kettle ready for my arrival

Sorry to hear that, N/Andy - how nice of your patient

Does make you think about "bug out" plans - I've just had a look at Slochd Summit on google maps - the lack of alternatives is striking. There's a *lot* more side roads and back roads in S England, but they're all narrow, and often sunken, one breakdown would block the entire thing. All over the country (countries! there are four!) infrastructure is under intense pressure, and anything extra just overwhelms it. There's nothing spare, nothing at all.

[Frnc]

It did demonstrate how quickly the roads would become snarled up in a shtf situation and how impractical bugging out may be.

Another reason I favour a bicycle if evacuation was the only option. Of you could go on foot. A motorbike that can go off road would be another option.