New member from SE

[Frnc]

I'm not sure exactly what scenario could trigger mass bugout other than evacuation ordered by authorities, and in that case you'd be told where to go.

If armed looters were hitting our street, there might be quite a few people bugging out locally for short periods, but I think that would be safer than trying to resist the looters. It's not like the US where ordinary people have guns.

Flooding could cause a lot of people to bug out, but most of them would be going to relative, friends, or a hotel.

For anything short of TEOTWAWKI, I think Bug-Elsewhere is the only viable bug-out. Hotel, refuge. holiday home, family etc.
If it came to bugging out 'to the woods' I expect I'd be screwed, so I don't even prep for that.

That is fine if you have a car, petrol, the roads aren't gridlocked, you have friends or family who can put you up, the hotels are open, there is no lockdown, the authorities haven't told to to evacuate to a specific place, you have time, and you can get to your car.

When would I bug out "to the woods"?

If my house was uninhabitable, and I couldn't get to a hotel for whatever reason, my first choice might be to bug out to my garden.

If armed looters were about to raid my street and I didn't think we could defend it, I think I might bug out to nearby woods. I'd only go for a day probably, maybe two, then go back to my house.

If the authorities said everyone in my area had to evacuate to somewhere a fair distance outside Manchester and there was no transport. I'd hopefully do it in a day on my bike, but I'd be prepared to overnight in some woods. Also if the conditions at the destination were bad, I'd have the option of doing my own thing for a while.

In the unlikely, extreme scenario that my area is uninhabitable and the authorities didn't exist, or hadn't issued instructions, I might head out over farmland, possibly to larger woods further away. I could survive a week or two. Maybe then it would be safe to go back. There are so many variables here... Is my house destroyed? Can I get it rebuilt on insurance? How long is the area uninhabitable? Can I catch fish or crayfish? Can I find veg in the fields? What is going on in the rest of the country and other towns? How many people are bugged out, what are they doing?

[jennyjj01]

That is fine if you have a car, petrol, the roads aren't gridlocked, you have friends or family who can put you up, the hotels are open, there is no lockdown, the authorities haven't told to to evacuate to a specific place, you have time, and you can get to your car.

True.

When would I bug out "to the woods"?

If my house was uninhabitable, and I couldn't get to a hotel for whatever reason, my first choice might be to bug out to my garden.

If armed looters were about to raid my street and I didn't think we could defend it, I think I might bug out to nearby woods. I'd only go for a day probably, maybe two, then go back to my house.

If the authorities said everyone in my area had to evacuate to somewhere a fair distance outside Manchester and there was no transport. I'd hopefully do it in a day on my bike, but I'd be prepared to overnight in some woods. Also if the conditions at the destination were bad, I'd have the option of doing my own thing for a while.

In the unlikely, extreme scenario that my area is uninhabitable and the authorities didn't exist, or hadn't issued instructions, I might head out over farmland, possibly to larger woods further away. I could survive a week or two. Maybe then it would be safe to go back. There are so many variables here... Is my house destroyed? Can I get it rebuilt on insurance? How long is the area uninhabitable? Can I catch fish or crayfish? Can I find veg in the fields? What is going on in the rest of the country and other towns? How many people are bugged out, what are they doing?

I find it hard to visualise a situation where an entire UK region or city would be TOLD to evacuate, because I've never known such an event. Nuclear or toxic incident? In most cases, I'd feel safer sheltering in my own flooded or now derelict home rather than camping out in the open. I don't even know any 'woods or forest' locally. Maybe we could bug out to the car, which would be taken to a secluded space WAY out of danger.

As you say, All change if the authorities cease to exist. In those instances, looters would include refugees nicking food from farms, which might get prompt country justice.
Fleeing home from looters might be a one way decision, because as a first wave of looters might move on, a mass of refugees might become the second wave of looters. Them taking and defending your property FROM YOU might give them the edge.
I'm afraid as buggers-in, I and Mr JJ would pull no punches to defend our castle against armed looters. Law be damned. Yes. They might prevail, but they'd have a battle.

[Frnc]

That is fine if you have a car, petrol, the roads aren't gridlocked, you have friends or family who can put you up, the hotels are open, there is no lockdown, the authorities haven't told to to evacuate to a specific place, you have time, and you can get to your car.

True.

When would I bug out "to the woods"?

If my house was uninhabitable, and I couldn't get to a hotel for whatever reason, my first choice might be to bug out to my garden.

If armed looters were about to raid my street and I didn't think we could defend it, I think I might bug out to nearby woods. I'd only go for a day probably, maybe two, then go back to my house.

If the authorities said everyone in my area had to evacuate to somewhere a fair distance outside Manchester and there was no transport. I'd hopefully do it in a day on my bike, but I'd be prepared to overnight in some woods. Also if the conditions at the destination were bad, I'd have the option of doing my own thing for a while.

In the unlikely, extreme scenario that my area is uninhabitable and the authorities didn't exist, or hadn't issued instructions, I might head out over farmland, possibly to larger woods further away. I could survive a week or two. Maybe then it would be safe to go back. There are so many variables here... Is my house destroyed? Can I get it rebuilt on insurance? How long is the area uninhabitable? Can I catch fish or crayfish? Can I find veg in the fields? What is going on in the rest of the country and other towns? How many people are bugged out, what are they doing?

I find it hard to visualise a situation where an entire UK region or city would be TOLD to evacuate, because I've never known such an event.

A major hurricane can cause evacuation of a pretty big area, not that we get many. A radiological or chemical evacuation might be a few hundred thousand people. Maybe over a million, I'm not sure.

Nuclear or toxic incident? In most cases, I'd feel safer sheltering in my own flooded or now derelict home rather than camping out in the open.

If the authorities tell you to evacuate, they might tell you where to. Staying is place would be against scientific/medical advice.

I don't even know any 'woods or forest' locally. Maybe we could bug out to the car, which would be taken to a secluded space WAY out of danger.

As long as the roads aren't gridlocked you should be able to. I don't have a car, nor any family within hundreds of miles. Most of my friends moved away as well. Fields are better than woods in some ways, if you just need a place to camp for a few nights, but you are more visible.

As you say, All change if the authorities cease to exist. In those instances, looters would include refugees nicking food from farms, which might get prompt country justice.
Fleeing home from looters might be a one way decision, because as a first wave of looters might move on, a mass of refugees might become the second wave of looters. Them taking and defending your property FROM YOU might give them the edge.
I'm afraid as buggers-in, I and Mr JJ would pull no punches to defend our castle against armed looters. Law be damned. Yes. They might prevail, but they'd have a battle.

My first choice would be to set up road blocks and patrols. But if it was just me vs Negan gangs I would grab my BOB and do one, lie low for a day or two. Hopefully they would have plundered everything except all the crucial gear I took with me, and I would be back in before the second phase of squatters/urban bug-outers, moved in. It's a pretty small window of time, so not that likely. If they did I would ask them to move on, or let them stay if they seemed decent. Safety in numbers and all that. A lot would depend on what my neighbours were doing, they might have all fled. In which case there would be plenty of other empty houses. If they hadn't fled we might well have defended the street.

[jansman]

Our approach is simple here. If it all goes to hell, we ain’t running away. Our home , not a sh*tty field or Fantasy Prepper Woodland ,is where we stay. Anyone approaching here will be looking down the barrel of a gun or two.

[jennyjj01]

Our approach is simple here. If it all goes to hell, we ain’t running away. Our home , not a sh*tty field or Fantasy Prepper Woodland ,is where we stay. Anyone approaching here will be looking down the barrel of a gun or two.

"Fantasy Prepper Woodland". Where even is that.

[jansman]

Our approach is simple here. If it all goes to hell, we ain’t running away. Our home , not a sh*tty field or Fantasy Prepper Woodland ,is where we stay. Anyone approaching here will be looking down the barrel of a gun or two.

"Fantasy Prepper Woodland". Where even is that.

On every thread ,on every prepper site! Where would one use the 1cwt rucksack full of cr*p?

[Frnc]

The UK and US governments, councils and local Resilience Forums (multi-agency partnerships made up of representatives from local public services, including the emergency services, local authorities, the NHS, the Environment Agency and others) all say you should have a bugout bag in case you need to bug out. They all say you might be told to evacuate by the authorities. They say your bugout bag should have a few days food and water.

The UK government links to Cheshire Resilience.

They say:

"An Emergency Grab Bag is a useful kit packed with essentials in case you have to evacuate."
"Make an emergency grab-bag of things you could need."

Their list includes "Bottled water and emergency food, enough for three days"

US government says the same:

"Prepare a “go-bag” you can carry when you evacuate on foot or public transportation and supplies for traveling longer distances if you have a car."

"Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation)
Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food)"

I don't have a car. There might not be public transport. The roads might be gridlocked. Personally, my view is, if I'm going to have several days water and food, why not have a small tent and stove? I can carry that no probem.

[Frnc]

Our approach is simple here. If it all goes to hell, we ain’t running away. Our home , not a sh*tty field or Fantasy Prepper Woodland ,is where we stay. Anyone approaching here will be looking down the barrel of a gun or two.

"Fantasy Prepper Woodland". Where even is that.

On every thread ,on every prepper site! Where would one use the 1cwt rucksack full of cr*p?

If I had to evacuate, and there was no public transport, I would try to use my bike, but I could do it on foot. If I was going on foot and expected to have to survive the usual three days or so our governmet advises, my bag would weigh about 12kg. If I was going on my bike I would have a bit more (bike tools, tubes, extra water), but the bike carries that. That 12 kg includes rcksack, tent, pot, stove, gas, first aid, spare clothes, waterproof, water, food for 3- 5 days, filters, sleeping mat, air bed, Mora, Leatheman, trowel, wash kit, toilet kit, repair kit, head torches, batteries, powerbanks, maps etc etc.

[jansman]

The UK and US governments, councils and local Resilience Forums (multi-agency partnerships made up of representatives from local public services, including the emergency services, local authorities, the NHS, the Environment Agency and others) all say you should have a bugout bag in case you need to bug out. They all say you might be told to evacuate by the authorities. They say your bugout bag should have a few days food and water.

The UK government links to Cheshire Resilience.

They say:

"An Emergency Grab Bag is a useful kit packed with essentials in case you have to evacuate."
"Make an emergency grab-bag of things you could need."

Their list includes "Bottled water and emergency food, enough for three days"

US government says the same:

"Prepare a “go-bag” you can carry when you evacuate on foot or public transportation and supplies for traveling longer distances if you have a car."

"Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation)
Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food)"

I don't have a car. There might not be public transport. The roads might be gridlocked. Personally, my view is, if I'm going to have several day's water and food, why not have a small tent and stove? I can carry that no probem.

Everyone has a choice. My sister owns a woodland and does
camping and all that. Fine. I don’t camp! Our brother lives there in his Romany Van too. Off grid. But I can tell you that he doesn’t do tents! His caravan is comfortable, wood stoved, and civilised. Very civilised.

They also have to deal with regular trespassers who are ‘bush crafters’ and such. As my brother puts it- “ fu**ing scum”. Trespassers in a wood, or house , they are all the same. If we have to leave our property, we will not go on land or property that’s not ours. I don’t want trespassers and I won’t be one. *IF* society went TOTALLY wrong, trespassers will be looking at shotguns. End of. I’ll be bugg*Red if we are going to be scared by scum. Mind you , I was trained many years ago to deal with such social trash.

As for bug out bags; our hotel bag is spot on.These days I have a hospital bag too. It can be carried via car, bus , taxi or on foot. I used to live out of a rucksack 40 + years ago when I was in the services.It was sh*t then. Arctic, jungle, desert and urban. And I was shot at. Nah! Not now. In the fantasy apocalypse, woodland campers will be shot at!

Right now we have inflation, wars, idiot politicians etc. what am I saying? It’s always been the same! but I won’t worry.

It’s everyone’s personal choice though, as long as they don’t break the law.

[Frnc]

I have no intention of breaking any laws or trespassing on anyone's land.

If I was wanting to bug out for a couple of days because of looters, I'd go to the local woods, which are publicly owned.

If I was told to evacuate I'd evacuate, and if they told to to go to a specific place I'd go there. If it took more than a day, I'd have food and shelter.

If they didn't specify a place it would depend how long it was for. If they said you have to get 15 miles out for 2 weeks, and the hotels were shut or booked up, I'd head through the Cheshire countryside. I might kip in the woods. I'd be pretty hungry but I'd try to catch some fish or crayfish. Half the plants that grow wild in the UK are edible. I can't physically do backpacking these days, but if I had no choice, I'd do whatever I had to, whatever I could. I can cover a fair distance on my bike.

I don't have a gun, a car, or anyone I can go and stay with. So I rely on myself.