# On-land bug home & enroute survival strategy for rural commuting and transportation



## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

(PART ONE)

I wrote this a several weeks ago while I contemplated my own personal situation. As you will notice, there are many circumstances which may effect the outcome of my success, and many others who could find themselves in similar situations.

If I find myself isolated from my home and family in a rural setting without the luxury of functional transportation WTSHTF, how will I get home? What will I need to overcome the barrage of possible challenging situations I may find myself in? Am I prepared to navigate on foot in areas previously un-traveled by me?

How far away from home could I be WTSHTF? Can I survive a foot-trek from the farthest possible distance and overcome the many naturally ocurring and man-made obstacles along the way? Is rescue by vehicle from a family member or friend possible if all vehicles are not disabled from a EMP? If so, how could that person find me? If communications are down, how can I tell them where I am? The on-board satellite and cellular-based communications and computer system in my vehicle will likely be down as well, due to main system failure in a worst case scenario, so contact with my employer would also be cut off. Am I on my own?

These are some of the questions I asked myself when I began to contemplate the situation I could find myself in WTSHTF. Realizing that there are so many unknowns which could translate to an even longer period of time in isolation, I need to be prepared for the contingency that I may not have assistance from anyone, although there are ways to leave clues as to my whereabouts for would-be rescue, but how?

The following is my plan to survive the trek and get home alive:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRE-SHTF PLANNING (above every other SHTF contingency I will plan for):

Learn about any unfamiliarities in the area you travel through, including: availability of wild edibles and when they're in season, wild game and any which are less desirable for harvesting due containing poisionous parts (usually certain organs, or possibly a specific muscle group???), as well as any which could be dangerous to encounter, such as bears, mountain lion(cougar), packs of coyote or timber wolf, gators/crocks, poisonous snakes, insects (scopions) and aracnids (spiders), just naming the basics. Also, pay attention to topography, and at best, study a topo map for the areas you travel so you can plan on which areas may offer a preffered route to travel vs less desirable areas due to steep terrain or large bodies of water, rivers, etc. Terrain will greatly reduce the distance you can walk in a given time period, so the flatter the better, without regard to concealment, if you feel the need for it. The alternative is that terrain may offer much better resources for concealment, water, food, shelter and fire. You may find that (topography allowing) adapting to trekking on flatter ground for the bulk of your distance while heading in towards terrain near the end of that day's trek to recon for available resources for shelter, water, food and fire to be the best option, allowing for a hybrid of benefits from the environment.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

Watch for obvious pattern changes with traffic and people compared to "the norm" if you are near/in a populated area. If things don't look "normal", be on the alert.. Signs of power outage will be obvious in these areas. Being near geograhic locations for natural and weather realated disasters such as flooding, earthquake, volcanic eruptions, tornado, etc, present additional obstacles which you need to address as well.

If you think TSHTF, find out any info you can by any trusted means before you decide to bug home, if possible. Pay attention to what is happening in the area and gather info.

Do some recon if you need to. If indicators are pointing towards "you're already screwed", then it's past the time to put your bug home plan into motion. Any info you can get will provide you with a better sense of what to expect along the way, whether it's a black-out of the electrical grid which would prevent you from refueling your vehical, a EMP which disabled all later model vehicles or other catastrophic event being local, regional, national or global. If the effected area is regional, national or global, you will likely have no means of communication by radio, cable tv, satelite tv, internet, land-line phone or cellular, so finding out WTF is going on may not even be possible.

If you happen to be listening to or watching public media and get some indications of SHTF such as the signal goes dead, then comes back with an explanation from an anouncer stating that they have experienced a loss of utility power and are now operting on back-up, and then, you discover that you have no cellular signal...hmm...keep your eyes peeled for anything else that crops up. The sooner you realize that, indeded, TSHTF, the sooner you can assess your situation, make decisions based on your assessment and follow through with the best plan to get home.

Your generic planning for self rescue may need to be modified enroute, so keep an open mind. Reassessment and evaluation of your plan as conditions change throughout your trek home should be an on-going process in order to keep yourself safe and reasonably healthy. When you stop for a breather and drink of water would be a good time to think about wether or not you need to do something different, but keeping your senses tuned-in to changes in the environment while you're on the move is also important.

If you don't already have a SAME alert weather radio, consider getting one. Portable with rechargable AA or AAA batteries and a vehicle-adaptable rapid charger is my preffered choice for mobile or personal carry applications, along with at least one desk-top version with battery back-up for in home use. Some CB radios have weather band, but if it's not portable, it only helped you to determine that TSHTF, so it served it's main purpose, but can do much more for you if it's hand-portable and you decide it's worth the weight to carry it along with spare batteries while you bug home.

Do not abandon your vehicle unless continuing to drive would present safety issues for yourself or others, or the vehicle became disabled. If low fuel is the only issue, and refueling is not possible due to TSHTF, look for a place to park off the road, possibly away from traveled roads, before the fuel tank is completely exhausted. Go as far as you can before you secure the vehicle and walk away. Take any personal items which may help you to survive the trek, and all of your personal identification and other documents. Leave what is of no use to you either during or post-trek...you don't want to carry dead weight.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
PERSONAL MAPPING SYSTEM

A zone-grid system on a state-wide topo atlas so my DW / DS can find me by indicating what area(s) of what grids(s) I will be in that particular day, and if grids will change through out the day whenever I have this knowledge in advance or can relay it to my DW during the day. A photocopy or second topo atlas will be needed, with both sets having the same identifying marks and grid system.

Specify primary and secondary extraction points for someone to meet you for rescue on each grid. These are the places you will
trek to on foot WTSHTF and where your rescuer (if vehicle travel is possible) can expect to find you. When considering extraction points, keep in mind that the area may not be
a place that others are familiar with, so it needs to be easy to find and passible with the rescuer's vehicle. Also, bear in mind during planning of rescue that your spouse may want to wait for the kids to get home from school, get organized and then venture out to meet up with you, which makes good sense for family safety, and allows you a bit of extra time to get to your extraction point. An alternative rescue person and vehicle could be considered as well, however, WTSHTF, many will be confused as to what to do, so don't count on that.

State-wide topographic atlas offers large area coverage, which is what I need in my situation, while 60-minute USGS maps offer more details on a smaller area, and 30-minute
maps giving the highest degree of details. Vehicle GPS units, being portable only to extent of battery life, should not be relied on, and most do not give detailed topography, only roads, which you may be trying to avoid.

Hand-portable/personal GPS are good if it has detailed topography, though you need to carry more batteries. The best units to consider carrying should be programmable to enter coordinates, or at least be able to store a "home" location and lead you to that coordinate. The problem with GPS is the very small viewing area, while a map lets you see your whole route at a glance, and doesn't need batteries or rely on a sattelite system which could be inoperable due to stellar
or solar activity. With high technology comes high probabilility for failure, so I won't use it for survival.

One problem to overcome with statewide topo atlas is the fact that they are large. Water resistant storage bags of this size are not easy to come by. The "space bag" intended for vacuum compression of bulky clothing items should come in a size close to what will fit the atlas. When packing your BHB / BOB, it should be stored in this type of bag, even if your pack is water resistant and in good condition. The last thing you need when TSHTF is to find your map soaking wet after you've started your trek in the rain or got dumped in a flowing stream and wanted to check your route/position.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROUTINE COMMUNICATIONS WITH YOUR RESCUE CONTACT PERSON: SIGNIFICANT OTHER HALF OR SOMEONE YOU CAN TRUST TO COVER YOUR BACK

Stay in touch with your contact throughout the day at times when it won't interfere with either person's work or safety. Don't take or make calls while driving or when involved in safety-sensitive work or any time when it is prohibited, such as while driving a commercial motor vehicle anywhere in the US. Just call to touch base and share info on any possible SHTF indicators. If TSHTF and there is now is no way to reach your contact, they should be able to figure out the most likely place(s) to find you based on your last known grid position, the time you called, and your planned movements for that day. I'm basing this on my own experience with my particular job, as I have scheduled stops throughout the day, which change from one day to the next, so tracking my movements isn't easy without a system like previously described.

Talk to your kids often if they're away from home at college, etc, as a SHTF event may present extremely difficult times for them in being able to bug home as well. Kids away for school events out of town may be of particular concern because you may have no idea what is going on where they are, if they are safe, and if a viable plan is in use for their safe return home. If they are relying on two-way radio/repeater use with back-up generator power for communication, they'd be OK, unless a EMP took out part of the system. This would be a good topic for discussion at your next school board meeting.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WINTER TREKKING
Water freeze-up prevention: use body heat to keep containers from freezing by carrying in inside pockets; use zip-loc bags to melt snow or ice for drinking water in your arm pit or inside pockets during heavy exercise to remove excess body heat instead of shedding layers of clothing (only use this method while generating excess body heat or it could easily trigger early stages of hypothermia); carry pre-manufactured snow shoes for deeper powder, or fashion a pair from natural materials as needed???; cold temp mummy bag???;

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
STAYING OUT OF SIGHT (being stealthy if you feel you could become a target)

Traveling in stealth-mode will reduce your distance vs time, so be prepared for that mentally and with the contents of your BHB. Gear that is noisy should be packed with soft items around it to avoid metal-to-metal contact. Externally slung items should be secured from movement instead of just hanging on a D-ring attachment.

Use of togography and vegetation: staying under the cover of vegetation or behind/between topography helps to conceal you.

Open areas vs creek beds: creek beds offer good concealment, a general direction of travel with generally low angles for walking, though they may lead you in
a general direction of travel that you don't want to take. Map them out on your topographic atlas before using them, along with exit points which will keep you on course.

Some creek beds may have standing water if a dry season, or may have running water if wet season. Draw-backs to trekking up/down a creek bed include
limited visibility of your surrounding enviroment thereby limiting your ability to detect potential threat(s), and the risk of flash flooding from an upstream heavy rain.

When in an unknown area, it would be prudent to do periodic recon in all directions along the way to avoid a human threat or natural obstacle which may not be on the map.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPEN FIRES

The use of solid-fueled fires for comfort heat and/or cooking, as the light of fire at night or during other low-light conditions such as rainy weather, or odor of smoke can draw attention to your location. Daylight use of a wood fire will generate a column of smoke which could be seen for many miles depending on wind conditions (especially lack of wind) and topography. This smoke will be the most prevelent during start-up of the burn until the fire is very hot, and will begin again when the fire cools down and the fuel is smoldering as coals.

Keeping in mind that I'll do what I must do in any survival situation, and if I can find a location where I can at least partially conceal the use of a fire while I fight off hypothermia or safely cook an animal I harvested, then I am doing so in an attempt to stay alive. Weigh the risks vs the benefit. If I really need to use fire, do so carefully. If I have not exhausted my prepared foods stock which can be eaten without cooking, use them until I am in an environment offering a reduced risk for detection. As time passes after TSHTF, this will be of greater concern, while not as much with the onset of the event.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAKING BREAKS TO AVOID EXHAUSTION

Be continuously on the lookout for places to drop in out of site before needing a break which offer concealment and shelter from the elements. Don't wait until you're dragging your butt and can't take another step, or you may find yourself in a dire situation of life or death. You're already in a second by second survival situation, which means that given the right conditions, any wrong move could be fatal, so don't compound your situation by getting complacent or careless.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NIGHT VS DAY TREKKING

Night trekking presents many challenges to overcome: loss of sense of direction during overcast skies or new moons being one of the more difficult challenges. Night-vision head- lamps are useful in keeping your eyesight sharp in the dark, and should be included in your BHB if you think the possibility for it's need may exist. Check your bearing often using a lensatic compass, even if it means you must carry the compass in hand or hang it around your neck for quick referencing. Keep in mind that terrain and/or underbrush may require you to keep both hands free for stability, etc, so a compass with a neck-strap or a make-shift neck-strap from cordage will be useful.

On a night with a clear sky, you can use the constellations to roughly track your bearing. If overcast or bad weather, you need the compass. Altimeters can help you find yourself on the topo atlas by checking altitude/elevation and azimuth when you reach a hill-top, though on a moon-less night or when overcast, you can't see any landmarks to determine which hill-top you may be on. Higher powered flashlights can come in handy for these purposes...something in the 100+ lumens range pocket-size LED providing a good spot beam can illuminate objects of contrasting colors very well out to more than 200 yards, while a bit heavier higher powered unit can reach out to more than 300 yards. Pick your choice of lights and combinations carefully, and use them for what you intend them for so you don't run batteries dead early in the trek. Pack plenty of spare batteries if you think night trekking may be an option. Being able to stay on course relies on your ability to keep a solid bearing and/or keep track of your position, so keep all your possible options open for as long as you can. If you think you're getting off course and can't get accurate corrections with the means you have at night, you should consider waiting until daylight to find your bearings again...at this point, it's likely time for a much needed rest.


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

*Part two*

WHEN NOT TO TREK

Reduced visibility and other weather related issues: Severe weather: lightning, heavy rain, fog, high wind events and moderate to heavy snowfall all present unique potential hazards which should be considered. Reduced visibility could easily put you off your intended bearing, even with a lensatic compass and map. Using landmarks for bearing could become impossible. High wind can easily put you off course by your natural efforts to fight the force of the wind while you walk, as well as make visibility an issue to to air-borne dust/dirt/debris causing eye irritation/tearing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
DETOURS OR ROUTE CHANGES, UNEXPECTED CONFRONTATIONS WITH NATURE

Conditions may (and likely will) take a turn for the worse during your travel. You may encounter gangs or mobs a several days after TSHTF if you misjudged your planned route, or the weather may turn wet while you're on a "slick rock", or you hit a vertical cliff wall too steep to navigate safely and you need to turn back to recon another route which is safer. Handle each situation within it's own set of circumstances. If scaling a 30 foot wall seems better than swimming the rapids on a river, then you're weighing the lesser of two evils, but this (weighing the lesser) should only be done when there are no other viable options. If a mob is trailing you, then, turning back may not be a good idea. If a mountain lion has your scent is stalking you, well, you do whatever is necessary to preserve your life...fight it off with weaponry or pepper spray, or, going into stealth-mode by concealing your scent and physical presence in water or by other means, time/environment permitting, or course (realizing that out-running a big cat or other large predator usually ends with negative results). And cats can climb quite proficiently, so don't plan on any tree or rock-ledge keeping them off your ankles. If you can climb it easily, so can they. The exception would be scaling a vertical/near vertical rock cliff for 20 or more feet which would require you to grip vertical cracks to ascend (really digging in to stay on the rock), with this cliff face being the only nearby access to you...a cat can't do that task, but they may look for another way to get to you, and, they may be more patient than you think while waiting for you to loose your strength of grip and fall, so choose your refuge wisely. Free-climbing is inherently dangerous, so unless you climb regularly, this should not even be attempted.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
AVOID THE MOBS AT ALL COST

You've been trekking, they've been scrounging. Who's more tired? Probably you. You're one, they may be many...can you out-run them all if they spot you? Can you fight off a mob as they bombard you with anything from boards to sticks to bats for weapons (or worse)? All it takes is one to get a paw on you and chances are you're going down. Before you're on your feet, there may be six more ready to stomp you back into the dirt. Stay stealthy if you see anyone you don't know, and especially if they look like they're up to no good. If you've been trekking for an extended period, it may be getting pretty bad for many people already...watch for them if you're near a populated area. You like the fact that walking is easier on the pavement, but it makes you a target of opportunity for the mob oriented. You may have more food and supplies than they've seen for days, and they'll want it...all of it.

Plan your route so as to not cross paths with populated areas WTSHTF, and opt, instead, for a bit rougher walking and deal with what mother nature has to offer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINAL THOUGHTS

When in doubt, don't do it!!! Think it through. Example: you may find yourself rushing to get home because of environmental influences, or because of your own emotional stress, and these are times when mistakes seem to come fast and furious. There is a huge difference in attempting to elude a mob of zombies or a charging black bear, or even an in-coming rain storm vs just plain being homesick and lonely.

One day at a time: take everything you do with the premise that it could make you or break you. Today, your priority is to survive...tomarrow, your priority will be to survive... you can't bug home if you don't survive...you can't help your family and good friends to survive SHTF if you don't survive to see the front door of your home.

If you're not experienced with outdoor activities, and especially if you don't go off the beaten path often, you should make time to practice your navigational skills. Start small and work your way up to at least a day-trip which requires you to return to your vehicle/trail-head from a different path of travel (don't back track). This can help you learn how to navigate with a map and compass, and, help you to evaluate your BHB and basic survival skills. If you have no clue how to begin, any good course in outdoor survival should include navigational training as well as basic survival skills. Whatever you do, let someone know what you are doing and where and when you plan to go, and where and when you plan to return, and lastly, what indicators should tell them to call for rescue...standard planned outing procedures, in my opinion. Also, be sure you have permission from private land owners before you go out. Use of public land is the best of there is any in your area. You may need to check with park authorities and obtain a permit in certain areas, if it is a state or national park. A quick phone call will get you that info.

Don't get emotional towards mother nature: she is the boss and is only doing her best to keep nature in check. As assertive as she is and will always be, you can work with her. Going against her is not advisable...you will get your face slapped every time you rub her the wrong way. Just go with the flow of things. An open mind and sharp senses may reveal a few of the many gifts she left for you along your way home. She may at times seem very relentless in her efforts to test your abilities to adapt to her every whim, your desire to survive, and your determination to walk out alive. She will fail you in your final grade on the test only if YOU let her. You will be tested by mother nature every time you trek in her kitchen, not just survival situations. If you fail any of her tests, it's over for you. Don't fail this test!!!

It WON'T be a walk in the park, so have the mind-set for the tasks you will be doing, plan the trek (as in now) and be ready to adapt to changing conditions. Get regular exercise and stay in shape. If you smoke, stop...I know, not easy to quit, been there, several times myself. Even electronic cigarettes are better / not as bad as tobacco. When planning, ask yourself lots of "what if" questions, because only you will know what you're personal experiences are and what you haven't yet encountered, as well as the capabilities of the gear in your BHB / BOB.

Lastly, stay informed, continue educating yourself on topics directly related to your personal safety and survival in your particular environment, and anywhere you may need to trek through WTSHTF.


----------



## SwampRat (May 31, 2010)

can I add????

1). Stay away from locals. They will NOT be friendly to you! If caught on my land, you WILL be run off at gun point (at best).

2). Don't even THINK about taking ANYTHING that ain't yours. If I catch you holed up in one of my hunting cabins, you will be run off at gun point (at best)

3). Don't expect to make it. You are in unfamiliar country with no friends around. This situation is NOT a movie. Rescue is NOT coming for you. EVERYONE will be in deep shit and NOT coming to save you!

...and now a question: why the hell would you even WANT to contact your employer?


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

SwampRat said:


> can I add????
> 
> 1). Stay away from locals. They will NOT be friendly to you! If caught on my land, you WILL be run off at gun point (at best).
> 
> ...


Now, that's what I'm talking about!!!

I have to make an attempt to contact my employer if a problem arises which I cannot overcome on my own. I'm in hazardous material transportation, and vehicle/load security is a very high priority since the attacks on 9-11. If I abandon the vehicle, it has to be due to an emergency only, otherwise federal law comes into play. An unattended hazmat transport vehicle on a public road or property is a big no-no.


----------



## SwampRat (May 31, 2010)

forluvofsmoke said:


> Now, that's what I'm talking about!!!
> 
> I have to make an attempt to contact my employer if a problem arises which I cannot overcome on my own. I'm in hazardous material transportation, and vehicle/load security is a very high priority since the attacks on 9-11. If I abandon the vehicle, it has to be due to an emergency only, otherwise federal law comes into play. An unattended hazmat transport vehicle on a public road or property is a big no-no.


Well...true. But in an all-out SHTF scenario, screw the load...as for the Feds, I think they will be busy with bigger problems! Now, if you are hauling fuel, swing in here and I will make sure the load is ok! LOL!


----------



## Jezcruzen (Oct 21, 2008)

You obviously have had a lot of free time. 

So, how and when will you know that TSHTF? If you are out on the road, there certainly will be a considerable lag time before any determination can be made. Even if your rig is sitting dead among thousands of other dead vehicles on the interstate, human nature and the urge to simply not believe "it" happened will take time for most to get past.

You are sitting there with a 54' box trailer loaded with hazmats or maybe a 7,900 gal. tanker brimming with Methylethyldeath, when do you walk away? My guess is that as "captain" of that particular ship you will be reluctant to leave it and may even stick around for several days. Maybe too long. But OTOH, if you abandon it too soon and discover later you made the wrong decision... its all on you.

Admittedly I'm a pessimist. (I once was paid to be). I look at it like this... if you are caught out away from home more than a day or twos walking distance away when some event occurs like so many like to talk about, you're screwed! There's not getting around it or any way to sugar coat it.


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

Jezcruzen said:


> You obviously have had a lot of free time.
> 
> Ha-ha!!! Yeah, actually this subject has been a nagging thought for quite some time, and driving for up to 10 hours per day offers plenty of time for the mind to wonder a bit. When talking with my spouse about the topic, she agreed that what I was planning for was a very good idea. I found myself asking a lot of "what if" questions, and when I'd get home at night, I'd put my thoughts to the keyboard.
> 
> ...




That's why I'm preparing for it...without planning, I would most definitely be screwed...I don't currently possess the mind-set and skills to be a minimalist for primitive survival, so I need certain things in my BHB to help me, along with a certain level of skills and mental preparation.

Do I feel my chances for survival are good, knowing I may have anywhere from just a couple days walk to up to 60-80 miles of foot-trek looking at me, with extreme winter/summer weather conditions and terrain to consider? Not at all...maybe 10%, depending on actual distance, terrain, weather, etc, 30-40% if things are stacked more in my favor. I don't take the thought lightly, either. Planning on paper (and especially discussing it here) gets the mind thinking in depth...mental preparedness, I feel is the most important, skills and physical ability to make it happen come next, then comes the "stuff" to help us through the actual act of survival. Believe me, I'll never say I'm an expert survivalist, but if the need arises for me to trek home, I will make every effort in advance to prepare myself, and if I don't make it, then I just wasn't prepared well enough for the challenge. Without having adequate primitive survival skills for the given environment, how much preparedness is enough? No one can answer that question, so not knowing just makes me step it up as a higher priority for refining my current survival skills, and learning new ones, as well. Being able to adapt to any possible changes in the environment would be the ultimate goal, obviously, though for myself, I can only do the best I can with what I possess, and make improvements over time..that's all any of us can do, for any scenario, in reality.
 
 My 18+ years of gathering tid-bits of basic survival knowledge, gear, and development of skills will help, along with everything else I mentioned in the opening posts regarding continued planning, and further revisions to my BHB contents. Speaking of which, having my BHB has been a ritual for many years...I don't leave town without it, along with a few basic daily carry items. My wife used to jokingly refer to it as my "BS" bag...that is until she realized just how many times I'd say "gotcha covered, babe" and dug something out of it (bandage, pain reliever, triple antibiotic, flashlight or numerous other items) in her presence for a seemingly miniscule inconvenience, that could have turned into something more than just an uncomfortable situation.

 I just realized I haven't posted by BHB contents yet, though it's not complete at this point due to recent revisions which I have not yet acquired...soon, I hope. I do need to take weights of item groups when I get ready to complete the package and see where some trimming may be needed...sigh...all in due time.


----------



## Jezcruzen (Oct 21, 2008)

Something you may want to consider is having a means to pump diesel or fuel oil out of storage tanks if the grid is down. Should be enough room for an inlet hose, hand pump, outlet hose.


----------



## SwampRat (May 31, 2010)

Jezcruzen said:


> Something you may want to consider is having a means to pump diesel or fuel oil out of storage tanks if the grid is down. Should be enough room for an inlet hose, hand pump, outlet hose.


Granger catalog has them!

Ok, on to the haz-mat trucker out on the road....you will KNOW when SHTF due to most vehicles stop (due to EMP) OR you are listening to either a GOOD talk radio/news station or you hear on the CB of the dollar crashing/troops deployed, (or the biggest clue you hear the words MARTIAL LAW or CURFEW. Now if I was in your shoes...it depends on what the load is. If its fuel, you are in luck. Head for your "BOL" and simply take the rig (if its still running). If its a load of MethylEthyolBadShit.....then drop the trailer and bobtail it home/BOL. At that point, the laws that pertain to what you MUST do are out the window. No one is going to be around to enforce them anyway...and I for one would NEVER take a bullet for a load of waste...

Just my perspective...


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

SwampRat said:


> Ok, on to the haz-mat trucker out on the road....you will KNOW when SHTF due to most vehicles stop (due to EMP) OR you are listening to either a GOOD talk radio/news station or you hear on the CB of the dollar crashing/troops deployed, (or the biggest clue you hear the words MARTIAL LAW or CURFEW. Now if I was in your shoes...it depends on what the load is. If its fuel, you are in luck. Head for your "BOL" and simply take the rig (if its still running). If its a load of MethylEthyolBadShit.....then drop the trailer and bobtail it home/BOL. At that point, the laws that pertain to what you MUST do are out the window. No one is going to be around to enforce them anyway...and I for one would NEVER take a bullet for a load of waste...
> 
> Just my perspective...


Well, it's a bit more complicated for me. Raw (unrefined) petroleum crude oil is the cargo. The truck has a body cargo tank along with a separate cargo tank trailer. The engine, unfortunately, is 2007 emission controlled (2008 model year), with the full compliments of BS to make it run, and if any part of the emission system fails, it will shut down. An EMP would render it disabled just like every other computer controlled vehicle. If in fact an EMP were to take it down, I'd be hoofing it in short order. But, if an EMP were imminent, I'd be staying home anyway, so that's not a likely scenario for me.

As far as the load, I could get back to my home terminal while loaded, or unload enroute, depending on where the load originated and which direction I was headed (hundreds of origins to several destinations, terminal close-by or in between), or I may not have loaded the unit yet, which is even better. If I abandon the truck (not parked in one of our designated terminals), then I would be assuming that I would no longer be employed...automatic termination...period...well, unless my personal safety were in jeopardy, and there was still a reason and a place to come to work after the dust settled, then, I would still have grounds for remaining employed. I know what you may be thinking...SHTF, what job? Well, unless it's a serious, wide-spread long-term event, I would likely still have a job to go back to, being a very large-scale business with high demand for our services and marketing abilities.

I'm not so sure I could get away with pumping diesel from storage tanks if low fuel reserves were the issue...dodging bullets from local owners or law enforcement doesn't sound like my idea of fun. And carrying the extra equipment on the vehicle which is already crammed full of accessory equipment may not be an option, either. In fact, the accessory equipment is the main reason why I could run low on fuel...we have smaller fuel capacity due to not having room for larger tanks. These trucks are special ordered to our specs and then customized with additional specialized equipment before they ever leave our rig-out shops for delivery to the terminal they will work from.The frame rails have very little bare space for any more attachments,and that's why they have smaller tanks, just to accommodate for the specialty equipment...it sux, but that's just what we have to deal with. 350-450 miles of range, depending on weather and road conditions.


----------



## musketjim (Dec 7, 2011)

Excellent thread. Getting to my BOL will be difficult, no doubt about it. Getting my boat to the boat launch would be problematic at best, convoy would be our best bet. Other friends with a boat and use multiple vehicles but that has inherent problems. On foot it's a few days hike along the Alaska Pipeline. I will find out exactly how many this summer. A couple snowmobiles in the winter along the same route. All these plans are after martial law breaks down. By then who knows who might be in my location. Then what? Shoot my way into my own cabin, burn them out, both poor choices. Well prepared to bug in for a period of time, but best option is to keep my ear close to the ground and pray I make the right call about being in my BOL when it all flies apart. That is a possibility because we spend quite a bit of time there and my immediate family and tightest friends are well aware of what it takes to survive there. Just need to be there.

The whole world sucks, America sucks a lot less and Alaska don't suck at all


----------

