unless you are the first to leave, and before it gets crazy. I came to this realization this morning. I live in DFW and we got a freezing drizzle. No appreciable ice, nothing like growing up in PA, a basic non-event. The entire city was SHUT DOWN for hours! news was saying 40+ car accidents, every highway was closed, people were sliding down the overpasses, traffic delays in hours, rescue vehicles got hit, etc. It was a complete and total shitshow.

I can't help but think if there's an actual problem, people try to evacuate, or there's not a huge team of people out there clearing roads of accidents the city will grind to a halt in very short order. I mean, drivers can't handle a broken traffic signal, they will clog everything in no time.

With that said, I guess it's time to give up my road warrior, mad max head for the hills ideas and focus 99% on getting and staying in my suburban house.

If your only path out of a city in a bug out scenario is main egress routes, you've already lost.

I'm at the outer edge of a 2nd ring suburb and I know 10 different ways to get to my first stopover about 45 minutes outside the city. 13 ways if you include main roads. If I have to combine routes, I can use any or a portion of any of those routes as I have them all memorized, along with connecting roads between most of them.

It's not a perfect plan and shit happens, but some of us will be attempting a bug out if it ever becomes necessary.

Bro.... happens every hurricane

I do know a bunch of side street/back ways etc to get away. the problem seems to be volume, enough people jump onto those routes as well. It was nice years ago before WAZE and stuff where only a few people know what to do. But now google will keep rerouting people onto every side street and back road that I would be using.

Better late than never.

Unless your omniscient, have an alternative mode of transportation (quad,dual sport, helicopter) or currently live in your bug out location, your probably going to sit in traffic and it’s going to suck. Be prepared.

Archived thread.

We moved from rural PA to the suburbs of Houston back in late 2013. We were amazed at what a little ice did to the city. Full, panic, mode. Even rain caused the drivers to act like lunatics. It was as if they had never seen an ice storm before.
Thankfully we were pretty close to Brazoria county and had alternative exit routes that kept us outside of Beltway 8.
Always good to consider what might affect your routes of travel, and have necessary contingency plans.

ETA- back in rural PA again.

It's the mental preparedness and it's not always about "bugging out from home".  I think these get used interchangeably.  Bugging out for me is more about bugging-back-home.  If traveling and in a city for a few days or more, it's prudent to identify non-standard routes out of the city; bugging out from your current location if the SHTF.  Intel is critical as well as it helps speed up your decision making process and that's the most challenging...and necessary.

On the flip side, bugging in may be forced and actually a good thing...when you're prepared and your domicile isn't threatened.  If not an immediate threat (fire, flood, plague, bio-chemical vectors), your residence is a more secure shelter than a tarp, tent, or gridlocked vehicle; you have tons of storage space compared to a backpack or car trunk, water should be on hand or easily accessible, loss of power should be a minor inconvenience, and your location is likely easier to defend than a car (in a traffic nightmare) or on foot.

As we get older and more established, bugging out fantasies start to diminish.  I still think you need to be prepared to go at a moment's notice...whether you're at work, on vacation, business travel, etc., but the important aspect is to do your homework, have options, be prepared, and try and stay up to date on weather, local political (read riots and chaos), or other significant events that could impact your area.

I've been forced to flee a couple times in the past.  Uncontrolled wildfire that threatened our home in WA, an incoming hurricane in NC, a possible chemical threat from a derailed train across the river in SC, and even a dangerous gas leak in base-housing when station in GA.  The last was literally a knock on the door telling us to vacate in 30 minutes.  We had young kids, quickly packed overnight bags, and went to dinner at a restaurant waiting for the "all clear", which came a few hours later in the evening.  That's my foundational learning experience for always being ready to "bug-out" at a moment's notice.

For a serious "bug out" from your residence, success highly depends more on when you bug out than anything else.  Becoming a homeless refugee in gridlock with limited supplies is directly proportional to time you take on when to bug out; the longer you take to make the decision, the worse it will.  For many, it's more prudent to simply bug-in; that's why we plan, prepare, develop options, stay situationally aware, and hopefully rehearse and wargame our potential decisions.

ROCK6

Yep, I’ve bugged out twice and bugged in at least three times.

Whether it's by choice or forced by circumstances, not bugging out but 'sheltering in place' (bugging in) is EXACTLY what the government wants you to do in a catastrophic 'Grid-Down' event:

https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/NIAC%20Catastrophic%20Power%20Outage%20Study_508%20FINAL.pdf

For most scenarios and definitely in the OP's scenario, most people would be far better off staying home.  Theoretically, and definitely if you have an interest in survival and prepping, most people will have the most assets and resources at home.

Hurricanes, earthquakes, forest fires, and volcanoes are something that bugging out may become a necessity so if you live in an area that has that as a threat, you need a plan in place for that.  I think pretty much everything else can be best handled by staying in.  Foreign military invasion is also another consideration but a very low one for Americans.  Some foreign countries have a far great risk of that so if you live outside the US, you might want to assess and decide if that's something that should be higher on your radar.

I live in a small town surrounded by several other small town or unincorporated areas. I travel 26 miles one way to work to a nearby larger city.

I have several ways to get home other then the main highway (301)... And recently had to utilize one of my routes to get to work because of a major accident on 301 that had southbound traffic stopped dead.

Lots of county and side roads in the area that only locals know of...everyone else sticks to the main highways and always.

Google won't route a car onto a bike path.

Just sayin.

OP - pretty much. Often, bug put plans fly in the face of "never leave the boat".  Example, during th freeze, bugging out would have been the worst decision imaginable.

Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, and maybe do have to evacuate.  When that happens, good luck, as almost all plans rely on the road network.  If you are serious, off-road capable motorcycles and sidewalks, medians, etc.  Be aware those pathways will not be maintained for vehicle traffic, and motorcycles are dangerous (i.e. that could end badly)

Surviving the first two days of a zombie apocalypse will be pure luck. Until it's well know and a sure thing, you can't just be wasting your neighbors because they're stumbling through the neighborhood towards you lookin' all zombie like. After a couple days, when everyone KNOWS what's going on, it will be a free fire zone everywhere.

Good point but that also dictates a real route recon and not a map recon.   You will want to know if there are vehicle size limits via bridges too narrow or light duty and those vehicle denial barriers like posts in concrete, gates, etc.    It certainly a realistic an option on a motorcycle.

Test runs have already failed.  Plan accordingly.
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We are in the same ao.  Plan to get home from work.  My car bag lets me walk home in peak summer or winter.  Leaving the burbs will come later after people have left.

@lb6r that's pretty much the plan for me, too. keep enough in the truck to get home through 12 miles at most, and hunker there. It was good knowing the back roads with the ice, as I was able to move around with all highways shut down. Took forever but better than nothing.

I really want a folding bike or BMX bike to keep for a back up get home option.

I have also printed out maps of multiple routes for getting home, including walking rail road tracks home although that adds distance and other issues.

I did this for a couple years.  A Montague folding mountain bike (Paratrooper model).  It's perfect for the application and since I did frequent mountain biking nobody said anything at work (a lot of road bikers did rides after work).  If I'm in a similar position, I'll do it again as it's a good alternative if your vehicle goes down and five to six times faster than on foot depending on routes.

ROCK6

So orderly. What happens if someone breaks rank in their 4WD BOV and drives on the grass?

The light bulb coming on is a good thing.

In that second pic, ... what happens after 6-hours of vehicles moving nowhere and two people get into it and a gunfight starts?

If I lived in Texas and woke up to 1/4" of ice covering everything when I left the house in the morning I would turn right around and go back in the house and stay there until it melted later on.

All my plans hinge on going home. I am blessed to live in my bug out location. Cities are anathema to me.

Sez it all right there.  You are blessed.

Having to work in densely-populated urban zones (a/k/a 'cities') is one thing.

Having to live in them is another.

Choose wisely.

I can drive 2 hours and in any direction and still be in the suburbs. and while that sucks, my wife and I make 3x+ the money we would in a rural place. so it's worth it as long as I stock up on money and bug out before too long.

Bugging in during flooding or earthquakes seems like a bad idea. With the earthquake thing it just seems like a bad idea to be underground in a bunker during after shocks. I am a firm believer in bugging out when possible to a safe area. That means having a viable plan that would avoid typical problem areas. My preps are a bit of an anchor though because I hate to leave all of my cool stuff but it did come to that in the past and will again.

Yup. You need to evacuate 5 days early or not at alll.

Looks like all the sheeple are staying on the pavement.  Is be in the median or shoulder in my 4x4 truck

which is a solid plan until some else in front of you high centers a Saturn doing the same...

Becoming more and more difficult to do so due to Jersey Barriers along both sides of roads these days.

Considering what happens pre-Hurricane (day long waits bumper to bumper - Gas Station lines & exhausted fuel supplies along the route) or Post Hurricane - Tornado (roads blocked by debris or floodwaters)...

Miles long jams of abandoned vehicles clogging choke points WILL be a real problem in S.H.T.F. - E.O.T.W.A.W.K.I. BugOut

That's why I live in a third world State. I may have to bug in from offshore depends on when it hits.

When we lived in Fort Lauderdale I came to the same conclusion.  Everybody knows about the "back ways" out of the area or the State.  There will be no route that isn't gridlock.  The only hope is bugging out before the mass of people get the same idea.

Geography, demographics, and human nature will turn south Florida into a pit of hell if the SHTF on a wide scale.

I have bugged out twice for hurricanes, it wasn't a problem but I took the highway instead of the evac route, no idea what that was like.

Soon I'll be living in my bug out location.

And the motorcyclist shredder cables they're installing along the interstates now.  Shoulders and medians are only usable until your reach the next jammed overpass or bridge, then your raised 4x4 offroad vehicle comes to a halt as many have found out.

Hurricanes are not the only examples of evacuation or rush hour interstate failure.  
2014 Southeast blizzard.

2016 Louisiana floods

Ahhh, the rural life.  I'm all about bugging in.  Where I live NE MS is a relative sweet spot in regards to threats.  More than two hours from any major pop center like Birmingham and Memphis.  There are few threats that would force me bug out.
 But in response to OP's post.  There is going to be a tight timeline on BO to beat the crowd.  Too soon  and you waste resources/look stupid/cry wolf, too late and your're in a traffic jam.

There are no “Back ways” out of S.Florida, except on a boat, or airplane.

You might be able to weave your way out on a well equipped dual sport, but I wouldn’t really want to try it.

Most other areas aren’t like that   Usually, there are some options.

Fwiw, I agree with you.  S.Florida is not the place to be if shtf in a big way.    Get out Early, or shelter in place.

with left pushing to communism and no real place to bug out we are stuck on are homestead.
it's 40 acres but close to a few small towns. We know the neighbors and that  is about all we can do.

Not even sure how to prep anymore for what is probably coming

I just go to work, pay stuff off, save, and repeat.

wish I knew what to prep for now

Become as self sufficient as you can, stay in good shape and train.  Best preps if you own a homestead

This. And sometimes you got to leave regardless, like when Houston got 50* inches of rainfall and buried the city under water.

I run into traffic jams by my cabin/bug out location every now and then..





Every once in a while the wild mustangs won't get out of your way either.







I agree though the vast majority of people from the urban areas are fooling themselves if they think they are going to "bug out" and live off the land.

I don't see a lot of jobs there I'm qualified for or school districts for my kids...

To those talking about living in your rural settings. Yeah, I get it, and it eliminates these concerns. However, as a father with young kids I need to focus on making money and raising them well before I can run off in to the wilderness.

This is a very real factor. My wife and I moved to our bugout location, but we had to find jobs first. Here state and local government is the number one employer, and it so happens that our professions are both government jobs. So it worked out. We’d be out of luck if we were depending on more traditional jobs. There’s not much of an economy where we are, that’s why the land is still undeveloped and cheap.

Google may not work in a catastrophe. Keep paper maps.

I figured on buggin in a long time ago. Only thing I really need to do is get more options for fuel. Such as solar and propane.

I remember trying to avoid rush hour freeway traffic in L.A. back in the 2000 - 2004 time era. I was using a Thomas Brothers map book and looking for every back road and frontage road I could.

It didn't save me time and sometimes increased my actual distance traveled by 10-20 miles, but at least my truck was moving and not stopped/stuck on the freeway.

But it did sometimes take me through some really sketchy neighborhoods that I CLEARLY didn't belong in.

Granted a bicycle with studded tires may be rare, but it is about all I could see bugging out there.

Course for an ice storm I would bug in and not care.

Not gonna carry much on your bicycle or motorcycle compared to your big ol suv and super trailer or whatever, but at some points movement is greater than 1 ton of ammo.

Rest seems covered ok, you have options and can stock stuff but you have to decide where the cost is worth it and if dealing with wife and kids good luck.

As a single guy with 2 dogs and a cat all I need to decide is do the dogs go in crates or just cut em loose on a leash and holler mush.

I've thought a lot about it, and bugging out really isn't the way to go for my family and me.

Where I live, a Houston type flood isn't going to happen unless its a Biblical flood.  We do get hurricanes here, but we're so far inland that they will be reduced in strength significantly before they hit my AO.

The road network here is barely sufficient for commuter traffic during the 6:00am to 8:00am rush hour.  And, with the majority of the commuters living north of the big city, the only way north means crossing rivers over four bridges.  Those bridges are natural choke points.  5 years ago, with the threat of ice, the State government and the Air Force shut down their offices and bases.  It was chaos on all the roadways around here, taking four hours to go 6 miles.  If everyone was trying to bug out, the road network would shut down.

With those and other factors, the best option for us is to stay where we are at.

There are things you can do, though.  When I heard about the ice storm in my example above, I left work before the rush and got home without problems or delays.  Pay attention to the news and what is going on in your local area.  Call in sick to work if you need to, or go home sick if you are at work.  Use your contacts to let you know what is going on.

Don't wait for someone else to tell you what to do, be proactive and think!

Detroit?  SHTF?..  

Might as well slit your wrists if that ever happens. Or buy a boat and set sail across the lake. Anywhere BUT DTW.  I live south across the ohio border. I am right in the path of the zombie hoarde heading south..