Getting Home From Work

[mos19k]

Time: 1:18PM
Day: Thursday
Scene: EMP has stopped all vehicles and electrical devices. Gridlock has made the roads impassable.
Depending on your area, civil unrest is already starting.
What do you do?

[CrazyIvan]

I'd walk across the street to the bike shop, jack one of their mountain bikes and make my way home on the city trail, which happens to lead from behind my apartment complex to about 1 block east of the building I work in.

Depending on the situation, I may wait until nightfall to move.

If it was some freak accident, I would go home immediately. If we we became under attack, I would get the bike, return to the basement of the building I work in, then when night fell, I would make my way home, quickly and swiftly along the river, where the trail is.

I also thought about this...a Motorcycle may be a good Bug Out Vehicle. An older one or a dirt bike, not dependent upon electronics and computer control. They get good mileage, are maneuverable between debris and other vehicles, fast and can be easily hidden beneath branches or inside of a building even.

[ezearln]

1) Not all vehicles have stopped, my CJ3B still runs like a top(a proven fact). Load wife critters, supplies, arm ourselves and retreat to the lake.
2) Not ALL roads are impassable, proceed over secondary routes to lake (Ie: farm/ranch/private roads).
3) restrict all unnecessary movement until intel can be gathered, reassess situ and realign plan of operations to address changing circumstance.
4) Scavenge or barter for additional supplies/resources, conserve all long term food sources as long as possible.
5) Plan for deep withdrawl to secondary AO if necessary.

[Dallas]

If close to home walk there and arm myself. If far away grab my escape bag from the trunk and start walking to home or a friends house, avoiding people as much as possible. If I pass a gun shop or sporting goods store buy/beg/borrow a shotgun.

[ezearln]

Now admittedly all cars/trucks depending upon transistorized circutry will be immobilized, but there are an awful lot of older auto/jeeps/trucks that will not be affected at all by EMP, additionally not ALL electrical systems will fail only those sensitive to EMP (Transistorized)so many simple/older equipment will work quite well, and since EMP disabled so many other vehicles where did the gridlock come from?
Civil unrest is dependant upon where in this nation you are located the most rural areas will be the last to experience this

[mos19k]

I think in, my situation at least, using a vehicle would bring way to much attention to me. If you have the only vehicle running and people are all desperate to get home, you'd be a primary target. The bicycle would probably not attract as much attention especially if staying off the roads.
Personally I would hike it home, it's about 8 miles, all of it through good neighborhoods. If I don't wait to long I should get home with enough light left to wait the agreed hour before heading out if my wife hasn't gotten home yet.

We have agreed upon three possible routes for her to get home. I would leave a note showing the time I left and the route I'm taking out and the one I'll use to return, this would cover two of the three routes. Once home we would try and find out what has occurred.

Originally Posted by ezearln

Now admittedly all cars/trucks depending upon transistorized circutry will be immobilized, but there are an awful lot of older auto/jeeps/trucks that will not be affected at all by EMP, additionally not ALL electrical systems will fail only those sensitive to EMP (Transistorized)so many simple/older equipment will work quite well, and since EMP disabled so many other vehicles where did the gridlock come from?
Civil unrest is dependant upon where in this nation you are located the most rural areas will be the last to experience this

The gridlock occurred due to all the cars on the road suddenly dieing. As for the unrest I said depending on your area. Obviously this is not as big an issue in the rural areas. I can probably count on one hand pre-1980 cars I see every day. In my neck of the woods most people drive new cars. Again an advantage the rural area has.

[Triggerjerk]

I do not believe this will happen. But to play along...since I saw that poor fellow getting dragged out of his truck and beaten at the start of the LA Riots I always have a handgun with me/in the car, as well as extra ammo for it in the glove box. I am prepared as I will be for the civil commotion. Getting home? Depends on where I am.

[Big Dog]

I don't carry a gun in the car now - but I need to revise that thinking. With the car dead, I'd grab my GetHome bag, return to the building to wait til nightfall. My office is in the center of town - with several miles of 'indian territory' between me and home! Travelling in the dark along the drainage slough westward would be the safest and quickest route. Let the bandits have the streets . . .
I like the night - I'm comfortable in the Dark . . .

[Beer Forever]

I like that night idea a lot. I have a bag of handy stuff in my car at all times and I would hold out till night fall like Big Dog. I'd call some crazy friends to determine the rendezvous point for a caravan and get the heck out of dodge.

[RockB]

I'd get the Smith out of the truck walk the 1/4 Mile down to the beach. Then walk down the beach about 6 miles, trying to look as much like an oblivious tourist as I can (you would be surprised how many walk down the beach in jeans and no shirt), then about a mile up through the new condo construction to the house.

Once I get to the house, regroup and take it from there.

[mos19k]

Originally Posted by Beer Forever

I like that night idea a lot. I have a bag of handy stuff in my car at all times and I would hold out till night fall like Big Dog. I'd call some crazy friends to determine the rendezvous point for a caravan and get the heck out of dodge.

How do you call your friends?

Originally Posted by Triggerjerk

I do not believe this will happen. But to play along...since I saw that poor fellow getting dragged out of his truck and beaten at the start of the LA Riots I always have a handgun with me/in the car, as well as extra ammo for it in the glove box. I am prepared as I will be for the civil commotion. Getting home? Depends on where I am.

I agree I don't expect this to happen but it's always good to plan for the unexpected. I was caught by complete surprise when we had the '80's riot down here.

Originally Posted by Big Dog

I don't carry a gun in the car now - but I need to revise that thinking. With the car dead, I'd grab my GetHome bag, return to the building to wait til nightfall. My office is in the center of town - with several miles of 'indian territory' between me and home! Travelling in the dark along the drainage slough westward would be the safest and quickest route. Let the bandits have the streets . . .
I like the night - I'm comfortable in the Dark . . .

I wish I didn't have to carry a gun but between the riots we've had and the post-Andrew looting, I now always carry.

[ArkansasHunter]

I've got an Adult size Super PoGo stick for situations like this...I would bounce myway home !!!!
And If'in I was pizzed off I would bounce on top of the dead cars as I bounced home.

[JBS]

Reckon I'd ride muh Roto-Tiller.

[A-10]

Originally Posted by JBS

Reckon I'd ride muh Roto-Tiller.

That wouldn't work with today's advanced electronically controlley tillers. The gyroscopic stabilization systom would be in-op.

In all actuality though, I would grab the few handy things that I keep in my Explorer and start walking the 14 miles home. I can follow the main road for the quickest route, but if things are real sporty, I can always hack and slash my way through the woods that line the road.

[billy]

Originally Posted by JBS

Reckon I'd ride muh Roto-Tiller.

you dont have a jetpack?
i thought we all did.

[jerry]

[damage855]

I am lucky as my 96 deisel powered dodge pickup has no electronics to speak of. they did not start putting computers in dodges till 97. also the cummins deisel can easily burn alternate fuels in a bad time. so i would just drive home very carefully find my wife if she were not there then stay at home listen to the old Ham radio and gather intel. to decide next move.

[ArkansasHunter]

damage855 If such a crisis were to happen and you were in a lot of traffic you would more than likely have to fight and God forbid run over people to get home.
Thats a terrible thought...A.H

[GoodAim]

Well, I also see it to be a rather far fetched thought. I think it would be safe to say that I would one get home by any means necessary. Once here I would take a count of the the supplies I have on hand. Then wait for the Arrival of the my gf. And ask her what the hell has happened. She is in the Coast Guard so she may have intel I didn't hear about. I would listen to what her plans are since they get made for her without warning in many cases. Then I would hang out here at the house and shoot anything unknown that tries to force it's way in.

[Triggerjerk]

I think that the idea of the EMP is a bit far fetched. I certainly can see civil commotion in large urban areas. Just look at what the Rodney King verdict did in LA. That's where you had no warning and suddenly the world was coming apart all around you. Same kind of thing happened in Detroit in 1967. That riot started as a police/race issue. Now a hurricane...you have some lead time there.

If you want to read a good fictional account of what happens when there is a "pulse" and technology grinds to a halt, I recommend SM Stirling's "Dies The Fire". It's in the science fiction section at you bookstore. The human dynamics are interesting.