rural population

[BDG]

I would not worry about massive influxes of people for at least a few weeks before an event. Sure there will be some switched on people who have plans, but the vast majority of the population would wait it out, by the time comes that it seems prudent to move, they will be travelling on foot.

On the way to where ever they will be going (which will not be more than a couple of hundred feet from a road or metalled pathway, they will be killing each other, attacking people who will defend themselves, turning into battles and so on.

Factor in they are already hungry, thirsty, unclean, blistered feet, unwell from drinking dirty water, chafed in areas that will not help walking... you are going to be looking at a lot of die off.

Enough I would say so the likes of HL may not see many people at all.

If people did take to their cars, roads would jam, their would be a crash and a fire, those that were not killed or injured would lose all they own in their cars. Imaging a large fire on a motorway around a conurbation with no emergency services - it would not be long before those left in the conurbation started trying to get out at the other end, creating a massive movement on people in an urban environment where their only care was their survival, creating another bloodbath.