The Free BOV

[Cestrian]

Ive read a lot about 4x4's and other vehicles being used as BOV's but one important thing that people generally tend to forget is our feet, free transportation is a must for myself as i dont get a large income, i have my bob which is a plce 125l bergen which will hold my gear and supplies in, but i may also have a holdall for extra's i may want.

Now to the whole "walking" bugout, i find myself in a situation that im a long distance relationship and my partner lives down south and if indeed shtf i would want to get her, so my plan is to hike there, sure it'd take a few days but its better to not be seen at all than to be seen with a vehicle,thats my view on it anyway.... Thoughts and opinions welcomed

[NorthernRaider]

First thing that spring to my mind is bugging out is hsard and stressful at the best of times and by foot is really only an option for fit young men and women, but when you have families, kids, grand parents etc to consider it becomes more difficult to resolve.

[Cestrian]

thats the thing, im on my own, ive tried to get my family to think about prepping but it fell on deaf ears, and id be the only person bugging out, but i know what you mean with the stresses, both physical and mental

[Prepaday]

That would be my plan also if I had to leave my home, only I have 3 kids and a fella, I'm going to look out for bols in my area as walking miles upon miles is not an option
If I were on my own, things would be diff, I would take my time, wear some good trainers and be offski
Saying that..If the poop hits the fan, there would be ques of desperate people stuck on the motorway and folk would be dumping their cars and wandering around in the country hungry and angry, you might be a target with your bob?

[NorthernRaider]

However even if some are in the same position as me and having a static family, there is absolutely nothing wrong with individuals having long range BOBS anand patrol packs so they can venture away from home looking for resources and supplies.

[Cestrian]

Quote:there would be ques of desperate people stuck on the motorway and folk would be dumping their cars and wandering around in the country hungry and angry, you might be a target with your bob?

the route i have planned and even a secondary route is well away from motorways and well used "A" roads, and even so, i would be travelling at night as im less likely to be seen, but its all good input

[NorthernRaider]

Prepaday, read my guide on Bug out routes please, it offers some good sensible advice on hoofing it to safety by doing things like following gas pipelines or electricty plylons, or paralleling the roads and highways by walking along side them not along them, staying a good 200 yards away from them at least.

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Tactical walking tips for bugging in or out
© 2011Northern Raider

BEFORE SETTING OFF
Try on your Rucksack and Jacket, Jump up and down on the spot, if your kit rattles or bangs re-pack rucksack until its silent.

Ensure shiny items like watches, ear rings, earphones, belt buckles are covered up or taped over.
Make sure your specs and shades are the dull, matt coloured frames, not the shiny ones.

Do NOT take hand luggage you must keep both hands free for climbing, roping, using tools etc

Keep your EDC essentials on your person not in your rucksack (Knife, Compass, Lighter, Flashlight, Multi Tool, Bandana, Hats, Gloves, Watch, Shades etc) should you have to abandon your rucksack.

Daytime departure, take a look out the windows from well within the room moving to the right of the room to look left down the street, and vice versa. Do not stand in the window and silhouette yourself. Ensure as best possible departure will go unnoticed.

Nightime departure, extinguish all lights and fires before looking out of the windows, move slowly at night as human eyes detect movement more than detail in the dark. Ensure as best possible departure will go unnoticed.

Turn off cell phones, pagers etc before leaving.

Use simple hand signals to relay information to other family members, raised arm means stop, raised arm and a crouching stance means stop and take cover, arm extended to left means move towards the left, arm extended to right means move to right. Keep the signals few in number and very simple.

READY TO GO

Turn out lights if it is dark, open door or window PARTIALLY and LISTEN for threats.
Send out one person to scan the immediate area for concealed threats.

If area good to go rest of group to follow, silently and at least 3 to 4 ft apart (6 to 8 feet if tactical situation demands more defensive stance).

WALKING

Walk where possible in the shadows, look up for hazards in surrounding buildings, Look down to avoid items that may make noise like twigs, gravel or broken glass.

Pause frequently to listen, you generally will identify more threats by sound than vision, breaking glass, raised voices, gun shots, vehicle engines, running feet, barking dogs etc

Watch what nature does, if you see a flock of birds, or a rabbit, or deer for example suddenly take flight that tells you something has frightened it, and it may NOT have been your party.

Look left and right SLOWLY in a steady scanning motion, Human eyes detect motion more than shapes when its dark and you have more detector rods and cones in the sides of your eyes than you do at the back. Scanning side to side as you walk you will detect MOVEMENT before shape.

The last man in the group needs to keep stopping and quietly observing the rear to see if you are being followed.

Avoid using flashlights to navigate with, rely on your own night visions, Human eyes take 35 minutes to adapt to the dark but only seconds to lose night vision if a fool turns on a flashlight. Not to mention the risk of advertising your position to the whole area if you do use a flashlight.

Where possible avoid public places and spaces where cops, troops or thugs may gather, try and stay in the shadows.

Avoid districts where scavengers may good looking for food, loot etc

When passing through hilly neighbourhoods never walk along hilltops or ridgelines, stay under the ridgeline and don’t silhouette your self.

If faced with an obstacle such as a hedgerow or wall try always to go round or under it, not over the top or through a gate because again you are just exposing your position.

In the short term most highway and rail bridges are really places to avoid, both official check points and predators WILL target them. Look for alternatives.

RESTING & EATING
No cooking fires during the day unless you can guarantee you wont create any smoke.

When cooking at night site the cooker in a hollow or hole so it does not give off light giving away your position, Beware of the odour of cooking food also giving away your position.

If in a group ONE PERSON COOKS, the others spread out and keep watch for approaching scavengers, Silence is golden as you will hear them approaching long before you see them.

You need to remember the cook will probably lose his night vision so if you have to bug out someone will need to help him until his eyes adjust.

Ideally eat in shifts, half eating half keeping watch, pack away camp cooker etc BEFORE eating incase you have to bug out in a hurry.

Take every scrap of rubbish with you or bury it, fill in your cooking hole / fire pit, leave no clue to your passing through.

SLEEPING

We all need rest and the young and elderly need more rest than healthy adults, you all must sleep when possible. Human biorhythms run in two hour cycles, so to get the full benefit of sleep people need to be fully asleep in two hour sections. This really means in a stressed situation after a days bugging out each member will need three hours in his sleeping bag, and hour to wind down / distress and two hours sleep. So whilst at least one person stands watch, the others should rest in three hour sections. All gear must remain packed in rucksacks and boots etc kept close to hand in case you have to make a swift and stealthy exit from your campsite.

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Possible Bug Out Routes
© 2010 Northern Raider
If bugging out features in your plans anywhere then hopefully this little guide may help you plan your best routes.

Firstly try not to plan on bugging out on routes that both the mass civil population and or the authorities would probably use to evacuate cities from.
Secondly the same caveat applies to route that the military may wish to use to deploy units around the country. So basically unless you bug out BEFORE a collapse starts you can discount using ACTUAL Motorways, Dual carriageways and many larger A roads. Most main highways are often referred to as “Kill Zones” by the military for good reason.

But you are left with the option of paralleling them, IE travelling cross country using the nearby main roads as navigation aids rather than actually travelling on them.
Indeed if you are stuck with bugging out as a crisis develops you may find most of the main roads will be either closed or clogged with refugee traffic.

This is why you need to give serious study to alternative routes away from the city you wish to leave. Everything from B roads to drainage ditches need to be reccied and checked out in advance so you are more than familiar with your chosen routes.

If you face bugging out by foot, or cycling, riding it may be prudent to plan on bugging out in advance by “ paralleling” the road , track, stream, track etc you planned on using because you could still face the threat of checkpoints or ambushes by opportunists or the authorities.

What you really want to be doing if possible is only using the road, track, path, river etc you have chosen as a navigational aide not as an actual trail out of town. By paralleling the chosen route you greatly reduce the risk of getting ambushed or meeting up with others along your journey. Obviously this is not going to be much of an option if you are driving out town, but checking out your vehicles route in advance along many smaller tracks is well advised. You could actually leave trail markers along with way in advance to help you navigate by night when the time comes.

So then apart from the highway network what other options could you consider utilising either as routes to actually travel on, or as navigation aides you simply parallel ?

Footpaths, Cycleways & Bridleways
Canals and Towpaths
Power Distribution Pylons
Gas and Water Pipelines
Rivers, Canals, Drainage Ditches and Storm Drains
Railway Lines
Abandoned Railway Lines
Forestry Trails and old Roman Roads
Landmark to Landmark (daytime only)
Underground rapid transit system lines providing the trains are not running and the power is off.

[Martin200261]

(16 August 2012, 16:15)Cestrian Wrote:

Quote:there would be ques of desperate people stuck on the motorway and folk would be dumping their cars and wandering around in the country hungry and angry, you might be a target with your bob?

the route i have planned and even a secondary route is well away from motorways and well used "A" roads, and even so, i would be travelling at night as im less likely to be seen, but its all good input

Don't forget the humble bicycle, as a load carrier it can be used to carry the heavy loads so taking the strain off your back and feet, it offers speed advantage when the going is smooth enough esp downhill and is light enough to haul over rough ground.

We've ridden and pushed our bikes over all sorts of terrain.

[NorthernRaider]

This info graphic is handy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43478117@N00/5442722456/

[IB1]

My thoughts have been heading towards the humble bicycle as well. Can go virtually anywhere and with very little to go wrong. Another option I am looking at is sailing dinghies. Again very little to go wrong and even the small dingies can carry a fair bit of weight. Hopefully getting a few free lessons over the coming months.

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When I said very little to go wrong with the dinghies i meant mechanically, drowning could be an issue