Motorwary Choke points - perception flip!

[Scythe13]

I know there's a lot of talk about not walking down the motorway and the alike, when it's a post SHTF situation. Talk of choke points and the alike.

So I'm going to be awkward and take a totally new perspective on this and play around with it. Many people think bridges and the alike will be made into roadblocks and ambush areas. I'm not so sure.

New perspectives/ideas.

A choke point as a weak point.
The amount of effort required to build, man, and control, coupled with the benefits provided...I'm not sure it would be of that much benefit for people to have them. I think that we are the generation that was brought up in part by Hollywood. Which means we are going to be viewing the world with 'Hollywood-Eyes', but also the choke points and barricades being set up will be done so by other 'Hollywood kids' with 'Hollywood ideas', which means the reality of manning such a location would have been ignored. The reality of permenantly manning a 'CP' will be VERY DIFFERENT from the thoughts of those building them. Barriers won't be built and permenantly manned. It wouldn't be a viable option for a prolonged period of time.

Successful and effective ambushing from a CP would require pretty large amounts of planning and practice, to reduce the losses incurred by the CP hosts.

It would make more sense to have a single person keeping a watch on an area/path leading to a 'dead zone' where people can walk into a relatively open area, then be ambushed. This would require the 'observer' to be able to contact their group and move towards the 'dead zone' while the wandering group is still in transit. This would allow the ambushing group to better utilise their members in different capacities, e.g. farming, cooking, etc, and then having the DZ only temporarily manned, when required.

It wouldn't make much sense to use a road block. It'd be visible for miles around. As an example, a truck on it's side would set off warning lights in even the dullest of eyes.

Further to this, construction of a barrier would simply push people FAR AROUND the area, and up on your flanks. It would be pretty difficult to purposefully funnel people into a certain area, if they are moving far and wide. If they're alert, you're running the risk of giving away your location. Another issue for choke points.



Another point of view is that if road blocks are going to be used as choke points...why not make your own, if you think they're that dangerous and effective? How would you do it? How would you man it? What would you do if a much larger or better armed or better trained group came across you and your roadblock or at your choke point?

Has anyone else thought about this? If so, what are your views?

[Midnitemo]

Personally i wouldn't walk on a motorway , but people probably will as a form of "easy" navigating , a bridge is a good place for an ambush as opposed to a checkpoint as you may control the high ground(the bridge) there is natural cover and concealment with the structure and it chanells people into a killing zone...would require a lot of manpower to man as permanent check point and being overt means people would just go round it but set it up as an ambush and you could "tax" people sort of like a post appocalypse highwayman.

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If you were approached by a larger stronger group you would just melt away into the surrounding countryside to a pre designated rv where you can keep eye's on your plot then move back in when/if the group has departed.

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I wouldn't construct any kind off barrier as i wouldn't want to provide any form of cover...i'd wan't them penned in but in open ground and good sight lines.....if you have to go in and winkle them out you may take casualties.

[bigpaul]

personally I wont be anywhere near a motorway or dual carriageway post SHTF, too open and too easily spotted.

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I have been told in the past that the military call motorways "kill zones" for obvious reasons.

[Tartar Horde]

I will be keeping well away from major roads etc because people are "conditioned" to using them. Just like wildlife, people are creatures of habit, even though we tend to think we are not. We are brought up using roads and most people would not consider using anything else during SHTF. To make a point, look at every conflict and war zone, and you see herds of people stuck on the road, when the countryside around them is relatively open. Look at every Hollywood disaster movie and TV programme that deals with this subject, you see people continuously using roads (and getting into trouble) when they could mitigate trouble by going cross country away from the masses (victims) don't imitate, innovate.

[bigpaul]

wasn't there something on SUK some time ago about keeping off roads in a SHTF situation but paralleling them...??

[Midnitemo]

navigate by them not on them.

[bigpaul]

exactly, I think SD did a piece on this very subject.

[NorthernRaider]

Its usually wiser to parallel them than actually use roads, rail lines, pylon lines, rivers , canals etc where possible sadly not a really viable option for the urban community, but once you get out of town you can then use the motorway etc as a pointer to help you navigate without actually travelling on it, thus avoiding ambushes.