Does "Bugging-Out" make any sense?

[Woodrow]

Come on brother, this isn't worth fighting about, and besides, I guarantee you could take me.

 

[WETSU]

Dude, I'm not picking a fight.

That was a serious question. Stay with me.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Come on brother, this isn't worth fighting about, and besides, I guarantee you could take me.

I seriously doubt Wetsu was making any threats indirect or otherwise. He's got a pretty level head.

The reason I started sniping at you was because you seemed to completely ignore points that I, and several other people, made that directly answered the questions you were asking. To the point I was beginning to wonder if you had me on your ignore list. You still are to a large degree, and it becomes hard to take you seriously when you take that tact. When people have answered your points, you chose to focus on the points that were the most far fetched and ignore the ones that actually do have historical precedent. Furthermore, by insisting on YOUR definition of bugging out, and viewing everyone elses response through that lens, you again make yourself difficult to take seriously as it appears you don't really want to understand other people, you appear to want to simply look down upon them. Again, I am not saying you are doing this deliberately, but that appearance is largely why you have gotten people giving you the types of responses they have.

 

[Woodrow]

Dude, I'm not picking a fight.

That was a serious question. Stay with me.

I promise I didn't feel threatened. I'm 33, 5'10, 240.

 

[WETSU]

Are you able to bug out? What meds do you take?

 

[kolob10]

Bugging out

The first rule of survival is to plan for all contingencies if possible.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Our society is simply too industrialized, and to do so would serve absolutely no purpose.

How dare you allow common sense to interfere with my 13 year old fantasies of living in the woods eating grubs, running around with a gun and not taking showers!

If S doesn't hit the fan, I'll have to worry about mowing and edging the lawn rather than "prepping" for being commander of the space alien/Borg resistance.

Live long, and prosper.

Kirk out.

 

[WETSU]

Kirk, you are a smart ass. I think you are my new favorite person.

 

[Woodrow]

Are you able to bug out? What meds do you take?

Yes, I could go. No diabetes, no heart problems, good blood pressure (most of the time), no asthma, and all of my fingers and toes. I have lost a bit more hair in the last year than I am comfortable with, and I'm a bit wider than I used to be, but aside from that, I'm good.

I don't take any medication that impedes me in any way--I was referring to contact supplies, Aleve, Hartguard for the dogs, anti-bacterial, et al--extra prescription medication, if one requires it, should be on hand.

 

[Woodrow]

Kirk, you are a smart ass. I think you are my new favorite person.

I rep'd him.

 

[irishfan]

Are you able to bug out? What meds do you take?

First, it would take my home being a more unsafe or unstable situation then my possible bug out location. If the place you already have is better then where you are going then why leave?

Second, you should have something always in mind as a location to go for safety and shelter in case of emergency. That location in most cases would be better off if it were a home or building but you can carry shelter or make shelter if you want to learn how. Also, it would be nice to have the ability to pick up and leave when you need to without having to leave your sense of safety and shelter behind.

Third, I only take what I feel is enough to survive but also a few (and I mean few) items for creature comfort. In my pack I have a basic shelter making setup as well as minor medical and self maintenance items. There is a way to filter water, couple of fire methods, para cord, change of clothes, and a few other items I call needs. My luxury items are a bar of soap, half a roll of toilet paper, hard candy, stick of deodarant. Having a piece of candy to chew on or a few pieces of toilet paper could be a morale boost in a time of need and don't take up a lot of space. Yes, I have more in my bag but that is a few items that are in there.

 

[DanO]

Irish - right on!

If I ever have to leave my stocked house, it will be an emergency in which I will either return in a few days or the event was so bad I will not return at all. Either way, it will be an emergency requiring me to move quickly for several days. My setup for bugout looks like an ultralight backpacker with guns. And by guns I mean a combat pistol with 100 rounds and a .22 rifle with 300 rounds.

Some things I know:
-Bugging out without a definite place you are going makes you a refugee. Being a refugee sucks, you are not part of any community you pass through and are often considered "fair game".
- I am not Jeremiah Johnson and this is not Wyoming. You probably ain't either.
- Carrying a heavy pack full of "neccessary" items, leaves me tired, less aware, slower, less stealthy and more noticable. I am amazed when people say they will carry an 870, 2 pistols, an AK and ammo plus their other junk on a bug out. I am a former Paratrooper who knows what it is to hump a ruck and the loads I see make me laugh.

If I have time to load a car, it is not a bug out, it is relocating my HQ.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Kirk, you are a smart ass.

Pffft, so says you . . . and a long list of ex-girlfriends.

 

[melensdad]

Pffft, so says you . . . and a long list of ex-girlfriends.

Kirk, did they use the word "smart" when they referred to you?

My ex-gf's were never so kind

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Ummm, I'll take the Fifth on that one, melens.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I am amazed when people say they will carry an 870, 2 pistols, an AK and ammo plus their other junk on a bug out.

Oh, don't forget that the numbnuts won't have a sling on the 870 or AK that they want to hump.

 

[Jenel]

Jews from Germany during the 40's, South Vietnam during the fall of Saigon?? Are those historical enough?
About the only way I would leave my home would be one of two things, something like these or a nuclear disaster.
No matter how much someone preps there are to many variables to say if bugging out or staying put is the best option. You can go from bad to worse really quick.

Alright, no more "thread-jacking," or whatever silly name is ascribed to expansion of a discussion. Here's a full thread on the silly "bug-out"* idea...

Collapse of currency has historically NEVER led to a mass exodus. The Weimar Republic, the Antebellum CSA economy, the Soviet Union, contemporary Argentina...

In previous threads, melensdad has asked fair questions. I have yet to read any realistic scenarios in this post or others. Sure, Eric Rudolph, Ted Kaczynski, and Albert Johnson packed up and left, but are these the guys we want to emulate?

Under what circumstances--specific examples--would you leave? Let's make it easy: why is it safer to survive in a totally unfamiliar setting than to survive on your home turf?

*If you prefer the term "bail out," you may make substitutions as best fits your own vocabulary.

BUG OUT IS WHAT YOU DO TO GET WHERE YOU ARE GOING IN AN EMERGENCY! If someone chose to, in an emergency, go to the woods and stay there for months or years, that's not bugging out. When that person left his/her home with food, water, weapons, ext; they bugged out. Most true preppers are not going to just "head for the woods". A truly informed prepper (or person for that matter) will already have a contingency plan for IF they could not stay home. You people are all arguing about what will cause the collapse of America. "It's gonna be zombies! No it will be an asteroid!" It doesn't matter. If your asleep on night and your smoke detector goes off and you get your family out and have to leave your home for an undetermined amount of time guess what you just bugged out. Even if your staying in a Motel 6. SHTF scenarios don't have to be a national event. Someone who lives paycheck to paycheck and doesn't have insurance might view a SHTF scenario as loosing a job or getting injured. And guess what... its just as real and just as devastating to the persons involved.The OP has post jacked his own post. For those uninformed persons that believe that no one during the Great Depression "Bugged Out" I'm sorry to say, but you are incorrect. Many people left most of their belongings to find jobs to provide for their families. Also, a pretty significant number of Americans "Bugged Out" to go stay with family to "Double up". Call it what you want, its just semantics. It's obvious that the OP is a fairly articulate person, that enjoys seeing others do back flips to support their beliefs. It seems to me, that for the OP its a form of control in which he gets off on. Or maybe he was that guy in high school that thought he was better than everyone else and just can't let go of the "good 'ol days". I don't know. What I do know is that its drawn me in, perpetuating the cycle of fruitless arguments. To that I say to the OP... Bravo!

 

[rjstew317]

would being the systematic rounding up of people for imprisonment or execution by the police be enough reason to be prepared to bug out? seeing as the natural disaster aspect didn't seem to fit your criteria that is. sure, it hasn't happened in Indiana before, but does that mean that it couldn't happen? i wonder if the Jews thought the same thing?

 

[WETSU]

Its happened in Indiana. Carried out by men with names like Harrison, Jefferson and Wayne.

 

[Woodrow]

It's obvious that the OP is a fairly articulate person, that enjoys seeing others do back flips to support their beliefs. It seems to me, that for the OP its a form of control in which he gets off on. Or maybe he was that guy in high school that thought he was better than everyone else and just can't let go of the "good 'ol days". I don't know. What I do know is that its drawn me in, perpetuating the cycle of fruitless arguments. To that I say to the OP... Bravo!

I appreciate your ascribing such thought and premeditation to me. I really never credited myself with being that bright. As to being articulate, I'm just typing, just using my words...perhaps you are more used to hand gestures? If I seem to be inconsistent or over-calculating, forgive me, but I'm just not buying it. While this has been informative, and there have been some interesting points made, I still don't believe in leaving the home (obviously unless "forced" out).

As to fruitless arguments? Welcome to the internet, friend.