It occurs to me that I’ve always found it a little…skewed? …that when it comes to things like a ‘Get Home Bag’ or other I’m-away-from-my-main-gear kits, the first emphasis is almost always on weapons. I’ve known people who have gotten stuck in Manhattan and had to walk off the island during 9/11, or been in an earthquake that brought things to a halt, or any one of a dozen similar scenarios. In almost all of them , the thing that made the most difference was comfortable shoes to walk in and water to drink. Nowhere in there did anyone say that the real gamechanger was having a pistol or carbine tucked away in their gear. (In fact, in virtually all the scenarios people have told me that they were in, being visibly armed would have been a big problem what with all the cops and other folks running around.)
I suppose, fairly, that the circumstances of your stranding have a lot to do with whether you’re need for a firearm is higher or lower. If you’re walking three miles home through the city because you’re alternator died it’s not as high a need as if you have to walk three miles through the city because the power grid just went down and night is falling fast.
Thats not to say that those things aren’t important, but rather that their usage in a crisis is almost nil. Yeah you should have them, but you’ll wind up using 90% of your other gear before it comes time to use that 10% that goes bang. Usually.
But when I think about the situations where I’m away from base, even in this current (mostly) non-EOTWAWKI period, my concerns drift towards the potential for violent encounters. There are far too many deranged homeless people, drug-influenced crazies, politically motivated thugs (‘peaceful protesters’) and just general whackadoodles out there for me to feel comfortable going anywhere these days without some sort of means to protect myself. And in a real crisis, the kind where civilization is hanging by a thread, being on foot with a backpack of useful gear just means that you’re an epic loot drop for anyone who thinks you’re ‘easy pickings’.
I’m starting to think that the real-world has finally caught up to the level of risk and threat the we always kind of imagined it was. Twenty years ago I was far less likely to be subject of a home invasion, mugging, armed robbery, or violent crime than now. Heck, there was a period of years where I never even bothered locking my door. But, for better or worse, it seems like the times have changed to the point that not having a weapon of some sort in any type of ‘survival kit’ or ‘bail out bag’ is just poor planning.
I’ve always kept a G19, holster, and a couple mags in my Bag O’ Tricks ™ just in case….and one of the reasons I got the Ruger PC takedown carbines (or the PC Charger) was specifically for toting around in my bag. It’s just interesting that the things that seemed a little ‘out there’ or ‘overkill’ a few years ago seem like reasonable prudent measures no
I agree with a lot of what you wrote. The risk of being accosted when traveling on foot anywhere is going up, especially in the urban environment. Criminals are not only more numerous, but they have have the sympathetic endorsement of many city leaders of not being held to account for their actions.
The illicit drugs and behavior drugs controlling behavior are more numerous as well. These people are not intimidated by a club or knife. The drugs give them confidence to attack anyone who might be able to provide for them. You can outrun them or go around them, but confrontations will likely be very physical, and likely some vs. an individual or couple. A firearm would be very helpful here.
jrg:
It makes you wonder how many of those protecting sc*mbags are also on mind-altering substances…
Ceejay
Once again, life is imitating art in movies and print media. Hope the realities dont continue to amplify
I’m getting ready to head into the lower Smoky Mountain area for a two-day board of directors meeting at a resort property. I’m taking a stainless J frame .357, a 2.5″ K frame carry comp .357, and a 20″ stainless Rossi .357 carbine with a 2x Nikon scout scope along with an ammo can of appropriate loads including .38 +P. The area is a known drug transport corridor, drug use is pretty rampant, and unemployment is high. Oh, and cell phone service is poor at best. I’d sure hate to be that far away from home and need it and not have it. I’ve got pretty much of all of the rest of the stuff I need in the car, too. GF
Disasters come in various forms. Some are far worse than others. The possibility of violence will vary. Here’s my personal views about the situations where violence may follow:
If people can’t get home because a major calamity has occurred, about the only disasters that come to mind are a nuclear attack, an EMP strike, or an earthquake, the last disaster involving physical issues, such as downed bridges, downed overpasses, etc., blocking the way. Of course, those who travel for work could experience serious problems in getting home, too. Theirs is a special problem that is far worse.
If a nuclear war occurred, hunkering down and seeking cover from fallout is a no-brainer. What happens after survivors emerge is likely to involve increasing violence as the days pass, as survivors compete for scarce resources and realize “no one is coming.” The risk of violent incidents will only increase with each passing day as survivors increasingly sense that government is of no help and that the risk of punishment is low.
If an EMP occurs, the initial reaction will be confusion for the majority of people who don’t recognize exactly what has happened. Initially, there could be isolated cases where people fight over available transportation. If a person is lucky enough to have a working vehicle, other than speed, a gun may be the only way to protect it. In general, however, a peaceful, almost festive period may follow as people begin barbecues to cook meat and other food before it spoils. These people will not comprehend that the window of opportunity to gather supplies is slowly closing.) Slowly, reality will set in, and then it will be “Katy, bar the door,” again, as people begin competing for scarce resources and, again, realize that “no one is coming.” The threat of violence will likely become an ever-present aspect of daily life, again, because there is no sense that government is coming to help, and that the risk of punishment is low.
The Big One will present better prospects because people will sense that “someone is coming.” Cops will likely report for duty. Patrol cars will function. The calamity will be regional, not nationwide. Federal and state assets will be expected to arrive, even if not soon enough to satisfy most people. People will likely help each other as well as they can in the belief that the situation will return to normal one day, and that the survivors will ultimately get through the disaster.
during the LA riots the video of Reginald Denny being pulled out of his truck and beaten into a coma convinced me that to be unarmed is to be completely defenseless in today’s world. He wasn’t able to leave, go around, talk them down or defend himself. Keep the doors locked, the windows up and put the pedal to the metal when the shit goes down. If the vehicle has to be abandoned, then better have the means to fight. Just recently added a box of 50 gold dots to the console to shore up the G19 and two mags and I’m not sure that’s enough.
this video stresses no police on scene and they wouldn’t enter the area. He was left to the animals alone and unarmed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM8Y6uPH-R4
If you need to empty two G19 magazines, then you’re not likely to have time to reload those magazines. Replace the 50 round box of ammunition with several more loaded magazines, and some means of carrying the magazines and the pistol in a concealed (or at least obscured) manner while still being readily accessible.
….and the older we get, the more desirable ‘targets’ we become:
1) probably can’t run/fight
2) probably have medical conditions
3) probably have a thick wallet
4) less likely anyone will ‘miss’ us when we don’t come home in time.
Yeah for most of the realistic issues they could happen while our and about a rifle brings more problems than it solves.
I don’t keep one with me while out and about.
Now your point of a compact/ full sized blaster with a few mags in one’s bag of tricks beside whatever you might carry makes sense.
I am perfectly happy living my life with a snubby .38. If I had to go to LPC’s and en emergency bag a G19 with 3 reloads would be handy.
All I know is I don’t feel good, even in my placid and tranquil suburban environment day to day, unless I have a weapon on me. Summer time I carry a S&W 642 mainly because it conceals easy ( doesn’t print in my pant pocket ) and I mostly wear T-shirts. Come cooler weather and jacket time I carry a Glock 48 or a Ruger 57, depending on my mood.
My wife thinks I’m somewhat paranoid but has learned that my motto of better to have and not need than to need and not have has legitimacy in todays rapidly declining world.
Mike Zavala, End of Watch:
“Comfortable footwear. Policing is all about comfortable footwear.”
Kind of like watching people book it through an airport in flip flops. There’s a high probability of being late, but for comfort and/or TSA they went for convenience.
Yes. It would be very wise to just be geared up with some level of a load out kit when vehicular traveling, anywhere and everywhere, just because. What ever your comfort and competency level is you should equip to that level. If gear or extra guns must be shed, abandoned or cached away from home base in an incident so be it. That excess cargo kit in vehicles should be sacrificial extra inventory items any way. How much is your life worth? It may be stolen from vehicles, the vehicle stolen, or the vehicle totaled out or torched in some scenarios that are indeed possible. It is deadly serious out there, so equip yourself to at least stand a chance. Most victims are the result of self infliction of complacency and ineptitude. Have your game face on and keep the head on a swivel being alert. Essentially if you are out of your compound and mobile act like it is a combat patrol. If you are stationary and awake you are an L.P. / O.P.
There is only one rule. DON’T DIE.
Stay equipped and stay frosty.
One thing I’ve looked at adding to “The Kit” is a folding bicycle. IF I can find one that folds up small enough to easily fit in the truck, is well enough made to be sturdy and reliable, and fits the budget, being able to pedal homeward at 10-12 MPH beats the Ankle Express at 2.5 MPH, and even if I run out of tire patches or have to abandon it for some other reason, every mile I am able cover at 10-12 is a mile I do not have to cover at 2.5.
Anyone got brand/model recommendations?
Honestly, when in the past I felt the need to have a secondary form of transport in case my primary one (truck) had a problem, I just threw mymountain bike in the bed of the truck and cable locked it to a tie down. There are some folding bikes out there but the ones I’ve seen look pretty light duty. At this point im sure someone will comment with a link to some sort of heavy-duty folding mountain bike. However, for me, I find that just putting my full size bike in the back of the truck fits my needs.
I’ve looked into folding bicycles in the past; most of them are expensive, heavy, and don’t fold that well anyway.
I’d suggest using a regular bicycle at 1/10th the cost.
Get one with fairly aggressive tires and at least some level of puncture resistance so it can handle debris in the road.
My wife and I have Rad Ebikes that fold up and fit into one of the cargo bays in our motor home. Keeps them safe while traveling. They are rather heavy and expensive but are fun to ride and, since we’re senior citizens, it’s nice to have the power assist. With the attached racks and saddle bags, they can carry a lot of stuff (bug out bags, etc.) If we’re far form home, we can walk them using the power assist and can cover a lot of ground on a single charge. Of course, we’ll ride them down hill when we can.
Something like that has been in the back of my mind – a good mid-grade, brand-name mountain bike, that has quick detach axles so the wheels can be quickly removed and re-installed to conserve space. Mostly because all my searches for folding bicycles led to the same thing you discovered – they’re just Not Ready For Prime Time.
CZ, I believe that your observations as to the crime rate and general increase in violence is certainly correct. I believe that Western Civilization has peaked and that we are on the downward slope. I think the peak was the 1950’s or ’60’s and things began to slide at that point. When I was a kid, there were no mass shootings in schools but there were the occasional lone shooters. I believe there was one in Texas in the mid ’60’s in a tower and a civilian with a rifle assisted police in stopping that attack, two rounds and he was dead. There was a major terrorist campaign that started in the late 1960’s and has never really stopped. That and the rise in Liberal thinking and policies seems to prove my point. I’m a Canadian and throughout the sixties and seventies we had violent crime but few, if any, mass shootings. Sadly that has changed and with more restrictive laws passed every day, violence and crime continue to grow and our personal freedom is being rapidly eroded by our Liberal Government, who does so in the full knowledge that criminals are not affected but control over the civilian population is tightened continuously. So.. pack a good but out bag!!! TTFN