[GunDog]

Where you hide depends on many many factors. However you should have a plan to escape EARLY. History have showed that those that flee early have the best chances to escape. Think of riding bikes at night while there is no lights. Get use to night vision, avoid bottle necks, bridges and areas that are known as BAD. Once you escape be sure you have a place to go.

 

[GunDog]

Two BOVs you may want to consider. Both are quiet and low tech. A bike can cover 8 to 10 miles in an hour and haul more than a backpack. 3 or 4 hour should get you out of most big cities.

A kayak can carry a lot and is very quiet and dependable. Obviously low tech. I think most larger cities were developed around rivers. There is a good chance the bad guys won’t be setting up road blocks on rivers.

 

[GunDog]

Keep it as an OPTION. Even rough, it may be your best choice.

 

[GunDog]

In the unlikely event that I have to Bug Out, I would not contact or communicate with anyone. I wouldn’t trust anyone. If you go a church it may already taken over by bad guys or government agents. Trust no one ot nothing.

 

[GunDog]

OK I understand your paranoia and feel for you.

The GUMMINT and Fed agents don' t crash in churches! They commandeer the Motel 6.

I've stayed in churches MANY times. Just act cordial and normal. Don't be an a-hole. Introduce yourself. Honestly explain your situation. I show my ID as a courtesy so the pastor knows that I am not an insane wierdo, though few pastors ever ask for it. But when you lay out your cards honestly this is always appreciated, regardless of the church denomination.

Offer to help with their normal shelter routine. Especially if you have specialized training as shelter manager, EMT, LE .

After tornadoes, hurricanes or wildfires you are probably not the only one being sheltered. Offer advice and assistance based upon your training and experience. Help with intake, in the kitchen, triage of sick or injured, serve meals, wash dishes, sweep and mop floors. Hold hands and pray with them to comfort and console the hurting, if that's all you are OK with.

I always keep my weapon concealed and discreet so as not to "scare the natives." There have been a few times when I had to intervene to help de-escalate an EDP situation. Very common under disaster stress. Command presence works. The great majority of the time de-escalation can be done verbally and accomplished without going hands on. Only once did I need to cuff anyone. Once the cuffs came out I had multiple helpers jump in to help restrain the woman and prevent injury. It was just a panic attack and nothing threatening. Could have easily gone bad had anyone over-reacted.

If I leave my very secure and well stocked home to bug out i will not trust or depend on anyone. If I’m seen I won’t be be noticed. If I’m noticed I won’t be remembered. I will avoid all people and occupied buildings. I’ll take the long way around and avoid everything that I can.

 

[GunDog]

I'm not sure what kayaks and bikes have to do with hiding in a "secret" place in the city.
Leaving in a plane sounds a lot better strategy than living in one.

I rode the train down the west coast of the US recently, and from the train you get to see underneath lots of highway and railroad bridges. There were homeless encampments in every one of them that wasn't full of water. Think "No Vacancy" signs everywhere.

You may not be sure but I am. You have to use your imagination. A kayak, canoe or small boat can be concealed under bridges with a camo tarp, rammed in the mangroves or other bushes, hid under a dock or other pilings, hid in abandoned boat houses, under water front bars, restaurants and houses. You name it. You have to think like a person bugging out. Make your way under the cover of nightfall, in silence.

 

[GunDog]

There are plenty of places to hide in a city. I grew up in New York City. I've also done Area Studies for clients in the city on both where to hide and how to get out in a disaster. I call the hide spots "dead zones". Lots of abandoned buildings. NYC has over 10,000 miles of tunnels below it, most abnaonded. I wrote about that in a book, Hell of a Town. You can get from Manhattan out of the city by walking underground in the old Croton Aqueduct.

Cities are an urban jungle. Lots of factors to consider just like anywhere else. When I do an Area Study with an urban client they are always amazed at all the things around them they never noticed. And then realize most others who live there don't notice either. There are also secure locations stocked with supplies people don't notice. Such as the "windowless" buildings in New York. Some are internet nexus points. Some are emergency call centers.

When I point out the Hell Gate Bridge, which is for rail only, to people who would be trapped on Long Island, they are always surprised. They never think of that even though the bridge is very conspicuous and could be driven across in an emergency.

Every environment has lots of possibilities. The key is to know what they are beforehand.

I missed your introduction to SB, welcome to the board. We can all learn from each other.

 

[GunDog]

Hide out in a round about? Steve Wallis has lots of ideas.

 

[GunDog]

Aaron, great post, thanks. I see you are a long time member with very few posts. Let me urge you to post more often about survival techniques in large cities. We have members who live in cities, suburbs, satellite cities and rural areas. Some off the grid. However we ALL may have to go to large cities on occasion for medical, legal, financial or tax reasons. I love how you said your pack has to be “sophisticated“ in looks. In other words Gucci is more Grayman than Carhart or camo in your world. How do you store food, water and self defense items? Thanks again.