What's in your trunk?

[Pritch]

Emanuel,

I meant no offense with the nickname.

My point was that I want to avoid the zombies, not become one. In a riot/mob situation, many people let go of whatever rational restraints that would normally allow them to operate in "civilized" society and become, in a sense, "animals". I am not willing to surrender my humanity for so weak a justification as "I need it, I can take it, so it's mine."

Facing a difficult situation doesn't justify victimizing others simply because you value your family more than somebody else (or their family). What is the point of preparing to be self-reliant when you can simply resort to taking what you want?

-- FLIX

 

[Munky]

What if said motorcycle was being used by someone who had to go 80 miles to get to their family? You just screwed that guy and he probably isnt as prepared as you. Personally I would rather see the weaker (in preparedness) take what they need and risk it on my own. I mean half the fun of a zombie invasion is fighting them off.

 

[EmsRescueGuy]

How about an inflatable boat ?? or a folding kayak (folbot makes nice ones cabellas has a folding canoe)

Get to a water line and get out off of the island, put some distance between you and the walking/ driving masses.

The idea needs some fine tuning, figuring out launching/landing spots mabey some kayaking trips for exercise and exploration beforehand, if its fowl weather like a hurricane then this idea is just stupid.

There are motors that run off car batteries. not great for long term but could put quick distance between you and shore.

Anyway just a thought.

I live in suburbia, I have a mountainbike with saddle bags that I have always considered a viable survival alternative, If nothing else I can walk it with the saddle bags full and carry more gear than I can in a pack.


Back to the origional topic in my car is a pretty comprehensive first aid kit, a sleeping bag and liner, a change of clothes, some extrication tools (very basic) Some turnout gear, A basic psk, 2 gallons of water and some camping gear that I just store there including a tent, some camp stools, tarps, ropes, a walking stick, spare tire, fix a flat, road flares, reflectors, a socket set and basic tool box, tie down straps, a trailer hitch and a few other odds and ends (I drive an F150 with a large tool box in the bed)

 

[Emanuel]

Emanuel,

I meant no offense with the nickname.

My point was that I want to avoid the zombies, not become one. In a riot/mob situation, many people let go of whatever rational restraints that would normally allow them to operate in "civilized" society and become, in a sense, "animals". I am not willing to surrender my humanity for so weak a justification as "I need it, I can take it, so it's mine."

Facing a difficult situation doesn't justify victimizing others simply because you value your family more than somebody else (or their family). What is the point of preparing to be self-reliant when you can simply resort to taking what you want?

-- FLIX

Fair enough.

I really had more in mind something like getting a motorcycle from a dealership, and using force if need be if the salesman tries to stop you.
Even the small town I live in has 2 bike dealerships.
On Long Island they should be all over the place, I suspect. A bike can be taken with hopefully minimal force and you can't really consider that something too immoral, atleast not if the situation is bad enough. I suspect you won't be the only one taking a bike from that dealership. At that point the salesman probably wouldn't even care anymore. When/if the situation ever normalizes again you can be moral again and purchase the bike for the money that was being asked for it when you took it.

 

[EmsRescueGuy]

Fair enough.

I really had more in mind something like getting a motorcycle from a dealership, and using force if need be if the salesman tries to stop you.
Even the small town I live in has 2 bike dealerships.
On Long Island they should be all over the place, I suspect. A bike can be taken with hopefully minimal force and you can't really consider that something too immoral, atleast not if the situation is bad enough. I suspect you won't be the only one taking a bike from that dealership. At that point the salesman probably wouldn't even care anymore.

I dont know about your area but around here most motorcycle dealerships are largley indoors, Which means you would have to enter a probably locked show room, start said bike and then break a large display window to get the bike out, I also doubt they keep them with very much gas in them so that may be another issue.

In this area we refer to the above actions as looting, and I know the Harley and Kawasaki dealers during a hurricane in this area were at there buisnesses with shotguns, You would have been shot on site. in fact In a town near me large signs Stating "Looters will be shot on site" were in the front of several buisnesses.

Just something to keep in mind, also as a vehicle owner, if I saw someone attempting to take my mode of transpor out of the city, I would not hesitate to use deadly force. While gun ownership is restricted IN long island, it is leagal for citizens to own guns if they have the right credentials.

again I dont know much about New Zealand and your tactics may be very viable in your area.

 

[sasha]

Well i would have to admit it my self my skin is more dear for me then someone else skin. I would worry about my survival more then someone else unless im already set. On the other side if someone would try and take my bike or my car. He just might get same thing he had in mind giving me. So just running around and pointing a gun at some one might get you shoot before you know what hit you. I would say a gun is not an answer to everything. Staying away from trouble is a better way to get home alive. But if someone come to take your things away its a good time to use it on them and having there things for your self.

Sasha

 

[kresky]

It may be minor, but 3-4 feet of some kind of tube could be awfully useful, and easily overlooked. You could siphon gas with it, or possibly use it as a straw to get some water in some circumstance. Maybe not the single most useful piece of gear, but not particularly heavy and it could make a huge difference in some circumstances.

 

[CitizenQ]

What is the point of preparing to be self-reliant when you can simply resort to taking what you want?

Right.

Here is the list of what has been in my trunk for the past year...

• K5 hawk
• SRKW Battle Rat (considering substituting my Camp Tramp)
• First aid kit
• 2 Radios (1 hand cranked)
• Small dual fuel stove
• Small pot
• Six ways to Sunday to start a fire
• Sleeping bag
• HD poncho
• Pair of Sno-Sealed Red Wing Boots
• Wool socks
• Change of clothes
• 12 day ration of MayDay Bars
• 100' of 550 cord
• 3 gallons of water
• Compass
• Flash lights
• Space blankets
• Rucksack
• Candle lantern & extra candles
• 12 day supply (@ 1200 calories a day) MayDay bars
• Siphon hose
• Backpack
• Water purification tablets
• Several hats & coats
• 1 Roll of duct tape
• Petzl Tactikka Plus LED Headlamp & extra lithium batts
• Mil surplus fishing kit in a tin
• A small bag of tools
• Empty 5 gallon gas can (will not be carried out of course)
• Steel square point shovel (will not be carried out)

Based on this, and other topics, I plan to add a water filter and some kind of protein bars. I will also add a good walking/fighting stick. In addition, I may also add a 3 foot prybar, although I would not carry it if I had to walk as the K5 Hawk is a decent pry tool unto itself.

The bike is a brilliant idea, but it's a big expense. I did some research and it seems that a decent bike is gonna run around $700.00. I dunno...that's a lot of money. But if I needed it, it would be worth a million dollars. Hmmm.

The boat idea is NG. If I find myself on the direct opposite side of the island from my home it would be a 15-mile hoof, versus a 200-mile boat trip. For me a boat is only a viable option for getting the family off the island, and I've given that a lot out thought and a small amount of research. A boat that can carry 4 adults with gear is very expensive. The are thousands of boats in the many harbors on my side of The Island. If a boat is needed I will take one that is moored or hitch a ride.

Perhaps the best idea so far -- for me -- is the need for physical fitness. I gained 45 pounds in the last year and went from jogging five miles a day and weight training to being winded after a quarter mile. I gotta get off my fat lazy posterior and get it together again or it could cost me my life. Unfortunately the doc just told me I'm starting to get arthritis in my knees, so I can't beat the extra weight off me an a few months like I used to do. Always an excuse, eh? Physical fitness has to be the single most important preparation, but -- for me -- it's always been one extreme of the other (fot or a sack of fat).

Perhaps my immediate need is to inventory everything what's currently in the trunk (there's a lot more in there than's on the above list) and get everything I (truly) need ready to roll at a moments notice. I was in Manhattan yesterday on business and I started thinking about "what if today is Usama T-Day." I figured I'd need the better part of 45 minutes to organize and get only what I truly needed before I could move out on foot. That's NG. Everything should be organized so that I can move-out in a few minutes if need be.

Thanks for all the ideas fellas.

Much appreciated.

 

[Kat013]

a couple six packs of soda pop,

Why pop? The caffeine is a diuretic unless you imbibe large amounts of it on a daily basis. It would be useful for barter, but if I wanted sugar water, I'd at least go with gatorade instead of something that's straight corn syrup.

Personally I wouldn't take a tent. That's an open invitation to potential thieves. For sleeping, I'd just secret myself away in whatever nook or cranny I could find, and wrap myself in a tarp if it were raining.

What about armour of some kind? If guns won't be a major concern, you could get anti-stab stuff. I found this on a quick google: http://www.warwickmills.com/Body-Armor.html

 

[runningboar]

Yeah Manny I don't care how much crap is on the ventilator it doesn't give you the right to steal, what makes your family more important than the guy whos bike you stole. I agree with Flix, if I saw you I would probably send some blue whistlers your way as well. Chris