Scavenging for supplies

[helomech]

What you need to realize is that there's not going to be many "out of the way" places to begin - when it comes to a serious SHTF .... people are going to run into jammed/closed interstates & state highways and start fanning out like army ants across the countryside - driving & hiking ....
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I disagree with this completely. Yes there will be lots of people stranded, but very few will get very far from a major hwy. Even fewer will just start walking down empty dirt roads or through the woods. I am a hour away from any interstate, and 4 miles off of any road that is not a dead end.

Here we have way more dirt roads than paved roads, and very few aren't dead ends.

[Illini Warrior]

I disagree with this completely. Yes there will be lots of people stranded, but very few will get very far from a major hwy. Even fewer will just start walking down empty dirt roads or through the woods. I am a hour away from any interstate, and 4 miles off of any road that is not a dead end.

Here we have way more dirt roads than paved roads, and very few aren't dead ends.

???? .... why? .... you think they'll just camp out along the interstates forever? .... you ever hear of the "interstate collision theory"? .... goes back to the nuk SHTF days of the 80s .... the interstates run between two major cities - a stream of refugees leave City#1 for City#2 - likewise refugees leave City#2 for #1 ..... they meet halfway and either realize the futility or there's roadblocks creating a mid-city nitemare .... almost every exit on that interstate will experience the refugee spill out .... people will start their alternative drive and the unlucky will begin a hike to the nearest town down that exit road ....

if you think basically 60 miles off an interstate is an insurmountable journey - you better re-evaluate your planning .... the true survivors among those hikers will eat the weak along the way and arrive as one mean hungry SOBing raider ....

[helomech]

???? .... why? .... you think they'll just camp out along the interstates forever? .... you ever hear of the "interstate collision theory"? .... goes back to the nuk SHTF days of the 80s .... the interstates run between two major cities - a stream of refugees leave City#1 for City#2 - likewise refugees leave City#2 for #1 ..... they meet halfway and either realize the futility or there's roadblocks creating a mid-city nitemare .... almost every exit on that interstate will experience the refugee spill out .... people will start their alternative drive and the unlucky will begin a hike to the nearest town down that exit road ....

if you think basically 60 miles off an interstate is an insurmountable journey - you better re-evaluate your planning .... the true survivors among those hikers will eat the weak along the way and arrive as one mean hungry SOBing raider ....

Most people, especially city people will not head out into the woods. At least none I have ever met. They are like cattle and will stick to paths. Maybe a few will make it, but not any large numbers. It is actually well over 60 miles in a straight line. They would have to cross lakes and rivers to get to my place from the interstate. Again large crowds will not walk down hundreds of miles of dirt roads most of which are dead ends. We may have a few stragglers stumble upon our place, but no large numbers.

Also you are talking about 247 miles between Houston and Dallas, the two cities closest to me. The closest is a 2 hour drive on a great day. Do you realize how many places there are for people to wander around. The odds of any of those folks ever getting to my place is like winning the lotto. The closest town to me is 7k people and very few of them even know there is a house where I live.

[Illini Warrior]

Most people, especially city people will not head out into the woods. At least none I have ever met. They are like cattle and will stick to paths. Maybe a few will make it, but not any large numbers. It is actually well over 60 miles in a straight line. They would have to cross lakes and rivers to get to my place from the interstate. Again large crowds will not walk down hundreds of miles of dirt roads most of which are dead ends. We may have a few stragglers stumble upon our place, but no large numbers.

Also you are talking about 247 miles between Houston and Dallas, the two cities closest to me. The closest is a 2 hour drive on a great day. Do you realize how many places there are for people to wander around. The odds of any of those folks ever getting to my place is like winning the lotto. The closest town to me is 7k people and very few of them even know there is a house where I live.

nobody is talking about YOUR individual situation .... you can live in FT Knox for all I care ... but if you think even the stupidest naive shepple are going to sit on the interstate until they starve to death or freeze up solid is just being ignorant .... everyday in this country there's interstate pile ups and you can watch drivers take alternative action .... just because people don't prep and aren't prepper equipped - doesn't mean they aren't intelligent, crafty, inventive, and very prepared physically .... there's going to be sheeple still humming along loooooong after the best prepared preppers are down & out ....

[Domeguy]

"everyday in this country there's interstate pile ups and you can watch drivers take alternative action .... just because people don't prep and aren't prepper equipped - doesn't mean they aren't intelligent, crafty, inventive, and very prepared physically .... there's going to be sheeple still humming along loooooong after the best prepared preppers are down & out"...

Sheeple can today take alternative actions is something is wrong...true. But it's because 'nothing' is wrong. What's Buffy going to do when she can't pick up her Peaches, her poodle baby, because she can't get through the traffic jam caused by a wreck, and the police arent going to show up as over 1/2 of the police have walked off to be with their family's. What about Biff, who stopped into Starbucks and can't leave due to the tire iron in his radiator, and it looks like AAA isn't coming. Your assumption is, as I think you stated, the government or FEMA is going to help them. This may happen if something small scale occurs. Then our 'scavenger' scenario doesn't apply. But if Walmart stops getting food daily, they are going to sit in their homes and wait for the next Walmart truck...which in this scenario isn't happening. Once the cubbards are bare, then they will look for food. By then, it will be too late. Most won't last a week due to ignorance, and some at the hands of their buddy's. Biff will snap Buffy's neck just so he can eat her poodle. Survival of the fittest...and they won't be the fittest.