I've spotted a number of YouTube videos recently where some folks have simulated a bugout. I've considered how I might realistically do that, with the caveat that I live in the Baltimore/Washington area.
They always tell you that the roads will be jammed, and if normal Friday traffic is any indication I can assure you that the highways will be packed in the event of some sort of event that people feel a need to run from.
So I thought about how a vehicular evacuation might look and what sorts of things you should do if you plan to use the roads to bug out. I will probably talk about walking out in another post at some point. This is just things to put in your mind if you plan to evacuate your area by road.
Highways
I've seen bad traffic here on the main highways on the best of days. You compound that with a general sense of panic and you're going to have a mess. If you have no other way, then prepare to be sitting there for a while.
I recently drove a hybrid vehicle while we were on vacation. Those have a bit of an advantage, assuming you're not running any climate control systems, when they're sitting in stop and go traffic. Even some all gas vehicles now will shut off when you're sitting in traffic. So if you have a hybrid as an option and there is no compelling reason to take something else, the hybrid might be a good option for the sheer gas savings it might offer in stop and go traffic.
Be prepared to eat, sleep, and ..... other stuff on the highway. So pack your supplies accordingly. You might be on the road, slowly moving, for hours, possibly days. Be prepared to swap off driving duties, which pretty much rules out doing this sort of thing alone.
Back roads
If you can, plan a way out of your area using secondary or tertiary roads. Be prepared for these to be congested too though. You will not be the only person with this idea. Drive your route, with a partner. You want to have a map, an actual physical map, so you can mark every single spot that could be a bottleneck or congestion point. 4 way stop, mark it. Two lanes go down to one, mark it. You want to know all the likely problem points on your route if you can. And every gas station, cafe, convenience store and diner. These are all points where you might be able to get supplies, but more importantly they will be places that people will be. And people are their own problem.
Fuel
Many people in the prepper community say to never let your fuel tank get below 1/2 a tank. This is a good idea in general, but especially if you live anywhere that evacuation is a real possibility. Hurricane prone areas are a good example. You want to have a spare supply as well. A gallon or two at least, and you do need to rotate it because gas can go bad. I suggest a 5 gallon can if you have the space. For most people five gallons of gas is around half a tank. That's probably between 125 and 150 miles depending on the car and type of driving. So if you try never to let your tank fall below the half mark, and you have a back up supply of about half a tank, you should be able to get a respectable distance, even with bad traffic.
Final Thoughts
When operating on the idea that you will bug out by motor vehicle, be prepared for it to be a long and possibly boring (or dangerous) adventure. Do a few dry runs in different weather and make sure to note things that might become issues should you actually have to evacuate with the masses.
What sorts of things have you considered about a motor vehicle bug out? I'd like to know if you have any advice or stories about your practice runs and how they went.
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