Map tester

Go Bag:

• Energy bars
• Cash, in small bills
• Prescription meds
• small radio (weather band would be good)
• flashlights
• copies of important papers--bank account numbers are good too
• ponchos and/or raincoats. Ponchos can be used for temporary shelter
• Samwise was smart--a bit of rope (good for poncho shelter)
• manual can opener
• contact list --not on cell phone!--of people out of the region you can call in case you get separated

ilikebikes

Maybe you should be "preparing" to have everything you own stolen and chance having your family getting harmed on your way to NJ Sorry to be so blunt, but thats the way its going to be brother! Try opening your eyes to what it would be like out there should the "**** hit the fan." If not just enjoy your fantasies of escape

dobber

But he'll be doing it in an environmentally friendly way.

uke

+1.

chipcom 

You know uke, still wet behind the ears, ain't ever been outside of his fishbowl, but knows it all. Kinda like my 17yr old.

I'd consider weather...events don't always happen on warm sunny days like 9/11 was. You're gonna have to not only factor in additional time to get you and the kids all wintered up, but even more time to get where you want to go, possible emergency stops along the way and all the 'what-ifs' that could keep you from getting to your destination and having to stay out in the elements.

My best suggestion would be to come up with a base plan and document it. Then come up with and document plan 'modules' for variables like weather and whatever else you can brainstorm that is likely (the 80/20 rule applies).

Of course plans ain't worth the paper they are written on if you don't walk through them from time to time. You need to actually implement them once in a while to practice and identify needed refinements. For example, pick a day to do a walk through, but don't worry about details until that day comes. Then on the chosen day, you dust off your base plan, any modular plans based upon the conditions of the day (like weather) and any other situational modules you might want to throw into the mix...and take the kids for a ride.

But today is Thanksgiving, lord willing you won't need to worry about this stuff today, it'll keep until tomorrow.

For uke and others...taking the time to think about the bad things that might happen and doing a little planning isn't going to guarantee anyone's survival or welfare, but it sure improves their odds compared to those who don't.

ilikebikes

Thats the thing that blinds people to the truth of survival, they think theres going to be a bunch of cool arse "green" sters out there directing traffic and protecting the innocent Its going to be death and destruction out there! Just like youve seen happen during just about every U.S. disaster

uke

Word. Spend some time reading some survival forums; you're not going to bike out of a city with 8 million people when SHTF. It's fun to pretend otherwise, though.

noteon 

Yes, you are absolutely right. Once the the dirty nuke goes off in Penn Station and all the bridges are blown, it will have been pointless to try to get out of the city.

Let's pretend, just for fun, that it's more likely to be more along the lines of 9-11, that the immediate physical effects don't ripple as far north as I live, and that I just want to put a little distance between my family and the island for a while.

I know, I know, TOTALLY delusional. End-of-the-world scenarios are much more likely, and I'd be smarter to prepare for sandstorms and barbarian women in fur bikinis.

What else goes in the bag?

noteon 

Chipcom, thanks. (And also for the reminder that uke is 17.)

Base plan probably concludes at the Runcible Spoon in Nyack. Excellent morning buns...

chipcom 

Incorrect, as usual. It's fun for you to pretend you know your okole from a cabbage though, I guess.

noteon 

Oh, and thanks also to BengeBoy, and anyone else who didn't immediately go all Mad Max on my ass. My focus is split today, and I probably missed somebody else, too.

chipcom 

Don't let the 'can't do' crowd giving you crap keep you from doing what you think is right in planning for the welfare of your family.

Not all emergencies are apocalyptic, some are just major pains in the butt.
9/11 here was one of those major pains in the butt. At the time I was riding 15 miles to a park-n-ride every morning, locking my bike there (because the buses didn't have bike racks), then taking the bus the remaining 20 miles to downtown Cleveland. When they panicked and evacuated downtown that day, I had to hoof and hitch 20 miles to get back to my bike (mostly hoof...nobody wanted to take the chance that I was a terrorist and give me a ride).

lil brown bat

I see two central flaws in most "survival" plans. The first is creating a checklist of gear that you don't have the skills to use. First aid kit? Do you know how to treat various types of injuries? That kit's not gonna teach you. Tarp and rope? Have you ever rigged a shelter? You're not magically going to have that skill when it's time to bed down. Weapons? Simply buying a weapon doesn't make you dangerous and it doesn't make you safe, and it sure doesn't make you capable of protecting others.

The second flaw, which will bite you even harder than the first, is failing to think of the specific emergency situations and resulting conditions that you're likely to have to deal with. An earthquake is very different than a hurricane, a "Mumbai-style attack" is very different from a dirty bomb -- and they affect different populations. People who live in small towns really don't need to worry about terrorist attacks that target populations; if they do, they're just recreational worriers (you know the type). It makes sense for a Californian to prepare for earthquakes and wildfires rather than hurricanes; vice versa for a Floridian.

In summary, I'd say that before you make any lists to take to the store, you should:

1. Analyze -- honestly -- the types of emergencies that are most likely to affect you.
2. Acquire the skills that may become necessary in such an emergency.

Last and very much least...acquire the gear.

rugerben

Alright. Well, I kinda have to say that being in NYC, you are likely to have a great difficulty getting off the island.

That being said, I have had a Bug out Bag for a while. And before anyone bothers to accuse me of it...yes, I am sort of a survivalist. (I'm not crazy and don't think the world is about to end. But I am a big believer in preparedness and I am ready just in case the S should HTF.)

My BoB includes the following:

50' length of rope. Swing weight limit =500lbs.
5-6 cliff bars.
Two 25' lengths of 550 paracord.
Tube tent.
First aid kit.
a few road flares.
Whistle.
Reflective signal mirror.
Matches- waterproof.
A few small firestarters.
Machete. (I am a fan of the 13" Kukri design)
Field knife. (Kabar USMC style)
multi-tool/leatherman type knife. (Mine is made by Schrade)
one pair of extra socks.
flashlight.
batteries.
duct tape.
bungee chords.
zip ties.
pencil and paper. (in plastic bags)
Fishing hat (brim goes all the way around. good to protect from sun/heatstroke.
Potable aqua. (iodine water treatment tablets that purify water so that you can get it from natural sources without worrying about bacteria and parasites. Not that I'd drink water from the East River or Hudson even if it were treated, but still...)

There are a few more things I can't think of. I also have extra ammunition for the firearm that I will have on me, but since you requested not to have this be a gun discussion, i won't go into details as they are irrelevant to you.
Of course it should go without saying that you want a canteen. Aluminum or steel.

I'm editing to add that Lil Brown bat is exactly correct. You actually have to learn how to use each and every one of those items. I had a lot revealed to me when I spent one week in the woods in NH this past summer living out of my survival kit. It was fascinating and my friends and I learned quite a lot about our gear, and most importantly, ourselves.

MichaelW

In the UK we have had multiple suicide bombing attacks yet rambo-esque preparations proved unneccessary. Public transport ground to a halt, the mobile phone network collapsed under the pressure but the hords of people walking home were not set upon by feral bands of gun-toting youths. Generally people are nicer to each other under adversity, a phenomenom we call the Blitz Spirit.

Use a battery or windup radio to keep yourself informed (dont rely on mobile phones). A pair of sensible shoes is handy because you might have to walk home from work. Bikes became pretty useful and sold out and for the next few weeks, new cyclists were known as "bomb dodgers".

CB HI

Medicines, first aid kit, water purifier, para-cord, sheet of plastic (or Poncho), outdoor knife and waxed matches (+ the Pediasure) are what I would consider the most important items.

ilikebikes

I figure if Im as ready as I can be for the worse case scenario anything else that happens below it will seem like a walk in the park So you guys go ahead and do things your way, Ill go ahead and do things mine No worries

CB HI

Hey chipcom, he does not even know what his okole is.

noteon 

The worst-case scenario being a mushroom cloud within 10 miles of me (and probably within five miles if I'm at work down on Wall Street), I think I'll stick with just having an idea of how to get over into New Jersey.

As for having a hard time getting off Manhattan, I think that's generally going to be true for most--but I also think my front door being 100 yards from the bike/pedestrian entrance to a bridge to New Jersey is worth taking into account. The main thing I need to test for is whether the double trailer can get around that one hairpin turn on the narrow entrance ramp.

Oh yeah, and whether full-auto is the most effective choice against zombie hordes, but one thing at a time.

littlefoot

I spent 4 months in New Orleans after Katrina as a volunteer and doing some actual payed work. Now all be it it wasn't 9-11 or anything I did get an oppritunity to get into several buildings where people were more or less stuck for at least a week or more. Now all be it efforts were made to try and actually do the right thing via chaining car batteries together etc...and god knows how many dvd players, tenis shoes and bags of cheetos I found looted in various locations. Most people in the states are more or less clueless what to do in the event of a natural disaster or lets say a terrorist attack for that matter.

What happened in NOLA should have given every American a wake up call..if it didn't...well.

I love the idea of this thread, not really commuter orriented though...perhaps should be moved to 'Living Car Free'. Or better yet the "post apocalypse cycling' sub forum

Happy Turkeyday to those of you in the states!

Abneycat

The best plan is one that will allow you to be prepared for both a stationary survival situation and one where you would need to be on the move. A bag is a very good idea for a contingency plan along with a stocked house, I see no problems with the inquiry. As for your bag, I would suggest a small water purification system and some iodine tablets. Have some bottled water in your house too. Think of how much you drink on a good long ride. You will need more water on the move, but carrying it is hard, so having the ability to refill safely is critical.

huhenio

Shotguns are cheap, so are shotgun shells.

noteon 

I thought about several forums, including Northeast, but I chose Commuting both because I thought it was the most pragmatic crowd, and because the question is, at root, one of how best to get from point X to point Y safely.

I'd like to avoid politics if possible, including the gun debate, car-free debate, VC debate, and any other ideological tangents, and just keep it focused on "What goes in the bag?"

gmule

If I had the worst case scenerio happen my bicycle would be my seconday vehicle in my escape plan.
I would take my off road toy. Since it is a vehicle that I only use for back country exploration I leave it fully loaded in the garage all the time with everything I need except for food. It is built to travel over extreme terrain so getting out of town wouldn't really be an issue in a every man for himself situation. It has a range of 300 miles that will get me out of the city quick enough so that I could set up my base camp and use my moutain bike from there. I also carry plenty of spare parts and tools. I know hundreds of places to get away to were there are no people around and I could just eat what I kill.

roseskunk

wow. if you're really talking 'survival', why wouldn't a firearm make sense? the way i see it, and the reason i think that you're getting so many differing opinions, is that the question is too vague. what is it that you want to prepare for? diapers and pediasure will get you across the bridge, but i assume you'd take that stuff for a picnic in the park. where do you plan on going once you get across the bridge? how do you plan on protecting your children? what will you eat? what will you drink? where will you stay? how long do you plan to be away?

i suppose in a general sense, and if you just want to get across a bridge you take what you'd take for a picnic on a bike, bike tools, food, clothes, diapers, etc. but like it's already been said, unless you know what to do with 100' of rope or how to use all those things one finds in a survival bag, they're going to be fairly worthless.

me, i'd take duct tape. and money. and g*ns. and amm*. and a can opener. flashlight. radio. is it summer or winter? food, water. wool blanket. candles, matches. toothbrush. a good knife. and tools. i actually use some of the tools on a swiss army knife, including the knife. they're good, cheap and light. raincover. the list goes on...