Would you stay home or go to the designated shelter?

[DawnGirl27]

I would definately not go to a shelter. Who knows how often the condition is updated? What kind of people are there? The option of leaving if you want to? The homestead farm I grew up on is 25 miles away - I'd high tail it out there. My dad's got pistols, shotguns, rifles, plenty of ammo, and a big shop with tools, wood, etc. that can be used for fortifying. Has several vehicles and tractors, a fuel pump, a big barn with hay loft, plus he's alongside a river so have a couple different options if need to make a getaway. I grew up there, and I know all 30 acres like the back of my hand, so I'd feel most comfortable there.

[LoneCrusader]

All it would take is for one person to be infected or one person to die in the crowd of thousands at a shelter, which is highly possible, and they're all screwed. I'd stick to the boonies. Rednecks, guns, brick houses, few people, food and farms, etc. etc.

[sandrock74]

Would you consider going across the bridge into Windsor? Seems like everyone always wants to "go to Canada". Nope. Thats in the very HEART of downtown Detroit. That would be a madhouse! Of course, even if the bridge was off limits, Detroit and Windsor are only like 1/4 mile apart, maybe less. Very easily swimable. The Detroit River is even pretty calm. Anyone could swim it. Probably take like 10 minutes to swim across (assuming your also lugging some supplies or something with you). I would just go to the tip of the thumb of Michigan. Surrounded on three sides by water, and lots of farmland to the south. I got my plans figured out!

[Shadowofthedead]

long time no talk... and evil ned where you been with those special blades of yours? any who in reality you would be better off with nothing than to be with people with everything. if you are a strong individual you can get what you need by any means necessary. to hell with a shelter. its a dang death trap in any situation whether it be zombie or reality as we know it. get a shovel a bag of twinkies and can goods water and survive. if you are expecting a child or have one prepare a head of time and put them first before anything. and lots of melee weapons like machete or alum. baseball bat.

[Mr. Beakman]

I would stay home, no question. I live in a fairly rural area. On the second floor with one access, a fairly easily removed wooden staircase. I am also very close to several major highways in case an evacuation would become necessary. Hell, I cant stand groups of people when they aren't half hysterical because of a crisis. No way I could handle a shelter. Thats not even taking into account outbreaks and the other down sides of a shelter.

[bd2999]

It all sort of depends on how things are being handled. I mean if it is announced everything is hitting the fan and we can see that it is being contained than maybe consider it, but if I look outside and the walking dead are around than they can f off. The risk is run of the danger of getting their, not to mention if things get worse who is to say the people running the shelter dont bolt and leave everyone to fend for themselves, then its just a death trap. Alot of others have made good points, but where would you go? Staying at home is an option and if you stay quiet, fortify the place a bit and have some supplies you can hold out a good while for sure. If you have some time really secure the place and get supplies ahead of time you would be really well off, but you sort of have to hope it blows over and is not the end of the world. If it is than you have to figure out how to get your own food and staying in the house is not a good way to do that and to be fair your chances of fighting off wave after wave of zombies is really 0 or the other people who are just as crazy as you are at this point. I would think that I would not go to any shelter unless they came to the house and forced me at gun point to go, but I am not for sure what I would do in the panic. Convincing family what is best would be the hardest thing to do really. Really it sort of comes down to the place you think would be ebst to be in a situation like this anyway, and there are threads on that, but I guess toughing it out and hoping it will get under control is probably the best case scenerio for anyone.

[Philly_SWAT]

A thought just stuck me after reading this post...now that I think about it, the chances of being forceably removed from your home would be pretty slim. I suppose that if you lived in the heart of a big city, perhaps the "powers that be" determine that the city proper needs to be held (although, I think that would be one of the least likely places to hold in most cases) and would remove people in big buildings in the heart of the city. But in light of the fact that many military/national guard/cops would be abandoning their posts, and that the cilivian populace far outweighs those types, more than likely no one would could knocking on your door telling you that you needed to leave. Of course, raiders and/or zombies may come knocking no matter where you are.

[MoonSylver]

A thought just stuck me after reading this post...now that I think about it, the chances of being forceably removed from your home would be pretty slim. I suppose that if you lived in the heart of a big city, perhaps the "powers that be" determine that the city proper needs to be held (although, I think that would be one of the least likely places to hold in most cases) and would remove people in big buildings in the heart of the city. But in light of the fact that many military/national guard/cops would be abandoning their posts, and that the cilivian populace far outweighs those types, more than likely no one would could knocking on your door telling you that you needed to leave. Of course, raiders and/or zombies may come knocking no matter where you are. Yeah, I've thought about that too. PASSING martial law is one thing, ENFORCING it is another. Under those circumstances, I'd think they'd have their hands WAY too full to actually make it stick.

[darth los]

I think it would be easier to find fuel for a vehicle than it would be for a helicopter. Also, if you stick to the backroads and avoid big cities, I don't think the roads would be bad to get by on. Where I live, the cities are packed, but the rural areas are virtually DEVOID of life (and therefore traffic). I have the same problem as you, about not being a mechanic, but it would be a risk I would have to take. I still think I'd rather deal with that than be trapped in a building somewhere. Between the small mom and pop style gas stations in the boonies and siphoning gas from abandoned cars, I think fuel levels would be ok for a while. Lots and lots of farmland where I have in mind. Plenty of apple and cherry trees and fields of corn stalks to provide some quick food. I guess I'm familiar enough with the area, the general layout and population centers, so I feel confidant I would be decently well off. I would like another person or two with me thou. A small, mobile group could work wonders I think. That's assuming that thousands of other people didn't have the same idea you did which is highly unlikely. Also, how long does it normally take a gas/fuel station before it requires a refill? A week, tops? Those things are going to be bone dry dude. Another drawback of being on the move is that you don't have a fortified position and a sure to be under constant attack wherever you stop. Now, we can point to the biker in dawn as a good example of surviving deep into the outbreak while on the road. However, there is alot we don't know. How many did they begin with? For all we know the group we saw raid the mall is only half of what they started with no more than 6 months earlier and we see how well everything worked out for them in the mall. Their numbers were further reduced. At that rate how much longer could they last? Is that really the goal? To last a year? Or is it to find someplace where all this can be escaped and to live out the rest of your days in the safest manner/place possible for you and your family? Now in all fairness, the bikers weren't the most diciplined bunch which shows in the items they decided to take from the mall. Their priority should have been guns, ammo, food and water. Manequins and hitting zombies in the face with cream pies should not have made the list. But that's pretty much the only example we can point to in the series of long term survival on the road.

[Thorn]

Surviving on the road would require a lot more than you and a top heavy vehicle like a Winnebago (while I know this was very popular in the comic books recently) it is in my opinion a poor choice. So many people talk about society falling apart, and needing this like power, medicine, doctors, mechanics, and a host of other people and items. You are getting all this in a Winnebago? Where are you taking it? Off road? You ever try to drive one through the mud? The roads would definitely NOT be safe. Between zombies, marauders, the sick and dying, the beggars,, the military and police. Also you are going to need to get to a city or town to resupply eventually anyway. The more you carry the more gas you burn the more gas you burn the less distance you can travel. So... what carry a dirt bike with you? Is this the safest mode of travel? Sure it plays out well in the movies zipping by, being exposed is never a good idea, and unless you have driven one you really do not know just how dangerous they can be in non traditional road conditions. Also storage is a problem. So you take a back pack, load it up in town after sneaking or fighting in. Jump on your bike and try to take off burdened down with goods, what little you could take,. This again strains your fuel, slows you down, and risks your life for little gain. I love the idea of staying mobile on one hand, but let me tell you what great castles in medieval England served their purpose quite well, and a number withstood sieges for a good long while. Might you also run out of food there? CERTAINLY but you would have plenty of place to store it, comfortable nights sleeping so less stress on the mind, and the ability to thin their ranks from behind fortified walls. I am a fan of structures designed to be stationary with a good exit strategy if the need arises but only long enough to get to the next base of operations. I also can not say enough being alone is a HORRIBLE idea. I know several disagree. I respect your opinion. You go it alone, you break your legs in the mountains hunting. Good luck surviving. Who is gathering your wood, your supplies, your food? Who is tending to your injury? Keeping watch? Doing maintenance and clean up? You? Yeah…. You clearly have never had a broken lack that lacked medical care for any amount of time especially if it pierces the skin then you are screwed. Do you know how many antibiotics you have to pump into someone to ensure there is no infection? Do you know how much moving around can delay the wound from healing or prevent it all together?

[sandrock74]

I wouldn't want to be alone, small, mobile groups are best. Probably between 4-6 people is best. Also, I wouldn't want to wander around aimlessly. I have ideas in mind for places to hole up, as well as possible places to resupply along the way. Staying (mostly) mobile with a small group is what I would favor. Shelters are just an automatic "no". If I were being forcibly herded into one (which would be the only way someone could hope to get me into one), I would think of it as a death sentence. Trust me, I wouldn't waste much time in making my escape A-Team style!

[Thorn]

Staying (mostly) mobile with a small group is what I would favor. Shelters are just an automatic "no". If I were being forcibly herded into one (which would be the only way someone could hope to get me into one), I would think of it as a death sentence. Trust me, I wouldn't waste much time in making my escape A-Team style! Yeah it never worked out very well in the movies there were always casualties, and of course shelters never worked out very well either. I am a big fan of getting a group of people you trust and care about and making a go of ultimately I do not think there is a right or a wrong we simply do not know, but I think each staying on the go and holing up has an up and a downside to it. Solo though again for me is not an option. Hell you aren't even supposed to hunt alone, or hike alone, or even cave alone for very simple reasons that getting injured can easily mean your death and two heads and 4 hands are better than one and two respectively. The loner, the rebel vs the zombie holocaust might sound romantic and appealing to some and I wish you luck, but while it remains great fodder for fan fiction it lacks a lot of believability and does not show much foresight.

[darth los]

Nope. Thats in the very HEART of downtown Detroit. That would be a madhouse! Of course, even if the bridge was off limits, Detroit and Windsor are only like 1/4 mile apart, maybe less. Very easily swimable. The Detroit River is even pretty calm. Anyone could swim it. Probably take like 10 minutes to swim across (assuming your also lugging some supplies or something with you). I would just go to the tip of the thumb of Michigan. Surrounded on three sides by water, and lots of farmland to the south. I got my plans figured out! As we have already seen big cities are a death sentence. Coversely, houses are a death trap as well. Wood can only do so much to keep the ghouls out. If even one of then gets wind that someone is in there it's a wrap. Ghouls from miles around will "lead a path to your door". It seems to me that a house or building made of bricks with high windows that also happens to be in a rural area is the way to go if you're dead set on staying at home. That way you have the best of both worlds. I would stay home, no question. I live in a fairly rural area. On the second floor with one access, a fairly easily removed wooden staircase. I am also very close to several major highways in case an evacuation would become necessary. Hell, I cant stand groups of people when they aren't half hysterical because of a crisis. No way I could handle a shelter. Thats not even taking into account outbreaks and the other down sides of a shelter. I think that's the whole point of this thread though. Evacuation WILL become necessary at some point. It's only a matter of time before they get in or supplies run out. I totally understand the mentality though. It's like a terminal patient who doesn't want to stay at the hospital and just wants to go home. People just feel more comfortable there but let's not confuse that feeling of comfort for being the best course of action. You can also compare it to those facing a hurricane like Katrina and thus certain death. They just refuse to leave their homes for some reason. But just remember, following that course of action, that when you eventually NEED to be evacuated there just might not be anyone around to do so. It's just like in diary. Where did everybody want to go? Home. But was the best idea? I submit that it wasn't. We all saw how that turned out.

[Thorn]

I am with you on that one, brick over wood for sure with no low windows and preferably security doors. I also would use gravity as we have talked about at length to keep them out even more. Going up stairs and removing the stairs behind me. Taking out a porch from the front/back doors. Placing obstacles inside the house to deter them and impede them at every turn. If they ever did manage to get in I love the idea of them falling into the basement only to then go to a storm door and drag themselves out again like a giant zombie recycling pattern.

[darth los]

I agree. And if not a house than some type of building either like the mall or the place the former national gaurd holed into in diary. Hey if you could get the kind of deal that kaufman had i guess that would be pretty sweet too. Also, check out the second half of my previous post. There's an edit.