Bug in or Bug out HUH

[JoJo]

 There is something that has been bothering me for quite some time now.
Bug in or Bug out! Everyone asks that question and they always mention, from the city and a bug out bag that weighs 100lbs or more. 
 It seems to me they are only talking to 30 to 50 year old men with enough money to purchase a BOL, a BOV and supplies. When bugging in is mentioned they want you to join a group but to find people to make a group is almost impossible without losing your OPSEC. People who are preppers  keep it to themselves, they don’t want to lose OPSEC  anymore than I do.
 There is a web site that has a handicap forum but all they do is have people join and nothing is said to help with their problems. These people are preppers and will do what ever it takes to live when TEOTWAWKI comes. Bugging out is not an option for them and I might add for my wife and I.
So what’s my beef , I don’t know maybe I'm just jealous that I’m not as young a strong as I use to be even thou my wife and I workout four times a week.
I feel I have enough life experiances and fire arms training, I shot in rifle compatition for 19 years, that my wife and I will survive when SHTF.
 

[Kbop]

I feel you.  your plans need to incorporate your own life - with all your unique variables - not everyone is a Rambo.
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incorporating specific consideration and conditional variables for all your family members seems an obvious thing to do - if not simple, it is obvious.
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if OPSEC is a concern;
do you belong to any support groups for the disability you mentioned?  If not, is it possible to join one?  Informal discussions in an informal focused environment might help.  Keep your plans within your significant others.  if you don't have enough - you and your mediate family is a start.  can you all think of one person or other family to make a 'storm plan' with?  The reason for asking about the handicap is sharing resources sometimes makes it easier for multiple persons to pool resources to support themselves.  if that isn't the case, march on.
For myself i had to ask  "What are you going to do if the power is out for a few days?"
are you reliant on power - for O2 concentrators, for refrigeration of meds?  I have a CPAP, i can live without it, but i get much better sleep when i have it.  I know people who need to keep their meds refrigerated.  Bugging out is possible but the reason would have to be very compelling.  A rechargeable battery backup and small generator later, that problem has been resolved. The battery can be recharged using my solar panels and the generator is a back up for that.  I have enough fuel for a couple of weeks of minimal use.  I have added this to my B,B,B list and moved on.  perhaps you can do the same.  with this group, if you have any specific problems, i'm sure someone has thought of it before or at least has some idea.  The answer may not be what you want, but you will likely get an answer.
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So, what specific problems are you wrestling with?

[DMCakhunter]

To bug in or bug out? Would depend on what the emergency is, how much time you have and where you are when it happens. Lots of people prep for an economic collapse, or civil unrest, or government take over. While these may happen at some point, a natural disaster should also be in the mix. The worst that could happen is probably a fire, because it will destroy everything we have set up. For bugging out, what scenarios would force you from your house? Flood, gas leak, tornado, fire (thinking it will never happen to us, but maybe the neighbors house burns and catches your house on fire), nuclear leak, industrial accident-chemical leak. There are others, but all of these could force you from your home. If you have a secondary property to go to that you have stocked up, you are in good shape. If not, you will likely have only what you can carry on your back, or in your vehicle, or what you have with you if you were not home at the time of the event. After the event, if you have to go to an aid area, camp or whatever, you will not be welcome if you are carrying a visible weapon. Maybe arrested or turned away. Lots to think about.
For me, a fire would be the worst. Happens too fast and would likely destroy everything I have set up. I do have a storage unit across town with 2 cars and some gear in it, but not much. Yes I have friends, am well insured and would be fine in a localized event. A major disaster, war, big earthquake and so on would be harder.
Be realistic in your thinking. What could you carry? How far could you carry it? To carry a weapon and a large amount of ammo is not realistic, except for a 22. Water weighs a lot, canned food weighs a lot, we need to be able to source clean water somehow and carry/store some of it.Beef jerky is easy to carry, long lasting and takes a while to eat. Protection from elements, rain gear, cold weather, sun, tent/bivy, sleeping bag and plastic sheeting. Medications. The list goes on. A 100 pound pack/bag is not realistic. 30 to 50 pounds is. Even a suitcase on rollers is usable if you are on concrete or a small cart if you physically can't carry a bag.

[JoJo]

I'm sorry that I didn't make myself more clear. I was talking about all of the stories, forum responses and advertisements for bugging out. Everyone seems to think this is definitely going to happen, bugging out. A house fire or tornado is a local event, IMHO not something you would need to bug out. If a nuclear attack EMP/CME or cataclysmic event happens Bugging out would be the most dangerous thing you could do. That is unless you and your family are pulling your camper and are on your way to your campgrounds, timeing would be almost impossible.
For Christmas I recieved some bugout gifts when the person who gave them to me knows when SHTF he and his family are coming here, that I am bugging in.
 Not many preppers have a BOL to go to and if you do you will probably have to fight your way there and then fight the people who got there before you.
 I most likely still didn't get across what I really am thinking about. Sorry but this is a rant and not a knock on people who belive otherwise.

[Kentactic]

Keep in mind that 90% of these buggerouters have never hiked their planned route or attempted to live in their planned location. They would have a terrible "oh shit" moment halfway to where they thought they were going to go. Especially if they take the aforementioned 100lb pack.

[JohnyMac]

Bugging out for most people will not be an option especially if you carry an albatros around your neck,e.g. Children, physicaly NOT people, medically challenged people, the list is endless.

[Reaver]

I dig the idea of IN but my best option would be to OUT


I'm surrounded by to many fuckers that don't have any moral fortitude.
It's in my best interest to pop smoke and evac my AO

[Kbop]

i like to think of bugging out as an option -
i would very much prefer to remain in my 'comfort zone'.
but something as simple as a common house fire or tornado could cause me to have to bugout on short notice. no warning just run.

IMHO you have to consider this in any disaster prep. plan.  They are much more likely than WWIII (I hope) and should be rated by likely hood and impact to normal life.

if you are attached to the grid or a dwelling or an area by necessity, understand and accept that and move on to things you can have some effect on.  But considering the possibility of your grid dropping or your area being compromised is something you should be aware of.  you can determine your level of comfort with the odds but you should be aware of those odds!

I was amazed to find a fund raiser in my locality for a family who lost their house in a fire recently.  - no fire insurance.  - i remember the house, it had a Gadsden flag out front.

[JoJo]

i like to think of bugging out as an option -
i would very much prefer to remain in my 'comfort zone'.
but something as simple as a common house fire or tornado could cause me to have to bugout on short notice. no warning just run.

IMHO you have to consider this in any disaster prep. plan.  They are much more likely than WWIII (I hope) and should be rated by likely hood and impact to normal life.

if you are attached to the grid or a dwelling or an area by necessity, understand and accept that and move on to things you can have some effect on.  But considering the possibility of your grid dropping or your area being compromised is something you should be aware of.  you can determine your level of comfort with the odds but you should be aware of those odds!

I was amazed to find a fund raiser in my locality for a family who lost their house in a fire recently.  - no fire insurance.  - i remember the house, it had a Gadsden flag out front.

I agree about the fire thing. Everyone should have a plan to grab thier valuables and clear out but almost everyone has a friend, relative or motel to go to immediately without a threat of being ambushed. But when there is a serious colapse and you bug out you and everyone in your party has to have eyes in front in back and on the side of thier head. And like you I prefer to bug in and leave only when the situation becomes  untenable.

Great conversation guys.

[Kbop]

  I agree JoJo
the aftermath of a house fire - dangerous and serious; is a whole lot safer due to available social support than a general widespread disaster (which may include a house fire or 10 ).  You should have the option but only play the bugout card if exposure to the dangers of travel are outweighed by the dangers of staying.
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staying put can work in your favor.  the predators will likely follow the herds.  keep a low profile and leave when it best suits the situation.

hmmm;
a typical family has less than a weeks worth of food on average - probably sets an outside limit as to how long they will stay put.  a week to fully panic.  a month before they get too weak to be an active threat.  then the exposure chances go way down. 
you wouldn't be able to forage after that - i would assume the resources would be cleaned out by then, water contaminated and travel routes breaking down or controlled.  Shoe leather and bicycles seldom get blocked by traffic.

[jimLE]

I'd love to stay where i am after a total economic collapse,wildfire or a tornado.but yet,i don't see that happening after a certain length of time.especially after the drought of 2011 here.in which there were wild fires popping up every where..then the weather of 2015.in which it proved that things can go from bad to real bad,and real quick..1st rain storms and outages at the beginning of the year.to a drought in the summer..so bugging out will be a have to situation for me.as for having a 100+LB bug out bag..i don't see the sense in that,if a person can go with 50LB's or less..especially if 50LB's or less will get them from point A to point B..so i'll only be going with whats needed for my mom and my self only.in which i'll have the needed items in the car,if we have to get out fast.pluss we'll have the needed items in a hall closet if needed.and hopefully what will be in both locations will help us survive what ever happens..

[Nemo]

One question jim.  Where will you be headed and why go there?

Nemo

[JoJo]

Jim, Nemo isn't making fun of you. He is trying to get you to look at all options. I have no place to go so Bug In for me. One thing to look at is is your mother able to make a Bug Out trip?   
Welcome to the clan.

[jimLE]

yeah,i know jojo.i didn't see the response until now.and where i'll go,is a work in progress..i do have at least 3 options of where i can go.in which there will be people i know.but the only issue i have with those options,is the distance of travel.on account  the distance can prove to be dangerous in bad times..so i do still need to work on my bug out plans..and as for my mom goes.i'll be doing at least 98% of the loading,when it comes to what we'll take with us.so she'll mostly be sitting back while i get every thing loaded up.and she'll be in the passenger seat during the ride.