The future is uncertain and the present is getting more chaotic by the day. Does your emergency backup plan already include your plans of traveling safely? Below are some tips to help you with that.
How to Plan for Traveling Safe
One of the great myths is that we preppers are all from one side of the political spectrum. Prepping is about surviving the future. It’s about thriving in the future and it’s about self-reliance and independence. This is all as apolitical as it gets. Of course, everyone likes things better when they are political.
America has reached a state where survival and preparedness is not just a matter for a small group. We have riots and protests that inconvenience everyone despite political ideology. We have a pandemic that has no concern for your political affiliation or distaste for any politician.
So, now that America has realized we are not immune to threats and we are headed for higher waters with the election season on the horizon, how do we prepare for travel in these chaotic times? There are some concrete steps we can take to be much more prepared for travel, in general.
1. Gather Pre-Travel Intel
The most important step in all of this is your pre-travel intel. While you are safe at your home is the best time to sit down and look at what is happening in your area. Are there local protests or gatherings that day? Are there road closures that day?
What areas are you traveling through? There are areas that have radically changed with the protests and riots around the nation.
You should also consider the condition of the police force in your area. The quality of policing is going to change radically over the next couple of months. Pay close attention to whether the police are going to come if you need them.
This all can take about 10 minutes if you hop on twitter to look for protest updates, pay attention to some local news about the condition of the police reform and attitude in your area. Look at your mapping apps for your routes. These will detour you and tell you about road closures.
2. Get Home Bags
A get home bag is always important. Even when life is running smoothly, a get home bag will provide you with the tools and items you need to get home safely during an emergency. That is the whole purpose.
When you are dealing with an edgy public that is nervous about things like a pandemic and is also rallied in protest against the police, you have to be very careful and be well prepared to get home, back to survival headquarters, under less than ideal conditions.
The get home bag should include a change of clothes, comfortable shoes, and anything else you might need to make it home from where you are at. Your bag can vary wildly depending on the trip. A short ride might only require a sling or even a simple organizer but a long-distance trip, with family, could require a big bag or several bags.
3. Determine Detours
Whether you have a book of maps in your car, several preprogrammed routes in your GPS, or another method of predetermined detours, you are in a good place. If you come face to face with a riot or a protest that has intersected with your route, well, you are stopped up and you could be at risk.
While most of these people are walking peacefully holding signs, no one really knows why or when they might smash your windshield with a skateboard. So, avoiding these groups is in your best interest.
4. Park and Wait
If you run into issues or protests during your travel, you might also consider the simple method of patience. You can grab an early lunch or dinner and let the protest pass through. If it’s a stationary protest you may not want to wait it out as things can get dodgy when the sun goes down.
Sometimes, a little patience serves you best, even in chaotic times.
5. Retreat
Then, of course, there is always retreating. Nothing is worth facing down an angry mob. Not a vacation or not something new at Target. If you find yourself in a situation where the area is densely populated with masked protestors, you might just want to turn around and go home.
If you haven’t done your intel or if there is a pop-up event and you don’t have detours or the time to park and wait, well, just go home! The safety of yourself and your family is paramount.
Wrap Up
We are Americans and nothing is going to stop us from our pursuit of happiness. This means we all should be prepared for traveling safely through this chaotic time. No one is putting life on hold for this stuff. The pandemic, the election, or the chaos in the streets are not enough to slow the American spirit down.
Vacations will happen. Family visits will happen.
Now is the time to establish the right protocols to have success in your travels. Things have changed but it’s not the first time we have seen changes. So now, we must lean on preparedness as we get back to life.
How do you plan on traveling safely with the family? Share with us your tips in the comments section!
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