Life is so uncertain such that one cannot afford to claim to have a complete foolproof plan. If it’s not caused by a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or hurricane, chances are that man-made disasters, like wars, may force you to leave your home at any point in time.
This is why it is advisable to have a plan for bugging out, irrespective of how secure your home seems to be. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine. To successfully bug out if the need arises, pay attention to these 8 things that you should avoid.
Mistakes to Avoid When Bugging Out
1. Procrastination
To be a survivalist, you can’t procrastinate because a delay can be dangerous. Whether it’s the government asking people within your area to move out, or a natural disaster that is about to take place, move out quickly.
There is sometimes a tendency to hold on a little bit longer to know if things are going to turn out okay. Do not yield to that because if it becomes ugly it may be too late for you to avoid the disaster.
One of the best ways to make sure you are moving as soon as practicable is to pay attention to the news and open information channels. An emergency radio would be of great help here.
2. Panic rush
On the other hand, sometimes disasters do fade away before actually taking place and causing damage.
Take a war period as an example. You may have seen a fighter jet fly over your peaceful town and hurriedly conclude that the enemy is about to strike your town. Out of panic, you decide to bug out immediately, only to fall into the hands of the enemy. There is a possibility that if you had waited a little bit longer to get more information, you would have realized that they were passing through a nearby town with no intent of reaching yours.
This is an extreme situation, but the point is that you should try to get as much information as possible before making a drastic decision
3. Joining the rush
When it’s obvious that a bug out will take place, bear in mind that you are not the only one privy to the information. Since lots of people will hit the road at the same time, it’s best to take the road less traveled.
If you are conversant with your town, you should know which road to take to avoid the heavy traffic that will definitely build up (if you decide to bug out with a vehicle). Of course, you should have already prepared a plan of how and where to go if SHTF
The goal is to survive by getting out of town as soon as possible, not to get stuck in a traffic situation.
4. Looters
Unfortunately, it’s a common practice during crises situations. Bad intentioned people use these as an opportunity to grab things that don’t belong to them.
Pay very special attention to your belongings during this time, specifically to your emergency bag that contains all the precious items you need to survive.
If you decide to take a road less traveled, make sure it is not a lonely one. Looters may just lay siege along those lonely paths to rob as many people as they can.
5. Aimless movement
It just doesn’t make sense to hit the road without knowing exactly where you are headed to. This is a sign of panic and something you need to avoid at all cost in your bid to survive during a bug out.
Like previously stated (it’s never too much to warn about this), you should have a destination in mind, and know beforehand the best route to take in order to arrive there safely.
6. Carrying too much luggage
You are getting away from a disaster, not relocating. You should only take with you what you absolutely need to survive.
Carrying too many things will add unwanted weight, which will cause more fatigue and slow you down. You need to avoid all unnecessary physical efforts and be agile, to quickly and safely arrive at your bug out shelter.
7. Being taken by surprise
You must be alert to everything happening around you to succeed in surviving.
Yes, you might be racing away from the town, but that is not an excuse for you not to observe that the log of wood placed along the road means that looters are on the loose. If you can clearly read the situation and your environment, you’ll have more chances of surviving.
8. Not watching your back
In the heat of the rush to get out of town, people will be heading in different directions. When you are sure that you have gone a reasonable distance from the scene of the disaster, be sure to check that you are not being followed. Just like you need to be on the lookout for possible looters, you also don’t want any unwanted person trailing you to your destination.
Conclusion
A lot of people have suffered when bugging out because they failed to do simple things like being alert to their surroundings, or leaving too late.
There is the need to know the right time to move and which way to take to avoid the masses as you leave town. Most importantly, take note of these 8 tips, master them and apply them if you are ever faced with a bug out situation.
If you can avoid these mistakes as you bug out, you will have a greater chance of surviving to tell the tale of how you escaped the disaster that hit your town.