I’m still getting used to where we live in the Pacific Northwest… things are just a bit different than where I moved from in the Midwest. There are so many tall trees and the layout of roads and homes is a bit different. This makes developing a healthy bug out plan a problem.
While there are large expanses of land with sprawling subdivisions and plenty of roads in the Midwest, here they tend to cut out a path for a two lane road and do the same for a few houses off the road and move on to the next set of houses.
As such, there aren’t many cross streets and/or alternate routes to effect a proper bug out plan. Toss in the fact that we’re nearly surrounded by water and that’s whole other problem. 😉
These factors alone make bugging out difficult to say the least but there’s another problem that I only recently “discovered” while driving down the road.
What is it, you ask?
Power lines. Yes, power lines.
You see, I’m accustomed to power lines either being run underground or, if they’re overhead, they typically run along the road most of the time and very occasionally are strung across the road
That’s not the case at all around here. In fact, the main road that we’d drive along to enact our bug out plan has power lines that cross directly over the road dozens upon dozens of times!
And that’s the norm around here. Overhead power lines are EVERYWHERE and they seem to be strong across the road regularly. Granted, I’m sure they’re not all for transferring power but I wouldn’t know the difference regardless.
Why are power lines a problem for your bug out plan, you ask?
They’re a problem because (again, where we live now) earthquakes are a big threat which could easily cause power lines to get knocked down, though, there are other reasons for power lines to come down. If they get knocked down and are therefore blocking our path you’re not supposed to cross over any downed power lines for fear that they’re still energized.
Going around the power lines may be an option in some places but, like I said, most roads around here are two lanes cut through a bunch of trees with little room to spare on the shoulders.
Granted, it’s likely that not all power lines would come crashing down along our designated bug out routes but even if a handful of them along our routes come down that could pose an interesting problem as odds are that one or two of them would be completely blocking the road.
Of course, power lines don’t need to be crisscrossing the roads overhead to be trouble if they fell… lines running along the road could topple over and block roads too.
The question I have is…
Do you take the chance and drive over them because, after all, things are somehow bad enough that we HAD to evacuate or do we heed the advice and not take the chance?
Personally, I’d rather not take the chance but, as I eluded to above, there aren’t too many alternative routes around here and “hoofin’ it” isn’t the best option unless we literally had no other choice. Maybe this is one of those “no other choice” scenarios?
At the very least…
Seems to me that, at the very least, you should be paying attention to this potential problem when deciding on your bug out plan routes. Consider driving them when you can and see if this threat even exists and while you’re at it keep your eyes peeled for other potential problem such as bridges that may wash out in high water times, steep roads that may make them impassable in inclement weather, and so on.
Remember, there’s always SOMETHING to plan for. 🙂
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