In an apocalyptic scenario, would you survive long?

[fourikeachairs]

I wouldn't! At all. I cannot run fast or fight, I'd be a goner immediately the zombies or aliens or whatever descend. When I watch a movie of tv with this theme I can't ever keep up with the characters when they make a quick plan about who is going to do what where, and when they give each other silent hand signals eg going into a room they think is occupied I'm just like huh what do you mean?

If you reckon you'd survive a good while if the shit hits the fan, what are your best survival skills? Are you good at going with the flow, being flexible, thinking quickly on the go?

We talk about this a lot because the teen is a TWD fan. As a family, we think we'd survive because between us we have a lot of apocalypse skills - shooting, archery, fencing, engineering/mechanics.
DS reckons if we made it to one of the big settlements (like the ones in TWD) then I'd be on cooking duty because I'm adept at rustling up tasty meals out of whatever is lying about. He'd be on allotment duty. Dh would either be running the place or in the army/defence/guard.

I stay in a smallish 2 bed flat, as do most of my friends here. Our plan is to take all our food up and take over the top floor with the penthouses and block off the lifts and stairs so the aliens/zombies/whatever can’t get to us. I’ll go last to slow the invaders down as I’m the most useless. They’ll probably now arrive in their alien balloon kites with the strings and land on the roof which will scupper our plans as the garage can’t be blocked off.

This is the bit I don't get about prepping.

All is good (assuming you want to survive in zombie land) as long as you are near your survival hub.

If the worst happens and you are miles away - what then?

You've just prepped for nothing (or are helping neighbours survive if they find your stash).

So the only real survival mode is to be at home, at all times, on alert for an event that might never happen....

Basically living a restricted life ready to potentially avoid death to actualise a really shitty life of deprivation and likely a long festering death due to lack of food/medicine etc

It's a very odd perspective on which to base you life choices on imho.

DH reckons I'm in training to become a Scouse Nan with my death stare and knitting skills. I'll outlast the lot if you. 😳

A boat? By the time the dc have fallen off boat, dh revved engine hysterically, swearing profusely before realising boat is still tied up so can't move, me insisting I can guide by the stars ( the North star, easy) before realising what I think is North star is actually satellite and am guiding DH into rocks AND I forgot the go bag with the coffee it ( I though you had it, etcetera) frankly I'm not sure of our chances trapped on a boat together, never mind about zombies having even a chance to get us.

I have multiple health issues requiring daily medications (one being chronic pain and fatigue). I'd be fucked after the first night of not sleeping in a bed and having to run and hide and as soon as my meds ran out I'd be doubly fucked.

If I could survive long enough to make it past when people's supplies run out then I would at least be a good source of protein for quite a few people if necessary.

I like the idea of lopping off marauders' heads with a spade. Have a spade and a shovel. I have good firemaking skills, lots of sticks, stores of dry sticks, and also seasoned wood for the woodfire if the apocalypse occurs in winter; can cook over an open fire; have tank water I can boil to purify it and make tea; have enough teabags to last to the end of the year on hand, and have a giant bag of powdered milk... Also, have some practical first aid skills, and a first aid kit. Two year's worth of paracetemol, and backups of miscellaneous medicines. Tons of toilet paper; 2020 taught me to keep a larger stash of that. I am really keen for this apocalypse to start! At some point I will run out of ovestin, though.

Yep. I think these discussions are for those people whose life does not routinely depend upon modern medical science. Lucky sods.

I would be fine if it was a case of holing up at home for a few weeks until the army come in. I would take all the food and bottles of water to the attic and persuade my family to join me there. We could hide in there for a few weeks just coming down to empty the toilet bucket down the toilet and similar fun tasks.

If we actually had to survive long term then forget it. Both DH and DD rely on medication. They would die within a few months.

I am fat and unfit and if I survived I would be that character in a drama that everyone wanted to be killed off as they are a bit useless. DS might be okay.

Well I have a gate on my house so I'm pretty sure I'll be fine - zombies always seem to get stuck at gates.

If they did manage to overcome the gate though I'd last about 30 seconds because I really couldn't be arsed with the chew!

I've found my people.
Also if i ran out of coffee the zombies would be running from me....

I think we would be ok for a bit, lots of survival skills in the family, but my pacemaker would run out of battery in about 3 yrs, so then I would just drop dead. The good thing is that my heart is virtually unstoppable for the next 3 years, so that has to be useful at some point when facing zombies 🤣

I'd likely get decision paralysis so just stay in bed with cup of tea & biscuits.

Probably a viral pandemic like the great series Anna and i'd be doomed anyway.

Nope. I wear glasses and am terribly shortsighted. I'd last about 5 hours.

Oh god I don't think so
, no. I'm not exactly fit

Probably not. I've just shoved the half of a wrap that wasn't stale, in to the peanut butter jar because I forgot have dinner.

As soon as the coffee ran out, I'd have a good chance of blending in with the zombies. Would just have to hope none of them noticed I'm a breather.

I'd be fine until the all the alcohol in the house ran out

I could last for a little while if I was able to shelter in place. We have enough food saved to live for several months, at least, and land to grow veg and chickens, if we could barter for some. DH can shoot and is very handy, and I can knit, crochet, sew (old-fashioned treadle!), and garden.

But realistically, DH has health problems and would likely become dangerously ill and possibly die before very long without access to medicine... The sad truth is that I'd rather go quickly in an explosion or something than struggle to survive on my own without him. I'd be more motivated to fight if I had children, of course, but it's just us and the dogs. I do have other family nearby, so if we were all together, I'd make an effort for their sake. Otherwise, I'm better off dead if we have no access to modern medicine.

If were talking post apocalypse/madmax I think my biggest skill would be my ability to detach emotionally. My immediate family already have a pact that we can eat each other (as long as we're dead) in an emergency and I'd leave my mum coz she's slow, old and needs medication. I think I could be pretty ruthless in survival mode. I'd kill and eat a rabbit or a rat if I had too. I'm not fit but I'm fit enough with a bit of padding to get me through a winter. I think I'd tolerate male violence better than some and I'm quite resourceful.

My downfall would be losing my glasses though!

@NewNameForXmas
Can we eat you if you don't make it?

I'd be great. I'm a dead shot, great in an emergency and a really good deescalation talker. More of a toady than a leader and carrying a little extra weight so I could survive past the first part.

DD (12) has a whole plan worked out. She has a little friend whose family hunts so she's going there. I don't know where she thinks we are... eaten probably.

And I grew up in South London so zombies ain't got nuffin'.

Nope, my plan would be to gather all the wine I can and get as much in before accepting my fate.

Honestly, with the whole Covid/toilet paper debacle you can see how society pretty much collapses within days.

Anyone else watching the Last of Us?

I need to find a Bill.