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While you may be preparing for the worst case scenario, it has already happened for many people across the world. The recent 7.5 earthquake in Nepal ravished the nation and left more than 8,000 dead in its wake, according to the Nepal Red Cross Society. While it is one of the worst natural disasters of the 21st century, it’s still only one of a long list in the past 15 years–Japan and Haiti also suffered massive earthquakes that killed thousands.
Closer to home, there are water shortages in California and political uncertainty throughout the United States. The recent social unrest between citizens and police in Ferguson and Baltimore sparked riots that caused both property damage and danger to the people of the city, and you can be certain there will be more riots in the near future.
Although the right vehicle isn’t a guarantee that you will survive or escape every emergency situation, it can give you better odds in the worst case scenario. Whether you live in areas vulnerable to natural disasters, drought, or civil unrest, owning a proper vehicle is just one part of preparing for survival situations. Here are three vehicles that will help you get through an urban disaster unscathed.
1. Ford Super Duty F-550
No matter what the disaster, being forced to leave your home with no option to return is a horrible situation. In this case, assuming you’re also providing for a family, you need a vehicle that can get you out fast and act as your home, at least in the short term.
Recreational vehicles make great offsite homes, but they are slow and stubborn on the road and impossible to take off road. Instead, the Ford Super Duty F-550 with an attachable cabin is the perfect marriage between an off-road powerhouse and a livable space that can last months if needed. Although the F-550 doesn’t come camper ready (as in the picture above), there are companies like Global Expedition Vehicles that build shells specifically for the Ford Truck in all sizes and levels of luxury.
2. Jeep Wrangler
There isn’t a better vehicle for survival situations in American auto than the Jeep Wrangler. It’s versatile, easy to fix and maintain and, if you buy used, it’s very cheap. According to auto retailer DriveTime, many used Jeeps go for less than $10,000. Even less if you’re willing to do some work fixing it up.
In a situation where spare parts are your only option, the Wrangler can take parts from all sorts of abandoned domestic cars on the side of the road. You can drive coast to coast in the Jeep without scavenging too hard for pieces to complete the journey. One top of all that, the Jeep Wrangler is great for off-roading, which will be a must when roads are clogged with cars and debris.
3. UNICAT
If your budget is unlimited, you want a vehicle that can go anywhere and do anything. The UNICAT is just what you want in this scenario.
The UNICAT is an expedition vehicle and an absolute beast, making the Hummer 1 look like a toy car. It is usually built with a Mercedes Benz chassis, is rarely street legal, and can easily clear $100,000 in price. It’s so big that you can’t even think about owning one if you live in the suburbs. But, when it all hits the fan, there’s almost nothing short of a tank that could bring the UNICAT down. If you have the means, go for it.
Good luck owning a UNICAT without everyone in town noticing. But, if you don’t mind a lack of secrecy, you’ll be well protected on your way out of town.
Bugging out will likely be necessary during floods, forest fires, local chemical spills, hurricanes and earthquakes. Civil unrest is unpredictable and rarely gives a warning so bugging in might be best. Each has its own style of risks and warning. If you have the option of a warning, get out early. This will keep you from getting caught up in the chaos. I have a Big SUV with 4wd and a 24ft camper ready to go. I typically keep 30gal of spare gas in safety cans and whatever I can drain out of 2 spare cars. I have a street legal trail bike that gets 100mpg that hangs on the camper rear rack and 2 mountain bikes. A 12 gauge shotgun will hopefully deter any people trying to stop or block my exit.
More than one 12 gauge might prove better. Multiple armed people won’t blink an eye at a person or group with one shotgun. It might be beneficial if everyone in your party is armed and trained.
in such post apocalyptic scenarios, the first thing one ought to think of (aside from food and medicine) is fuel … if the disaster forcing us to leave our homes for the road is so huge that we’d have to run away, then with everybody on the road, fuel shortage will certainly be a big problem! that’s why i think i have to agree with
oracle above for his good suggestion: stay physically fit and carry a bicycle! 🙂 at least do have one hooked up to your car too if you’re taking your car … (and better keep it inside rather than outside the car since under such emergency conditions there will certainly be people out there desperate enough to steal it from you when their cars break or simply runs out of fuel!) 😉
On the exteme end should be a helicopter, because in a state of emergency the roads are likely blocked and offroad paths are impassible in most places. Plus, since it is an emergency you probably want to get out of town as fast as possible.
On the cheap end, a bicycle because the roads are blocked but not much can block a bicycle. You can even rig up ropes and pull it with you up a cliff if it comes down to it. You just need to be fit. If you need to camp then pack a backpack.
In the middle should be the car you already have, because surivivng an emergency isn’t likely to come down to your mode of transportation. Hurrican Katrina would tear a Unicat to peices.
Well said. Regardless of the vehicle, timing is of the essence.
I had an old 2-door Chevy Blazer. That was a pretty good flood rider. Especially with all the vinyl interior.
A little more care free back then though lol
I have always thought that a retired police cruiser (Crown Vic) would be a good choice, since you can literally scavenge parts in every city. Some of them you can buy basically brand new from police auctions, with less than 10,000 miles on the engine.
Or if you wanted to be an oddball, how about a decomissioned mail truck (Grumman LLV)? Again, parts are everywhere. You can stripnthe inside out, make a fold down murphy style bed, and plenty of storage space. Plus crazy tight turning radius.
I have also noticed a lot of old Toyota T100, and Nissan Hardbody trucks everywhere I live. Those are some nice fuel sipping, incognito light duty trucks. Hardbody’s even came with 4WD, not sure about the T100s. Throw a camper on them, and your’re good to go.