The "pirates" would be smart enough to start pirating -- on land. If a band of people all of a sudden realized that they should start stealing shit, they would start in their immediate vicinity. Only afterwards would they take to the seas.
Getting supplies, aka stealing, is pretty much the first thing one should do in case of an apocalypse. Good thing I live 3 seconds away from a supermarket to plunder. As for a boat, whilst I live close to water, I do not know from the top of my head if there's a bridge-less route to the sea from here. Any bridge here would pretty much mean, lol, you're fucked. There's even a bridge here in town that's so low small rubber boats can't fit underneath. Though that bridge is hand operated, so you'd have to fashion a crank so that you can open it, but at that point, just hoisting the rubber boat out of the water, walking over the bridge and dumping it on the other side would be faster.
So you think you're smart enough to get to a boat right away . . .
Yes, because I'm thinking about it NOW.
. . . but the pirates aren't smart enough to start pirating right away?
Probably not. My guess is that most people are fat, stupid, and lazy enough that they would be very, very surprised by an apocalypse.
My, you ARE special.
No, just a little paranoid.
The trick will be to get out of the cities fast. Boats would be just one way to get out, and admittedly, probably not the best way. How would you get out?
Do you even know how to fly one? Further more, A helicopter and all of its instruments would be pretty much incapacitated by an EMP.
I had forgotten that this batch of conversation was centered around an EMP event. Otherwise, it would certainly be time to start learning, or at least to make friends with someone who has the ability to fly a helicopter.
Do you even know how to fly one? Further more, A helicopter and all of its instruments would be pretty much incapacitated by an EMP.
I had forgotten that this batch of conversation was centered around an EMP event. Otherwise, it would certainly be time to start learning, or at least to make friends with someone who has the ability to fly a helicopter.
Well, depending on how old or well shielded the helecopter was, it could be a case of anything from "Utterly grounded" to "Switch the sparkplugs and put a new battery in"
I would use my bicycle. Basically, it's a frame with 2 thin wheels. You step down on these pedals which power a chain, which in turn powers the back wheel. At most the front and tail light would be broken but I have spares for both hanging in a small pocket underneath the seat. It's also easier to navigate terrain with a bicycle than a car. You can even attach baskets to the steering wheel and bags to the back seat as to create storage space, and you could mod the frame to hold a crowbar, flashlight, bottles of drink, hand pump and other things.
The one weakness is that you can't navigate through zombies that easily.
I haven't read it, but I'm pretty damn sure that it doesn't recommend navigating through zombies with a bicycle. Besides, did I not recommend it myself by talking about its various benefits? <|:D
Hmmmmmmmm. You're right. Not specifically THROUGH zombies. I guess if you wanted to go straight through some zombies, a car would be a lot better. The bike was recommended for its superior maneuverability and its ability to fit through small spaces. Also, I think, for the fact that you can more easily bail out and run.
a cartruck front-mounted with spikes, flame throwers and side-mounted with chainsaws would be a lot better.
You're going to cause destruction upon your reanimated friends, family and foes. Better do it good.
The bike was recommended for its superior maneuverability and its ability to fit through small spaces. Also, I think, for the fact that you can more easily bail out and run.
Word. You only have to outspeed the fastest zombie, or the slowest survivor.
EDIT:
Biking: Good for fleeing devastated cities, avoiding zombies, and it's a great way to get fit.
The majority of the US/world population was doomed anyway.
So, I was goofing around on the internet Monday night, and I ran across a book called Soft Apocalypse. I read a little about it, became interested, went to my local library's website, found that they had it, and it was in my hands shortly after work Tuesday afternoon.
It's not a long book, and it moves very fast. It doesn't have a single, cataclysmic event like The Road, Earth Abides, or The Stand. The characters just see their local infrastructure, economy, and government collapse gradually, and just kind of continually adjust their toleration for abnormality. Some things still work while others don't, so the characters are able to watch reports from CNN when the power is on and CNN is broadcasting, but there are no cops to respond to murders in the street.
It's a good book. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it. Of course, as with all apocalypse books, you need to know that you can't expect many happy bits and you can expect many violent bits.
Comments
The trick will be to get out of the cities fast. Boats would be just one way to get out, and admittedly, probably not the best way. How would you get out?
The one weakness is that you can't navigate through zombies that easily.
EDIT: The majority of the US/world population was doomed anyway.
It's not a long book, and it moves very fast. It doesn't have a single, cataclysmic event like The Road, Earth Abides, or The Stand. The characters just see their local infrastructure, economy, and government collapse gradually, and just kind of continually adjust their toleration for abnormality. Some things still work while others don't, so the characters are able to watch reports from CNN when the power is on and CNN is broadcasting, but there are no cops to respond to murders in the street.
It's a good book. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it. Of course, as with all apocalypse books, you need to know that you can't expect many happy bits and you can expect many violent bits.