"My reasoning is if things get so bad that you would need more some where else, then why bother to leave?"

I agree with this. For most likely scenarios, bugging out would be temporary, due to chlorine/ammonia tank rupture, fire, etc. Bugging out is an interesting scenario to contemplate, but not very realistic. You may be able to take food, water, weapons and gas, but what will you be doing for shelter? Living in a loaded 4WD would get old really fast. Build shelter? With what, just your kaybar? You're just one more refugee with dwindling supplies in a situation like that.

During widespread disorder, gathering friends and neighbors to create a sort of fort (even of several homes in a group) would seem to be the best way. You could share the work, the protection, the growing and guarding of fruits and vegetables and small livestock. Most soils need improvement for growing decent crops, so it's best that you get started on that before the need -- afterward is too late.

I've been talking to a friend in SoCal, and she and her husband have been quietly getting some of their neighbors to store supplies and make plans to do just that for the last two years. SoCal wouldn't be my first choice of the place to do it, but you do what you can with what you've got. But planning ahead puts you far, far ahead of the rest of the pack.

Sue

Discussing the psychology of folks - prepared and unprepared - after a disaster, I'm all over that - figuring out where to build forts with my friends or what to do with my stuff before I embark on a 1,000 mile journey surely fraught with post-apolcalyptic peril, not so much.

If the situation is so dire where you live that you must evacuate -- and so dire everywhere else that you may need your year stash of food -- then if you can't take it all with you by yourself, it's time to coordinate with some of your neighbors that you trust.

Traveling in a group could increase your safety margin. And no point leaving behind what may very well be looted anyway.

You have gobs of food, maybe one or more of them has gobs of guns, ammo, tools and fuel. Maybe one of them is a skilled mechanic who can keep the vehicles running. Or has a cargo trailer. Or has medical skills and medicine. Or has a place in the hills where you all can evacuate to. Or has camping gear.

Be good to know all this in advance of an emergency.

Create a community on wheels. I'd rather bug out with a group I know than alone among millions of strangers.

Circle them RVs, Transits and SUVs, the 'Feds, Canucks, Iranians, Gang Bangers, Aliens, Zombies, Yankees, British, North Koreans, Ruskies, Confederates, Injuns, Mexicans, Cubans, Alaskans, '* are coming.

* delete as appropriate depending on the level of paranoia.

Ahem, no racism or political incorrectness is implied, its just that I've just watched to many Hollywood movies. Oh and to much CNN and Foxnews. Sometimes fact and fiction begin to merge at the edges. And I do apologize beforehand for anyone or group that has been left out.

Should the great zombie attack come, I am sitting tight.

I know the terrain, the area, where things are, where people aren't.

Unless it is an environemental catastrophe - nuke/poison gas kind - I am hunkering down, cleaning some weapons and watching and waiting.

Sorta helps when your entire neighborhood is retired Airborne, lol.

Is this a trick question?

I have some supplies for a few days, bring some guns and ammo and use my guns to intimidate and take food from those who aren't armed. Shoot anyone who resists.

Sounds right?

I hope I never have to Bug Out for any reason ... I wonder if there are any statistics on how often that actually happens?

However, I have wondered if I would delay or "waffle", if presented with a situation where Bug Out is the best alternative? ... in other words, might I wait around too long because I like my stash of stuff too much?

Bingo! As someone said, the best defense is a good offense.

This is simply an exercise of thinking about options.
If your next best option after evacuation is a place 100 miles away great. If you think strictly in terms of evacuating long distance or shelter in place, you may not realize there may be options, leaving yourself open to panic or indecision, both dangerous. There are no hard and fast rules, always options.
Remember, nothing is over until YOU decide it is.

The smart-alecks are out in force but I'll reply again anyway.

Barkabane -- what options do you envision other than evacuation or sheltering in?