We use zombie as a metaphor; for this thread I want to zero in on something more specific: riots. Before I continue I ask we stay away from politics and things of that nature.

Currently I'm in a small town where the greatest threats to my safety are bears and Florida drivers. What if things get worse? I'm in a gated community so that stacks the odds in my favor. I need to go beyond the gates sometimes.

Jeanette Isabelle

Best thing to do for a riot is to be nowhere near it.

The second best thing to do is to see a large crowd, sense the potential for unpleasantness, and depart without delay. I strongly encourage everyone to avoid protests of any variety.

If I found myself in a riot that I could not escape, I would try to find a place of cover and concealment, staying out of sight and out of mind as much as possible until it was over or an opportunity to escape presented itself.

And what if the riots lead to a burning of a city and martial law being declared? Though martial law has never been declared, riots leading to the burning of a city have.

Jeanette Isabelle

Networking is important. In civil unrest you want to stay away from the masses/gatherings, but it's good to have a support network. Be prepared with stuff that you need (eg food, water, medicine, etc) but do it quietly. Don't advertise. If your locality permits it and you're so inclined, look into purchasing a firearm or two and learn how to use it.

What do you guys think of this:

http://www.totalsurvivalist.com/2010/03/how-to-not-get-killed-in-riot.html

I don't prep for riots, and I've never been near one. So I don't know much about it.

Now, I have lived under martial law. Not good, but totally possible to survive. Have a stock of the necessities. Don't do anything that might get you shot by the military/police.

I have never been actually involved in a riot, but I have travelled through a riot and been subjected to several nights and a couple of days of rioting very near to my then home in London.

These events were a major factor in my decision to leave London.

As others have posted, it is not easy to prep for a riot since the exact location, and the degree of danger are unknown and liable to frequent change.

The best prep is to be someplace else, either by "bugging out" or if in a high risk location, by permanently relocating.
Many riots start when a meeting or march or rally turns violent. I urge avoiding ANY large meeting, march or rally with political or campaigning connections.
My political involvement is limited to voting, And perhaps attending indoor, small local meetings of causes that I support. I would NEVER attend or knowingly go near ANY large rally or march, political, campaigning or otherwise.

At times of tension, I would urge remaining inconspicuous by wearing dull coloured clothing that blends in with the surroundings. Avoid bright colours that might be connected with one side or the other. Avoid anything expensive that might make you a target.
Wear comfortable shoes in order that you can run or walk well, but nothing expensive, unusual or attention attracting.
Don't wear jewellery or carry expensive portable electronics.
Try to be the "person that nobody remembered"
A firearm is of limited use against a mob, but may as well be carried if you lawfully can.

BTW, shall I post a youtube link about the riots to which I refer ? or is discussing any particular riot getting too close to p0litics ?

As with most every other threat, be prepared to shelter-in for awhile. A week should be sufficient with even the worst U.S. rioting. As others have stated, stay away from demonstrations on issues that are particularly volatile. I've been in and around a lot of protests/demonstrations/marches in Washington, D.C. over the past thirty years -- the tenor of each gathering varies depending on the cause.

Riots in the U.S. typically have been highly localized within cities. There have been fires associated with riots -- such as the civil rights uprisings of the 1960s in Washington, New York, Baltimore. But those don't become city-consuming conflagrations 'ala Dresden or otherwise necessitate mass evacuation.

I live two blocks from a street that was heavily damaged in 1960s-era rioting. The primary casualty of the riot were the value of the properties damaged and the businesses who had been leasing those spaces.

Neighbors who lived here in the 1960s recounted that era when America's cities (including DC where I live) were on edge after the Rodney King verdict in 1992 -- at which time there were several days of rioting in Los Angeles. They said they stayed indoors and that they could see and smell the tear gas. While the one street was heavily damaged (flames were visible from the U.S. Capitol steps a mile away), the homes on the adjacent blocks were undamaged. I recall that there was also concern about possibile riots if O.J. Simpson had been convicted in 1995. But he was not so those concerns were unrealized.

The Los Angeles riots of 1992 are worth studying.

http://timelines.latimes.com/los-angeles-riots/


Here's a listing of riots and other significant civil disturbances in U.S. history. Quite a long list:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_incidents_of_civil_unrest_in_the_United_States





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I spend a lot of time in major cities, even though I don't live in one. I have some rules that I follow that aren't riot-specific but might help quite a bit.

• I always have a car. If I didn't drive to my destination I always rent one.
• I never park a car with less than half a tank of gas, and I invariably fill up at 1/4 tank or sooner.
• I do not valet park any vehicle. I know a number of people who were unable to get their car back when things went wrong with the valet service.
• I always carry enough cash to get out of whatever parking garage the car is in -- I've seen people get stuck when the connection to the credit card processor was down several times. I actually carry a lot more cash than that.
• I know the destination city's roads well enough to get out several different ways, without resorting to a smartphone or GPS. When traveling to a new city, or one where I haven't been there for a while, I study maps before departing. In the cities I spend the most time in, I have detailed knowledge of streets and neighborhoods.
• At least a bottle or two of water and a few snacks are kept in the car or in my bag, even if just a one day rental.
• I've made the effort to obtain concealed carry permits valid in as many states as I reasonably can, and I carry a pistol everywhere I may legally do so. Checking a bag with a pistol is a pain when flying but I do it anyway. I've chosen to be a lifelong student of the pistol; I recognize that this is not for everyone.
• Even my minimalist TSA-safe emergency kit is way, way better than nothing, and it's always with me when traveling.

Given recent events I'm making the effort to carry more ammo on my person and I'm planning to work harder to be aware of large gatherings.

Information is the most valuable resource. Know what is going on and where, so you can avoid or react in the appropriate manner. Stay away from incidents, riots are usually localized to specific areas, usually.

If the situation is prolonged or widespread, know where to go to get away. What direction is best? How will you get there? A bit of analysis before it happens is useful. What resources do you have, what resources will you need?

Stay oriented to your location, have a map, and know where important resources are located (pharmacies, hospitals, law enforcement locations, water, shelter, food, the usual stuff). Know the primary landmarks and how they can guide you to where you need to go.

If you are with others, establish rally points where you can gather if you become separated. These should be easily recognized, easy to access, and in the cardinal directions so you can default to whichever one is away from trouble. Staying out of danger becomes your first survival priority.

As Chaosmagnet discusses, being prepared is the key. Have the knowledge and supplies/equipment you need before it happens. If you wait until after a bad situation begins, it becomes exponentially more difficult.

Treat riots similar to brushfires. By the time it's a couple miles away, you need to have the car packed, a BOL decided on, and be ready to bolt at a moments notice. The rent a cop at the complex gate isn't going to be worth much against a mob.

Stay away from rallies, protests, and other potential flash points. That means both the planned ones, and ones that seem to form on their own. Keep an eye on the news as well for possible trigger events. [redacted]

My decision to step in here wasn't easy to make. Let me be clear that I do not believe that the poster intended to give offense to any group, but I think the specific trigger event that was suggested has too much potential to be inflammatory. Let's avoid discussion of what could be a trigger for a riot on ETS.

chaosmagnet