Smug me says: The best lesson so far is that I'm glad that I live where I do. By accident of birth, and enforced by economics, this is where we live. A bug out would be a financial challenge. Environmental threats are limited, here, to snow and ice but I suspect that flooding is going to be a new age thing.

ETS me says: Holy capoli!! Move! But realistic me knows that that is easier said that done.

Be safe, my friends!

"Watching the Florida evacuation does make me wonder what I'll do for gas if I find myself running away from a hurricane. Traffic is going to slow down to a crawl, and your car will idle a lot, eating up gas without getting you nearer to the destination. An 8-hour drive might turn into a 16-hour drive, with no way of getting gas. Let's assume that I can find all the gas I want near home. Carrying 10-15 gallons of gas in the trunk seems like a bad idea. What would you do?" -from Bingley

Drive a Prius or similar hybrid. When moving very slowly or stopped, the gas engine is not running - perfect for our crowded California freeways. The pics of I95 look like any rush hour parking lot here in SoCal....

like Jac my threat would be a major winter storm,an ice storm would be even worse as the power lines would be down.
i have a few things like a kerosene heater and camping gear to wait it out.
I don't think most people have the room to store precut plywood over the years between storms and maybe down there it would rot if left outside.
I had a look at Google Earth to see what the area around Miami looked like and I was shocked at the huge developments of smaller one story homes.i can see why the shelters filled up.

a small but quality highway rated open utility trailer would be my choice... I wish I had spent a couple hundred more for the wooden floor model...a hitch on my lawnmower made transporting the pre cut plywood and ladder easier to transport to the windows...a hitch carrier could also be used

select the same size gasoline containers, as it makes them easier to secure with a tie down strap... much larger than 5gal is awkward to handle

the plywood cut, painted, and numbered for the 2004 season was a lot easier to put up at 58, than at a month shy of 70....have a good quality drill/driver with a spare battery... torx or square head screws if you attach to frame

I may convert my non used 5cu ft. freezer to store and and on demand freeze gallon containers of water for my extended coolers..

don't overlook the need for extra 5 gal buckets with lids

I wouldn't routinely carry gas in the trunk. However, if a hurricane was bearing down with an uncertain trajectory and evacuation in the next few days was a distinct possibility, I wouldn't have a problem with temporarily putting some extra gas in the trunk. Assuming of course that I had it in suitable containers.

It is all about balancing risks. I routinely drive around with 10-15 gallons of gas in the tank, which is under the car right below the trunk. There is some small additional risk of having some in plastic jerry cans in the trunk. Balanced against that is the risk that I might really need that gas if I had to get out of Dodge ahead of a storm. When and if the threat of evacuation passed, I would of course empty the jerry cans into the tank as soon as practical.

How one assesses the relative risk of carrying extra gas vs running out during an emergency is of course a personal decision.

Gasoline requires some care.

There was a person recently carrying gasoline in a plastic container inside their vehicle. the gas ignited because of an electrical spark ... the container was not grounded. the interior of the car turned into a blazing inferno. the person was killed because their lungs were scorched.

I admit that scenario is very uncommon. but it did hapoen.

I always carry gas containers on an exterior rack. But the suggestion of a small high quality traler is a SUPER GOOD idea.

Do you have a link for the vehicle fire because of the jerry can?

An external rack will work, but I would not use a hitch mounted type as all you need is someone to rear end your vehicle and hitch rack that may have 10 or 20 gallons of gas strapped in.

Instead, a roof mounted carrier basket rack is better. These racks are easily mounted and removed by most and can be had for a decent price on Amazon.

teslinhiker

I did a search and I cannot find that article. One thing that is very frustrating about the Internet ... articles that you read 5-6 years ago are almost impossible to find now.

There are quite a few incidents reported where people ignited gasoline inside their cars - mostly caused by people smoking cigarettes while they were driving. That risk is understandable.

There were a couple of incidents where it appears that a gasoline container leaked ... there was a hairline crack in the plastic, or the top was not completely sealed. Any time that you have gasoline fumes "exposed" inside the vehicle ... it is highly risky.

I have done this myself. It was foolish, but I didn't think through the risks. In the old days, when I was driving in Africa, I had to carry a couple of jerry cans with gasoline inside the 4x4. It was necessary, there were no more gas stations. But jerry cans often don't have lids that make a perfect seal - especially those you buy from stores in Africa. And since the roads are bumpy, pretty soon you have gasoline leaking down the outside of the jerry can, and the whole car smells like gas fumes. But that is extremely risky ... any spark or cigarette will turn the vehicle into an inferno.

Later on, I started transporting these jerry cans on roof racks.

I drive a truck and when I carry spare gas the containers are in the bed under the tonneau cover. I've never had leaks, but there are no electrical outlets or other sources of ignition (that I know of).

A second gas tank may be better solution. I once had a pickup truck, otherwise a POS, that did have that very worthwhile feature. Good thing, since it only got 10 mpg on a really good day....