Heres the drill:

You're in Chicago, at work 21 miles from home ( 33.5 km). Your first and second choices for transportation are unavailable. How do you get home?

For advanced students, its winter, during a blizzard and you've lost your wallet.

Go.

Guess I'll have to swim back to the Netherlands since the plane and boat are unavailable... <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

SWIM? SWIM? Build a raft my child, or a 747 out of duct tape and paracord.... <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

21 miles, huh?
Tell work, as I'm leaving, that I won't be in tomorrow, take a week off, claim I got lost walking home <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Ok, now the serious answer; depending on the time, I may actually attempt the walk. In a blizzard, nope. Find a YMCA, or a bus/train station, and hole up till the AM. Without a wallet, in the cold, you just gotta suffer through the night. Besides, it'll make for a great story when you go back to work.
In a week <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I was in the NYC blackout in 2003. Staying at the office overnight wasn't so bad, since I was prepared with food, crank radio etc.

If you HAVE to get home and have done your homework, you will know where the public shelters (usually schools, YMCAs etc.) are located. Break the 21 mile trip into short trips from shelter to shelter where you can rest, warm up and get a bite of grub.

If know NYC has a great emergency preparedness website that shows where the hurricane impact zones, escape routs, emergency shelters are. Anyone in a large urban area would be wise to make a copy of your city's info and put it in your BOB.

IF the blizzard is so bad it is shuting down transportation, i would stay at work. Using the emergancy money in my locker to put in some more food. And stay where i am, oh and bill them for extra hours i am there.

I'd be holing up are my office where I have a stash of emergency supplies (I have a well stocked BOB locked in a file drawer in my current office, with >>>), and extra cash, ATM card, and Credit card. Extra winter clothes and a toilet kit are on the coat coat hooks in a corner of my office. [Besides my stocked Yukon is less than 100 feet from the building! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.] People know where I am, I know the area. Hunker down and wait till transportation is available, or someone can get to me.
Walking 21 miles in cold Chicago temps and a blizzard is far harder than walking 21 miles on a warm spring day.

Not making light of your scenario, but I have been in Chicago in the winter, and I ain't going back again, never ever...

1st choice: Car
2nd choice: Bus

Choices:
Subway: Depends on where you live and if a terminal is near you.
Cab: Unless this counts as a car.
Walk: If you walk at a hurry, 4 mph, you can get home in about 6 hours.
Bum a ride from a neighbor or co-worker.
Go to a resturant that delivers and order some food to get delivered at your house and bum a ride with the driver for an extra tip.

But if you don't have to get home stay at work or get a hotel room.

Advanced:

Call the police to pick you up because they can't let you freeze to death in the cold.

"...Go to a resturant that delivers and order some food to get delivered at your house and bum a ride with the driver for an extra tip..."

Now THAT is an intersting idea. I suspect that most places would have a "no riders" policy, but it would be worth trying.

Re calling the police, I can just about guarantee you that all they might do would be to take you to a "place of safety," like an all night diner or something. They would politely (maybe) inform you that they are not a taxi...

I've never been to Chicago and may be dooming myself in my response.But,the 21 miles home-I'm going with the urban setting-is not "as the crow flies" and therefore my journey with probably be no more than 10+ miles.If I know the area(I would hope to)I would already know of any police stations,Wal-mart type stores,Pharmacies,Friends and family members homes that are between my work and home if I would be travelling in a relatively straight line.Given the urban setting the tall buildings should give some protection,depending upon wind direction,in between any stops that can be made.I would try for a place where I could ride out the storm and get a ride later but if snow removal is a problem I would be stuck either outside anyway(when the store does close) or left at a friends/family member home until road/bus traffic was an option.If I was able to obtain or already wearing good protective clothing I would most likely continue until I made my way home.Again,never being in Chicago I may be a popcicle by days end. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I never have tried to bum a ride from the police or a delivery man but i rather look like a jackass than be dead. The senario says you need to get home and those are just options.

Also a good reason to donate to police funds and to know a few cops personally.

21 miles means you live out in the relatively far "newer" suburbs rather than the older suburbs. That means the your public transportation is limited to the train or taxi. The only real options for you to go from Chicago to home are:

1. Personal vehicle
2. Train (Metra or similar)
3. Taxi
4. Buses (plural - there may be a network that can get you there but I've never heard of folks doing it)
5. Bicycle - you'd have to stick to less travelled roads - they exist if you plan ahead, but you'd need to bicycle there in Chicago when you need it.
6. Walk - figuring 3 mph, having to go along side streets, as opposed to major highways, it could take 10-12 hours. With the weather we're having today this could be a nightmare.

Quite frankly the best bet might be to bike or walk out and hope whatever hit the fan is less of an issue as you get away from the city - allowing you to access transportation or have friends/family come and get you.

Or ... just hunker down in Chicago and wait for things to calm down.

Make it 36 miles. (From the Loop to Naperville).

First and second choices, to be excluded, would have to be Metra and personal vehicle.

Now you've got problems. Chicago lacks any long-distance public transportation other than Metra.

If you've ever seen the Eiisenhower during a blizzard, you'll know a cab isn't going to cut it. Particulalry if you've lost your wallet. That's an $80.00 ride when the roads are clear. DAMHIKT.

My first choice would be to hunker down at the office.

If I had to get out, I would pick a spot outside the Loop and coordinate a pick up with SWMBO. Traveling in a midwestern blizzard is not for the faint of heart.

M


By the way, OldBaldGuy, our winters build character... <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Unless your rules for the game state otherwise, I'm staying at the office with my supplies and basic BOB that I've hidden in my file cabinet. That trip (20+ miles) would take me over five hours walking in good weather. Hunkering down for one or two days is better than dying of hypothermia

Given that I'm a teacher, I'm probably also stuck in the classroom with my students - all high school girls - and I better make certain that I've packed earplugs and aspirin.

Hmm, twenty one miles in a blizzard in Chicago...

Unless there's some public transportation service capable of navigating in the blizzard, then I would suggest staying put till the blizzard is done at the least. By the time you could make alternate transport arrangements you would probably have taken as long anyways. If it were dire for me to get home, I'd probably jack up one of the municipal snow plows and pay the consequences later. Not much of an alternative, not because of the impending jail time later, but because of excessive risk of traveling in very adverse circumstances. If the snow plows aren't running because the weather's too much, then travelling would become pretty pointless.

Having learned the hard way why they call Chicago the windy city, I wouldn't want anything but a tail wind on a bike, and studded tires for the snow and ice...

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. But usually, the worse the weather, the busier the officers are, so that even if they wanted to play taxi, and wanted to drive far off of their beat (something the old Sarge frowns on), they would be too busy to do it...

This is very real to me as my wife works 15 miles from Chicago and commutes about 20 miles farther out.
I can't work out this scenario as in the suburbs, there is only one choice of transportation- car. She can't get within 4 miles of our house from any form of public transportation.
That being said, she works with 90 people, many coming in the same general direction, so grouping up would be the next best alternative. If driving was out, and things were turning SHTF, hunkering down at work would be possible as they do have a cafeteria.
I take this exercize seriously as I was in the 89 SF quake, quite unaffected in the East Bay, while neighbors who had business on the peninsula couldn't communicate home for 6-10 hours, and some didn't get home until the following day.
I guess our current situation in Chicago looks a lot easier to figure out, but I am still stuck on "I don't know" regarding the original premise.

I'll shift to New York, since:

a) this scenario has already happened to me and
b) it could happen again.

The short answer is:

Don't try to get home. Really, that's all there is to it.

Don't bother, you can't do it, don't add to the problem.

The next thing to do is get into warm shelter. A store will do. An office building, a bus station. When I got stuck in NYC, I was in an office. And you can spend a few nights in an office - it's not that horrible.

My NYC overnight was in the blizzard of 1996, and although I didn't have a lost wallet, I had no money and no credit cards, so the wallet was useless. I found a comfy chair, pulled my coat on as a blanket and all was well.

I've also overnighted at airports around the nation. Carry a towel everywhere you go, and all will be fine.

Stay or go? That depends on what gear you have and what the consequences are. If the rest of my family are safe I would stay put. If not, its time to move. Bear in mind that I am an experianced, properly equipped, mountain survival trained individual and not an office wallah. Move from shelter to shelter and use the lee side of buildings as windbreaks. Move slowly. Drink plenty of water (use thermos flask so that it does not freeze.) Be aware that buildings can tunnel wind and snow. Keep carefull track of where you are. Expect it to take 8-10 hours or so to cover 21 miles. More if you have to move into the wind.

Don't try this unless you know EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING! Otherwise take Martin''s advice.

I have never been to NYC (well, 'cept for an hour or so at JFK), but when I was in Chicago in the service in the 60's, the PD walked thru the Greyhound station all the time checking for tickets; no ticket, no stay in the station. That included bums, GI's in uniform, anyone, and the weather outside be damned. No ticket, out you went into those famous Chicago winds (I had never seen snow, sleet, and hail come down sideways before, all at the same time). I don't know if they have lightened up over the years or not...

Well, seeing as I work in downtown Chicago and home is nearly 35 miles away, this is a scenario I've considered.

1st choice: Metra (and it would take something awfully big to dirupt that, but it's certainly possible).
2nd choice: car (but traffic can be truly terrible).

I'd take it in stages taking the bus and walking -- I carry transit maps with me and I grew up here, so I'm pretty familiar with what areas to avoid and where the bridges across the rivers are.

If there was a blizzard -- nuh uh, I have plenty of food, a change of clothing, and my yoga mat in my office (in addition to the multi-band radio, etc.) -- I'm staying put. If I had already left the office and couldn't get back in, there are warming centers run by the city -- a lot better than nothing.

My other major option is to hike a few miles north along LSD to my aunt's condo. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for posing the question -- these are great exercises!

Thoueris,

Hey, welcome to the fire. I like you sig quote, it's very true!

-Blast

"...I'm staying put..." Good plan, in my estimation.

Welcome...

I honestly can not think of a worse place to be in an emergency. You have my condolences.

Great answers -- Chicago in the Winter can be pretty brutal. New Scenario next week.

TRO

I'm here right now and we are seeing the coldest air in maybe a couple of years.
It is freezing, brother, and if the SHTF on a day like today, you would be in for some very rough sledding.

Carry a towel every where you go. Best survival tip from Hitchikers Guide to th Galaxy

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