Lights Out - 2017 edition

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  • 88E30M50

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    I just finished reading 'Light's Out' for the umpteenth time and each time I'm struck with the question of what would change if it were written in today's world. Here are a couple of guesses as to what might change if it were written today:


    • There would be fewer running vehicles due to the ever dwindling number of older vehicles and parts stores that stock parts on the shelf for them
    • Maybe fewer working CB radios, but more FRS radios to be had
    • The number of ARs would be huge. In the original LO, ARs were few and far between with most weapons being of the hunting variety
    • The fights at night would be different with the plethora of red dot sights in common use today

    I'm sure that there are other things that time would have changed.
     

    bwframe

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    I've seen some posts lately inferring that the most modern vehicles are well enough shielded to avoid being disabled by the explosion?
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    I've seen some posts lately inferring that the most modern vehicles are well enough shielded to avoid being disabled by the explosion?

    There is a long discussion in the prepper thread as to EMF. I believe it is a sticky.It is a good read. There are some very informative posts in there from some folks that obviously know whats up.

    If you are close enough to the event to effect your car then nothing will matter anyway.
    The big thing will be getting fuel.
     

    snorko

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    I picked up Ted Koppel's non-fiction book of the same name a while back but have not read it yet. Not emp based but gets into grid down scenarios.
     

    rhino

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    There is a long discussion in the prepper thread as to EMF. I believe it is a sticky.It is a good read. There are some very informative posts in there from some folks that obviously know whats up.

    If you are close enough to the event to effect your car then nothing will matter anyway.
    The big thing will be getting fuel.

    Yep.


    Yep, most cars will still be running, unless you are very close to the EMP.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GARhAT0zLV0
    A good video on EMPs, and he seems like a real smart guy

    Yep.


    I have often wondered if my steel pole barn stored vehicles would be good to go?

    Depends on how it's built. I wouldn't worry about your vehicles, especially if they're not running at the time.

    If the intensity of the EMP is big enough to permanently disable the computer in your vehicle, the cause of it (i.e. the nuclear detonation) will incinerate you anyway.

    A less intense EMP might make your engine shut down, but you should be able to restart it.
     

    The Professor

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    I've seen some posts lately inferring that the most modern vehicles are well enough shielded to avoid being disabled by the explosion?

    The problem with EMP is not if your vehicle will start. Sorry guys, but nobody will know until it actually happens.

    If your car still runs, great. . .that's not the real problem The real problem is that the grid will be down. No power means no production or distribution capabilities for almost everything. . . including fuel.

    Let's assume your vehicle is unaffected. . .how long will that fuel you have last you? Do you have a supply at home? Almost immediately, one of two things will happen:

    1. Some smarter individuals will try to secure fuel by whatever means they can. How much they can get will be directly limited by how much they can store or transport in the short time before #2, below, happens. How many fuel cans do you have? If you're a farmer, you probably have one or two tanks capable of holding that fuel. But how do you transport it from the tank at the gas station (which will no longer be able to PUMP it to you, so you'll have to figure out a way to siphon it out of the ground tank)? Again, a farmer or ag-worker may have access to a fuel truck that they use to fuel combines and tractors in the field.

    But do you?

    2. The biggest problem is that immediately after an EMP strike (or, possibly, even before if there's intel that is not disseminated to the average Joe, any local, county, state or even Federal authorities will move to secure whatever fuel they can so they can continue operating.

    Again, this leaves you with the fuel you will have on-hand, most likely.

    So, it all falls back to the question: how much fuel do you have IF your vehicles start and what will you do with it?

    The Professor
     

    88E30M50

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    I picked up Ted Koppel's non-fiction book of the same name a while back but have not read it yet. Not emp based but gets into grid down scenarios.

    I read that. If the grid collapsed through EMP or other means, it could be quite a while before the massive transformers are able to be replaced. Without the grid, life becomes a lot more difficult in every way.
     

    bwframe

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    The problem with EMP is not if your vehicle will start. Sorry guys, but nobody will know until it actually happens.

    If your car still runs, great. . .that's not the real problem The real problem is that the grid will be down. No power means no production or distribution capabilities for almost everything. . . including fuel.

    Let's assume your vehicle is unaffected. . .how long will that fuel you have last you? Do you have a supply at home? Almost immediately, one of two things will happen:

    1. Some smarter individuals will try to secure fuel by whatever means they can. How much they can get will be directly limited by how much they can store or transport in the short time before #2, below, happens. How many fuel cans do you have? If you're a farmer, you probably have one or two tanks capable of holding that fuel. But how do you transport it from the tank at the gas station (which will no longer be able to PUMP it to you, so you'll have to figure out a way to siphon it out of the ground tank)? Again, a farmer or ag-worker may have access to a fuel truck that they use to fuel combines and tractors in the field.

    But do you?

    2. The biggest problem is that immediately after an EMP strike (or, possibly, even before if there's intel that is not disseminated to the average Joe, any local, county, state or even Federal authorities will move to secure whatever fuel they can so they can continue operating.

    Again, this leaves you with the fuel you will have on-hand, most likely.

    So, it all falls back to the question: how much fuel do you have IF your vehicles start and what will you do with it?

    The Professor


    Good points.

    Yeah, I might have some fuel on hand as a routine. ;)
     

    rhino

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    It's tough to keep a significant amount of fuel reserve with you live in town. All the more reason to never let your tank go below half full. I've been letting mine go to almost empty to take advantage of fuel points at Kroger, but I need to just get a couple more gas cans to make sure I get the 35 gal each time. Note: rhino saved $36.75 at his last fill-up of 35 gal.

    I also need to label my cans so that I cycle through them FIFO.

    Speaking of which . . . I have 30 gal in the tank of my old truck. I drive it occasionally keep it in working order, but I'm concerned I won't use the fuel before it starts to get weird stuff growing in it.
     

    The Professor

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    Speaking of which . . . I have 30 gal in the tank of my old truck. I drive it occasionally keep it in working order, but I'm concerned I won't use the fuel before it starts to get weird stuff growing in it.

    Just get some Sta-Bil or Star Tron and dump it in. You'll be fine.

    The Professor
     

    rhino

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    Got a way to pump it out?

    No, but we could make that happen. Keeping that 30+ gal as emergency storage than I can use in the truck or pump into cans or another vehicle isn't a bad idea.

    In fact, a hand pump would be a good thing to have for emergencies anyway. Siphoning the old fashioned way where you inevitably get a mouthful of 87 octane unleaded is unpleasant at best. And wasteful.
     

    bwframe

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    No, but we could make that happen. Keeping that 30+ gal as emergency storage than I can use in the truck or pump into cans or another vehicle isn't a bad idea.

    In fact, a hand pump would be a good thing to have for emergencies anyway. Siphoning the old fashioned way where you inevitably get a mouthful of 87 octane unleaded is unpleasant at best. And wasteful.

    Assuming you still have the cool locking bed cover on your truck, you could store a few 5 gallon cans in the bed also. Be handy for rotation also.
     
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