VEHICLES

Why walk when you could ride? Americans have always been
obsessed with the idea of labor-saving machinery. In all walks of life,
industry struggles in an endless race to invent and perfect machines
that make the chores of everyday life faster, easier, and more efficient.
And what could be a greater deity of American techno-religion than
the automobile? No matter what our age, gender, race, economic status,
or geographic location, we are taught that this omnipotent
machine, in all of its wondrous forms, is the answer to our prayers.
Why wouldn't this be true during a zombie outbreak? Wouldn't it
make sense to just race across hostile ground? Travel time would be
reduced from days to mere hours. Equipment storage would no longer
be a problem. And what danger would zombies present when you
could simply mn them over? These are powerful advantages, to be
sure, but with them come a host of equally powerful problems.
Consider fuel consumption. Gas stations may be few and far
between. Chances are those you do find will have been drained long
ago. Determining the exact mileage of your vehicle, packing it with
extra fuel, even planning the exact route may get you only so far.
How will you know which path will lead to safety? Post-infestation
studies, particularly in North America, have shown that most roads
quickly become blocked by abandoned vehicles. Additional obstacles
may include destroyed bridges, piles of debris, and barricades abandoned
by last-ditch defenders. Off-roading presents an equal if not
greater challenge.  Driving through
the countryside, searching for an open path to freedom, is the best way
to run out of gas. More than one vehicle has been found alone in the
wilderness, tank dry, blood-smeared cabin empty.
Imagine a breakdown. Most Westerners transporting their vehicles
to Third World countries usually pack a full set of replacement pats.
The reasoning behind this is simple: The automobile is one of the most
complicated machines on earth. On bad roads, without the convenient
auto garage, this machine can quickly become a pile of useless junk.
And then there is noise. Roaring through an infestation may seem
ateactive when things are going well. But any powered engine, no matter
how good the muffler, generates more noise than the loudest human
footstep. If you find yourself in a vehicle that for whatever reason cannot
go another foot, grab your gear and run! Until this moment, you
have been announcing your presence to every ghoul in the area. Now,
with your mechanized mobility gone, good luck in avoiding them.
Despite these warnings, the lure of motorized transport can seem
irresistible. The following is a short list of typical vehicles and their
advantages and disadvantages.

1. THE SEDAN
What is otherwise known as your basic "car" has thousands of variations.
This makes it difficult to generalize about their advantages and
disadvantages. When choosing, look for gas mileage, equipment storage
space, and durability. If sedans have one major drawback, it is their
lack of all-terrain capability. As stated before, most roads will be
blocked, jammed, or desa'oyed. If you own a sedan, imagine how it
would perform crossing a field. Now add snow, mud, rocks, tree
stumps, ditches, streambeds, and a variety of rusting, forgotten junk.
Chances are that your sedan would not get very far. Too often, the land
around an infested area has been littered with broken-down andlor
stuck sedans.

2. THE SUV
With a booming economy coupled with an abundance of cheap gasoline,
the 1990s saw an explosion of these types of vehicles-road monsters
harkening back to the automotive golden age of the 1950s, when
bigger was always better. At first glance, they appear to be the ideal
means of escape. With the off-road capability of a military vehicle and
I the comfort and reliability of a sedan, what could be better for fleeing
the undead? The answer is: a lot. Despite their appearance, not all
SUVs are equipped for all-terrain driving. Many were produced for a
consumer who never even contemplated taking his SUV beyond his
own neighborhood. But what about safety? Shouldn't the sheer mass
of such large vehicles offer more protection? The answer is, again, no.
Repeated consumer studies have shown that many SUVs possess
safety standards well below that of many mid-sized sedans. That said,
some of these vehicles are truly what they appear to be: rugged,
dependable workhorses that can handle unforgiving conditions.
Research your options carefully so you can tell these genuine models
from the gas-guzzling, aesthetically engineered, irresponsibly marketed
vanity pieces.

3. THE TRUCK
This class refers to any mid-sized cargo vehicles, from vans to delivery
trucks to recreational vehicles. With poor gas mileage, limited offroad
capability (depending on the model), and massive, ungainly hulk,
these vehicles could be considered the worst choice in transportation.
In many cases, trucks have become stuck in both urban and wilderness
settings, transforming their occupants into canned food.

4. THE BUS
As with the previous class, these
large road monsters can present
as much a danger to their drivers
as to the living dead. Forget
speed, forget maneuverability,
forget fuel efficiency, off-road
capability, stealth, or any other feature you will need to escape an
infested area. A bus has none of these. Ironically, if a bus has any
"advantage," it is as a means not of escape hut of defense. Twice,
hunting groups have driven police buses into infested areas and used
their vehicles as mobile fortresses. Unless you plan to use a bus in
this way, steer clear of them.

5. THE ARMORED CAR
These civilian tanks are rare, to
say the least. Unless you work for
a private security company or have
a vast personal fortune, it is
unlikely you will have access to
one. Despite their poor mileage
and lack of all-terrain capability,
annored cars present a number of
advantages for people on the run.
Their massive armor gives the driver virtual invulnerability. Even in a
breakdown, those inside could survive as long as their provisions held
out. A zombie horde of any size and strength would be incapable of
penetrating the reinforced steel.

6. THE MOTORCYCLE
Definitely the best choice for fleeing an infested area. The motorcycle-
specifically the dirt bike-can reach places inaccessible to fourwheeled
vehicles. Their speed and maneuverability allows them to be
The Zombie Survival Guide 107
ridden right through a crowd of
zombies. Their light weight
allows them to he pushed for
miles. Of course, there are drawbacks.
Motorcycles have small
gas tanks, and offer no protection
whatsoever. The statistics show,
however, that these are small disadvantages.
When compared to other motorists attempting to escape a
zombie outbreak, dirt-bike riders have a 23-to-1 survival rate. Sadly,
31 percent of motorcycle fatalities come from ordinary accidents.
Reckless and/or arrogant riders could find themselves killed just as
easily by a crash as by the jaws of walking dead.

. ADDITIONAL MOTOR-VEHICLE EQUIPMENT
Tire-patching gear
Pump
Extra fuel (as much as can be canied and stored outside of the
cabin)
Extra parts (within size limits)
C.B. radio
Instruction manual
Repair kit (jumper cables, jack, etc.)As with the previous class, these
large road monsters can present
as much a danger to their drivers
as to the living dead. Forget
speed, forget maneuverability,
forget fuel efficiency, off-road
capability, stealth, or any other feature you will need to escape an
infested area. A bus has none of these. Ironically, if a bus has any
"advantage," it is as a means not of escape hut of defense. Twice,
hunting groups have driven police buses into infested areas and used
their vehicles as mobile fortresses. Unless you plan to use a bus in
this way, steer clear of them.

5. THE ARMORED CAR
These civilian tanks are rare, to
say the least. Unless you work for
a private security company or have
a vast personal fortune, it is
unlikely you will have access to
one. Despite their poor mileage
and lack of all-terrain capability,
annored cars present a number of
advantages for people on the run.
Their massive armor gives the driver virtual invulnerability. Even in a
breakdown, those inside could survive as long as their provisions held
out. A zombie horde of any size and  strength would be incapable of
penetrating the reinforced steel.

6. THE MOTORCYCLE
Definitely the best choice for fleeing an infested area. The motorcycle-
specifically the dirt bike-can reach places inaccessible to fourwheeled
vehicles. Their speed and maneuverability allows them to be
ridden right through a crowd of
zombies. Their light weight
allows them to he pushed for
miles. Of course, there are drawbacks.
Motorcycles have small
gas tanks, and offer no protection
whatsoever. The statistics show,
however, that these are small disadvantages.
When compared to other motorists attempting to escape a
zombie outbreak, dirt-bike riders have a 23-to-1 survival rate. Sadly,
31 percent of motorcycle fatalities come from ordinary accidents.
Reckless and/or arrogant riders could find themselves killed just as
easily by a crash as by the jaws of walking dead.

.