The Facts:
Last night I was in a major car accident. I was driving a 1995 Ford Mustang when I was sideswiped and then T-boned by a Range Rover. The mustang spun out of control and hit the meridian as well. These are the unbiased facts.
The Truth:
Here is the truth. I feel like it’s my fault because I started to leave my lane and then decided not to. The Range Rover sped up to take my spot but when I didn’t leave he had to jerk into the left lane which spun him out of control. He was still going quite fast so I thought he was trying to pass me and slowed down. The rest is much the same.
The Feelings:
What it felt like? Well when I saw an SUV twice the size of my little sports car come slamming into me my first thought was, “Oh my God! He hit me because I cut him off!” I started thinking about trying to get his licence and maybe catching up with him. Then when he hit me the second time I thought “This guy is trying to kill us.” My window shattered into my face as rage built up and I realized all of a sudden people in the real world don’t just do this to other people. At this time I also noticed my brother’s side of the car was now headed straight for the concrete wall that is the meridian in the middle of the highway. This is when I panicked, realizing I would be fine no matter what but I could do nothing to protect my younger (but larger) brother. As soon as the car stopped I checked that he was okay, I then opened up a compartment in my car and pulled out two energy bars which we ate to get sugar into us and avoid the shock. My brother grabbed the two blankets from the back seat and we settled in because the mustang had been completely crushed into a windowless cage which held us in but did nothing to stop the -30 wind and snow.
The Relevance:
Why do I bring this story up? For two reasons: the first is a question of reality. Things that can happen in the “real world” versus what will happen when it’s the end of the world as we know it. Second is a look at how good this car will be after the fall.
Reality is strange. Straight up. Reality doesn’t make sense to me; perhaps this is why I am so prepared for when our world will change. My first thought was that this person was hitting me because I cut him off, I then lost all “reason” and thought he was trying to kill me. This threw my entire body into battle-mode and my mind was racing through safety issues, how to catch the guy, what I would do if he approached the car to finish us.
This of course seems like a completely illogical mind set but it kept me focused and ready for anything. When I realized it was just an accident and my brother was in danger I suddenly felt like my world had spiraled into chaos and there was no reasoning behind it. Which there wasn’t. It was an accident, pure and simple. Neither of us wanted it to happen: I was unsure what I was doing and he tried to pass me too fast in icy conditions. But it makes so much more sense and my mind and body were so much more ready if it were an act of vengeance or even a random act of violence.
In the apocalypse accidents will still happen but more so we will have to watch for these moments when we have to be ready. Because in that world just like in this one, everyone will be looking out for themselves and just trying to survive. And sometimes this will mean doing violence to other people, for defense, supplies, territory or even less “humane” reasons. –Wrath, greed, lust, pride… interesting how the deadly sins become reasons to commit atrocious acts, but revenge is not listed among them and even in today’s society revenge is looked on as a motivator for “good guys” while the others are motivation for “bad guys”. Will this opinion stay the same after the fall? Just a thought for now, will put more research into this later.
Now onto the more gritty down to earth part. Survival relating to vehicles.
First let’s look at the vehicle in question:
1995 Ford Mustang
Automatic
Rear-wheel drive
27 MPG
Top speed – 241km/h (150mph)
0-60 – 5.6s
Tank 70 liters (18.4 gallons)
Pros:
· High speed
· High acceleration
· Decent gas mileage
· Save cage
· Lots of room
· Easily repaired
· Hard to break into
This car is a powerful machine. The mustangs have a reputation for a good reason. Smoothly going to about 140km/h and then pushing to 190km/h without any trouble at all. The body is weak but makes a good cage, it will take any impact and protect the passengers. It’s also a powerhouse when it comes to pushing through rough road conditions, it has been field tested in a golf course covered in high snow and the mustang surpassed all expectations. This car is reliable and has the space to carry up to five passengers or a large amount of equipment and supplies. In the real world this car ranks among the top quarter of economically efficient vehicles, how does this relate? Simply put, gas; the mustang doesn’t use a lot of it compared to most other vehicles. One major asset to the mustang which many people will overlook is that it is easy to repair, most of the pieces easily slide in and out with only a few bolts or screws and due to the popularity of this car there are a good number of them out there to find and take parts from. The vehicle is relatively weak except when trying to break into it, various experts and professionals have tested it and require specialized equipment to break into the vehicle without smashing the windows, but who cares about smashing the windows? This is useful when needy to have safe gear, it will not prove very useful against the undead themselves as they will simply attempt to break the glass if you are inside, not the locks and won’t give the car much attention if unoccupied of course.
Cons:
· Automatic
· Weak body
· Low center
· Large body
· Hard to break into
· Reputation
The downsides of this car aren’t openly obvious but they are definitely there. First off with this model is that it is an automatic: making it easier to drive but losing all the power of the transmission and during this car from a winner and a real speed machine to a competitor who can’t reach its full potential. The mustang also has a weak body, after multiple field tests with different models of the famous Ford it never survives past the first serious crash. Minor bumps and scraps are easily fixed but anything at speed or with full impact will render the vehicle into scrap parts and cover. The car is also low-centered, meaning if you live in an area with a lot of snow, thick grass, deep mud, or debris the car will probably get caught on everything you can see. It rests a measly five inches above the ground in most places and even lower on the front. For having such a low center and weak body the car is very large in its class. The front end of the vehicle is almost as long as the rest of it and the trunk are much larger than it looks from the outside and sticks out far from the back of the cabin. The vehicle is relatively weak except when trying to break into it, various experts and professionals have tested it and require specialized equipment to break into the vehicle without smashing the windows, but who cares about smashing the windows? This will cause a problem if you need to get into the car in a hurry or to acquire the car if it is left abandoned and you are in need. Finally a problem with this car that many people may over look is its reputation. This can go both ways and is solely a physiological effect, tempting the driver to feel more powerful and invincible then they are but it will also draw attention from people looking to loot and scavenge.
Overall the vehicle is a good choice but has a few faults that hold it back from being a number one pick once the end arrives.
I underestimated my time and was unable to post a listing of equipment to keep in your vehicle and uses for these, why to use them instead of others, and situations in which this gear will save your life. Look forward to it in another post soon.
Until then, may the infection never reach you, and those close to you have the resolve to do what is needed should you be so unfortunate,
Mike D.
Mike D.
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