What people will forget in a zombie-holocaust

[WolfThomas]

Yes this is a zombie thread and I do realise that they are the current bane of the escapist (much like versus threads a while ago), but I believe the idea of this thread is unique compared to the sea of "what is your zombie weapon/stronghold/plan/type?" threads.

This is a thread about the little things that people will forget or overlook when talking about a zombie apocalypse, stuff like can openers or spare tires. What essential items do you think people need to take into consideration?

For me it's gloves, I think these are something people don't often think of, but be they leather/ski/kevlar as long as they're sturdy I believe they could save someone's life. Think about when someone is attacked/tackled by a person or animal, what is the first thing you throw up to defend youself with? Your hands.

In a situation where a single bite can kill this is the last thing you want undefended. A good glove could allow the hand to be used to push a zombie's head back (especially if they're on top of you) and allow the other hand to grab a weapon to kill them with while protecting the face. Human teeth are not particulary sharp so even if they manage to bite the fingers, the damage would be more crushing than tearing potentially breaking/bruising fingers but sparing blood to blood contact.

What are your ideas?

 

[ultrachicken]

Gloves are also a good idea in case you fall or something. You don't want your hands to be injured.

I'd say good running shoes, with treads, so that you're less likely to trip or sprain your ankle.

 

[Billska]

One of these...

After all, it's always good to keep count on how many zombies you killed.

 

[Firoth]

Electricity. If the zompocalypse happens, no one's gonna go into work to manage power plants, so it won't last more than a day or 2 on it's own. All the frozen food, meat, dairy sections are gonna spoil pretty quick.
EDIT: Not to mention lighting your home and the streets at night, running your water, flushing your toilet, pumping gas if you manage to get to a station.

 

[Dango]

Zombies can't open doors, nor can they break them if they are metal. So just find a room with metal doors and no windows and you win.

 

[chainer1216]

vitamin C.

In the zombies apocalypse it'll be hard to tell the difference between a zombie and a person with scurvy.

 

[Firoth]

vitamin C.

In the zombies apocalypse it'll be hard to tell the difference between a zombie and a person with scurvy.

Except you can ask (from a distance of course) "Hey, are you a zombie?" If they don't respond immediately, well...'Remove the head, or damage the brain.'

 

[WolfThomas]

Another thing is reloading, as in reloading bullets. A good press, plenty of powder and projectiles can stretch 100 cartridges to about 600.

Electricity. If the zompocalypse happens, no one's gonna go into work to manage power plants, so it won't last more than a day or 2 on it's own. All the frozen food, meat, dairy sections are gonna spoil pretty quick.

A very good point, most supermarkets/grocery stores are going to be foul after a week, filled with bugs. Foraging for non-perishables is going to a little more unpleasant than people think and hiding out in a store would require quick disposal of all that stuff.

Water on the other hand is an interesting issue, depending on the complexity of the systems in place there may be no water from taps or plenty. Many towns work on gravity based systems and with less users there's less strain on the system. Though most water would still have to be boiled because no one is watching it's quality.

After all, it's always good to keep count on how many zombies you killed.

Heh, I'm going to need to get one now.

vitamin C.

In the zombies apocalypse it'll be hard to tell the difference between a zombie and a person with scurvy.

Tinned fruit and powdered juice might help alleviate that scurvy, as well as anything that can be found on trees. But it's definitely something to keep in mind, vitamin deficiencies are quite likely.

 

[dlawnro]

Staying the hell out of industrial areas. I saw part of this thing on the Discovery Channel looking at what would happen if humans just disappeared. An interesting point they brought up is that some manufacturing processes require highly toxic chemicals which are gasses at STP but are stored in cooling tanks to keep them as liquids. Without electricity, the cooling processes would shut down, causing these gasses to expand until they are released either through catastrophic failure of their containment tanks or are vented out as an automatic safety measure. Either way, without people supplying power to the buildings housing these chemicals, lots of highly poisonous gasses are going to be released, potentially causing the deaths of thousands of scavengers in the aftermath of said apocalypse.

 

[Guest_Star]

How to fucken survive in the wild.
Most ppl have already forgotten (or never knew) this and with the break down of infrastructure they will prolly die of exposure long before the zombies get them.

 

[Gigaguy64]

Good Blades/Knives and some metal to sharpen them with.
Belts.
A good Over coat.
And a towel.

 

[Firoth]

How to fucken survive in the wild.
Most ppl have already forgotten (or never knew) this and with the break down of infrastructure they will prolly die of exposure long before the zombies get them.

Good thing I have all the seasons of Survivorman and Man vs Wild, I'll be totally fine. (Probably, not so much)

 

[captaincabbage]

Electricity. If the zompocalypse happens, no one's gonna go into work to manage power plants, so it won't last more than a day or 2 on it's own. All the frozen food, meat, dairy sections are gonna spoil pretty quick.
EDIT: Not to mention lighting your home and the streets at night, running your water, flushing your toilet, pumping gas if you manage to get to a station.

The exectricity thing is a huge factor. I remember seeing this doco about a supermarket that lost power and was abandoned with all the produce still in it, in a month it was literally more toxic than the chernobyl power plant. If you went near it you experienced asphyxiation and spores in your lungs and stuff.

OT: I reckon canned food is the big one here. When it comes down to it, it's gonna take a lot of throwing up before you get used to skinning a rabbit, if you've never done it before at least, which I can imagine a lot of nerds haven't had too much experience with.

Another factor would be personal health and fitness. Naturally all that running would give you quite a bit of stamina in the long run (Get it? GET IT!??), but I'm talking about upper body strength. You need quite the upper body strength to swing a machete all day, even if it's just normal stuff like hacking underbrush and stuff. I takes it toll, not to mention carrying all the spare clothes, first aid, waponry, ammo, preserved foods and tools you're gonna need.

 

[thetrue13th]

Hygiene.
Many potential survivors would probably be killed off by easy to prevent diseases because they neglected to wash regularly, clean out wounds and exercise proper latrine conduct.
And now I'm THAT GUY.

 

[Om Nom Nom]

That, in a realistic scenario, the military would stamp out the problem pretty damn fast. There'd be chaos, but the world wouldn't fall apart.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

A good book. You will need to unwind after a long day of zombie killing.

Also, uncontaminated water would be useful.

 

[Fallen-Angel Risen-Demon]

According to films to SHOOT THEM IN THE FUCKING HEAD!!!
Every zombie movie has done that...
EDIT: Double tap.

 

[Katani Koneko]

I'd say boots. It would be pretty dang embarrassing if you were running away from zombies and all of a sudden stub your toe on a pipe.

Come to think of it, just sensible clothing. I can tell you right now, all the girls wearing high heels to school/work are going to be some of the first to be infected. Right after the kid who sleeps in the back of the class the whole dang time.

 

[Firoth]

My ability to care.
Even if zombies showed up one day. They would not stand a chance in hell. By now everyone knows what a zombie does and how to kill them but even if they did not it still would not happen.

Random dude starts eating other people, first thing everyone else is gonna do is shoot the fucker. If he does not drop they will shoot him in the face. Then when the second person gets up and imitating his behaviour they would shoot him in the head too.
Zombie threat wiped out.

But, what if it's like '28 Days Later' or 'I am Legend' where the zombies are actually fast, strong, and vicious? Personally, I agree with you on your point, but, what if we have zombies all wrong?