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Fighting Zombies? Chevrolet Reveals New "Black Ops" Concept Truck

cartechboy writes "Whether its the Mayan calendar, a rough economy, or a fear of zombies, there are people who are currently preparing for the end of the world, coming, like, soon. And they can attract some fringe elements. So maybe those elements are worth a little truck marketing. Yesterday at the Texas State Fair, Chevrolet unveiled a "Black Ops" concept truck that it says will "explore the extremes of preparedness." The truck comes with a vault storage unit, solar power pack, gas masks, gloves, a military first aid kit, a folding shovel, a generator and some rope. Twinkies apparently not included."

148 of 220 comments (clear)

  1. Good grief. by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is just a basic Silverado 1500 Crew Cab with a stupid paint job and a bunch of crap thrown in that and "prepper" already has. For Chevy's sake I hope this stays a "concept car" because the "concept" sucks and if this is a serious direction, Chevy is in serious trouble.

    This is posted at Slashdot why? Oh. Zombies.

    --
    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
    1. Re:Good grief. by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      Zombies? No. Twinkies! Harder to find than heroin...

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    2. Re:Good grief. by Mister+Transistor · · Score: 1

      Theeeeyyyyyyre Baaaaaaack! At least around Chicago area. Twinkie the Kid rides again!

      But they are scaled down! They are about 2/3 of their former size. Probably to make the caloric claims sound less outrageous, but they taste the same.

      I also am getting tired of the zombie crap, the world didn't end in 2012 - get over it, already...

      --
      -- You are in a maze of little, twisty passages, all different... --
    3. Re:Good grief. by mjwalshe · · Score: 1

      just get a Supercat Coyote instead

    4. Re:Good grief. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      There is an entire religion (Christianity) that is dedicated to worshipping a zombie, so that's not entirely surprising...

    5. Re:Good grief. by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      What do zombies have to do with 2012?

    6. Re:Good grief. by Mister+Transistor · · Score: 1

      You remember the whole Mayan calendar thing, and some other cosmic alignment that occurred sometime around then as well. Much to everyone's disappointment, the world did not end either of those times...

      --
      -- You are in a maze of little, twisty passages, all different... --
    7. Re:Good grief. by ATMAvatar · · Score: 1

      The only zombies would be the ones buying the truck.

      --
      "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
    8. Re:Good grief. by pepty · · Score: 1

      Actually this is an offshoot of the Canyonero.

      12 yards long, 2 lanes wide,

      65 tons of American Pride!

    9. Re:Good grief. by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      Ah, so zombies were to be a conduit of the apocolypse. I thought with The Core and 2012, the movies decided it was a "natural" disaster.

    10. Re:Good grief. by cavreader · · Score: 1

      I am not buying one of these until they add-on a swivel mounted 50 caliber SAW and some reactive armor.

    11. Re:Good grief. by Provocateur · · Score: 1

      Posted on /. because there is absolutely no mention of zombie-time cupholders.

      --
      WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
    12. Re:Good grief. by rts008 · · Score: 1

      ... a swivel mounted 50 caliber SAW...

      I could not ignore this mistake.

      A SAW is a Squad Automatic Weapon. It is meant to be carried and operated by one person, man-portable.

      A .50 cal M2 Browning MG (Machine Gun) is a crew served weapon, and classed as a Heavy Machine Gun. It takes a crew of people just to transport it, and setting it up, and keeping it in operation.

      The 'swivel mount' is known as a 'pintle mount'.

      Finally, you don't want reactive armor at your SAW, or HMG, unless the guns are remote operated. You DO NOT want to be near reactive armor stopping rounds as designed. Good way to become hamburger.

      Having said that, I also would like a .50 cal BMG (or several) turret-mounted on my vehicle! :-)

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    13. Re:Good grief. by aristotle-dude · · Score: 1

      Zombies? No. Twinkies! Harder to find than heroin...

      We never lost they in Canada because our were made by Saputo which licensed them from Hostess.

      --
      Jesus was a compassionate social conservative who called individuals to sin no more.
    14. Re:Good grief. by mjwalshe · · Score: 1

      nah the gimpy (m240) goes on the passenger door swivel mount the .5 cal goes on the pintel mount :-)

    15. Re:Good grief. by mikeiver1 · · Score: 1

      Thanks Chevy for allowing well to do men with small penises to display to the general public their malady and chosen method of compensation! Should be a really great seller for you.

    16. Re:Good grief. by rts008 · · Score: 1

      I stand corrected, and heartily approve.

      That plan sounds eminently functional, and well balanced.

      --
      Down With Slashdot BETA!!! I've been around the corner and seen the oliphant; you can only abuse me from your perspecti
  2. Thanks by PPH · · Score: 2

    I looked at TFA and saw the links to related articles on the right hand side. I found my preferred zombie apocalypse vehicle. Not the Chevy.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
    1. Re:Thanks by kramulous · · Score: 1

      Doesn't it worry you how much 'glass' there is in the front?

      Slow moving zombies, sure. But fast, angry zombies would punch a hole in that in no time.

      --
      .
    2. Re:Thanks by delt0r · · Score: 1

      The Marauder is my wife's first choice. check out 2:24 and 4 min in the video.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    3. Re:Thanks by delt0r · · Score: 1
      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    4. Re:Thanks by PPH · · Score: 1

      Tough vehicle. But straight axles rather than porrtal axles?

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    5. Re:Thanks by delt0r · · Score: 1

      It can drive through wall man! Through walls!

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    6. Re:Thanks by PPH · · Score: 1

      So can all the old people in my town who get the accelerator and brake pedals mixed up.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
  3. "Black Ops," eh? by Daniel+Dvorkin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You keep using that phrase. I do not think it means what you think it means.

    --
    The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
    1. Re:"Black Ops," eh? by Mister+Transistor · · Score: 1

      Sou you can hang yourself after you realize you just wasted your life.

      --
      -- You are in a maze of little, twisty passages, all different... --
    2. Re:"Black Ops," eh? by Daniel+Dvorkin · · Score: 1

      Yeah, pretty much that.

      --
      The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
    3. Re:"Black Ops," eh? by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      Nope, it's for a "Texas ride-along"

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  4. Totally Unprepared by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Unless it comes with an oil rig and refinery.

  5. I prepare for peace by Jerry+Smith · · Score: 1

    Because when I buy something to prepare myself there always be someone else who is prepared to take it from me. I better live like it is here, and not in some warzone. Or some retarded survivalist citadel.

    --
    All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
  6. Survival kit contents check by rwyoder · · Score: 1

    "In the bed is a (presumably) zombie-proof Truck Vault storage unit, containing a solar power pack, gas masks, gloves, a military First Aid kit, a folding shovel, and rope. Mounted atop the storage locker are a generator, fuel can, and food and water rations."

    Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.

  7. Snicker Snort. by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Informative

    Unless it's got a fully manual transmission and an engine that can run on when the electrical system goes away, it's crap. And guess what? This vehicle has neither. It's got a six-speed automatic and it's got a gasoline engine with full electronic control. Gasoline spoils rapidly and it's nontrivial to make more. Not impossible — you can use the ABE process, which is not exactly a new thing, to make Butanol. That's a 1:1 replacement.

    If you would like an actual apocalypsemobile, that's a Unimog (to get the seating capacity of this Silverado, a Doka) with an OM617.951 upgrade. It will cost you a pretty penny for a nice one with amenities like a heater, but it will go places that would make the Silverado weep and you can get one with hydraulics which can be used to run a winch that you would be hard-pressed to damage without ripping it out of the front of the truck. It will also continue running in the event of complete electrical failure, including your hydraulic winch.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    1. Re:Snicker Snort. by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2

      Funny, in the "related articles" section on TFA, they had a blurb on exactly that.

      The problem with the Unimog is that any non paraplegic zombie can outrun one and, if something does break, you'll never find the parts. It's basically a tractor with four wheels.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    2. Re:Snicker Snort. by AK+Marc · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Gasoline spoils rapidly

      I stored a car for 5 years. "store" meant putting it on jacks to relieve the pressure on the tires, and disconnecting the battery from the car and putting on a trickle charger once a month for a few days.

      Hooked up the battery after 5 years, and it turned over first try. Smelled like crap when the dust and (presuambly) bugs that had ended up in the exhaust burned off, but ran without an issue on 5-year old "regular" gasoline. No stabilizer was added.

      And when I lived in Alaska, I had a summer car. It was in storage, un-run for 6-months of the year. One of my storage activities would be to fill the tank before parking it. 6-months storage, full tank, never spoiled the fuel.

      Given that I've been in a place to see it happen many times, and it never did, don't believe in it anymore. It was made up by the people who make fuel stabilizers, or started back when the fuel was of very poor quality.

      Add that to your irrational attack on automatic, and you look like an uninformed vehicle snob.

    3. Re:Snicker Snort. by Teun · · Score: 2

      You're right about parts availability

      You're right, us in Europe can get the parts but we don't have to worry about your zombies.

      --
      "The likes of Facebook and WhatsApp are free to those whose privacy is of zero value."
    4. Re:Snicker Snort. by masterofthumbs · · Score: 1

      In some carburetors, the newer ethanol mixed gasoline will separate so that the ethanol gums up inside the carb and basically disables the engine until you break it down and clean it out. I've never had the issue with a car but I've had at least a couple of ATVs where the fuel separated after a long time in storage.

    5. Re:Snicker Snort. by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=AK

      Apparently all gasoline in Alaska is ethanol free. Or maybe the low temperatures slow the decay. The stories about it started before ethanol was common, so I'd guess it's having an unpressurized storage container in high heat will result in decay over time. That would get the results that have been reported as well, without violating rules of chemistry and physics that the myth. Mythbusters to the rescue, 100 year episode.

    6. Re:Snicker Snort. by oodaloop · · Score: 1

      Here, I googled it for you. There are apparently many sites explaining how and why gasoline spoils. Your story is one anecdote, if true. Thanks for wasting your time telling it though. You sure showed that vehicle snob.

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    7. Re:Snicker Snort. by AK+Marc · · Score: 2

      Yup, lots of "it might oxidize" or "water might get in" responses. A good sealed tank should keep gasonline nearly indefinitely.

      In the old days, tanks weren't sealed (not the fuel tank in cars, and not the stations underground tanks). The gas could oxidize or become contaminated. If your car has a "whoosh" when you open the tank, then you have a pressurized and sealed tank. Your gas will keep indefinitely, presuming it wasn't already contaminated before storage.

    8. Re:Snicker Snort. by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      At least with diesel generators you can run them off peanut-butter if necessary (heat in a pan, pour off separated oil, and run on it). Smells better than pump oil.

      Horses get you around, but they'll be zombie bait, if the zombies eat horses.

    9. Re:Snicker Snort. by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      Back in 1994 it happened with an old Yamaha scooter I once owned. It never got driven for about three years. When I tried to start it, no go. The tank smelled like paint thinner. When I pulled the carb apart, it was coated in thick dark brown sticky tar like substance. So ya, I think that was the gasoline that separated. I was able to get it working again. It required soaking the carb in some special cleaner solution (in what looked like a paint can) and replacing all the rubber o-rings and idle needle tip.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    10. Re:Snicker Snort. by LoRdTAW · · Score: 1

      Although the Unimog is a nice utility vehicle you would want an older one with fully mechanical fuel injection and plenty of spare parts such as brake components, suspension parts and driveline parts if you are in North America. If you really want bulletproof get an old Dodge Ram diesel. The older 6BT series Cummins had fully mechanical injection which means even if the battery is dead and the alternator doesn't work, the engine will still happily keep running. Mechanical injection also means if you have a dead battery you can pull or push start the engine.

      Manual vs automatic transmission is debatable depending on the engine fuel type and years made. In an old mechanical diesel the manual is your best option as you can now easily pull or push start it if the battery dies. In a gas job, unless you have a magneto for ignition (used only in race cars nowadays) a manual is useless for pull starting a dead battery.

      If you are looking for an apocalypse ready vehicle you are better off building your own. Everything sold today is so full of electronic junk and emissions systems that they are unreliable without a tow truck and garage on hand. Diesels are no where as reliable as they once were. Run out of DEF(adBlue)? Power derate aka limp home mode comes on. DPF clogged? Derate or engine shutdown. Battery dead? So are you unless you can jump it. High pressure common rail electronic injection killed the ability to pull start an engine. Some engine makers still use unit injection but with electronics on top of it so its still a no go.

      Here is my build:
      Old GM 4x4 CK 1500/2500 pickup chassis,8 foot bed and four door (aka crew cab).
      Cummins 4BT with 5 speed manual (you don't need tons of HP or torque if you want to be efficient while still being able to get out of jams.)
      Fuel system devoid of rubber so fuels other than diesel could be used in an emergency (rubber swells and fails with other fuels).
      Auxiliary hand cranked spring starter in case pull or push starting is not an option.
      Extra alternator and battery, some spare parts and tools.
      Some kind of bed cover or camper body that is low CG yet roomy enough for storage and sleeping.
      Winch, with a pull capacity at least double the trucks weight.
      Roof rack front to back that is re enforced which would allow a few people to stand atop the truck and also hold some cargo if necessary. also would double as a roll cage for worst case scenarios.
      Door between cab and bed/body and a hatch from both to the roof rack for better movement or escape options.
      Plenty of lighting with stone guards including a search light and spare bulbs, better make em quality LED for longevity and ruggedness.
      spare tire or two, hand tools to remove/mount the tire and the rim and tire plug kits. Also a good 12v compressor and manual tire pump as a backup.
      Heavy duty rope, snatch blocks, chains, tow strap etc. get yourself out of a bind without the winch if necessary.
      Extra fluids and a nice tool kit including duct tape.

      Then stock it with your survival supplies and tools as you see fit.

      A small Detroit Diesel 53 series engine would also be nice but they are heavy as hell. Really any smaller 4 cylinder fully mechanical diesel would be fine as long as parts are easy to get. 100-150HP is enough for most applications and they sip fuel. We used to have a 1989 Isuzu box truck with a small 4 cylinder 100 HP diesel that would go 250-300 miles on a 20 gallon tank loaded with upward of six thousand pounds. It wasn't as rocket ship but it did the job just fine.

    11. Re:Snicker Snort. by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Although the Unimog is a nice utility vehicle you would want an older one with fully mechanical fuel injection and plenty of spare parts such as brake components, suspension parts and driveline parts if you are in North America.

      You're going to want all of that for any vehicle anyway. After a few years of sitting in junkyards or on the side of the road, most of that is useless anyway due to rusting. And yeah, I'm not talking about fancy pants new 'mogs, I'm talking about classics like the 404.

      If you really want bulletproof get an old Dodge Ram diesel. The older 6BT series Cummins had fully mechanical injection which means even if the battery is dead and the alternator doesn't work, the engine will still happily keep running. Mechanical injection also means if you have a dead battery you can pull or push start the engine.

      Ah, but only the (IIRC) 1994-1998 (might be off a year on one or both ends) has a decent injection pump with one pump per cylinder. That's another advantage of the particular bosch jetronic system used on the OM617; it's not unique but it is unusual because it makes for an expensive injection pump and expensive rebuilds. The OM617 has only five cylinders, so it was less additional expense. If you've got an IP with two pumps and a rotor that's more or less three cylinders already, why not get rid of that rotor and add a couple more pumps?

      IPs with less than one pump per cylinder wear out faster. And in particular, the diesel chevys and early diesel fords use the Stanadyne DB-2, which is crap. Pretty much guaranteed to go out around 200k on modern fuel, probably faster on WMO or WVO.

      Manual vs automatic transmission is debatable depending on the engine fuel type and years made.

      Not really. I like driving automatics just fine, but they are more prone to failure, period the end. In particular, they will not work in the event of complete electrical failure, which again is a non-negotiable point. Even if you have a gasser, you still want to be able to bump start for those times when your battery won't run the starter but will run the ignition.

      If you are looking for an apocalypse ready vehicle you are better off building your own.

      At least with a 'mog you have a chance of locating a donor vehicle.

      Everything sold today is so full of electronic junk and emissions systems that they are unreliable without a tow truck and garage on hand.

      And that's why the proper vehicle is something very old. I've fantasized about putting my OM617 into an old F100 and putting a duramax or TDI into my 300SD. Then I could get rid of my F250 with its ridiculous 7.3. I just don't need this much engine, though it's fun to be able to pass the land rover that's been fucking with me uphill on the right while hauling a load of firewood, it's not necessary.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    12. Re:Snicker Snort. by intermodal · · Score: 1

      I was thinking aircooled VW (those things are ever-repairable with the most bizarre bits of junk), but the Unimog would probably be a good choice as well.

      --
      In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
    13. Re:Snicker Snort. by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      No. It was a four cycle 125cc.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    14. Re:Snicker Snort. by Macgrrl · · Score: 1

      They don't need to swim, they just walk there slowly, mind you carnivorous fish are a bit of a problem.

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
  8. Why do people want to survive the end of the world by kawabago · · Score: 1

    Why do people want to survive the end of the world? So after the dust settles they can starve to death eating their own loneliness?

  9. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Zombies is a euphemism for nigger. Racists can openly fantasize about killing zombie where they could not about black peoples.

  10. Sounds like my car by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

    Except for the vault and gas masks, I think I have all that stuff in my car right now. Plus rope and tools.

  11. Uh, sure. OK by EvilSS · · Score: 1

    Thank's Chevy but if I go shopping for a zombie apocalypse vehicle I think I'll start with something like the Marauder

    --
    I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
  12. Petrol by hammeraxe · · Score: 1

    Right.... And what are you going to do when this thing runs out of petrol 10 miles down the road...

  13. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by Xenkar · · Score: 1

    All lifeforms are genetically programmed to ensure the survival of their DNA. Typically it takes parasites in the nervous system to turn off this programming.

    In their minds, most of their competition dies out and the Earth is left to their offspring. The offspring will be able to flourish with the knowledge they pass on.

    If anything, I have to say there is something wrong with people who don't want to survive. What kind of chemicals or parasites have invaded their brains to turn off their genetic programming?

  14. If ready for zombies, ready for anything by Antique+Geekmeister · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I had a fascinating talk last month with a man who lives near a flood plain. Not in it, but the dikes have been overwhelmed enough times in his lifetime that he's seen failures of basic transport and utilities for the area half a dozen times. He uses "surviving a zombie apocalypse" as his guideline for preparedness. So he keeps a plentiful supply of ammo, and practices with his weapons, and loads his own ammo: he also hunts with those and with a bow, and keeps a freezer full of venison. He also keeps quite a large amount of long-term stable food stores, some water and _water testing and purification_ tools. His vehicles are well built, maintained, and he has several small generators, one in the basement (for weather reasons) and one in a vehicle (for portable use).

    He's also doing backup fire and rescue duties for his county, and if there's a problem nearby, I want _him_ as one of my first responders.

    1. Re:If ready for zombies, ready for anything by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      keeps a freezer full of venison.

      Hope he has a generator dedicated solely to powering that freezer, otherwise things will go real bad in a hurry.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    2. Re:If ready for zombies, ready for anything by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2

      Really doesn't take too much power to keep a good freezer cold. If you run the generator an hour or so per day and don't leave the door open, you can freeze stuff for a long time.

      And if you do lose power, you invite the neighbors over and have a big almost-end-of-the-world party.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    3. Re:If ready for zombies, ready for anything by Antique+Geekmeister · · Score: 1

      He'll smoke it later, if he has to. It keeps well frozen, and it's also safer from vermin in the freezer.

    4. Re:If ready for zombies, ready for anything by Horshu · · Score: 1

      The whole "zombie apocalypse" fad just escapes me. I'm sure these folks have to know that zombies are fictional, so what gives? Is it the fantasy of blowing the heads of people without the stigma of being homicidal? Is it an attempt to justify doomsday prepping? Is it because vampires are passe? I just don't get it.

    5. Re:If ready for zombies, ready for anything by Anubis+IV · · Score: 1

      Wouldn't a typical top-loading/chest freezer handle this pretty well? They're well insulated, lose very little cold when opened, and are pretty standard among hunters and other folks of that sort that store meats for the long-term. Even if the power went out, a quick check through some survival-oriented forums seems to indicate that you can expect a packed one of those to stay frozen for at least three days, longer if you insulate it better or add dry ice.

      Not to mention that solar power is becoming a lot more popular these days. Who needs a generator when you can power everything without needing to procure fuel?

    6. Re:If ready for zombies, ready for anything by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      All I know is, we had a traditional fridge/freezer in our garage with about 15-20lbs of venison in the freezer a few years ago, then the power went out for about a day. The stain on the garage floor is still there. Of course, I am pretty sure that fridge is about as old as I am, so...

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    7. Re:If ready for zombies, ready for anything by TheSeatOfMyPants · · Score: 1

      "dikes" are butch lesbians. Maybe you meant dykes?

      No: traditionally dyke is slang for a lesbian, and dike is the British English term for a barrier wall against water ("levee" in American English).

      People mix them up often enough that they're both listed with the other term in parenthesis, though...and just to confuse the matter, dyke is used to refer to a narrow drainage ditch in Norfolk & Suffolk Broads or a low field wall in Scotland.

      --
      Now mostly at Usenet:comp.misc & SoylentNews.org (it's made of people!)
    8. Re:If ready for zombies, ready for anything by sharklasers · · Score: 1

      Shooting people in the head as a source of fantasy amusement is not particularly easy to defend compared to other interests though. Having said that, most FPS games consist of precisely this so what does that make most games?

    9. Re:If ready for zombies, ready for anything by delt0r · · Score: 1

      It shouldn't. Anymore than "we are all going to die" when it comes to climate change. End of the world predictions have always been popular. My reasoning on why is that people don't want to believe that they are just another person at just another date in history. If your around for the "end times" you were at least alive during something really important, and that makes them feel important.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
  15. Real horsepower by Nidi62 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A better way to be prepared would be to own and be able to ride a horse. Only fuel it needs is grass, hay, and water(and if there isn't enough water for both you and a horse where you are, you are probably screwed anyway), and when it eventually breaks down at least you can eat it. Best option would be 2 horses that you can switch out to avoid tiring them out. Can go places vehicles can't (you can ride along comfortably on the median or shoulder of a road, right past all those people trapped in a traffic jam or out of gas), and, in the case of zombies, a canter or even a slow trot will easily get you past any somewhat mobile rotting corpses. Plus the skittish nature of horses would serve as a warning system to any dangers while traveling through the woods or camped out at night. It would be cheaper than this truck, more useful, and would certainly last a lot longer.

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    1. Re:Real horsepower by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      Hard to keep horses in the garage in the unlikely event of a (insert specifics here) apocalypse. Horses are a lifestyle - great if you can pull it off. Hay is getting incredibly expensive in a lot of places. Your neighbor might not want their lawn and garden clipped quite so close.

      Besides, if you're a real survivalist, you won't touch a horse. They're pretty high maintenance. You want a donkey. Or some goats.

      Me, I'll stick to my pickup truck for as long as I can.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    2. Re:Real horsepower by DerekLyons · · Score: 1

      A better way to be prepared would be to own and be able to ride a horse. Only fuel it needs is grass, hay, and water(and if there isn't enough water for both you and a horse where you are, you are probably screwed anyway), and when it eventually breaks down at least you can eat it.

      Not really - horses are very high maintenance, fairly delicate, and expensive to maintain. That's why, historically and today, they were/are in the main restricted to the upper classes and why the mounted arm of the cavalry was relatively small and made up of specialized troops. (And why they were abandoned so enthusiastically by everyone who could manage to as soon as reasonably possible.)

    3. Re:Real horsepower by gonz · · Score: 3, Funny

      and, in the case of zombies, a canter or even a slow trot will easily get you past any somewhat mobile rotting corpses.

      ...until you encounter your first ZOMBIE HORSE!
      Nay, naaay!

    4. Re:Real horsepower by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      A better way to be prepared would be to own and be able to ride a horse.

      Sadly, the truth is that you'd need to own several horses, and you'd also need grazing land for them. Most of the objections have been made already in this thread but the remedy hasn't even been discussed. It all highlights the fact that barring massive amounts of capital to work with, the only reasonable defense against zombies is a defense in depth involving an entire community. In a full community model, a stable makes sense.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    5. Re:Real horsepower by Animats · · Score: 1

      A better way to be prepared would be to own and be able to ride a horse.

      Only if you have lots of grazing land that doesn't require irrigation, a water source that doesn't require power, and several horses. Most horses are high-maintenance. But there are horses used to living on their own. One of my friends has a wild mustang from the Bureau of Land Management, trained to be a good trail horse. She's ridden into town when the power went out and the road was flooded.

      I'm on horseback several times a week, but my present horse wouldn't be that useful in an emergency. He's kept in a coastal area with poor grazing. Hay has to be trucked in.

    6. Re:Real horsepower by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      Another possibility for some uses might be electric ATVs with some rechargers (solar?).

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    7. Re:Real horsepower by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      The only horse you need is an iron horse. Specifically a diesel motorcycle.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    8. Re:Real horsepower by prionic6 · · Score: 1

      fairly delicate

      Very delicate! Mmmmmmh... Sauerbraten!

    9. Re:Real horsepower by jafiwam · · Score: 1

      A better way to be prepared would be to own and be able to ride a horse. Only fuel it needs is grass, hay, and water(and if there isn't enough water for both you and a horse where you are, you are probably screwed anyway), and when it eventually breaks down at least you can eat it. Best option would be 2 horses that you can switch out to avoid tiring them out. Can go places vehicles can't (you can ride along comfortably on the median or shoulder of a road, right past all those people trapped in a traffic jam or out of gas), and, in the case of zombies, a canter or even a slow trot will easily get you past any somewhat mobile rotting corpses. Plus the skittish nature of horses would serve as a warning system to any dangers while traveling through the woods or camped out at night. It would be cheaper than this truck, more useful, and would certainly last a lot longer.

      Uh. No. Horses will do two three;

      - Drive you much closer to financial ruin, a much more common and harder to deal with disaster than zombies

      - Will get you in associating with actual, real life crazy people.

      - Give you a false sense of security when using them in an emergency, because they are skittish and noisy, and greatly increase the need to scavenge water, food, and time for maintenance over walking, biking or driving. Plus, "that guy on the horse" will be easy to follow and you are advertising half a ton of fresh meat for them to take from you.

      Horses are a poor choice in most places.

    10. Re:Real horsepower by mjwalshe · · Score: 2

      Its the Equoids you have to watch out for http://www.tor.com/stories/2013/09/equoid

    11. Re:Real horsepower by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I like the idea, but the only batteries that have seriously long lives also are heavy and have slow charge/discharge. I don't think you could get very good performance out of a rig like that. It might be a nifty use of a microbus, though you'd have to upgrade the suspension and tires.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  16. Tallahassee by wiredlogic · · Score: 3, Funny

    They should call it the Tallahassee.

    --
    I am becoming gerund, destroyer of verbs.
  17. What about the whiskey? by Type44Q · · Score: 1

    a folding shovel... and some rope

    They left out the bottle of whiskey and the huge dildo... :p

  18. Single fuel type? by hawguy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Gasoline is probably the worst fuel type to rely on after the Zombie apocalypse -- most gasoline sources will be in underground gas station tanks and you'll need to find a way to pump it out while fending off the zombies. Diesel can be found in above ground generator tanks in most large commercial buildings.

    They should have gone with a Multi-fuel engine to broaden the potential fuel sources - adding diesel and jet fuel to your potential fuel sources gives you a lot of flexibility as you escape the zombie horde.

    1. Re:Single fuel type? by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      Ford tried some cars with Capstone turbines in 'em, but I haven't heard anything about that in a while. Problem is, turbine engines are delicate and finicky, not the kind of thing you want to be relying upon in the post-apocalypse.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:Single fuel type? by Lumpy · · Score: 2

      Absolutely, Diesel truck pulling a digester will be perfect. You kill zombies and stuff their bodies in the digester that turns them into a bio fuel.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    3. Re:Single fuel type? by Lumpy · · Score: 2

      No problem at that point because Zombie truck will simply try to eat other trucks. It will make things a lot easier.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    4. Re:Single fuel type? by delt0r · · Score: 1

      The army was working on or already has sterling generators where if you can get the hot box hot you have electricity. Wood, dry grass, paper, diesel, animal fat you name it.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    5. Re:Single fuel type? by delt0r · · Score: 1

      Tooling for turbines is much harder than for reciprocating engines. Also there is now a massive support base tooling for reciprocating engines.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
  19. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by osu-neko · · Score: 1

    What kind of chemicals or parasites have invaded their brains to turn off their genetic programming?

    Thought. Higher brain functions, contemplating the purpose of such programming. Nature is dead. Nature remains dead. And we have killed it. Yet its shadow still looms...

    --
    "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
  20. "Zombies" :wink: by Guy+From+V · · Score: 1

    Even if the concept is stupid...possibly even a bit subversive, I say any way or reason to allow normal civilians access to more "hardened" or "battle ready" vehicles that can operate under more extreme working conditions or doing hazardous tasks...even if the differences are minor...can only be a good thing. I suspect the market for such is larger than many people would think.

  21. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by swillden · · Score: 4, Insightful

    As somebody who isn't a hipster, and who isn't part of Generation Y, maybe I just won't ever understand it. But the whole concept of "zombies" and any fascination with it comes off as really idiotic, petty and rather stupid.

    I don't think this has anything to do with hipsters, or Gen Y.

    From what I can see, the zombie apocalypse is partly a joke and mostly a convenient abstraction which stands in place of any of dozens of different disaster scenarios. The zombie apocalypse is nice in that it captures a sort of maximally extreme yet potentially-survivable scenario. There are plenty of possible disasters for which preparedness is just pointless (because you'd be dead anyway), but once you exclude those from consideration, the needs of survival in the remaining, more or less realistic, disaster scenarios are pretty neatly covered by the clearly-fictional notion of societal collapse brought on by the sudden conversion of much of humanity into mindless undead predators.

    In a nutshell: If you're well-prepared for the zombie apocalypse, odds are good that you're also well-prepared for any real disaster, so it's a nice target.

    --
    Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
  22. I've seen this before... by yams69 · · Score: 1

    ...only the one I saw had an Oscillation Overthruster.

  23. Chevy, in a world of its own by danknight48 · · Score: 1

    "..... but also gets 18 mpg combined...........There won't be many functioning gas stations after the undead rise to feast on the living, so gas mileage is important."

    The above quote is that enjoyable, i dont even need to comment.

  24. Market Demographics by bussdriver · · Score: 1

    What will appeal to red necks visiting a car show?
    Well, they like to think they are self sufficient and like the 'be prepared' excuse when buying their man toys. As weak in analytical skill and technical knowledge as they are with keeping down their beer guts. A cool food? Twinkies. Naturally. I couldn't see the beer but it must be in there.

    I'm surprised they didn't put in a place for a beer maker. This isn't made to attract nerds; it is made to draw in some potential truck buyers to their area (booth babes would be cheaper... I wonder how much success they'd have at a show with no cars on display but instead with 10x the girls.)

    Anybody seriously thinking about disasters on that scale are not thinking about trucks.

  25. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by multisync · · Score: 1

    Can anybody explain to me this fascination with "zombies"

    Nevermind zombies ... didn't concern over the Mayan calendar end when the world didn't in 2012?

    --
    I don't care why you're posting AC
  26. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why do people want to survive the end of the world? So after the dust settles they can starve to death eating their own loneliness?

    Because we don't expect to be lonely. We expect our friends and families to survive along with us. I live in California, so I am more concerned with a major earthquake than zombies. I am also concerned about a major contagious disease outbreak, or a weather anomaly that causes major crop failures (this happened in 535-536, 1315-1317, and in 1815). So I have about a year's worth of food for my family, basic tools and survival equipment, and (since I am an American) an assault rifle. Even if a crisis never comes, I am still saving money by buying food in bulk, and growing most of my own vegetables. I also have a some chickens for eggs. You may think that being prepared is kooky, but if you look back through history, there is at least a 30% chance of a major calamity occurring during your lifetime. By the time you see it coming, the store shelves will be bare, and it will be too late. So I think it is foolish to not be prepared. Some of my neighbors also have a stash of supplies, and we are prepared to work together to fight off the zombies.

  27. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

    Nope. Thought doesn't over-ride it. Outside brain damage, the desires still taint our thought process.

  28. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by AK+Marc · · Score: 2

    and (since I am an American) an assault rifle

    Isn't an "assault weapon" a scary looking rifle, and an "assault rifle" a fully-automatic military weapon?

  29. Rich and stupid? by Cammi · · Score: 1

    Good to know Chevy has tons of money to waste ... or a mental CEO.

  30. Mod parent up. by khasim · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Zombie movies are not about zombies.

    They are about human behaviour when the constraints of civilization have been removed. Zombies are just the easy explanation why civilization collapsed (and stays collapsed).

    Ideally, that is to show insights into society and the roles within it and how various types of people fit into those.

    1. Re:Mod parent up. by LifesABeach · · Score: 2

      I'm reminded of two facts of humanity. The first is that when an empire kills all the barbarians, the empire will invent a new kind of barbarian. The other is that survival in this extreame case for anyone is very small. So who ever buys or builds this truck, the survivors will be possibly pleased?

    2. Re:Mod parent up. by pepty · · Score: 3, Informative

      Much more than that: the risks most first world slashdotters face are just too mundane for people to fantasize about: cardiovascular disease, car accidents, cancer. Want to keep your family safe? Take defensive driving courses. Go to the gym. Quit smoking and eating so much bacon.

    3. Re:Mod parent up. by AK+Marc · · Score: 2

      Just about every society has thought they were the greatest and last. Those who lived in Jesus' time thought the second coming would be within their lifetimes. The plague, wars, famine. Every generation thought theirs would be the last. Many thought we'd never make it to the '80s because of nuclear weapons. And after that was 2000/2012. Zombies are the next version of the mutant movies (Godzilla, and a variety of giant bug movies). Aliens come and go based on lack of trendy scripts about the apocalypse trigger de jour.

    4. Re:Mod parent up. by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      Yet I see zombie movies and outbreak movies to be similar. They spread similarly and have some of the same effects on society, given a bad enough infection of each. Zombie is a good way of making it absurd enough that nobody questions the cause or effect. So many outbreak movies get the spread of disease wrong for cinematic effect. Even the ones that explain it like it's real science. With zombies, nobody would complain about a spread that was 10% too fast or 10% too slow (most don't consider world implications, and instead focus on local effects, so the numbers wouldn't matter anyway).

    5. Re:Mod parent up. by HornWumpus · · Score: 2

      I was with you up until the bacon. Curse you.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    6. Re:Mod parent up. by BlackHawk-666 · · Score: 1

      I think you can trace most zombie moves back to the awesome film, 28 Days Later, which helped revive the whole zombie survival thing. 28 Days Later itself stood on the shoulders of the Romero zombie flicks. Even if you haven't seen the films, you really should watch the opening 20 minutes to see London deserted after the ZA.

      --
      All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
    7. Re:Mod parent up. by delt0r · · Score: 1

      WTF? Zombie movies are not that bloody serious. And the ones that think they are, are crap. Its entertainment, not enlightenment.

      If that is what you think zombie movies are then what do you think Vampire movies are about? Or Werewolf movies, or even worse giant transforming alien robot movies?

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    8. Re:Mod parent up. by delt0r · · Score: 1

      I can see the titles now. "Heart attack", "Return of the Heat attack". There is of course a lot of movies about heart attacks, cancer etc. Its those silly movies where people think its good if they cried for the whole movie.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    9. Re:Mod parent up. by delt0r · · Score: 1

      Zombie movies have been around a lot longer than that movie. It was just an ok movie into the zombie genre. 28 weeks later was just crap.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    10. Re:Mod parent up. by pepty · · Score: 1

      I didn't forget them, just looking at relative mortality risks. Earthquakes are the biggest natural disaster killers yet kill less than 100K worldwide each year; even in the countries that have suffered major earthquakes and tsunamis those are still a blip in mortality rates when you look decade to decade. If Tornado Alley, the San Andreas fault, and a major floodplain all overlapped and you lived in the intersection you'd still probably die of CV/cancer. Probably related to stress. Economic/property damage, injury, and plain inconvenience are another matter, but don't make for blockbuster movies. I'm still all for being prepared though: We have several weeks worth of food, a weeks worth of water, bugout bags, n95 masks, bookshelves secured to walls, etc.

  31. Wrong car. There is only one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    There is only one suitable car available to buy by everyone. The Paramount Marauder.

    Here is a pic next to a hummer : http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eNodvYO-1qs/T6rBLC-h1sI/AAAAAAAAAH0/lgJeiw3dxMA/s1600/Marauder+next+to+hummer.jpg

    The Maurauder can withstand 8kg of TNT under any wheel without sustaining any substantial damage.

    It's bullet proof (incl RPGs), is over-pressured to protect against biological and chemical attacks, has more torques than a HGV (it can pull real full size trucks; regardless if you put a foot on the breaks or flatfoot to accelerate), able to drive trough walls like a tank, etc etc.

    But it costs 300000 GBP. Without options. But the option list is quite....interesting (included the option to electrify the hull to protect against people trying to climb on the vehicle)

  32. Toyota from Top Gear by microTodd · · Score: 2

    I thought the guys at Top Gear figured out the best survivor-type pickup was the Toyota Hilux?

    http://topgear.wikia.com/wiki/Toyota_Hilux/

    This one was pretty awesome. I would want a truck that won't break down no matter what I do to it.

    --
    "You cannot find out which view is the right one by science in the ordinary sense." - C.S. Lewis on Intelligent Design
  33. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

    Is your rifle grandfathered, or are you using hyperbole and describing a semi-automatic weapon as an assault rifle?

    It is an AR-15, and I have owned it since 1982. I also have a M870 shotgun. In the event of a zombie attack, my wife would use the rifle, and I would use the shotgun (it kicks too much for her). I don't own any other guns, so our kids will focus on reloading magazines (I have trained them to use a speed loader).

  34. Complete Crap..... by Lumpy · · Score: 1

    Compared to a Jeep decked out for the same thing. Problem is Chevy is built for roads, Jeep is built for dirt and rocks.

    They might as well built a Chevy Volt zombie edition.

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  35. Re:"What no Shotgun?" by Lumpy · · Score: 1

    An AR-15? for what shooting squirrels? Real men shoot an AR-10 and AR-30 for their rifles.

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  36. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by Culture20 · · Score: 1

    I'll be over here on my bike, riding around eating twinkies

    Plan on nuts and jerky. Twinkies actually have a very short shelf life compared to what people think.

  37. Newage Marketing by Tablizer · · Score: 2

    1. Feed the trolls
    2. Sell to trolls
    3. Profit

  38. GM by LMariachi · · Score: 1

    Recipient of billions in government bailout money uses rugged individualist self-sufficiency as marketing tool. The irony is so thick you need a chainsaw attached to your arm stump to cut it.

  39. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by jettoblack · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Zombies are the ideal fantasy opponent for a doomsday scenario. They have most of the strengths of humans, thus (supposedly) requiring heavy firepower and good tactics to defend against them, but being sub-human (lacking a soul, whatever) and extremely dangerous, there is little to no aversion to the use of violence against them.

    Put it another way, if a prepper told anyone that they were loading up on weapons to be able to attack fellow humans during a crisis, they would be labeled psycho and probably have their weapons taken away.

    But... if they're gearing up to fight "zombies", they can stockpile all the weapons they want and only appear to be a little paranoid.

  40. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by ATMAvatar · · Score: 1

    Depending on the type of zombies (slow and lumbering Night of the Living Dead type versus fast Zombieland type), you may do well to save the ammunition for normal humans. With a societal breakdown, you're just as likely to run across looters and bandits as helpful people.

    --
    "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
  41. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by smittyoneeach · · Score: 2

    I, for one, always thought 'zombie' a euphemism for bureaucrat.

    --
    Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
  42. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by cold+fjord · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you're prepped for zombies your friends consider you a fool.

    If you're not prepped for zombies your "friends" consider you food.

    --
    much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
  43. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by girlintraining · · Score: 1

    ... Apparently, suggesting the CDC might know something about disaster preparedness is "overrated". I should have used the word 'fuck' more often... then people might have accidentally read something logical that might save their life instead of promotional marketing material.

    --
    #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
  44. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by AK+Marc · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Suspiciously absent from the list of supplies to have on hand, however, is a ruggedized pickup truck. Medical supplies, duct tape, plastic tarps, potable water, and dry food rations were all highly valued, as was a robust preparedness plan by the federal and local governments, with a focus on organization and communication.

    And if I were preparing for a zombie apocalypse, I'd be focusing more on physical defense. Strong property fences, no glass windows on the ground floor, defensible yard, and other physical barriers are more important in zombie attacks. Military invasion, and the others on the list don't have that as a strong requirement, though I know plenty who are arming themselves to prevent looters, and zombies and looters are alike except for their reaction to being shot, or having others in the area shot.

    So I guess then it's a good thing you bought a truck and a gun. Better hope you brought a really big gas tank too, because when that runs out, you are totally screwed.

    Motorbike and a tank of gas. I can go 50-100 miles on a gallon. And traffic/roads aren't as much of an issue. Worth it for the gain in top speed over your method. I can go hundreds of miles in a day, if need be. And siphon off a gallon at a time from stopped traffic, for great extensions in range.

  45. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by pepty · · Score: 2

    A bicycle is nice, but it won't help you evacuate your family and pets. It won't help you haul a generator, fuel, and two weeks worth of food home. It won't help you haul all of the debris out of your house and yard, sandbags to prevent flooding, or the tools you need to start fixing stuff. They also suck ass during blizzards, hurricanes, or when the fast zombies also have bicycles.

  46. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by pepty · · Score: 1

    You're right about the cardio though. Heading off to the gym in a minute, though it's more about preparation for winter surfing than for zombies.

  47. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by girlintraining · · Score: 1

    A bicycle is nice, but it won't help you evacuate your family and pets. It won't help you haul a generator, fuel, and two weeks worth of food home. It won't help you haul all of the debris out of your house and yard, sandbags to prevent flooding, or the tools you need to start fixing stuff.

    No, it won't. You're expected to already have a generator, fuel, and two weeks worth of food home. And if there's substantial debris in your house, then you should probably relocate, as anyone would during a natural disaster. If there's debris in your yard, that's not a life-threatening emergency... just an eyesore. As for your pets... they're nice to have but let's be honest here: If it comes down to staying with your pets and perishing, or getting out alive... if you aren't willing to deal with the emotional loss of Fluffy you should just wander out into the road and yell "Zombie dinner! Come get some!"

    So from your long list of complaints, we find that someone like you who bought a truck and called it "Mission: Accomplished" is in far worse shape than the person who bought a bike, and then stockpiled what was needed ahead of time. In fact, the only valid point you brought up was that not all of your family may be physically able to see to their own needs. If that's the case, you may want to invest in a shortwave radio or similar communications gear because if we're talking about preparedness... your family's survival shouldn't be dependent on whether or not your truck survives.

    --
    #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
  48. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Wherein 'zombies' are a placeholder for 'other (hungry) people', I presume? How christian of you..

    I am only a "3" on the Dawkin's Scale, and certainly not a Christian. Instead of the bible, I prefer the moral lesson of The Little Red Hen. Why should my family starve because you made a conscious decision not to prepare? But I am still helping my fellow humans more than you are: When the Yellowstone Caldera erupts, and blocks out the sun, you will rush out in a panic buying spree, thus depriving others. But I will already have my stash, built up during times of plenty, so I will need to take nothing from others.

  49. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by Ol+Biscuitbarrel · · Score: 2

    Oh, the bureaucrats I'm familiar with only appear singly, or perhaps in pairs in a pinch. Can't recall them slobbering, ever. Moving slowly, sure. Mindless - give you that. Well, one sort of mind. But otherwise, don't see it. "Hey Peter, what's happening. We need to talk about your TPS reports. That, and your BRAIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNS!"

  50. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by HornWumpus · · Score: 2

    Assault rifle is selectable full auto by definition. You don't own one.

    Assault weapon means scary ugly gun that's on some list.

    --
    John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  51. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by Provocateur · · Score: 1

    Good, because my neighbors are stocking up on the incandescent (60W, 75W mostly) lightbulbs before companies stop making them and switch over to them 'green' energy-saving lightbulbs

    --
    WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
  52. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

    Assault rifle is selectable full auto by definition. You don't own one.

    Assault weapon means scary ugly gun that's on some list.

    Sorry, I was unaware of the distinction. So I own an "assault weapon" that is a rifle, but not an "assault rifle". Got it.

  53. Stupid Chevy by katorga · · Score: 1

    Rather have a pre-1975 4x4 with solid axles, carburetor and points ignition. Ideally diesel. Can be had for under 3K: 1970's broncos, GMC K5's, Jeep CJ/5's, old school land rovers, WW2 dodge power wagons and 6x6 trucks.

  54. Overrated? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    OK, who gave Chevrolet modpoints?

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  55. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by kosty · · Score: 1

    Agreed that "preparing for zombies" is a good goal. But, as George Carlin said, zombies are unreliable. I'm much more worried about the Douchebag Apocalypse -- which is already upon us.

    --
    "Democracy." It's just a slogan.
  56. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

    But... if they're gearing up to fight "zombies", they can stockpile all the weapons they want and only appear to be a little paranoid.

    So, like this?

    So, Dave, what's with all the automatic weapons and the cases of surplus MRE packages? Coomunists? Race war? The IRS? OBAMACARE ? No?

    Oh, ZOMBIES?

    Yes, that's only a "little" paranoid, Dave...

    --
    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
  57. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by aristotle-dude · · Score: 2

    I, for one, always thought 'zombie' a euphemism for bureaucrat.

    In the movie "American Carol", the lawyers for the ACLU were zombies.

    --
    Jesus was a compassionate social conservative who called individuals to sin no more.
  58. Survivalists are stupid by Neo-Rio-101 · · Score: 1

    Seriously, just live near an airport, save up enough money and fly the hell out of the country. That's what all the rich people will be doing.

    --
    READY.
    PRINT ""+-0
  59. sides reinforcement? by Mishotaki · · Score: 1

    seriously, the zombies will seriously kill the owner of this truck in no time, simply break the windows!

    windows are the weakest point in this truck and they reinforce the side panels? the second that the window is broken, zombies will simply walk up to the door and take a bite out of anyone in that truck!

  60. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by qu33ksilver · · Score: 1

    Where is this coming from ? Care to elaborate a bit further ?

  61. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by swillden · · Score: 1

    I suppose for a single individual, a bike plus a good bike trailer (or maybe a backpack and/or large panniers) would be a good option. I have a wife and four kids, though... oh, and I don't live in an urban area.

    I'll stick with my SUV + camp trailer, thanks. The trailer is always packed with canned food, cooking & heating fuel, water purification equipment, has solar panels for electricity, etc. It's also got tents, sleeping bags, and all sorts of other assorted camping equipment and tools -- including the stuff we'd need if we decided to abandon the vehicle and start walking. As for the guy with the gun, well, I am the guy with the guns :-)

    Also, I have a couple of neighbors who are similarly-equipped, and we've discussed how we'd pool our resources in the event of a zombie uprising, caravaning for mutual support.

    In an actual disaster, of course, my first choice is to hunker down at home. It's fairly defensible and I have a roughly one-year supply of food stored in the basement. I also have a generator and generally on the order of 60 gallons of fuel in the tanks of my cars and boat (the amount in the cars varies, obviously, but the boat has a 35-gallon tank which is always full). But in the event that staying home isn't a good idea, I can have the trailer hooked up and be on the road in 5 minutes. Given 30 minutes I'll make sure the water tank is full and top up the SUV tank plus some gas cans with the contents of the boat's tank, assuming I can't stop at the gas station. Given a couple of hours I'll coordinate with the neighbors and we'll hit the road together, with everything we can jointly muster.

    For other situations, I have 72-hour kits in small backpacks in the garage, one for each member of the family which we can grab at a moment's notice.

    I certainly agree about the value of fitness, of course. And I like bikes -- I ride my road bike ~100 miles per week, almost year-round -- but I don't see bikes as a viable way to transport myself and my family.

    --
    Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
  62. Crappy Windows by BlackHawk-666 · · Score: 1

    Does it also come with the sort of cheap windows that any zombie can smash with their hands just by slapping against them a few times? How about an ignition that never works in the presence of danger? I like the way the storage is all open on the back tray of the truck, so if I want to get that shovel I better be prepared for a jump shot zombie attack!

    --
    All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
  63. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by BlackHawk-666 · · Score: 2

    Zombie is a hate word, we prefer to be called 'The Infected'!

    --
    All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
  64. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by BlackHawk-666 · · Score: 1

    I guess you'd consider yourself a 'prepper' then? I used to watch 'Doomsday Preppers' and always got a chuckle out of the sort of things people were prepping against. While it is possible that Yellowstone Caldera will supererupt, the last one was 640,000 years ago - so I give you reasonable odds it won't happen in your lifetime or even the lifetime of humanity. It is true that it might erupt today due to being a fairly unpredicatable event, but it's far more true that it likely won't erupt for another 100,000 years.

    Do you use extreme couponing to help stock your food supplies? This strikes me as the perfect mash-up - doomsday preppers + extreme couponers :D

    --
    All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
  65. In Australia by BlackHawk-666 · · Score: 1

    After the ZA has come and gone it's going to be Mad Max over here. I'll be cruising around with my bro in a 1973 Torana G-Pak (Canary Yellow with a thick black stripe) looking cool as fuck while you guys all drive around in your soccer mum crapboxes ;p We all know how zombie movies go - the hero drives the best looking ride - everyone else ends up dead.

    --
    All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
  66. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by drkim · · Score: 1

    who are you going after... the bicyclist, or the guy with a truck and a lock safe containing untold goodies?

    Yeah, I notice that all the truck food and water and gas and geny are in the open truck bed. So after zombies (or your neighbors) steal all your stuff, you're boned.

    Also, you have a big gas engine under the hood. Any reason you couldn't hook that up to generate power instead or dragging around an entirely separate gas engine?

    Paint job is flashy. If you're going to be camping out in the woods you might be better off with something like a us4ces camo. If you're going to be camping out in an urban environment maybe a faux distressed, rusty, beat-up P.O.S. paint job would work.

    Are you going to sleep in the cab? Right behind the glass that will be busted out on day 2?

    Overall - not impressed.

    Something like this might be better:

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oBH_vL4MMaw/UKPz2QksHlI/AAAAAAAAAfw/ZKtEa0Ey6Bk/s1600/overland+vehicle+land+rover+2.0.jpg

    Has a snorkel for fording. Lockable metal side windows. (You could probably weld up some flat hillbilly armor for the front windows, too.) Roof tent for safe environment sleeping. Interior sleeping space for hazardous environment sleeping. 2 spare tire mounts. Solar panel. Built in 40L petrol tank. Also gets better millage than that pretty pick-up. (23mpg vs. 16mpg.)

    Oh! One other big advantage - it actually exists!

  67. Do it yourself by shirro · · Score: 1

    Just need an old Nissan or Toyota and a few hours to spare.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS8KXHBCimo

  68. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I prefer 'life impaired' myself

  69. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by mjwalshe · · Score: 1

    or residual human resources as the Laundry refers to them

  70. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by delt0r · · Score: 1

    Really? And how long will your stash last? Most food these days won't last you the few years minimum you will need. Guessing you don't have that much fresh water and probable don't have a toilet that will work. How are your medical supplies? Or even better your medical abilities....

    Fact is that we are very dependent on each other in the form of infrastructure support. Most movies think that being prepared would mean a few boxes of food and some antibiotics. If such a disaster happened you would need far more than that. Especially in a city.

    However something bad like Yellowstone or a large asteroid will not wipe out infrastructure and though it would change life as we know it. It would not even get close to wiping us out.

    --
    If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
  71. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

    Really? And how long will your stash last? Most food these days won't last you the few years minimum you will need.

    So your argument is that since we can't be ready for everything, therefore we should prepare for nothing?

    Like I said, my primary concern is a major earthquake. That would probably disrupt supplies for only a few weeks. A major disease pandemic, like a "super-flu", might last longer, but no more than a few months. A major global crop failure cause by a volcano or asteroid, would be a bigger problem, but humanity has survived these several times in the past. The worst was probably the famine of 1315-1317, which may have killed 25% of Europe's population. But back then Europe relied on crops, such as wheat, that needed warmth, sunshine, and dry weather to harvest. Today, we have crops, such as potatoes, that can thrive in cold, wet, and hazy conditions. Supposedly people survived that famine by going into the woods and digging up earthworms to eat. Those people were your ancestors. You probably wouldn't be here if they had the same attitude towards survival that you do.

     

  72. Re:Does anyone understand the "zombies" craze? by smittyoneeach · · Score: 1

    Great flick.

    --
    Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
  73. Re:Why do people want to survive the end of the wo by delt0r · · Score: 1

    Not anywhere in that post did i suggest that you shouldn't prepare for nothing idiot.

    --
    If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
  74. World War Z by DarthVain · · Score: 1

    This is what I thought was funny about the World War Z movie. I am not sure they meant it as a commentary on human behavior constraints, but I think I was someone surprised that it went from totally normal to murder everyone in your way and rape people in supermarkets in a few hours.

    Personally I thought you might have more time than that, but then again perhaps they didn't want to wait any time at the beginning of the movie.