How to ‘blend in’ to the crowd when you need to remain anonymous

(Bugout.news) In a societal collapse situation, there will be massive crowds of people on the move, at least initially. At some point the crowds will disperse, people will go their own way while others decide to stay put somewhere. This is when you’ll really want to hide the fact that you’ve got survival skills, you’ve got survival gear and you’re well-prepared and well-stocked to survive the coming months of anarchy and chaos.

Standing out, by comparison, will never serve you well in these kinds of situations, in fact. You want to be as invisible as possible – look as normal as everyone else – to avoid drawing attention to yourself.

“The guy who blends in is less likely to be the target of a psychopath on a killing spree, a meth addict looking for someone to rob, or even that annoying MLM rep we all seem to run into at the coffee shop,” writes Jeremy Knauff at the How To Survive It site. “By not making yourself an immediate target, you buy precious time to escape a bad situation. But blending doesn’t mean hiding in the back of the room tucked into a corner.”

So, how best blend in? Let’s look at some of the basics:

­— Don’t look like Rambo. Seriously. You may have some military-style clothing in your bugout bag or at your bugout location, and that’s fine for when you reach your final destination, but it’s not good to be wearing if you’re trying to fit in. The authorities – what is left of them – will spot people looking like they are fighting a war and know immediately who they are and what they are likely to be carrying (weapons, food, etc.). Your clothing should be appropriate for your surroundings; in other words, wear what everyone else is wearing. Make clothes comfortable and durable. Avoid bright colors and splashy logos. “Vanilla-wear” is best.

— Lose the attitude. Part of not drawing attention to yourself is in the way you act. Don’t be a militant know-it-all. Also, as noted at the BugOutBagGuide site, while your instinct will be to constantly check out security risks around you, try not to look like you’re doing so. Play in cool, in other words. Go with the flow (to a certain point, of course – until you’re ready to strike out on your own).

— Move with purpose, but unnoticed. Don’t draw attention by being rude, pushing through groups of people or making distinct, sudden and sharp moves. Make you way gradually, and do so without appearing to be in a rush. Even if the situation around you is collapsing, take a breath, try to remain calm, and move with a purpose toward your destination.

— Disguise your features. Wear sunglasses, a ball cap, or even a scarf. Cover all your tattoos (if you can) and try to become indistinguishable to anyone who might try to describe you to someone else. Make it as difficult as possible for them to recall anything specific about your physical features.

— Don’t look! Try to avoid making eye contact with anyone. This can be aided with the use of sunglasses, of course. Even on cloudy days some people will wear sunglasses, though that might get you noticed a bit sooner. Just don’t look anyone in the eyes if you can help it.

— Hide in plain sight. You are trying to get through a crowd without being noticed; actually hiding out somewhere, however, defeats this purpose. If you’re hiding or even look like you’re hiding, that’s going to get you noticed. Besides, your goal ought to be moving with a purpose from Point A to Point B.

— Have a conversation. If you’re traveling with someone, strike up a conversation. That’s very normal when two or more people are walking together. Try not to discuss anything “sensitive” unless you have to and then, sparingly, and perhaps “in code” – using phrases and jargon that only you and your fellow traveler understand.

— Or not. If you’re traveling alone, then it’s better to just keep quiet. Your voice is a distinguishing characteristic about you that you’re trying to disguise. If you still have cell service, many times if you look like you’re texting or actually talking on your phone, people will generally leave you alone.

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