How Do I Choose Routes That Reduce Conflict and Exposure?
Most route planning focuses on speed. In disruptions, speed is rarely the real objective. The real objective is reducing friction: crowds, choke points, enforcement, conflict, and time stuck in the open.
This page gives you a route framework that prioritizes exposure control and conflict avoidance, plus a simple way to build a primary route, an alternate, and a “stop moving” fallback.
Fast Answer Route Principles Pressure Points Build Your Plan Vehicle vs Foot Mistakes Related Pages Checklist FAQ
Fast answer
The safest route is the one that keeps you out of choke points and minimizes time exposed.
You’re not routing for “fastest.” You’re routing for lowest friction: fewer crowds, fewer disputes, fewer stops, fewer enforcement interactions, fewer bottlenecks.
Build a 3-part plan: Primary route (boring), Alternate route (different shape),
and a Stop-Moving fallback (where you can pause safely if conditions shift).
Route principles
The 6 principles that reduce conflict and exposure
Principle 1
Avoid chokepoints
Bridges, tunnels, ramps, single-lane arteries, checkpoints, and bottlenecks concentrate problems.
Principle 2
Avoid demand magnets
Fuel, groceries, aid, hospitals, pharmacies, and distribution lines generate disputes and theft.
Principle 3
Reduce stop events
Stops create contact. Contact creates friction. Route for fewer lights, turns, and “forced pauses.”
Principle 4
Minimize exposure time
Being stuck in the open is where most avoidable problems happen (breakdowns, crowds, arguments).
Principle 5
Use “boring geometry”
Simple, direct shapes beat complex routes that force you into repeated decisions and checks.
Principle 6
Have a stop plan
If the environment shifts, you need a place to pause that doesn’t trap you in crowds or disputes.
Route planning works best when your appearance and behavior are also boring.
See: Move through public without attention →
Pressure points
Where conflict concentrates
The rule is simple: wherever people are forced to wait, merge, compete, or get inspected, friction rises.
| Pressure point | Why it’s risky | Better move |
|---|---|---|
| Bridges / tunnels / ramps | Single points of failure. Accidents and closures trap you with everyone else. | Choose routes with multiple exits and parallel options. |
| Fuel corridors | Lines, disputes, desperation behavior, theft. | Route away from major stations and highway clusters. |
| Distribution points | People show up stressed, needy, and competitive. | Avoid entirely unless it’s your mission-critical destination. |
| Downtown / main arterials | High density, high contact rate, enforcement, protests, opportunistic crime. | Use edge routes and “backbone” roads with fewer stops. |
| Checkpoints | Delays + questioning + gear scrutiny. | Have an alternate that bypasses predictable inspection points. |
A route that looks “smart” on a map can be a trap in reality if it funnels you into one unavoidable bottleneck.
Build your plan
The 3-route system: Primary + Alternate + Stop-Moving
If you only have one route, you don’t have a plan — you have a hope. Build three routes that are meaningfully different, not small variations.
Route A
Primary (boring)
The simplest route with the fewest stop events and the fewest obvious choke points.
Route B
Alternate (different shape)
Different geometry: not “Route A with one turn changed.” Avoid the same bridges/arterials.
Route C
Stop-Moving fallback
A place you can pause if conditions shift: not a demand magnet, not a crowd point, not a trap.
How to choose a stop-moving fallback (simple rules)
- It should not be near fuel, aid, or mass services.
- It should have at least two exits (no dead-end commitment).
- It should let you pause without advertising resources or capability.
- If you must stop, stop early — before you’re forced into a crowd decision.
Your carry plan matters here. If you look prepared, your stop point invites questions.
See: Carry essentials without advertising →
Vehicle vs foot
Vehicle routing priorities
- Minimize intersections and stoplights (stop events).
- Avoid known congestion corridors and “main exits.”
- Prefer roads with multiple parallel options.
- Have a plan for vehicle failure (stop moving fallback).
Vehicle vs foot
Foot routing priorities
- Avoid crowd funnels and lines.
- Minimize time in exposed open areas.
- Prefer routes that don’t force repeated direction checks.
- Keep pace normal; don’t “hunt” for gaps.
Foot movement is mostly behavioral. See:
Move through public without attention →
Mistakes
What increases conflict risk
- Routing through fuel and aid magnets
- Choosing “fastest” routes that rely on one chokepoint
- Having no alternate route
- Waiting until conditions force movement
- Repeatedly stopping to check maps or re-plan in public
Reality
Why “speed routing” fails
Speed is fragile. One closure, one accident, one line, one checkpoint — and your “fast” plan becomes time exposed in a crowd.
Robust beats fast.
Checklist
5-minute route checklist
- Chokepoints: what can trap me into waiting or merging?
- Magnets: what areas concentrate demand and disputes?
- Stops: how many forced pauses does this route create?
- Alternate: do I have a route that avoids the same arteries?
- Stop-moving: where can I pause safely if the environment shifts?
If conditions shift
When you should stop moving
- Gridlock or crowd density is rising
- Enforcement friction is increasing
- You’re forced into demand magnets (fuel/aid)
- You’re repeatedly re-planning in public
Stopping early is safer than being forced to stop later.
Your route is a risk system, not a map choice.
Avoid choke points, avoid demand magnets, reduce stop events, and minimize time exposed. Build a primary route, an alternate route, and a stop-moving fallback — then keep your behavior boring.
← Back to hubFAQ
Should I avoid highways?
Not always. The question is whether the highway forces you into chokepoints and merges you can’t escape. If it does, you plan an alternate that avoids those single points of failure.
Why do demand magnets matter so much?
Because they force competition: people waiting, merging, arguing, and competing for limited resources. That environment creates exposure and conflict.
What’s the best alternate route?
One that is meaningfully different in shape and avoids the same bridges, arterials, and pressure points as your primary route.
When should I stop moving instead of pushing through?
When pushing forward forces you into crowds, demand magnets, or repeated re-planning in public. Stopping early at a safer fallback is usually better than being trapped later.