Can some good folk help me out?

Alright, I thought this would absolutely be perfect for the hippie forum, seeing as people involved in a subculture of freedom and liberation would be most wise about this decision of mine.

I've decided that I'm gonna run away from home. Not gonna give a when and where, but its consolidated at this point. I see myself as a minimalist and I wish to break away from this boring life that I lead filled with technology and parental authoritarianism and I want to try to make it on my own. I plan to get a false ID and travel somewhere far from Pittsburgh (or Texas, which is where I may be moving.) Can any good souls throw some tips and ideas for self preservation my way?

Thanks, guys. peace.

 

I never did this really..... you need to have a job and a place to stay, and even then you are poor... thats how I live..... I go to various churches to eat, and spend about 40 bucks a month on groceries...... I still have internet and a home phone, but they are my only luxuries, and I have to walk to work in the witer time because I havent been able to afford my license, not to mention a car.... I sound like I complain too much, but consider.... you are goin to a place where you have to start from a scratch, well at least save up, A LOT of money, make some friends before you go so you have a place to stay for a while, dont just jump to conclusions and end up in a life threatening situation, I am saying this because I am 24 and I hate living on my own

 

The best advice I have is the advice you probably least want to hear. Don't do it.
You are two years away from being on your own legally and you will save yourself a lot of hassles if you can hold out until then. If you're only 16, you will probably be found out, sooner or later. Expect to lose whatever job you may have found when that happens. You'll also be shipped back home or end up in some kind of foster care.

If you can't wait, then I would advise that you go someplace where it is warm year round, because being outside in the cold sucks.

If you don't know anyone where you're going, find a mission house, or some kind of homeless shelter to stay at for a while. You stand less of a chance of running into trouble than you would sleeping under bridges or hooking up with a stranger. There are places to get free meals and such; the people you meet at the shelters will fill you in on where they are.

If you are fortunate enough to find some decent people to take you in while you get started, you'll be set.

If you have money, hide it in several places, like some in the pocket, some in your sock, some in the coat lining. That way, if you get jacked, the guy will probably stop when he finds the first one of them. If you don't have money, you can sometimes get a bowl of chili or something by offering to do dishes at a truck stop or restaurant.

Hitchhiking will most likely get you hassled by all kinds of cops. They'll see through your fake ID when they run it the first time. If you can, take a bus or a train or arrange for a ride with someone you know.

If someone jumps you and there are people within earshot, do not yell "HELP", yell "FIRE!" People tend not to want to put themselves in danger by attempting to help others, but everyone wants to watch a good fire. Just having people show up will probably be enough to scare off an attacker.

If you're going minimalist, you're probably going to need a lot more stuff than you realize. I mean, if you're thinking you'll go into the woods somewhere and live, you're going to need to know a lot about the local flora and fauna (what can be eaten and what can't). You'll need to be near a source of potable water, or you'll have to boil it or put iodine tabs in it. You'll need a way to start fires (Matches will run out, a magnifying glass won't work on cloudy days, one of those flint and steel gadgets would probably be best for all around purposes. Birch bark will burn even when it's wet. Make smokeless fires and only in daylight if you're near other people you don't trust). You'll need stuff to cook on and eat with. You'll need something to make a shelter with (rope, plastic, tarp, etc.) You'll need some basic tools, like a knife and an axe, at least. You should have a basic first aid kit, at least. There's a lot more stuff, but this is all I can think of at the moment.

 

I think you can get yourself emancipated at 16, that way nobody can give you a hard time such as prospective employers, cops, landlords, ect. You would need a lawyer I think, but not sure. My friend did this when we were growing up and it worked out pretty good for him. You can even write your own excuses for school of you plan on going. But the best thing you can do is save lots of cash first, even a minimalist needs to eat and life will not get any easier out on your own. Trigcove and Baloon both offer sound advise, its a pretty cold world and can be very dangerous if you are careless.