Phillip,
As usual, you are 100 percent spot on! 95% of our population has not clue about topics such as this. Moreover, that same 95% has no idea what it means when someone has a go bag or bug out bug (Bob Bag) to get them home should a catastrophic event happen that leaves their mode of transportation useless. Your scenario is quite plausible, and should it actually happen, cell phones, repeater systems, etc., might be rendered useless. I have been, for lack of a better word, a prepper for quite some time. My wife and I always have our go bag in the vehicle so if something should happen, we at least have some tools to aid in our getting back to the farm.
And I need to add, that should this happen, people need to be prepared for human kindness and understanding fading away.
Keith