Can you prevent a zombie attack by pretending to be a zombie

[acingram]

I was thinking about this today. If a zombie is basically rotting as it walks, wouldn't his eyesight and hearing deteriorate rapidly too? Could you walk through a group of zombies by pretending to be a zombie?

[Katica]

I always thought they could smell brain, though, but you`re right, I bet their olfactory nerves aren`t really hooked up to much. How do they detect their prey, I wonder...

[dukman]

I am sure this has been debated many times on here if you dug back into the archives. Zombies are not real, so no one knows for sure. If there really was zombies out there roaming the streets I wouldn't stop you from trying to find out on your own Oh yeah, and welcome to ZS

[Packin' Heat]

we've talked about this a lot here in the zombie biology section. I for one do believe that the zombies senses will be massively compromised.

I think its pretty much agreed upon that rising-from-the-grave zombies can't ever happen for a myriad of reasons, which leaves us with Rager types. I'd say that fresh/newly turned Ragers would have normal senses, definitely not magically heightened. Which means they can't locate a gunshot from miles away (can you?), they can't smell you - at least not in such a way as to target/track you. Hearing would work well, as it does for us now, but really, how well can you track a person by sound? especially if the "prey" is working hard to mask its sound signature. The thing is, their bodies are going to be under incredible amounts of stress and when you combine that with the mechanical and biological damage to their bodies (broken arms, torn ligaments, lacerations, infections etc), dehydration (are they actively seeking water?), lack of nutrition (you know they aren't eating properly), everything will degrade in an accelerated fashion.

so, yes, I do believe that you can creep though a crowed of zombies, but I would never risk it unless it was an absolute last resort. And theres always the risk of "new" Ragers, with good vision and hearing. Most will be compromised, but it only takes one you spot you.

I do believe that with our more stable, healthy faculties, we should be able to out smart them. Their advantage is in their relentless ability to attack. So you probably wouldn't want to try to out-sprint them, or fight them hand to hand.

[majorhavoc]

Checking sense of reality at the front door.

I would have to think that zombies can somehow sense the living as distinct from other zombies. Zombies generally don't attack each other, even when many are in close proximity to each other. It seems a stretch that the only thing that would allow a zombie to distinguish a human from one of their own is a blank stare, a staggering gait or slow movement. If that were the case then any time a zombie stumbled or otherwise moved too quickly it would be instantly targetted by nearby zombies.

There are at least a few different zombie types that inhabit different fictional universes. There's the classic Romero type, where zombies are literally dead, and their flesh is in a constant state of putrification. Setting aside the biological impossibility of olfactory organs continuing to function when they are rotting away, I think that these types of zombies can smell the absense of death, that is, they have a nose for living flesh.

With the 28 Days Later/I Am Legend type, the zombie isn't dead, it's just infected with a virus. This makes it easier to accept that sensory organs could still work, and again it seems like sense of smell would be the key. Maybe infected zombies give off some sort of biological marker, like a pheromone, that allows it's kind to recognzie each other as "not prey". Uninfected humans don't give off this "zombie pheromone" and thus are targeted.

The Walking Dead series addresses this issue very neatly. I don't want to ruin any plot points with a spoiler for anyone who hasn't enjoyed this graphic novel/TV series (but I have to ask: what the h*ll is the matter with you?). But for those who have seen/read it, you know exactly what scene I'm talking about.

[Hydrostatic]

Depends on the type of zombie
The slow undead type of zombie would be pretty stupid I would think. So I think you could pretend to be a zombie and sneak by it.
Now the rabid fast zombie would be different, it probably wouldn't be fooled. I'd think that this type of zombie would be more likely to happen in the real world. A human version of rabies or some type of pathogen that causes extreme anger seems more likely than a reanimating virus.
But even more likely than both of those, is a super flu pandemic. In that case I'd be more worried about avoiding contact with people who might be infected or that just want to take my stuff. Damn I get off topic quick

[Packin' Heat]

With the 28 Days Later/I Am Legend type, the zombie isn't dead, it's just infected with a virus. This makes it easier to accept that sensory organs could still work, and again it seems like sense of smell would be the key. Maybe infected zombies give off some sort of biological marker, like a pheromone, that allows it's kind to recognzie each other as "not prey". Uninfected humans don't give off this "zombie pheromone" and thus are targeted.

I would think the biological marker theory, would be the easiest and most efficient way for a virus to differentiate prey vs non prey - and as such, the most likely system. Even though I am a Biologist, I'm not sure how easy it is for the body to create a totally novel pheromone or odorant, and at the same time form a totally new and dedicated receptor to receive the new smell.

It could be something super simple like making the body sweat a lot creating major BO, but in the PAW most people are going to be kinda funky so it wouldn't be very effective. Not to mention that would dehydrate the body very quickly and massively shorten their life span as well as make them hover around water sources - which would make it easy for us to locate them and set up water trap kill zones - like wile e coyote setting up bird seed traps for the road runner.

[drifts14x]

In the Romero type zombies, I don't think there would be any way to tell. As Walking Dead put it, they can smell the decomp, therefore, they differentiate.

Perhaps, they begin sensing electrical impulses or higher-level thought patterns. They are eating brains, afterall, so why not sense new, healthy brains, with high-level function, as they only have low-level, base instinct functions.

As for ragers, even if you could act like, smell like, etc, why would you try this. If you have a single rager, maybe you could use your resources to get them with a spear (they wouldn't try to avoid it), so you can keep them at range. Or sit on your roof and hit them with a long metal pipe until you have a wall of undead the radius of your weapon.

Either way, I doubt you will be able to get away with pretending like a zombie successfully.

[smokinbunta]

The Walking Dead theory is scary on TV, but i dont think would actually happen. Like others have stated, a "dead" person shouldn't have much of their senses IF any at all. i believe that in this situation, it would be like Romero style which i believe just keeps going till they run into something they can eat. so i don't think you would need to "sneak" just have a brisk pace and ditch them.

28 days style, if any of the other theories you guys have on it mean anything... we won't get away with anything cause they should kinda have a sense of recognition. And just like they mentioned in 28 weeks, after an extended amount of time, they will starve and die. which would make bugging in a much better idea....

[lailr]

on a side note, would ragers not attack one another? I could see this as possible

[Redshirt]

we've talked about this a lot here in the zombie biology section. I for one do believe that the zombies senses will be massively compromised.

I think its pretty much agreed upon that rising-from-the-grave zombies can't ever happen for a myriad of reasons, which leaves us with Rager types. I'd say that fresh/newly turned Ragers would have normal senses, definitely not magically heightened. Which means they can't locate a gunshot from miles away (can you?), they can't smell you - at least not in such a way as to target/track you. Hearing would work well, as it does for us now, but really, how well can you track a person by sound? especially if the "prey" is working hard to mask its sound signature. The thing is, their bodies are going to be under incredible amounts of stress and when you combine that with the mechanical and biological damage to their bodies (broken arms, torn ligaments, lacerations, infections etc), dehydration (are they actively seeking water?), lack of nutrition (you know they aren't eating properly), everything will degrade in an accelerated fashion.

so, yes, I do believe that you can creep though a crowed of zombies, but I would never risk it unless it was an absolute last resort. And theres always the risk of "new" Ragers, with good vision and hearing. Most will be compromised, but it only takes one you spot you.

I do believe that with our more stable, healthy faculties, we should be able to out smart them. Their advantage is in their relentless ability to attack. So you probably wouldn't want to try to out-sprint them, or fight them hand to hand.

Boy, sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think?

[Kamakazie Co-Pilot]

Possibly if youve ever seen AMC's "The Walking Dead" 2 characters do this by coating themselves in zombie guts also if you try this dont get any on you or well you will pobobly die

[M. Sheedy]

Can you prevent a zombie attack by pretending to be a zombie? It's worked for me so far.

[Dash]

I'm thinking they kind of work like the above said, but also have a knee-jerk reacting to chase what ever runs away from it, sort of like dogs or police.

[Feral Donkey]

I am sure this has been debated many times on here if you dug back into the archives. Zombies are not real, so no one knows for sure. If there really was zombies out there roaming the streets I wouldn't stop you from trying to find out on your own Oh yeah, and welcome to ZS

Zombies aren't real?!!! WTF!! Ever see Wal Mart at 3:00AM on Black Friday? Total 28 days later meets reality. I think if you pretend to be a trailer trash retard the other trailer trash retards will smell that you're faking and eat your brains and molest your corpse behind the woodshed. That's what I think, anyway.

[DaleGribble]

I think most examples would show that zombies tend to notice what is living flesh and what is dead. The life in the flesh is what they crave to eat. It was a neat premise in Shaun of the Dead when they blended in and I think with certain styles of zombies, it may be possible,

[CoolBreeze]

I am sure this has been debated many times on here if you dug back into the archives. Zombies are not real, so no one knows for sure. If there really was zombies out there roaming the streets I wouldn't stop you from trying to find out on your own Oh yeah, and welcome to ZS

ZOMBIES AREN'T REAL!?!?!?! You got to be kidding! I work with a bunch of zombies. They are completely lifeless until 4 then they rise up and stumble towards the parking lot. Hmmm that's getting towards dark. Maybe they are a hybred. Zompires!

[SeaDog]

Try it and have a friend let us know how that works out for you.

[fourway]

As zombies exist only in Movies and TV... that by definition makes what works in movies and tv canon.
So you've got examples in Zombieland and in The Walking Dead of this working...
Ergo, yes.
You can disguise yourself from zombies.

[Specialopszom]

I am a strong beilever just as in hunting any game you can mask ur smell and avoid some risk of detect. if it is a virus outbreack then it would be very predatory . Predators work mainley with smell. If it was a parastic outbreack masking smell i do not believe would work.

[knowntofew]

I think they may sense the electrical activity in the head. a sort of 6th sense. that develops after decay.

[SoonerMykah]

Regardless, I would never want to be the guy who test this theory.

[MacWa77ace]

This is gettin' interesting but let's get back to the actual biology for a moment. Whether an 'infecting agent' [virus, radiation, genetic mutation, alien entity] has either re-animated a corpse or has mutated a living being, that 'infecting agent' would have to be powerful enough to either get the electro chemical reactions to occur in the nervous system and therefore be powerful enough get 'all systems green' [including sight, smell, hearing, digestion, and motor functions] or be powerfull enough to subvert the current living systems to it's will.

So in the reanimation scenario you'd have to assume the senses would be working good enough to recognize edible flesh. [Hmmm, where have I seen Zombies eating living tissue other than humans?] Which is just like us, the uninfected, being able to recognize the in-edible things in life. Think about how you can tell if what's in that ziplock is ok to eat. You look at it, you smell it, you poke it. In the mutation scenario the senses could even be heightened to include night vision, heat sensors, radar/sonar [like bats], etc. And finally in the case of an alien entity possession [X-files, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Puppet Masters], they would probably be able to tell one another apart, something akin to how you or I could notice an elephant in the room.

Re-animation: Maybe, if you can get yourself to room temperature and smell and look like a corpse.
Mutation: No way.
Alien possession: Probably not.

PS: Always let the other guy do the practical evaluation of this hypothesis.

[squinty]

Note: if the practice of imitating a Zombie in order to avoid attack becomes too widespread, it could result in tragedy. Consider: sooner or later the Zombies will notice if you recoil in horror or hang back while they attack the living. To keep up the charade, the zombie imitator will have to at least pretend to join in.

Imagine whole mobs of nothing but zombie impersonators staggering up the street, each individual in the herd convinced that he or she is the only "living" person in the herd - and determined to do whatever it takes to blend in and survive...they come across a pair of survivors, a young couple recently married before the ZPAW, rustling through a dumpster for discarded pizza crusts. The couple look up at the slavering horde, a look of sheer terror crosses both of their faces but the new bride thinks just a bit faster than her doting husband.

"Sorry Frank, I'm so sorry!" she says through her tears, taking his face in her hands. Then as he starts to say "What?" she takes a big bite out of his scalp, and she starts to walk with an affected limp, drooling and moaning, as the rest of the herd descends upon her poor husband.

Years later, when the 'outbreak' is finally cleared up, it's discovered that there never were any 'real' zombies, only panic stricken zombie phobes...