Does 'Acting Dead' Fool Zombies?

Would “acting dead” prove to be a useful survival tactic during an undead outbreak? There are certainly arguments for it, such as the fact that the average studies have shown how generally clumsy zombies actually are. Did the writers of Shaun of the Dead get it right? Is it possible to pretend to be dead in order to safely navigate a group of zombies? There are other factors at play which should be considered.

What Does History Say?
All outbreaks which have been officially documented generally log the same items about the ghoulish fiends. Most testify that they are uncoordinated and incapable of moving fast. In recent high profile Hollywood films such as Dawn of the Dead, zombies are depicted as being very fast and very capable of inflicting exact and precise damage. This my friends, is untrue. While they are capable of causing damage, they lack basic coordination and motor skills to allow for a fast pursuit.

So why not mimic the same motion and movement in order to blend in? For one, and perhaps the single most important reason, is that there are absolutely no documented cases of an outbreak survivor “acting dead” and making it through any amount of a zombie force. None. There is no need to take unwarranted risks during any outbreak of any level.

This is not to say that you would be able to escape a small, scattered group. As has proven in survivor statements, there are cases where people have safely navigated through a small collection of the undead and moved to a safer location. Of course this would be done not by acting dead but swiftly moving through the zombie field before they would have a chance to react to our presence. This tactic however is not recommended unless you are completely aware of the surroundings and your destination location.

What Does Science Say?
Scientists rarely go on record with regards to zombies. Those that do speak, do so off the record, but can provide valuable resources from their research.

Scientists state that all cases of the undead show that their basic motor skills are reduced to just that: very basic. Coordination, quick movement, and advanced skills are lost after death and not brought back in the undead state. While they have not had enough samples to test, scientists now believe that there is some sensory perception (not to be confused with ESP, mind you) that the undead possess which allows them to detect the living from the dead. They have crudely related this to a dog’s sense of smell. In essence, enough of the senses remain in the undead that allow them to detect the living and attack. This is also supported by documentation. There are no recorded cases of zombie-on-zombie attacks, which scientists feel supports their theory.

Summary
From what we know, it would appear that both history and science, based on information collected to date, would not support “acting dead” as a wise survival tactic.