“I’ll Come To Your Place When SHTF” – No You Won’t

a reply to: diggindirt

Thanks for your post. And as I've already stated, I always have a local Emergency Kit for mainly weather disasters.

As far as finding this Pennsylvania shooter, he sounds like a hardened survivalist. He may be camping out in the woods under an artificial shelter which thermal-scans can't penetrate. (Like in the first "Predator," when Arnold covered himself in mud so the thermal-reading alien couldn't spot him.)

He may also be in an underground bunker. So his only "unique footprint" isolated in a forest, may be breathing out CO2, and I doubt we have the technology at this time to detect that from just one person.

But if someone is working in an isolated spot over a long period of time, building/stocking a bunker, our satellites might be able to flag this activity by one person. If the forest canopy is too thick for thermal, just driving in and out in a vehicle could be noticed.

And if you've got grumbly, ungrateful kids crowding into your house during disasters, bored because they can't get TV or run their computers, suggest that they buy their own "pedal power" like this:

www.econvergence.net...
THE PEDAL-A-WATT BICYCLE GENERATOR

Sounds like...

"Hahah you suckers are not prepared by stacking up food and ammo for the eventual destruction of the world and beginning of the mad max world. You may enjoy your life now and go on happy vacation but not me, it can happen anytime! and i will have the last laugh!"

Yup, another person hoping for the world will go to hell so his paranoia is not wasted and he will be the hero.

I personally would rather die if we are at a stage where we lost humanity and kill or be killed. im sure wherever i am going after i die is much better than the place i will be leaving.

So glad to see you back!

originally posted by: crazyewok
a reply to: jaynkeel

Ok there are exceptions a ex army sniper with latest gear in a fortified position ect. But it is no certain thing still and will always be a close thing. Chances are still better as a group.

Bigger groups are easier to find. Easier to track. Easier to avoid.

It all boils down to visibility. If it's easy to see, it's easier to deal with.

Think of Eric Rudolph, who held out for 5 years against everything the feds had to throw at him. There was only one of him, and they REALLY had him outnumbered - quite a bit more than "10:1". Still, they always came up empty until HE decided it was time to give it up and throw in the towel.

Bigger ain't always better.

originally posted by: olaru12

originally posted by: Hmmmmmmm


I have a 40 foot diesel pusher motorhome and enough stabilized fuel to reach South America.

The rest of my efforts have all been about educating myself.

Knowledge about how to survive can't be taken away from you, items can.

Perhaps a little educating would be beneficial if you researched what will happen to traffic patterns in a shtf event.

That motorhome will be your coffin.... but if you did manage to make it to South America, I'm sure you would be welcomed with open arms by the locals

South America is only one of many options. I have enough fuel to get there, but that also means I have enough to go many other places. I have studied at least 10 destinations and none of them are populated areas. It's all about having options.

As is the motorhome itself. If things go as planned it won't get much use.

I would prefer to just stay put in my little rural town in the middle of nowhere. I have a house that heats with wood, and I know all the good hunting spots already. My house has a cistern that is kept full and there is only one road that goes through town.

My only other concern is that city dwellers will decide they want to come here loaded up in their RV's..

a reply to: silo13

I'd rather die than live in a world where I turn on my friends and neighbors and refuse to help good people in need.

That isn't what decent people do.

That isn't what I would want my children to learn.

originally posted by: Hmmmmmmm

My only other concern is that city dwellers will decide they want to come here loaded up in their RV's..

If you intend to hunker down, this would be a good time to figure out just which bridges need to be dropped, and where the best place to crater incoming roads is.

a reply to: duaneology

Interesting.

A self-fulfilling wish that carries it's own fuel.

I've never quite understood why there are people who intentionally WANT to die, any more than I've understood why there are people who are afraid to die... but it takes all kinds, I guess.

Neither mindset is very conducive to survival, however.

a reply to: nenothtu

In a major catastrophic shtf event I think it will be the ones who isolate themselves who will not fair well. Forming a solid group of like minded "survivors" who have one another's back is preferable to me than hiding out in my bunker shooting at every shadow.

Not only would I share my food and medical supplies with those I trust but I'd also share my guns and ammo too. There's strength in numbers.

But yes, if the day came where I had to use violence on anyone who approached in need then I would most definitely not want to be part of that world.

a reply to: duaneology

Well, each of us have our own philosophies in the matter, I suppose. My personal philosophy involves neither hiding in a bunker nor shooting at shadows, nor does it involve ganging up into a large, easily visible, disease-ridden and unwieldy herd, but to each his own.

I also believe that firearms, shared or not, would be of severely truncated utility in a true SHTF scenario - once you shoot up all your bullets, where are you going to get more? The handy local gun shop will likely be closed in the first little bit of the "emergency", and if not I think you can expect horrendous pricing - law of supply and demand, you know, and the fresh incoming supplies would be non-existent... So I expect that within the first year, ammunition would be so scarce as to make guns entirely useless, especially if everyone is trying to punch everyone else's ticket to Valhalla in the first week or month. They can burn up a lot of ammunition that way.

I personally don't expect to have to turn many people away, whether "good" people or "bad" people, and whether by means of violence or persuasion (I think I've come up with a pretty persuasive argument to keep them away to begin with).

The very idea that you would have to turn needy people away implies that they have already attained refugee status. Refugees shouldn't be capable of making it all the way to your "Fortress Keep" any how - anyone who can make that trek ought to be automatically suspect of not being "good" in the first place, and if they can FIND it, then that would tend to firm up that conclusion - "good" people won't have a clue what to look for.

"Friends" coming to "share" YOUR stuff aren't "friends", they are parasites at best, predators at worst.

Beyond that, judicious application of force to infrastructure - bridges and the like - should discourage all but the most hardy, and the occasional "QUARANTINE" sign here and there, complete with skull and crossbones, should send most of the incorrigibles in that category on their way. Anyone who gets through all of that, and still finds you should just put on a bulls-eye shirt to make it easy for you.

On the other hand, I can appreciate those who just want to "end it" and not carry on forward in such a world - it leaves more resources for the ones who think otherwise. That's not necessarily a BAD thing.

ETA: I actually did a study some time ago on how the small towns and communities in this area could isolate themselves from each other if TSHTF, but what I expect would happen would be more of an area isolation than individual communities. I think the communities would band together and isolate the area from the outside world, which wouldn't be all that difficult, given the modern propensity for use of technology in transportation. Heck, for nearly 300 years nature herself kept them isolated from the outside. I'm fairly certain that the average urbanite refugee heading this way (whether in groups or not) for forage wouldn't even make it to the "border", and those that did would, for the most part, be stopped cold there - "cold", perhaps, being the operative word.

They're better off just preying on one another, and leaving the hinterlands be.

I probably wouldn't associate with a person who had that mentality in the first place, so I wouldn't even know about his stash or whatever.

I just know that I won't be shooting anyone who is seeking help. I'm kind, probably to a fault. I will help when and where I can. For example, if I were to buy a large bag of rice, I would probably buy 2 of them. One would be for my family, and one I would break down into smaller single serving bags. I tend to do all of my canning in smaller jars too. So that if my neighbor and her kids come knocking, I can give them at least a couple of meals without dragging out a huge bucket of rice or something for them to see. This way I can help them a bit, while still maintaining a supply for my own family.

Ideally, the community would come together and help each other learn to survive. I'd rather survive with good people who made the mistake of not being prepared than jerks like whoever wrote the "I will shoot you" letter in the OP.

Seems like most 'preppers' are just violent sociopaths waiting for an excuse to shoot somebody.

It'd be amusing if it wasn't so disturbing.

I just simply include my friends in my preps. In fact, they are a key component of it. If you ever read stories of places in the world where the SHTF, there is ONE thing in common with survivors....they did so as part of a GROUP.

I can't defend and guard the property by myself...and together, we can grow more food, and get much more done each day. These lone wolves are going to be the ones marauders roll right over. Whereas coming upon me, they'll have to deal with a fortified position where about a dozen armed folks are trying to survive. (so hopefully, we could make a deal vs. bloodshed).

We'll even welcome others in, with a security protocol of course, until they've proven themselves trustworthy.

Thing is, I'm not JUST prepping for an end of the world scenario. Indeed, I doubt it will ever happen in my lifetime. But, hopefully, can also leave the kids with a good legacy and prepped place. In addition, the prepping is more like our grandparents, for lean times, unforeseen events, etc. that may be more temporary in nature.

In fact, this is how I got the family onboard. It all started with a kit in the car. Not a doomsday kit, but a LIFE kit. Unknown to them, I made a bag and filled it with things we always seem to need in outings. Here are some examples, keep in mind, 3 women in my household, and sure I'm forgetting some little things).

Female needs, OTC meds, small first aid kit, hairspray, brush, hairbands, bobby pins, safety pins, spare socks, spare flip flops, spare undies, small makeup kit, mirror, travel size toiletries, snack packs, Prescription meds (extra), superglue, hand towel, nail repair stuff, small flashlight, telescoping magnet stick, spare house key, cell phone charger...etc.

Basically, it's a LIFE kit, so the first time they needed something, I said to reach under the seat. My wife pulled out the small bag, and was just in awe. The girls were like kids at Christmas, and then offered suggestions for other things to put in there. After that, they were hooked! LOL.

originally posted by: luciddream




I personally would rather die if we are at a stage where we lost humanity and kill or be killed. im sure wherever i am going after i die is much better than the place i will be leaving.

plenty of people feel like that, fine by me, they will leave more breathing space for those like me who want to survive

Interesting look at the level of sociopathy mixed up in the survivalist movement.

originally posted by: crazyewok
a reply to: silo13

Actually I find that stupid unless your friend is a lazy deadbeat.

Fact is there is survival in numbers.

Sure you shot your friends and the week after a big gang comes along and kills you and your family and takes your stash anyway.

What I have done is form a pack with my close friends to group together if SHTF

That's a valid point. Although I understand the point of the letter in the OP, that people had better think about taking care of themselves, if the "friend" is trusted and willing to work, then he would be an asset not a detriment. He could help guard, gather supplies, chop wood, fix things, etc. He could exchange labor for supplies. If he's a deadbeat that will sit on his rump all day, then yes, he'd be a detriment, so the final answer would be "it depends."

IMO prepping for TEOTWAWKI is just a big game/fantasy. Don't get me wrong I "have a plan" and a some supplies in case of an emergency (in car, house, etc.) but that's pretty much it. That's all you'll ever need.

The grid isn't going permanently down, oil isn't drying up anytime soon and the zombies are staying regular old dead.

Building a bunker, stock piling a years worth of food, training an with endless array of weapons...that stuff is a hobby or at worst a sick delusion. I know, I know - "don't come crying to me when the # hits the fan! I'll kill you and your babies!" Most likely your freeze dried food will go uneaten, rounds never fired, and bunker will go unused except for your practice runs...but you'll have had a good time gathering it all.

In the event something bigbad happens (all out nuclear war, earth-killer asteroid, hostile alien invasion/extermination) none of use will live long enough to tell the tale no matter how many homemade MREs we vacuum pack while watching The Walking Dead

a reply to: silo13

Dear prepper friend,

You have made two mistakes.

Your first mistake was telling me that you were prepping. Your second mistake was writing this letter, because I know where you stand, and you think I haven't been prepping. I have been prepping, I have been prepping you.

Thanks for the supplies,
Person that will never send this letter.

originally posted by: mr-lizard
Seems like most 'preppers' are just violent sociopaths waiting for an excuse to shoot somebody.

It'd be amusing if it wasn't so disturbing.

I wouldn't worry to much about it. Most of the "preppers" are just sad losers playing at a mad max fantasy to escape their banal pointless lives.

Alter egos with macho, masculine avatars hiding adolescent confusion and inner turmoil.

first of all those people who are denigrating preppers as mad max etc who believe "it'll never happen"....you are sheeple and why are you on the survival section? so you can just be a troll? go somewhere else where people give a # what you think. secondly I agree with all those others that think "groups" are not workable in a SHTF situation, unless you have set up a working and functioning group PRIOR to the event that might work, but join a group of complete strangers or at best maybe some of your old neighbours-your more likely to get a knife in your ribs in the middle of the night and all your gear stolen. I have had some good friends over the years, but they aren't preppers and they all live in a city(the same one I got out of 15 years ago) and the chances of them making it here post SHTF are very slim to non existent.