Paranoia

[Whisper]

Hi nickdutch, preparing for personal lack of finance is understandable. Have been close to being made redundant (horrible word) from work a few times. Trying to save money from a low wage whilst supporting child, wife and mortgage is near impossible for me. So keeping stock of food and essentials makes more sense. Paranoia, in my view, would be preparing for a total collapse of society due to a world wide banking system failure, USA vids again.

Hi, hamradioop, seen the vid and a few others involving the same people (funkyprepper etc) would agree they seem to be a group of backwoods campers. Nothing wrong with that. Done a fair bit of camping myself as it is a cheap holiday. Are you the radio ham?

Hi featherstick, I would guess your preparations are more long term self sufficiency (The Good Life) type. Have you been to the CAT (centre for alternative technology) near Aberystwyth in mid Wales. Started in the mid 70's. Covers everything you can think of in the self sufficiency world. They have a website, although they have gone more for the entertainment tourist market in recent years.

The more I look into the UK prepping situation, the less like the USA model it seems. I guess we will have a few who are preparing to take out 'the marauders' with force but on the whole perhaps fear would have been a better word than paranoia for the UK. Fearful of an event outside of our control, be it natural or man made disaster.

My fear, the one I am preparing for, is man made, lack of power, no electricity or gas. Is there anything in your home that doesn't run on one or the other. Even screwdrivers are now electric. So I've updated by First Aid kit, am already first aid trained. Checked on my torches, battery stocks and my wind up lamps. Currently researching emergency solar powered systems for lighting. Also water purification systems, no electric equals no pumps equals no water through the taps. Long way to go as I've not started on food, cooking, sanitation or many of the other subjects.

Perhaps the other word that is missing from the USA vids is 'fun'. I am having fun prepping and will certainly submitting questions on the forum as I go along.

[nickdutch]

My fear, the one I am preparing for, is man made, lack of power, no electricity or gas. Is there anything in your home that doesn't run on one or the other. Even screwdrivers are now electric. So I've updated by First Aid kit, am already first aid trained. Checked on my torches, battery stocks and my wind up lamps. Currently researching emergency solar powered systems for lighting. Also water purification systems, no electric equals no pumps equals no water through the taps. Long way to go as I've not started on food, cooking, sanitation or many of the other subjects.

Perhaps the other word that is missing from the USA vids is 'fun'. I am having fun prepping and will certainly submitting questions on the forum as I go along.

If you haven't got a chimney, have a look into bioethanol fireplaces as a short term solution. With a bit of creativity and tonnes of common sense you could rig one up. And the fuel also works in the trangea. Also youtube search for olive oil lamps (made of lamp wick from the hardware store and some galvanized wire).

[junmist]

Most properly because when you tell family and friends they have watched Doomsday preppers and think we are mad so its better not to tell them

[J23]

Hi all. My first post, may be my last depending on your replies, been reading up and watching the Youtube, simple question. Why are some Preppers so paranoid? They seem to be so afraid of hordes attacking them for their stash of goods that they hide themselves, do not discuss with anyone what they are doing and weaponise their retreat ready to kill.
Have I been watching too many American vids? Is the situation in the UK different? If I were to post my whereabouts asking for face to face meetings where I could learn from the more experienced, would you all run a mile and hide in your protected bunkers?
I see that there was a UK 100 person meet recently are these likely to be held all over the country?
Sorry if this post offends, just interested in your thoughts.

You are right. Lots of preppers are paranoid dreamers after watching too many American movies, they spend lots of cash on some fancy equipnment hoping for an adventure, not thinking what if shtf never happens - looks so cool on movie a guy that is prepared handles in hard environment. I believe in skills and keeping some more food and water at home, if something really bad happens there will be aid from other countries after some time and 1 month of supplies of food that I eat anyway will be enough till then.

[nickdutch]

I believe in skills and keeping some more food and water at home,

And its amazing the number of situations when the extra food can come in handy. Lets say there is no zombie apocalypse and instead you catch a lousy dose of the flu and cant get to the shops .
Then you have food, so the need to get to the shops is greatly reduced, so everything stays cool .

Thats all its about IMHO. Its just that normal people don't think ahead to those situations.

The only zombie invasion I have had to deal with was in a computer game.

[lonewolf]

You are right. Lots of preppers are paranoid dreamers after watching too many American movies, they spend lots of cash on some fancy equipnment hoping for an adventure, not thinking what if shtf never happens - looks so cool on movie a guy that is prepared handles in hard environment. I believe in skills and keeping some more food and water at home, if something really bad happens there will be aid from other countries after some time and 1 month of supplies of food that I eat anyway will be enough till then.

you really think that aid will be coming to the UK from other countries? hell, most of them hate our guts cos of one reason or another, usually something to do with the British Empire. and 1 month of supplies wont last very long when all your neighbours, who didn't store anything, are banging on your door cos their kids are starving. good luck with that.

[cpslashm]

you really think that aid will be coming to the UK from other countries?

The US government will come to our aid.
In return for bases, loans etc.

[Vespa]

you really think that aid will be coming to the UK from other countries?

The US government will come to our aid.
In return for bases, loans etc.

I've posted this before but it was a couple of years ago.

I read a precis sometime in the late 70's early 80's that dealt with the aftermath of a nuclear exchange with the Soviets that resulted in the lights going out and staying out.

I remember two things from it

1. Even if the exchange was limited and there were relatively few direct casualties if the lights went out and the S+++ really did hit the fan, law and order broke down, food distribution stopped etc then the population would decrease by a half every 6 months until it "stabilises" somewhere under 10 million. The overwhelming majority of deaths occurring as a result of water borne disease and later starvation.

and 2. We could expect absolutely no help from the US or the French until after the population had stabilised. At that point we would be occupied/aided/colonised.

I don't believe we're in much danger of nuclear war but there could well be other triggers to social melt down. I used to believe that any decline would be a slow process but after reading a book called Collapse by Jarrod Diamond I think the whole process will/could be a lot quicker.

I am paranoid, but understandably so because they really are out to get me. and you

[cpslashm]

Don't worry, you've got another 2-3 years...

[cpslashm]

Maybe.