What do you mean by SHTF?

[buttystella]

i prep because i believe that the way we live on this overpopulated island is unsustainable and change will be forced upon us. This change could come from a variety of areas such as economic collapse, lack of fuel to power the country or the workforce becoming pissed off with the futility of trying to exist on the minimum wage and part time jobs.
I also love the idea of independence from government and politicians who do not subscribe to my views on how to live but force the populace to live under their views and rules.

[Ian]

I like to be comfortable, so I plan so that whatever may happen I will be fed and watered, warm and sheltered to the same standards as I am now (or as close as I may get).

Many years ago a friend was travelling along the notorious Devils Elbow, Glen Shea, Scotland in the depths of winter. He had a small Ford van and of course got stuck in the snow and eventually buried in a drift. Some 48 hours later the snowplough arrived and on digging him out, he opened the back door and reclining on a mattress in his sleeping bag offered tea and the bacon butties he was frying on his Primus to his 'rescuers'.

To me that is true prepping.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairnwell_Pass


A few years later the missus and I also got stuck in snow a little further on from the same spot (A Range Rover was stuck and blocked the road which meant that my Renault 12 could not get by. Then two SWB Landies blocked us from behind and we could not reverse. I was mobile but blocked) I was ready to spend the night in the car but we managed to walk out to a nearby ski lodge where the Missus, having grown up in the area, was a friend of the owner, and we had a free room for the night, proper prepping. (have I said the Missus is a better prepper than I)

[Triple_sod]

I expect my preps to be used more often for the things like power cuts, water problems, unemployment etc than anything else but it pays to be prepared

I’m glad you mentioned power cuts;

As a prepper there is nothing quite as satisfying as cracking out the alternative light sources and making a cuppa on the camp stove in the garden.

Whilst throughout the area, people are in their kitchens huddled around a single tealight grumbling.

[Bournemouthprepper]

To me it means game over = new game how long can you last!

somethings going to happen eventually, so why not be prepared for it? nuclear war is a very unlikely case, but a terrorist dirty bomb is alot more likely! 1 big ass dirty bomb in central england could wipe out half the country... brilliant!

[itsybitsy]

nuclear war is a very unlikely case, but a terrorist dirty bomb is alot more likely! 1 big ass dirty bomb in central england could wipe out half the country... brilliant!

You wanna explain how a dirty bomb is 'brilliant'?

[Carrot Cruncher]

1 big ass dirty bomb in central england could wipe out half the country

A dirty bomb isn't going to wipeout anything other than the immediate area that the explosives used would affect, It may well contaminate a small area (depending on the wind etc) but the major problems would be caused by the panic, not the contamination.

[Bournemouthprepper]

1 big ass dirty bomb in central england could wipe out half the country

A dirty bomb isn't going to wipeout anything other than the immediate area that the explosives used would affect, It may well contaminate a small area (depending on the wind etc) but the major problems would be caused by the panic, not the contamination.

The immediate area/ ground zero of the explosion wouldn't be very big and wouldn't cause huge fatalities, its the contamination afterwards, a big enough dirty bomb exploded in london could ruin the majority of the south of england, with most causalties being secondary to radiation poisoning.

And brilliant was the dark humour/sarcastic tin foil wearing view.

[Carrot Cruncher]

Have a look at these articles, they describe the effects of dirty bombs, their limitations, and the misconceptions and hype surrounding the topic

Here is a good article titled "Combating the Hype"

http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20100421 ... ating_hype

and one from the BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2037769.stm

The panic will cause far more problems than the event

As we're getting well off topic (sorry luq) it might be worth starting another thread on the effects of a dirty bomb

[itsybitsy]

And brilliant was the dark humour/sarcastic tin foil wearing view.

I have to admit I was wondering about the finfoil hat!

[diamond lil]

"1 big ass dirty bomb in central england could wipe out half the country... brilliant! "

...I thought you'd come over to the SNP there for a minute !