How long before things go south if the SHTF?

[Ashton1911]

Has anyone in this thread actually tried to form a neighborhood protection plan, mutual support group, etc. in a suburban neighborhood?

I have the folks I pray with, as well as neighbors who I get along with. We aren't more than 1/20 of the nearby streets, but we go shooting together, check on each other when the power goes out, and help each other with childcare and the like. Not sure if we would have a chance against a mob, but we are relatively out of the way, despite being within 465. If we could relocate and keep our jobs, community, infrastructure, we would, but for right now, this is where we are.

 

[LEaSH]

Trust is everything - always has been.

And it takes time to build trust.

 

[Cynical]

Trust is everything - always has been.

And it takes time to build trust.

My neighbor is my brother. We have have lived on the same patch of ground we bought 24 years ago. He is kind of flippant about things except coming to my man cave for ammo. It’s the same tired argument, if things break down I’m coming to your house. He makes 20k a year more than I do and he made his way. I’m not taking away from that, but while he’s living his best life and not sacrificing anything thinking that powder and primers are basically free is kind of beyond me at this point. I have a prepper pantry which my 21 year old daughter named the doom room. I have well over 6 months worth of supplies. When things go south I can’t let my brother and his wife starve so I guess in reality I only have 3 months worth. I don’t really get made fun of from my family because they don’t think things could go south but if they do they’re going to come to me. Kind of a hard place to be.

 

[firecadet613]

Has anyone in this thread actually tried to form a neighborhood protection plan, mutual support group, etc. in a suburban neighborhood?

Doubtful. None of our neighbors where we used to live had any kind of preps or really thought that way.

Check out "Leave the World Behind"....cities and suburbs are NOT where you'd want to be. And yes, I know it's them projecting their plans...

 

[Ashton1911]

Cities aren't ideal for survival, but for many of us, work requires living in a populated area. It would be nice to have a farm/fortress in a less populated part of the state, but I don't have the buckets of money or spare time to maintain a place like that. If everything goes down, I probably wouldn't make it. If we lose power and then water for a week and there is mass unrest/looting/arson, our chances are about as good as it gets in the city.

 

[firecadet613]

Cities aren't ideal for survival, but for many of us, work requires living in a populated area. It would be nice to have a farm/fortress in a less populated part of the state, but I don't have the buckets of money or spare time to maintain a place like that.

Not necessarily. If you work towards it, you can make it happen.

Outside 465 is better than inside it, and there are tons of folks living the country life commuting 30+ minutes into Indy (or another large city).

Odds are much better for those with one house on many acres than for those living with many houses per acre. There's no way around it. Society breaks down quicker the denser the population is.

If you're thinking about getting out, I encourage you to start a plan and work towards it... we wish we moved out of suburbia much sooner than we did.

 

[longbow]

Has anyone in this thread actually tried to form a neighborhood protection plan, mutual support group, etc. in a suburban neighborhood?

5 good neighbors and a drunk with wife with stage 4 cancer. I'm called the speed bump to the neighbor behind me.

I think a few on this site might trust me if we had some interesting things going down.

I'm screwed if the other 13 family members show up without much....

 

[bylomylo]

And the preppers that have months of food and supplies will enjoy it until someone comes and takes it. And they will, count on it.

Sounds like something a Liberal would say. Wanting a hand out again. So the preppers who have months (try years) of food and supplies (obviously weapons/ammo would be on that list) are just going to let someone with nothing just take it? Just like when someone tries to confiscate our weapons, we are just going to bend over and then give them everything? Come all idiots and get whatever you think you can get! HAHA this is too funny!

 

[smokingman]

I prepped long before 2011 when we moved north of Two Harbors Minnesota.

I spent more than 4 years living on 40 acres more than 11 miles to the nearest gas station and only one full time other resident within 2 miles of us.

That far north, that far out prepping was not a just in case or if the world falls apart. It was required to survive the winter, which ended in July and started back up in early September(May 2012 we had an official blizzard with 14 inches more of snow in 24 hours,and July 4th we still had snow in shaded places).

I learned from locals about wildlife, plants, and how to survive when it is -30F. Not to mention got really good at replacing wheel bearings on vehicles, they do not work well when it is not that cold. It was cold enough hitting the brakes on a vehicle could blow a now very fragile line. Staying warm was obviously one of the main things. Did some really cold over night hiking in snow shoes as well(down to about -10f at night, I am a bit nuts but not insane). This was prior to my AT hike by almost 3 years.

One of my favourite things I own because I lived up there are Aladin lamps. 60 watts of light(to be fair 50w is probably closer to reality without smoking the mantles up) burning kerosene at a pint every 8 hours....while throwing off 9000 btu of heat. If it is cold that is a win in every way.

Prepping/rotating and in general having enough to make it through winter has been a feature of human existence since we began. Somehow in the last 70 years or so most seem to have forgotten that. Almost every mass starvation event has happened in winter.

Point being the minimum you should try to keep on hand, should be enough to get you through winter.

 

[Ashton1911]

Sounds like something a Liberal would say. Wanting a hand out again. So the preppers who have months (try years) of food and supplies (obviously weapons/ammo would be on that list) are just going to let someone with nothing just take it? Just like when someone tries to confiscate our weapons, we are just going to bend over and then give them everything? Come all idiots and get whatever you think you can get! HAHA this is too funny!

All men sleep

 

[cg21]

All men sleep

Dogs are light sleepers and yes all men sleep but when…..? Gonna need a better plan

 

[Route 45]

I learned from locals about wildlife, plants, and how to survive when it is -30F.

I think I would prefer a sniper's bullet to living in Minnesota.

 

[Ashton1911]

Dogs are light sleepers and yes all men sleep but when…..? Gonna need a better plan

I'm not saying the first attack would be successful. And dogs are suckers for anyone who gives them some bacon.
How many times do you have to wake up to dogs baking before you stop reacting to them as diligently?
And if you try to hunt down whoever your dogs alerted to, watch yourself step into a trap.

 

[smokingman]

I'm not saying the first attack would be successful. And dogs are suckers for anyone who gives them some bacon.
How many times do you have to wake up to dogs baking before you stop reacting to them as diligently?
And if you try to hunt down whoever your dogs alerted to, watch yourself step into a trap.

Seriously doubt anyone will get to many second chances. Fail and likely you will become the hunted. Why not just prepare rather than trying to count on killing to eat? Because that is pretty much what you are saying.

*side note do you have the ability to can food or grow a garden? Bet many you encounter outside of cities do. Skills matter.

 

[Ashton1911]

I'm not saying hunting preppers is a good survival strategy, just that defending against them is going to be hellacious.
A decent number of peppers will get offed by bad luck or a particularly clever attacker. Good community matters. If you depend on odd sleeping hours and dogs rather than community and enough people in a household to keep a watch...

 

[Magyars]

I prepped long before 2011 when we moved north of Two Harbors Minnesota.

I spent more than 4 years living on 40 acres more than 11 miles to the nearest gas station and only one full time other resident within 2 miles of us.

That far north, that far out prepping was not a just in case or if the world falls apart. It was required to survive the winter, which ended in July and started back up in early September(May 2012 we had an official blizzard with 14 inches more of snow in 24 hours,and July 4th we still had snow in shaded places).

I learned from locals about wildlife, plants, and how to survive when it is -30F. Not to mention got really good at replacing wheel bearings on vehicles, they do not work well when it is not that cold. It was cold enough hitting the brakes on a vehicle could blow a now very fragile line. Staying warm was obviously one of the main things. Did some really cold over night hiking in snow shoes as well(down to about -10f at night, I am a bit nuts but not insane). This was prior to my AT hike by almost 3 years.

One of my favourite things I own because I lived up there are Aladin lamps. 60 watts of light(to be fair 50w is probably closer to reality without smoking the mantles up) burning kerosene at a pint every 8 hours....while throwing off 9000 btu of heat. If it is cold that is a win in every way.

Prepping/rotating and in general having enough to make it through winter has been a feature of human existence since we began. Somehow in the last 70 years or so most seem to have forgotten that. Almost every mass starvation event has happened in winter.

Point being the minimum you should try to keep on hand should be enough to get you through winter.

Korean War Era down casualties sleeping bags, provided you don't have to lug it around are simply tge best

 

[Magyars]

I'm not saying hunting preppers is a good survival strategy, just that defending against them is going to be hellacious.
A decent number of peppers will get offed by bad luck or a particularly clever attacker. Good community matters. If you depend on odd sleeping hours and dogs rather than community and enough people in a household to keep a watch...

First these marauding lowlifes have to get to your location. I suspect many won't make it that far.

 

[Nicu757]

If anyone thinks the SHTF will play out like all the books and movies we all enjoy we are all in for a huge surprise. Like everything people and mindset and a sprinkle of luck will make all the difference.

 

[Mij]

If anyone thinks the SHTF will play out like all the books and movies we all enjoy we are all in for a huge surprise. Like everything people and mindset and a sprinkle of luck will make all the difference.

Well the only thing we have to go on is our collective knowledge, if you have some different ideas I know myself would like to hear them/it. Please expound on your thoughts. And again, thank you.

 

[Nicu757]

Well the only thing we have to go on is our collective knowledge, if you have some different ideas I know myself would like to hear them/it. Please expound on your thoughts. And again, thank you.

I try to focus on the mental side of things more than anything else. I don’t have any answers or great wisdom. But to focus on mental preparation is all. Mind over matter.