Are survivalists as rife in the UK?

Originally posted by orangetom1999

First off..to Flyer....you went to public school right?? Television education??

I don't see what that's got to do with anything. Anyway, here a public school is a private school so whatever answer I gave would be confusing.

Name the UK times UK citizens would have needed a stock of guns and several weeks supplies of food?

Originally posted by Flyer
Name the UK times UK citizens would have needed a stock of guns and several weeks supplies of food?

WWII comes to mind right away. And another poster mentioned the idea of a pandemic. A pandemic is a very real threat whether it comes naturally from bird flu or some other vector or intentionally from a terrorist group. Don't kid yourself, both sources are very, very real.

I've owned a fire extinguisher (at least one) pretty much as long as I've lived on my own. Our house now has five fire extinguishers at key locations. I'm in my mid-50's and have never had to use a fire extinguisher. Given that the odds of my having a fire a very low, does having a fire extinguisher make me paranoid? My personal goal is rather simple: in the event of a natural or intentional event that significantly disrupts the social order (which would, of course, disrupt the supply chain) I want to be able to minimize my need move from my location and have the ability, if necessary, to dissuade the uninvited.

wow, 2 generations ago there were some food shortages. Even then, people didnt have to arm themselves to protect their interests.

Maybe I might start taking precautions when the next WW starts but until then, I wont let it bother me.

My family has stock piled cans and water, and have also made a diaster kit as well as assault rifles and a large cache of ammo. Its no excuse to not be perpared nomatter where you live. Im in Michigan and even tho theres not any floods, earthquakes, and such we did have the blackout, which caught people off guard. What happens when yellowstone park blows? Or a meteor strikes or even nuclear war.

Flyer, I saw food shortages in the eighties, not 2 generations ago, and that was in Kent on the North Downs - not too far away from you! The local shops were stripped of food within hours of the hurricane as people realised there was no way out of the area - roads blocked, no trains or buses - and rushed to buy provisions

Were you not affected by the hurricane then? We were cut off for nigh on a fortnight and many people had no electricity.

Surely it makes sense just to keep a store of food for such an eventuality, maybe think about an alternative fuel source, especially if you have kids to think about.

It doesn't have to be some kind of armageddon scenario, just plain old mother nature giving us a reminder of her power!

I slept through the whole thing, I dont remember any problems whatsoever apart from the damage, no loss of services, no food shortages.

Did you need a stock of guns and ammo then to keep you safe?

Originally posted by Flyer

Name the UK times UK citizens would have needed a stock of guns and several weeks supplies of food?

Your citizens in WhiteHaven could have used some guns back on April 22nd 1778 when the Americans led by that daring scottsman John Paul Jones invaded and pillaged that town.

Americans are naturally paranoid of there government, I personally view it as a good thing.

Originally posted by Flyer

You think the # is going to hit the fan, I think anyone who thinks that is totally paranoid which is why they feel the need to have a stock of guns and food to make them feel safe.

Well flyer you certainly have a right to your opinion, but you are WRONG!!!!! I am not paranoid I do not need my stash to feel safe I have my knowledge to make me feel safe.
I have a hammer yet I don't use it but if I need it its here. The stash is only a tool I may never need it but if I do its here. You don't want to get prepared so be it your decision but don't you dare call those of us who want to get prepared names. you have no right and no understanding and should the end come its your kind that will make me have to use my guns that you laugh at now. I pray you are right and nothing does happen but keep this in mind. Aztec nation fell Rome fell American indian nation's fell USSR fell. Do you think for one moment the UK and the USA wont fall someday to?
There always has to be one in the crowd who feels the need to insult others because they don't happen to believe the way they do. It is irritating and frustrating.

To be honest I'm a little mystified and Americas obsession with guns and using them on humans. Most survivalist discussions here automatic weapons have been on the top of the list of must haves. But then I guess it depends on the situation you need to survive in, a revolt against your government your surely going to need weapons but for your average survival situation a gun should be that last thing on your mind.

Anyone who knows anything about survival doesn't need masses of food supply's, weapons and whatever else. Heck you could give me a decent knife and axe and ill be fine. Of course for city dwellers its a little more difficult.

I wont need guns because no one here apart from a few farmers have guns.

If it all kicks off, Id rather be in a country where no one has guns than a country where everyone has guns because there's going to be a lot more deaths in the latter.

Due to gun laws in the UK,
we cannot stock pile mass arms like they do in the States, but i do know other survivalist groups and communities throughout the UK. Some are cults and others tend to be those whacky "the end is coming" type of groups.

I don't know ... I had never thought much about having a stockpile of supplies, even after 9/11 and the hurricanes. I live in the midwest so there is little natural disaster threats other than tornadoes (no earthquakes, tsunamis, etc).

That was until this happened:

www.msnbc.msn.com...

One bad winter storm and hundreds of thousands were without power. Now granted there are shelters and the like for people to go to, but it made me realize that there is no reason that EVERYONE shouldn't have a 1-2 week supply of food and minimal survival gear. Something as simple as a case of canned food (and something to open it with if you don't have pop tops), a heating source, bottled water, and some blankets is even better than nothing. But really, what advantages are there to NOT having something of this nature? You may say "oh there will never be a problem in my neck of the woods", but I'm sure alot of those people in St. Louis would have said the same thing. And they just lost electricity (not like they are stuck home under martial law) ... but it is a HUGE problem when there are sub-zero temps.

I don't know about the UK being lazier/more laid back argument. Pretty much every single person I know here in the US does not believe they even need a 2 week supply of goods (unscientific poll of family and friends). It might just be that the people over here that ARE heavy survivalists are more vocal about it.

At any rate I will always have basics with me (even in my car I have a first aid kit, some cans of food, a couple sternos, and some blankets).

Originally posted by Flyer
I wont need guns because no one here apart from a few farmers have guns.

If it all kicks off, Id rather be in a country where no one has guns than a country where everyone has guns because there's going to be a lot more deaths in the latter.

If, as you say, it all kicks off and a major disaster causes the UK government to collapse for an extended period, the UK military and police forces aren't going to remain as cohesive units for very long. What do you think will happen to the *millions* of small arms owned by these two groups?

Originally posted by Edn
To be honest I'm a little mystified and Americas obsession with guns and using them on humans. Most survivalist discussions here automatic weapons have been on the top of the list of must haves. But then I guess it depends on the situation you need to survive in, a revolt against your government your surely going to need weapons but for your average survival situation a gun should be that last thing on your mind.

Anyone who knows anything about survival doesn't need masses of food supply's, weapons and whatever else. Heck you could give me a decent knife and axe and ill be fine. Of course for city dwellers its a little more difficult.

That Is a very good point, here in the UK we don't have "survivalists" we have "bushcrafters". Sure stockpile some AK's all you want but at the end of the day if you can't find, prep, and cook properly what you can shoot then all it does is take up valuble space and more importantly, weight if your on the move.
You only need to look back in history to times such as the american civil war, and the stories of platoons of forces that had endured days, weeks, or even months of starvation (boot eating included) all because they had no knowledge of real "survival skills." Sure they may have been heavily armed incase of attack but nature can kill you more efficiently than any bullet if your not prepared in your mind.

Oh just incase anyone does want to learn the things that really matter, there is a great UK based site that does have some of our american counterparts as members.

Bushcraft

As perviously stated we here in the UK cannot own guns, so for us too stockpile them would be almost impossible, but saying that i personally have never said anything about stockpiling guns.
Stockpiling food etc YES i 100% agree with that.

Flyers, mate, no-one as far as i know have said that you MUST stockplie guns, those in the USA will do so basically because they can and they will feel a lot safer because of this.
Here in the uK as you well know there are many many ilegal guns out there, so for you to say that the "only people who have guns near you are farmers " is wrong mate..i am not knocking you views..honest!
But i feel from your responses here that god forbid if Sit X happens, you will be OK, believe me, if it does happen (i hope it dosent) there will be plenty of people running around trying to rob you off something!!!

There is nothing wrong in being prepared for the unexpected whether that means buying in extra food, medical kits , tents etc or in thecase of those in The USA guns,i would rather be prepared than , to wake up one morning after Sit X has taken place and have no plan whatsoever.

As i said Flyers, this is in NO-WAY a dig at you, its just you have your opinion and others have theirs.

I agree completely, spymaster.

While you can certainly go overboard, a firearm is a tool and ownership of one or more makes a whole lot of sense if the law allows. Can I catch food without a rifle? Certainly. I can also dig a hole without a shovel and drive a nail without a hammer, but those tools would make it much easier. Granted, there are times when a rifle isn't necessary, but it also can make many situations much easier. If it is available to you, you are better off using it than not, especially in a survival scenario. Anything that can potentially aid a person in gathering food would be a huge plus.

Hum, with some British out there dressing up SS, talking German(yuck!), and training for War, am I right in thinking some of you think there's nothing to be worried about?

Let me guess, typical Politically Correct answer:

Repress the law-abiding,

Ignore the thugs,

Make some TV Prime-time arrests, (Like the things they done to Philip Luty)

and all will be fine... Cos we're all too MODERN in Zeropa for History to repeat itself!

"Peace in our times"... And at any cost?

I wonder if it could be a bit of a size thing, maybe brits are little resigned to the fact that they are a small country geographically with little wilderness to bug out to for so many people or that if something so cataclysmic was to happen in England the chances of survival may be much lower?

...And that brings me to my next question, why none of the survivalist groups I know ever wondered about Hydroponics, or even something as simple as mushroom growing in caves?

And, frankly, Great Britain is an Island, you guys sure know your way around ships and boats, why won't you FISH for your survival?

reply to post by Soloman

That could be the case,especially in a nuclear war scenario.I mean a handful of well placed nukes in the UK would irradiate EVERY bit of land,so the only survivors would be those with a fast boat/plane to GTF off the island.
And yeah,there are so many people(and therefore less flora and fauna) on this small chunk of land that survival would be harder in most situations.

Tunneling/caving is the way to go here-living on moles, worms and fish from underground lakes/rivers.