when does a preper become a raider

[grumpy old man]

skean,
life is about living and being happy? to the best you can be, you can't have everthing you want
but most peoples life goes like this?
you grow up and learn what you can
go out have fun
meet a girl/boy fall in love and can't eat , sleep or think
get married and have kids
have a few ups and downs in life
but hopefully be happy!
this you will properly know.
that's what i want for my kids like most parents i think.

although i don't have loads of people i can talk too about the TEOTWAWKI i do have a couple of close family members who don't like the risk of getting caught out so have taken steps to help themself and family, albeit not to my lenghts that i would like.
so if i died my family wouldn't be all alone waiting to die

i hope!
i would not leave any one of my kids to die it would have to be all or nothing.
my view of prepping started with defence and attack working down the list to farming last
working on my strenghts and weakness.

---

skevz,

you right it his a hard choice
the only thing i would do is go all out for each child.
how could i let 1 die and let them think the others were more special than them
i really couldn't.
each one of my kids deservse 100% of my backing when they need it.

[Skean Dhude]

Grumpy,

It is never black and white. When I was researching dehydration there was one site where a woman in Africa brough in two boys. They both needed an anti diarrhoea sachet or they would die. The doctors had one. If split between them they would have both died. But it would save one. What a shitty situation that was for her. She chose life for one. Just as we would have if we were in that situation.

Sometimes you just have to choose. The situation may be as that woman or it may not be difficult to make. But to deny it will never happen is folly and being unrealistic. What you mean to say is I don't accept it so I will ignore it.

[sc1]

Interesting thread.

I do have kids and a wife. My plans are to bug in, to have enough supplies in to ensure survival. I realise that most people will not have made any plans so will typically have maybe 2 weeks food in the house at a push. Once those 2 weeks expire, people will be doing anything for food, and that includes trying to take my food. I have it well secured, it is stored in a location in which it will not be found. I have also planned to robustly defend my supplies if the S does HTF. Take my street as an example. I would say I'm the only prepper in the street, maybe in the area. I'd say that this is typical in the UK. We will be up against it. Big time. By the same token, I will be in a position to defend my supplies because I have the advantage of being ready. People attempting to enter my property will not know what hit them.

Regarding raiding. If things go badly wrong I would be prepared to raid. Definitely. This would be a worst case scenario. I wouldn't choose to raid but if I had to, no problem.

[Reality Jones]

What's the difference in a survival scenario between a raider and a scavenger?

[Kenneth Eames]

I think the difference between a raider and a scavenger is this. A raider is prepared to steal anothers food and possessions, even breaking in to peoples houses. A scavenger will be begging and trying to find handouts from others. I think I will avoid both of these senarios. I will have secret gardens growing and will have my stored foods in cache's. I shall also rely on the wild plants that I know are edible. I have my tools and should be able to build a cabin in the woods. I live on a peninsula five miles wide with the sea on both sides, with seaweed in plenty, shell fish and possibly fish. Kenneth Eames.

[sc1]

A scavenger is an opportunist with a conscience. A raider is an opportunist devoid of conscience. Desperation will kiss goodbye to anyones conscience.

[Reality Jones]

Here's the scenario.
It's been several months since TSHTF and the generator you have been using for power has run low on oil and wont start, for some reason you forgot to put it on your list of things to get and as a result you now have a situation on yr hands that means you will have to obtain some more.
You are still trying to avoid the cities and towns and you know that there is an old scrap yard a mile or so down the road from yr BOL that appears abandoned.
you get to the scrap yard and after watching it for several hours you see no sign of occupation and so decide to 'scavenge' what you can. You find a knackered looking lawn mower and decide to extract the oil from that, half way through filling up your can you hear a noise behind you. You turn around and there's a hungry looking man with a shotgun, the shotgun is pointed at you.
What are you now? A scavenger or a raider?

[sc1]

A scavenger. Nasty scenario. My family member hiding in the ditch with the crossbow a aimed at this guys head will pull the trigger.

[Skean Dhude]

(11 October 2011, 06:28)Reality Jones Wrote: What are you now? A scavenger or a raider?

A bit panicky and ready to beg.

[Skvez]

You are neither a raider nor a scavanger.
To be a raider you would be the one with the weapon.
You intended to be a scavanger but ended up being a looter.
Explaining that you didn't intend to loot should (hopefully) keep you alive, you can now become a traider/barterer to get the oil and leave with your fluids intact.