That's the reason why you never, ever tell any of your neighbors that you prep. People think that because you have it, you have an obligation to share it with them, but most people would not reciprocate by sharing with you.

Back in the 1990s, we had a storm in Minnesota that knocked out power in our area for 5 days. I was the only one with a generator. As soon as I started it, several neighbors were knocking on my door with extension cords in hand. It was a small generator, so I ran it in one-hour shifts with each neighbor getting an hour to keep their refrigerators cold. I told each that they could only put one refrigerator on the generator. Nothing else. Only one neighbor didn't comply. He had several freezers and hooked them all up at the same time. I heard the generator bog down and cut him off.

Not a single neighbor offered to help pay for fuel. I almost ran out just before the power came back on.

Keep in mind that in a disaster, human nature is at play, and it sometimes isn't pretty.

 

Back in the 1990s, we had a storm in Minnesota that knocked out power in our area for 5 days. I was the only one with a generator. As soon as I started it, several neighbors were knocking on my door with extension cords in hand. It was a small generator, so I ran it in one-hour shifts with each neighbor getting an hour to keep their refrigerators cold. I told each that they could only put one refrigerator on the generator. Nothing else. Only one neighbor didn't comply. He had several freezers and hooked them all up at the same time. I heard the generator bog down and cut him off.

Not a single neighbor offered to help pay for fuel. I almost ran out just before the power came back on.

Same thing happened to me with Hurricane Ike a few years back. My poor ole generator was run for 6 weeks.....straight. I had power back after 3 days

But because I was a good guy......

It's an age old thing though because through the years, I've worked, saved and bought the things I've needed only to have others want to borrow them and sometimes that leads to breakage, then a rift forms when the other party doesn't step up to the plate

Now days I'm a little more selective. I've become hard-nosed and have learned to say "no" assertively

It does depend though on who is doing the asking and how good looking she is......

You can be generous but be selective!

 

Wise to keep the opsec going like you are. I have told my kids to keep what we have quiet, nothing is visible from the windows or doors. I have added shades to the back door and kitchen window that faces the deck. Anything that says gun is hidden from sight. I doubt anyone knows we are armed.

Someone is always home and I will be retired in 2 weeks, even better. I'm not buddy buddy with any neighbors since my house is a little remote from anyone else. I'm on a dead end and back up to state property on 2 sides. I have an alarm on the house and garage, we set it every night.

I watch out for cars casing the 'hood mainly and haven't seen anything yet. We have a protocol for answering the door that we all follow.

 

Someone is always home and I will be retired in 2 weeks, even better. I'm not buddy buddy with any neighbors since my house is a little remote from anyone else. I'm on a dead end and back up to state property on 2 sides. I have an alarm on the house and garage, we set it every night.

That pretty much describes my situation, except for the dead-end part. I retired last year and have become very in-tune with what goes on around here since then.

We used to be friends with several of the neighbors, when we first bought this house 11 years ago. Primarily because they had kids and my stepdaughter made friends with those kids. So, naturally, we became friends with the parents as well. Anyway, fast-forward 11 years and now everyone has either grown up, moved away, or whatever, and I really don't know anyone around here now, in my immediate vicinity.

The only person whom I still would have helped, no questions asked, was the little old widow in the house directly across the street from us. Her husband was a WW II vet and he passed away a few years ago, but she was still always out there in the yard, tending her garden beds and so forth. My wife often talked to her, although in those days I was still working and out the door before dawn and didn't get home until dinner time or later. Anyway, the widow woman began to rapidly decline last year and so her adult children moved her into a nursing home and sold the house. I have no idea about the people who live there now.

A few people who I do still know in this neighborhood are other veterans... one is Marine, the other 3 are Army. I know who they are and they know who I am, and that's really all that is necessary for the moment.

I watch out for cars casing the 'hood mainly and haven't seen anything yet. We have a protocol for answering the door that we all follow.

Ha ha, want to know my protocol for answering the door? Don't... works every time it's tried.

 

HOW DO you know she was talking about you and not "neighbors" in general, as in how the neighbors band together to repel the fuzzies vs the way you are taking it as you are expected to be their local market?

Some folks have a way of using general terms for a lot of conversation. Unless there was more to it, or YOU are the only neighbor within miles, then that is different, but if you live where you can hit 50 houses with a golf ball and a driver, then maybe you are missing the translation..
after all you folks do use words differently down there, must be from all the being upside down all the time.::thumb:

 

Guess I'm lucky that way. My street is a crescent, set back in a rural subdivision. Everyone knows everyone else. Some are preppers, most are not but run deep pantries just because it's the practical thing to do. About half the homes are gun people or at least hunters.

Over the last decade, I've managed to convince several folks to invest in being prepared for at least an emergency. Generators, extra food and water, ammo, etc.

There's a couple households I don't like, very spendy, flashy people, new luxury cars every couple years, always have to look the best, but they don't talk much with the rest of us common scum. If they showed up at my door looking for a handout, I'd politely decline unless they had a trade that works in my favor. And if they insist I help without being compensated, Id likely just let the dogs loose and let them sort it out. :thumb:

 

Our neighbours have lived next door to us for about four years now. They are tolerable as they don’t make a lot of noise and are superficially friendly enough. Except now they are bad neighbours.

They don’t know we prep, but the mother of the house was talking with my wife late last week and said her husband had thought they should stockpile some goods because of the virus crisis. She told my wife that she answered her husband “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure our neighbours will help us out.”

Naturally I lost my shiz and the missus told me to calm down. I asked her if she told my neighbour we would not be able to help, and she said she didn’t say anything. I suggested the first time she asks us for something to tell her my work has dried up and we can’t afford to give anyone anything.

My neighbour’s son died last year in an horrific traffic accident, and she was well paid out by her son’s insurance, enough to buy a house. While we have been on good terms with these people since they moved in, I can see the relationship turning very sour, very quickly if she expects us to supply her with goods they are more than capable of getting now.

To say the least we will be bolstering our security and are going to be rearranging our preps so they are more secure in a central part of our house. Currently they are stored in the garage, but tomorrow we will be making changes to make them less accessible to anyone thinking they can pop our garage door and take what they want.

Not to be a Rick but you say your neighbors have lived next to you for four years and yet you say they bought the house within the past year? Were they renters before?

Otherwise I like your story. Buy a gun if you can or one of those big Crocodile Dundie knives.

 

They are renters. Her husband has multiple health issues and they are looking to buy locally but a single story home because he doesn’t do stairs well anymore. They signed another six month lease just recently, so we’ve got them until at least August.

The insurance payout from her son’s death was significant. Houses here cost at least AU$400,000 and they got enough to buy one outright, so there’s no lack of money. My biggest concern is her other sons aren’t very nice people. One is a full blown drug addict, the other is just a complete a-hole. I would have no problems in beating down either of them if need be. The drug addict moved out about six weeks ago, so at least I don’t have to worry about him. The other son just goes to work and comes home. He doesn’t have much of a social life and I’ve never seen any friends come to visit.

 

Try using reverse psychology, tell them you'll be the one coming to them for help.

 

......They don’t know we prep, but the mother of the house was talking with my wife late last week and said her husband had thought they should stockpile some goods because of the virus crisis. She told my wife that she answered her husband “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure our neighbours will help us...........

That's good that they don't know you prep and you are moving things to better conceal and safeguard.

Is it possible that the context of 'the neighbors will help us' was she thinks it's a good neighborhood and everyone will band together to help one another?

I would let it drop in passing that things have been tough and you're not sure how you're going to make ends meet and have enough for your family if things get worse. Likely won't encourage them to prep for themselves but at least may get them to look elsewhere. Of course they may have just done the the same misdirection with your wife to make others think they don't have anything stashed.

 

Is it possible that the context of 'the neighbors will help us' was she thinks it's a good neighborhood and everyone will band together to help one another?

No, she meant us, the people next to us and those on the other side of her house. While the neighbourhood is generally a quiet one, I think if this lasts too long and people start getting restless, there are a few houses I know of where things could get interesting.

Our property is fully fenced. The back yard is almost impenetrable, and we can lock the front gate easy enough. I’m not too worried about us as our house is the least easy to access in our neighbourhood. We have high solid (as in not see through) steel side gates separating the front yard from back, and these can also be locked. There is only one access from the front of the house and it’s at the top of a set of external stairs with another gate at the top of those stairs.

The front of the house is brick with steel garage doors. Those can be locked up tight from the inside making them impossible to open from the outside even if you drilled out the lock mechanism.

We have made access to our home as unappealing as possible for would be thieves. Once the gates are locked up there is no easy way in or out of our property except for jumping the fence, which is difficult to access anyway because we have trees and shrubs around most of the fence line, and where there aren’t trees or shrubs the fence is too high to slip over easily. You would need a ladder and access to the neighbours back yards. We all have medium to large dogs.

 

None of my neighbors know what I have.

Unfortunately, years ago, we let one "friend" help us out. He is a huge gossip and God knows who he's told. He is one of those people always telling intimate details of others' lives to you so you know he is doing the same with your life.

All he saw me get were a couple 25 pound bags of rice and I think a bag of sugar. So as supplies go not much.

I never showed him the rest of it. But I regret him knowing what he does. Because he is most certainly talking about it.

Years ago we tried to get him to prep, he kept saying "No I will eat it all" and "I can live off the land" (in a suburb). So we told him not to come to our house when things got bad, he would be met with force. He laughed.

 

Sooner or later people are going to get shot, ones who deserve it and some accidents as well. Bone up on local castle laws also general self-defense laws. If you have a lawyer, keep his number very handy.

 

Why would your wife tell people stuffs? Does she enjoy being rob and killed? Just asking.

 

Clearly reading and comprehension was not your strong point at school.

 

Had a wonderful childhood in a rural area, eventually taking over the house later in life. Was still a charming quiet neighborhood, until the old woman next door passed away and riff raff moved in. Cut down all their trees, mismatched paintjob, hole in the roof for 3 years, multiple vehicles on jack stands for 4, garbage blowing everywhere, dogs barking 12 hours straight... town has seemingly given up trying to bring them to heel. I know damn well what they will do if the S hits the F. I know damn well what I'm going to have to do... and I'm not going to be happy to have it on my conscience, but it's them or us.

 

I had a neighbour whose dog through no fault of its own was a little schizo(neglectful owners, never saw it get a walk). I took to firing beef bullion cubes over the fence before rainfalls. Backyard looked like the were excavating for mines. Dog was only allowed out to do it's business thereafter. I kind of felt bad about it, but at least we could sleep at night after.

 

I have been in the middle of my subdivision for going on 11 years. This is NJ and as such, the well known Jersey attitude is readily apparent. The people in two houses across the street haven’t spoken to me or my wife ever.

I use that to my advantage, since they have no idea as to what I have/don’t have in the way of preps etc. I can’t imagine them showing up at any point, asking me for anything. Seriously how transparent could you be?

Unfortunately I’m sure they’ve seen me in hunting gear... so it’s not a stretch that they probably assume I have firearms.

Should they magically appear at my door, they’ll be met with the same level of hospitality they’ve shown me in the past.

 

To the OP..this is simple. You be worse off then they are. Be the first person to ask for something. Some thing simple like a cup of milk holding a cereal bowl.

Nothing to major as you wont want to ask for sugar for a 3 tier cake your baking for dessert then they might want some.

 

I can so relate! I did talk to one set of neighbors some years ago. I thought they were friends; they turned out to be grifters who were very good at pretending to be friends. I accepted my lesson, and now speak to no one about my preps. Unfortunately my veggie garden is visible but happily, the neighbors that know about my guns are afraid of me. I was a bit bummed about that before but now, it's a good thing. We pretty much keep to ourselves, but there has been an influx of people from Milwaukee and Chicago (termed Chiwaukee around here) and the neighborhood has regressed because of it. Crime has risen even faster than the trash piles. The city does what they can but these people are a strange mix of rats and locusts.

My strategy has been gray woman all the way. I get along with everyone but we're not close. I'm glad I purchased security cameras a couple of years ago and if a hungry neighbor comes to my door, I doubt I would answer. If I do answer, the answer is no, I have nothing. Rest assured that the person you gave a can of food to yesterday will be back tomorrow. Bad reputation to have once SHTF.

Honestly, I can see things staying civil as long as checks and services run, and law enforcement stays on top of the riff raff. As long as people think this is all temporary and there's a shade of normal society, most people will behave. Once those conditions no longer exist, look out! Things will get ugly.

 

The truth is, in a serious disaster that lasted more than a couple weeks, it would be pretty hard to keep the neighbors completely in the dark.

-first time you fire up a genny.
-or you have some solar/wind generation
-if you're cooking outside
-if you have any lights at all on at night, including candles or lanterns
-if you're still putting trash out in your trash-can
-if you're not looking gaunt and malnourished
-if they notice you're not walking to a water source
-if they notice you're not gathering up every last edible dandelion and blackberry
-if they notice you're not knocking on anyone's door begging

that opsec would break down is almost a forgone conclusion, only a matter of time

but there's a simple, non-confrontational way to handle it if opsec is violated during peacetime

1. Remind them of Aesop's Fable about the Ant and the Grasshopper.

2. Gently advise them that you are only preparing enough to supply your family, and are unlikely to have any surplus. They should be preparing for their own family, because there is no guarantee that anyone else will be willing or able to lend them supplies.

Some people push the point that "don't come 'round here, I'll shootcha", but I really think that's overboard for most. No need to ruin a friendship today for an event that may never occur. You can worry about how to deal with that problem later - if it comes up.

 

You made a good post there. I'm not exactly sure how I would act given that scenario. The vast majority of my neighbors are boat anchors and will sit around to die waiting for the government to help them. The neighbors I'm close with in truth aren't much better in reality. They still are not stocking up on essentials. Most of them use grubhub to get two meals a day. One of my neighbors I have gotten into some fairly deep conversations with in hopes of getting him on line without completely tipping my hat. In conversation he agrees with me and has increased his security a little as crime is certainly on the rise. At least he's talking about purchasing a combat handgun to augment a shotgun.

In the end, they would run out of food fairly fast. I have done small things like encouraging him to fill the empty 5 gallon tanks he has and toss in some Stabil. He agrees but they are still empty. I suppose it's generational. They are great folks that I really like but they have never really had to scratch for anything. I grew up without much money with depression era parents. You know how that goes. I still get upset when any food gets wasted. None of my neighbors have ever been to combat. They have not been in the military. Their big shocks in life are mostly some form of High School or maybe College level sports for conflict. Many have never been in a fist fight or tasted their own blood. They certainly have not seen mans inhumanity to man and what we are capable of given those circumstances.

Should something disastrous really happen a lot of folks are going to die. My family is going to suffer. About the best I can hope for is remaining in place as long as possible hoping for a positive turn. If that's not possible we go to Plan-B. Plan-B is sustainable but making the decision to get there will result in major sacrifices but if things get rough it's not a big deal. I suppose the point is even without neighbors noticing the really good list you posted they are going to have a huge impact on me and my family in one way or the other until I can get out of here in the next few years.

 

Its posts like this that reminds me how blessed I am.Long time ago had a "bad" nextdoor neighbor.They hated us,we hated them..really can't even remember how it started,but it escallated.
Foward 20 years,I know all my neighbors,don't hang out,but have the 5 minute chats in the driveway or over the fence.
After the last hurricane,I was still working.Let 1 run a cord from my gen,but he had the time to keep all the gas cans full.Let another borrow a lp tank,but she had coffee for everybody in the morning.Took my chainsaw and helped some others cut a massive tree that came down a few houses away,the ladies provide lunch and cold drinks.

I know life isn't rainbows and unicorns,but during stressful times,its so much easier to get along and help each other out than to fight.
It can't always work that way,human nature and all,but I still try to get along,without getting walked all over.

 

Community is important, in most disasters. Working together creates something 'greater than the individual parts'. Each of you should have something, bring something, and choose how much or how little you can spare. There are always moochers, how the rest deal with them is part of the equation. There is nothing for nothing. Some can provide physical assistance, some bring skills, and some bring smoko! Everyone has a role.

 

Good neighbors really are a great blessing that you don't appreciate fully until you have some truly bad neighbors.

 

Out here in the country (20 minutes to town) we have mostly good neighbors. However we have 2 meth families that mostly just take small things. There was one other neighbor that would 'borrow' stuff and then those items magically became his. Thankfully he moved out of state last year, and good riddance. Bad enough when you have families that you know will steal but when you have a seemingly normal and likeable neighbor that claims the stuff you loan out (no, I'm not talking leaf rakes) is another thing entirely.

Best practice is still 'gray man'.

 

Not to worry anymore. They bought a house yesterday about 1.5 hours drive from here. They move out next month. Here’s hoping any new neighbours will be good neighbours. A young family would be good.

 

The house may be vacant in the interim? This is the chance to simplify the equation, factor out difficult terms if you catch my drift. It would take at least 6-9 months to get a new house on the site and the owner would be less likely to rent to scum.

 

Not only should you not talk about preparing for anything you should also join whatever conversation is going on at work about how hard it is to buy toilet paper right now or how you can buy cleaning supplies!

A couple stories about using French bathroom techniques by the end of the week go a long way!

SD

 

I simply don't engage.

If people had half a brain, this corona virus crisis should underscore the need to prep. When I started prepping over a decade ago, it was because I saw the possibilities of major crap happening. I didnt ask anyone about it. I went online, researched it, and started.

My siblings don't even know about it. they all just think I am a firearms nut. They know nothing of the extensive preps i have in all categories..

You are all better people than I am, I am not going to try to awaken them as to the need to be prepared for disasters. I just keep my mouth shut. The real problem for me is if some child bangs on my door for spare food. That's my concern.

 

People will still hear a generator. When the neighborhood is quiet that sound travels a long ways..no matter how quiet you try to make it.

 

I had some nieghbors who had a 24/7/365 yard dog. We would pet it at the fence, play fetch with it, toss it hanburgers when we grilled. One summer we had a knock at our door, and its the same nieghbors, ****ed off and looking for thier dog. Its chain had been snipped and the cops made them leave. We put a TRO on them and I personally called crack hotline on them. Turned out they were cooking meth in thier basement so us and the nieghbors next to them got to break our leases and move, WITH OUR DEPOSIT. The roommate we had just lost had the dog and she was only outside at the dogpark and on daily walks.

 

Just going to throw this out there!

Several years ago I purchased a house in a university town with the idea of selling it when I moved. Part way through habitat for humanity got a waver to put houses on a large wooded lot behind us. In that town there was room for 10 or 12 houses, but with the waver they crammed in 16 if I remember correctly.

So with the housing market at Or near the top and before I was scheduled to leave I put my house up for sell. I sold it and then rented it back from the new folks until it was time to leave.

They didn’t start building their mini ghetto until the next year after I left so my timing was perfect!

I still occasionally drive through there and I’m really glad I sold when I did! Miss the house, but the neighborhood has gone down hill.

Habitat can do good things, but building mini ghettos in the middle of nice neighborhoods is counterproductive!

So take away is to keep your eyes open and stay ahead of whatever is going on around you! If they’re going to drastically change your town or area it may be time to move.

MN did this several years ago so I for one wasn’t surprised at all when trouble broke out there!

SD

 

I’m in a gated HOA. I’ve been having groceries delivered the last few months but stopped when I saw to many knowing our business. Most everyone should have a couple months of food And if they don’t than they have the money to go buy what they need. Food will get more expensive and choices will drop but this country produces plenty of grains and there ll be something to buy. We have one of the largest lots but you can’t tell it from the street because it’s pie shaped. Our garden is behind a fence but the neighbors to one side will know what we have and there are 3 on that side. On the other side is our son.

Following the garden site in the Houston area with plenty of new gardeners and it’s strange the number of people who don’t know when to pick a cucumber. They sure won’t know how to cook the type of squash I grow. My Dad would plant a 1/4 acre plot of peas and the poorest wouldn’t pick peas even when free. He could pick them and they would take those but they were to lazy to do their own.

I’m thinking most will be to proud to ask for a hand out but I could give them some old beans.