Short article on the BBC about American "Preppers" (e.g. us folks). Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8587464.stm

They were careful to make a distinction between "preppers" and " survivalists.

They interview several folks and give some sites, regretfully this not being one of them.

I thought it a fairly good article.

Interesting story, thanks.

Surely the UK has a fair share of preppers, as well.

Also a shaky economy, maybe shakier. Also a big target of terrorists.

But I do believe the U.S. is more vulnerable to a greater array of natural disasters.

Certainly; not only the UK members here, but the fairly large UK contingent over at Zombie Squad would suggest this.

I think the article is focused on the prepper vs. survivalist-sterotype distinction, and the US is noted because this is the area with which the survivalist-sterotype is most often associated.

Yes but the UK does manage to generate more panic about 1/2" of snow than the U.S.

The US is much larger and covers a wider range of climate and geography. There's more opportunity for hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and volcanoes in the US.

It does appear that the reporter has never been through the aftermath of a hurricane. Earthquakes and such may be rare but hurricanes are a year-in and year-out likelihood somewhere - the question is not "if" but rather "where" - and a real issue for anyone on the Gulf or Southeastern coast. Prepping for a hurricane is prepping is prepping for something that will happen this year or next, just perhaps not right here.

Another difference is that the rural "frontier" mentality may be more in the distant past in the UK. My maternal grandfather never saw more than 30 people in one place until he joined the army for WW1 - and he lived in Kansas, not some remote Alaskan wilderness. To him the idea that you might _not_ expect to deal with any emergency yourself is the same as saying you might _not_ expect to survive (and perhaps condemn the entire family too). I suspect that's a much more remote experience in the UK.

Or to sum it up quickly

"In England, 100 miles is a LONG way, in the US, 100 years is a LONG time"