BAAAD things happened and youre on survival mode. You have found a retreat or built cabin ..etc. Now you face other people who are in survival mode too. Anyone could be carrying a gun or hunting ..etc.

What do you think are the fcators governing relation between survivors. Off course, cooperation is good for everyone. But we know that people are different and their brainbs are different.

So what image do you want to give the other survivor or group when you first see them ?? Do you say Hello with a big relaxed smile, or do you prepare your nerves for a quick gun draw ?

Seems that if other group has kids and elderly people we can be more relaxed but if they are a bunch of teenagers, especially male, we may lean towards more cautious approach..

What do you think if you are

(a) alone (man / woman)
(b) with spouse and kids or old parents

How do you measure (or guess) others ?
Will you invite someone to your tent (for a coffee) or to set his camp near yours ? Will you be able to sleep with strangers around ? If you have to , what precautions will you take.

Off course, this is different from the scenario where you have to share a government-controlled shelter. You are in the hills. And you are on your own.

Oh
More about the "IMAGE" word in the title.
What I meant is what kind of image do you try to give the other party when you first meet them ?? Do you try to show how friendly you are so that you avoid any kind of friction (or even win new friends) or do you show the image of a super-tough Rambo so that they do not think of harming you ?

My guess is whoever it is that comes knocking, you're either going to make friends or enemies... and they probably already know what they want to do when they show up.

Heck they probably knew that when the saw your hooch and smelled the bacon and fresh coffee two ridges ago...

I would say (as I armchair quarterback here) that you'd want to project an image of confidence and of the fact that they NEED to have you around. Not just for your supplies and equipment, but for what's between your ears. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I think you should get to know everyone in your immediate area. Learn what their strengths and weaknesses are. Know who you can trust and form your alliances before TSHTF. After TSHTF is no time for a meet and greet. Just my opinion.

You need to keep phasers on standby. You never know when you will need them. Having weapons ready when you don't need them is much better than needing a weapon when it is not available.

As with most things, hope for the best, plan for the worst.

You ALWAYS put your best foot forward. Big smile, friendly attitude, laugh a lot, etc. This does two things: one, it put the other folks a bit more at ease--once they realize you're not after their stuff, they'll be less prone to knee-jerk hostility. Two--if the situation takes a horribly wrong turn and it turns out that you do need to turn into a right bastard on the spot, you may well catch your opponents off guard.

Note that being friendly does not necesarily include immediately offering to share all your stuff (or even acknowledging you have stuff to share) or shelter. Nor does it mean you let down your guard--if someone's intent on looting, they're going to go to it regardless of what demeanor you present. But, assuming that most peole you encounter will not have mayhem on their mind, this should work. Just IME and all that.

I have been stressing to the wife that the first thought that you should have when hearing a strange noise in the night is "Shotgun".

I think that this is a good topic. In disasters, you are likely to interact with other people. You don't want to come across as either a pushover or a pathologically paranoid serial killer. I, for one, had not given this much thought before. TNX to Mr. Chisel!

One thing that you learn in the military is no matter how good you are, you can accomplish more by working together as a group, squad etc. I am a control oriented guy. I like someone to be in charge of the group; it doesn't have to be me. There is nothing more annoying than being in a group that is supposed to be accomplishing something & all are of the same "rank" & nobody is in charge. Then you have a mob instead of a workgroup. I don't mind following directions from a self appointed leader if he appears to know what he is doing. Often it is necessary to have someone to keep everyone in the group pointed in the same direction.