[Dry]

Putting all Political Correctness aside for a moment.

I was thinking about what areas of the country would do the best in a society collapse peak oil situation. Barring another country invading us what would the scene be like is different area of the country.
The people down in Katrina land really did not impress me with their self reliance and helping out their neighbors. It looked like a scene from Dante's Inferno. Looting , gangs, guns. I have seen pics of two female POLICE ! officers who were looting as well. This was only after a few days.

Other disasters in other area the communities seemed to band together and help each other more. Obviously main factors are religion, family, education, community sense, wealth (or lack of)

I guess all city and population centers are to be avoided. my .02 opinions anyone?

[timbo]

There are no good places to be. The horde will move wherever rumour has it that things are better, plunder it and move on

[gg3]

Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and parts of upstate New York: The local cultures are strong on self reliance and community spirit. Lots of small towns. Climate change won't render the place unsuitable for agriculture. Terrain discourages badguy incursions.

Same case obtains in some other parts of the US, for example rural parts of the Pacific Northwest, possibly the Great Lakes region.

The Southeast will be hit hard by climate change. The Southwest will be hit even harder and become basically uninhabitable (byebye Phoenix). The tornado belt will be shredded by more intense tornados and more of them, and PO will reduce the ability to rebuild so people will tend to move out of there. Florida and the Gulf Coast will become uninhabitable due to more intense hurricanes and summer heat.

Major Northeastern cities will probably survive, plus or minus crime waves, and public works projects to keep the rising oceans out. Perhaps the public works projects will create enough employment to keep the crime down.

The central plains aside from the tornado zones are already stretched in terms of water supply. Expect major agriculture to shift northward into Canada, and expect Canada to gain political leverage thereby.

All in all, expect migrations.

As for looters etc., expect them to be culled from the herd. Locals will establish perimeter protection to keep roving mobs out.

Do not let yourself become a displaced person during a disaster. Citizens have rights, but refugees are "tolerated" and that only barely. Make your moves before the poo hits the propeller, and get yourself established and well-connected to the local scene in your new area. Keep in mind such factors as local tribalism in the form of religious prejudices, ideological extremism, and so on. Pick wisely and build well.

[timbo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gg3', 'V')ermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and parts of upstate New York: The local cultures are strong on self reliance and community spirit. Lots of small towns. Climate change won't render the place unsuitable for agriculture. Terrain discourages badguy incursions.

Same case obtains in some other parts of the US, for example rural parts of the Pacific Northwest, possibly the Great Lakes region.

The Southeast will be hit hard by climate change. The Southwest will be hit even harder and become basically uninhabitable (byebye Phoenix). The tornado belt will be shredded by more intense tornados and more of them, and PO will reduce the ability to rebuild so people will tend to move out of there. Florida and the Gulf Coast will become uninhabitable due to more intense hurricanes and summer heat.

Major Northeastern cities will probably survive, plus or minus crime waves, and public works projects to keep the rising oceans out. Perhaps the public works projects will create enough employment to keep the crime down.

The central plains aside from the tornado zones are already stretched in terms of water supply. Expect major agriculture to shift northward into Canada, and expect Canada to gain political leverage thereby.

All in all, expect migrations.

As for looters etc., expect them to be culled from the herd. Locals will establish perimeter protection to keep roving mobs out.

Do not let yourself become a displaced person during a disaster. Citizens have rights, but refugees are "tolerated" and that only barely. Make your moves before the poo hits the propeller, and get yourself established and well-connected to the local scene in your new area. Keep in mind such factors as local tribalism in the form of religious prejudices, ideological extremism, and so on. Pick wisely and build well.

[TheTurtle]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gg3', 'V')ermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and parts of upstate New York: The local cultures are strong on self reliance and community spirit. Lots of small towns.

[mmasters]

Many have hyped the Pacific Northwest though according to the USGS it is geologically the most dangerous spot on Earth!

[timbo]

Invade Canada

Just not the bit around Fort McMurray, Alberta

[Duende]

I believe that good farmland and readily available freshwater sources will be critical when the "2,500 mile caesar salad caravan" comes to an end.

Therefore, I think the Great Lakes area offers great opportunity post peak, barring rustbelt cities' downtowns and suburbs.

There is no hope for the southwest. Some people could make it I suppose, but you simply cannot grow enough food locally to support Phoenix. Goodbye.

Further, I can imagine that population density will really spread out post peak, so all these imperviously paved cities will hollow out. Talk about s p r a w l . . . . . . . . .

[NeoLotus]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('timbo', '
')Agree with most of this. However the hordes I refer to may be quite large 20-30,000 at least initially. Later on they may be rogue military units.

[timbo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NeoLotus', '.')..If anyone can organize 20-30,000 people into a "horde" they've got some real talent. I don't see it happening.

[timbo]

The other alternative and maybe even more probable scenario is a police state. At least initially and they will have the army to do their bidding

[cube]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dry', 'P')utting all Political Correctness aside for a moment.

I was thinking about what areas of the country would do the best in a society collapse peak oil situation.

[FreakOil]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gg3', 'V')ermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and parts of upstate New York: The local cultures are strong on self reliance and community spirit. Lots of small towns. Climate change won't render the place unsuitable for agriculture. Terrain discourages badguy incursions.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('cube', '
')What group do you fit into?

[topcat]

Just wondering:

What is the fourth type???

Cube wrote:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')hen you say "collapse" I'm assuming a post Soviet Union style scenario which will be the near term effects of PO. MOST people on this board wouldn't survive a Mad Max scenario so I won't go into it. Not to sound like I'm trying to avoid the question but I do NOT think there is any place that can really have an advantage over others. I think it depends on the individual. There are 4 basic types of people in a collapse scenario:

[cube]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('topcat', 'J')ust wondering:

What is the fourth type???

Cube wrote:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')hen you say "collapse" I'm assuming a post Soviet Union style scenario which will be the near term effects of PO. MOST people on this board wouldn't survive a Mad Max scenario so I won't go into it. Not to sound like I'm trying to avoid the question but I do NOT think there is any place that can really have an advantage over others. I think it depends on the individual. There are 4 basic types of people in a collapse scenario:

[Roy]

My answer is find an area where the majority of the inhabitants look like you, think like you, and talk like you. Don't be an oddball or an outsider if you expect to be able to integrate, like other posters have suggested.

Second, find an area with plenty of arable land and available water, with a relatively low population density, that is some miles from major urban areas.

I went to a CCW permit class last Saturday at the VFD/community center here, and there were 61 people attending. That had to be the majority of residents in this area. It was reassuring to me. My wife, OTOH, found the high attendance number alarming.

I think the book "Strategic Relocation" by Joel Skousen is very informative on the topic and offers lots of data and analysis on the United States.

[timbo]

Low profile, strong community links. You should be doing your neighbours favours now.

[Pops]

It seems to me the thing to realize is becoming an integral part of ones' community is the key.

Either do that where you stand or go where you feel your skills will be of value.

We moved to Tornado Alley and though it has a fairly sorted past, folks seem to value others who exhibit a little self-reliance.

It is East of the tree-line, south of the 200-day growing line with 35+ inches of rain.

I’m thinking either make your place right, make your move or sit here and tap …

[Anthrobus]

hello americans

something probably hardly thought about:

expect towns to get walls and ditches and watchtowers, built by forced labour. No need for you americans to visit europe any more.

seriously, a town close by might offer protection for you would be farm-workers. Stocks can be safely stored and protection and defense might be guaranteed in times of marauding hoardes. Plus the possible variety of craftsmen and even artists in a town may be helpful to maintain some civilisation (and some powerful arms).

I personally sometimes dream of being a kind of raw materials seeker, assigned to scavenge a ruined giant city. I would know every corner of it and on request from someone well off, preferable with a pretty daughter (we need some IT-equipment, metals, books tools) i would again set out into the wasted danger zone, no one dares to enter, save me and maybe some true servant.