To think the "but there might be a terrorist attack" doomsayers should stfu

[PourquoiTuGachesTaVie]

Because they are in fact spreading terror. I've seen it on here and elsewhere loads. Christmas eve shopping, black Friday sales, concerts, tube journeys... basically, we can't do anything anymore because there might be a terrorist attack... oh no... wait.... that's not right is it?

I also don't think the preppers board is helping either

"You are facilitating them 'winning' because you have started a thread in which we are all now arguing and fighting amongst ourselves"

What?! So being mildly contentious on Mumsnet is now aiding ISIS?

Is this what things have come to?

YANBU OP. Not at all.

There is no point worrying about something you are powerless to prevent and is statistically, highly unlikely to happen.

YANBU it is scaremongering

Totally agree with Maybe, some people have no choice but to continue to go to "high risk" places and hearing others go on and on about potential high risk places /days places and how they wouldn't go near them is not helping at all... In fact it is helping nobody, do whatever you need to do, but as the OP says do STFU!

Posting a comment with a date and location for a terrorist attack as someone did on another thread is irresponsible scare mongering and continually posting comments that infer an attack on London is imminent is not 'discussing' the recent events it's just peddling doom and fear and does nobody any good, so, yes, those people should stfu.

We are all perfectly well aware that the UK is a terrorist target, we all know the threat level has been high for eons (and that hasn't changed since the recent attacks in Paris) it doesn't need to be continually pointed out or shoehorned into any discussion about going shopping, on holiday, on a day out, etc., etc.

For the terrorists to kill as many people in a year as car accidents do, they would have to kill a LOT more people than they have. In 2013 (most recent year I can find data for), that would be 1,713 killed in car accidents. There would have to be 14 attacks like the Paris attacks to equal that. Is that likely? No.

If you're driving more with your DCs because you're scared of terrorist attacks on planes, you're putting them at more risk, not keeping them safer. You're acting like the people who refuse to wear seat belts out of fear of being trapped in a burning car after an accident.

Can we be compassionate toward people who are scared of terrorism while knowing their fears are irrational? I would hope so. Treat them the way you do someone with an irrational fear of spiders or needles or sharks or clowns or whatever other phobias people have.

Maybe the Brussels police should stfu? Closing restaurants and museums!

I completely understand people being afraid. But I am also allowed to feel irritated by people overreacting and scaremongering. e.g. a mum at school who thought a kid's party planned at a west London shopping centre should be rearranged because it could be a terrorist target.

Who I think you are somewhat missing the point.

People deal with things in different ways. Some people feel better carrying on as normal, some people prefer to take steps to ensure their safety because it makes them feel safer and more in control. Neither way is wrong. But I do find it irritating that the 'nothing will happen' brigade are so aggressive and denigrate other people doing what they feel is right for them. I also think sometimes, on Mumsnet in particular, you get people who sit safely in armchairs telling people that they should take risks that they're not going to take themselves. For example, in May there were an awful lot of people scoffing at the idea that going to Tunisia on holiday might hold some risk....and look how that turned out.

The preppers board is nothing to do with this. I wish people would give it a rest. Either block us or put up with us but stop bloody moaning about us. Nobody forces you to read the threads (and as others have said there is very little about terrorism on the board).

We are on the highest alert we are told to be vigilant of course it makes people nervous

We know a terrorist attack is being planned we don't know where or when a whole city is almost on shut down when was the last time this happened in Europe

I can understand people being nervous. I feel more nervous about this than I ever did over the IRA threats/attacks

No I do not let it stop me living my life but I am wary as I felt most people were when I was on the tube this week

Surely it's up to everyone how much risk they are prepared to take, and people can't stop be afraid of things- we don't have control of how much fear we have.

I agree we don't need millions of of posts from people saying "AIBU for wanting to cancel my trip to London?" No, if you aren't comfortable with going, then it's not unreasonable. I just avoid the posts though, they are dull- and people are free to post whatever they like. Same as people posting on threads asking if people are afraid of a terrorist attack at this Christmas Market- they are also free to post. Just ignore them if your not interested!

As for the Preppers board- it's very interesting and I am far more worried about prepping for being stuck in a traffic jam in the cold/ power cuts/ snow than terrorism. I have done no prepping for terrorism (although I would if I worked somewhere more likely to be a target- I would make sure I work out a way to get home, had water and chocolate bar and some comfy shoes with me).

Booyaka yes people deal with things in different ways but there is no need to broadcast it or bring it into every conversation about travel, shopping, etc., I think that is why people become irritated.

"It's not legitimate to be fearful if at the same time you regularly get into a car and drive a ton or so of steel at high speeds. Many times more people will die this year in car accidents in Europe than will die in terrorist attacks."

I am anxious when I drive too, mistigris - I look at the other drivers around me on the road, and worry that they are going to do something stupid and cause me or someone else to have a serious accident.

I worry about lots of things. I worry that, if I don't say goodbye to dh or the dses when they leave, something could happen to them. I worry that people think I am fat/ugly/stupid/boring/worthless. If I am not worrying, I worry that I have forgotten something I should be worrying about.

I do my best to keep my anxieties under control, but it is not as easy as I would like.

SDTG I was going to say similar to you.

I didn't drive for years because of anxiety about being in a car.

I'm supposed to be going to Brussels on Friday traveling on public transport to a high profile sporting event. Is it "legitimate" for me to be feeling anxious about going?

My DH is terrified of frogs to the extent that he shakes with fear when he sees one. Is that a "legitimate" fear.

Who the fuck is arrogant enough to decide what people are allowed to be afraid of?

London, and indeed the whole of the UK, has been on its second highest state of terrorist alert for years now. It isn't anything new but people are now taking much more note of it in the light of recent events in Paris. Neither London nor Paris are places to be avoided.

I used to live in London during the last couple of IRA bombing campaigns. The threat was ever present then. You just had to be vigilant and heed warnings, but I have to say that it became a way of life. If it hadn't and I had spent those years sitting staring at the same four walls just to avoid any risk then I would have gone insane.

For the record, I was in Paris last weekend at the same time as the terrorist attacks. Luckily not in those exact spots but not far away from them. I was on a long planned visit to see my DD1, who is a student on her year abroad there. I am glad I went. Not to make some heroic strike for freedom against ISIS, but because being with her meant that I worried far less than I would have if I had been at home. I could see that she was OK, if a little apprehensive and shaken because she knew people who were in the Bataclan. From a purely personal point of view it was reassuring, though it took time to establish that her friends did get out OK. We did pop out for the odd meal and drink ourselves, and all things considered it really wasn't a bad weekend.

People are entitled to be nervous. They are entitled to react as they see fit. Nobody needs to be dismissed and told to stfu. We are all different and each point of view is valid. My DD remains rather nervous because she works in St Denis in Paris. She loves Paris though.

I live and work in London and took the kids in today to look at the lights ( early I know, but chances we won't get round to it nearer Xmas). Possibly risky, but life goes on.

Yesterday in my London suburb I was cycling with my kids. A man opened his car door and knocked 11yo off bike. He's bruised and battered but fortunately no one else was involved and although thrown into middle of road, he didn't get run over again. It could have been worse. However it was thoroughly unpleasant and exacerbated by fact the man was verbally abusive (called me fing c in front of kids) and never once expressed any concern about my son.

My point is that there are risks all around us. I don't think I am putting my family in danger by taking them to c London any more than a quiet cycle to the park on a Saturday lunchtime. Shit happens but life has to go on.

I suspect the Brussels authorities have a specific and credible threat they are acting on, not just a vague fear that something might happen. A shutdown like that is bad for business and morale, so it's not likely to happen absent a specific threat. If you somehow know about a specific and credible threat like that, alert the authorities, don't just avoid the event.

I'd say it crosses a line if you tell other people to avoid things you're irrationally afraid of. You wouldn't have insisted that your children's school cancel a trip because there might be frogs where they were going, would you?

It matters how much impact your fear is having on your life, too. If you're avoiding things you want or need to do, that's a problem.

More concerned about the 'ordo ab chao' crowd to be honest.

I lived in Jerusalem during the second intifada. I remember being very fearful of taking buses. Yes, statistically, even with all the bombings, it was still more dangerous by car but in a car you feel more in control (irrational but true).

The fear caused by terrorism isn't a rational one. But us humans are not rational beings...

As far as I understand the threat level has not changed for a couple of months in the UK but there has been a credible, thread made against Brussels. That is the difference right Herr right now.

I agree with you in as much as fear loves a party and some people who are not use tho traveling into cities have their fear compounded on boards like this when people say "oh but it could be a target" THAT IS NOT HELPFUL.

However as a London commuter what the recent attacks has reminded me it's not to be blase about traveling. I now make sure I have a charged phone, water, cash, including coins tho make a call and a small map. This is not prepping but just being cautious just in case.

It is prepping :) but fair enough :)

Get thee over to the Preppers board forthwith

My main issue with people doing this scaremongering is that it makes the issue all about them. It seems that many people's first thought was not, poor Parisians, how dreadful, but rather, let's make it all about me and how this could affect me and how I am never going to London ever again. I do find it very self-centred actually.

The threat level hasn't changed for London for months because its been high for months. Recent events have simply focussed people's minds.