h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

At times in our life, we wish for something to save us from our own mistakes. Well, the bomb shelter was a poor manifestation of this wish. I have one in my back yard. It is generaly wet and dark. Beyond that, it has ttle use. This house was built in 1955, early in the cold war between the United States and Russia. I live some 3 miles from Washington D.C.
The former owner dicided (for their own reasons, of which I can only guess) installed a bomb shelter under this house. It is about 15' by 20', and has one toilet. One door allows entry, while two pipes that lead to ground level, spring from the ground like limp green fungus. The pipes curl over with their openings twoards the ground, to allow air circulation, but prevent "fallout" from gaining access. Brilliant engeering.
This design reflects the poor knowledge base of the effects of atomic weaponry. In it's current state of repair, the shelter is good for little more than ground water collection. A reminder of how much people were willing to suffer in the name of progress.

I used to play in a big WWII bomb shelter when I was young and lived by an RAF base. It was in the middle of the woods, rambling, dark, wet and very scary. Great places for kids to build dens and scare themselves stupid. However probably not a great defence against full-on atomic/nuclear attack.

Brings to mind the story told by a friend of mine about thier neighbour who in recent years, not content with the one WWII air-raid shelter at the end of the garden, built another two...

Why are they called Bomb Shelters? Do they take in bombs from abusive homes? Wouldnt People Shelters be a better name? Or am I just being ridiculously pedantic again?

Well, yes.

Coming rather late to this one, I feel it to be one of the most neatly concluded forums I've seen. "Well, yes" is right up there with "quite".

Quite.

Indeed.

Well said.