Geocaching And Personal Safety

[+Charles Street Gang]

I used to run track. I've thought of getting a starter's pistol. Does that sound stupid?...looks like a real gun, makes a loud noise and no one gets killed...hopefully just scared the **** out of them.

[uperdooper]

I guess you missed my point.

 

Criminal is human. He has emotions. He makes mistakes.

i don't want to argue but a lot of us aren't sure whether criminal is human. he likes girls though, he likes them a lot.

[+Subterranean]

i don't want to argue but a lot of us aren't sure whether criminal is human.   

You're right. That was an assumption I shouldn't have made. For the record, I have no problem with girl-liking cyborgs carrying firearms.

[+Subterranean]

C.R.I.M.I.N.A.L.: Cybernetic Robotic Individual Manufactured for Infiltration/Networked Artificial Lifeform

 

http://www.cyborgname.com/

 

<Am I off topic, yet?>

[+Criminal]

My philosophy of carry is this:

1. Pistol is a last resort tool, to be used only when cornered

2. The best weapon is something you absolutely had to have flying an airplane, situational awareness.

3. Rule one may be waived if I am responsible for loved ones or children.

[uperdooper]

My philosophy of carry is this:

1. Pistol is a last resort tool, to be used only when cornered

2. The best weapon is something you absolutely had to have flying an airplane, situational awareness.

3. Rule one may be waived if I am responsible for loved ones or children.

makes sense to me.

[+5]

My philosophy of carry is this:

1. Pistol is a last resort tool, to be used only when cornered

2. The best weapon is something you absolutely had to have flying an airplane, situational awareness.

3. Rule one may be waived if I am responsible for loved ones or children.

Walk down the street tomorrow and watch people. You'll see both predator and prey. And I don't necessarily mean "predator" in a bad way. You'll notice those who are aware of their surroundings, and those who aren't. Predator & Prey...Most of the bad guys know who's who.

 

Use your common sense.. when the little voice is telling you something's not right, it probably isn't.

 

BTW Criminal, I just read your sig, LMAO!

[+evergreenhiker!]

There are more things to be aware of than 2 legged predators. Yesterday I was caching on the Continental Divide in Montana when it occurred to me that I had not come prepared for a bear encounter. Nothing happened and it was a great hike, but a little more planning before I try something like this in the future could prevent a very bad experience.

 

I've been in Montana for a couple months and haven't gone hiking/caching as I do not know anyone over here. Solo hiking/caching in th emountains just is not smart with Grizzlies around. even with Pepper Spray on hand. Then you throw in possibility of wolves and mountain lions and onery moose. Well, group hiking is the way to go in that area.

[+5]

There are more things to be aware of than 2 legged predators.  Yesterday I was caching on the Continental Divide in Montana when it occurred to me that I had not come prepared for a bear encounter.  Nothing happened and it was a great hike, but a little more planning before I try something like this in the future could prevent a very bad experience.

 

I've been in Montana for a couple months and haven't gone hiking/caching as I do not know anyone over here. Solo hiking/caching in th emountains just is not smart with Grizzlies around. even with Pepper Spray on hand. Then you throw in possibility of wolves and mountain lions and onery moose. Well, group hiking is the way to go in that area.

Well, I know that pepper spray is recommended for grizzlies, but I can't help but think that Griz is thinking, "WooHoo, I'm eating mexican tonight!"

[+sis]

last week while caching alone, i walked up to an area where two elderly gentlemen were seated. i never looked there way directly; but decided not to go down that long, dark path where the arrow was pointing. i made a few notes and turned to walk away when one of the gentlemen said, "you're not going to give up that easily are you?" i couldn't believe my ears! i wheeled around it was not elderly gentlemen; but two friendly cacher acquaintances. goes to show, keep aware of your surroundings or you might be muggled by the muggles that weren't muggles at all!

[+Fireman78]

I've thought about this off and on, but what's always stopped me is imagining what could go wrong. Suppose someone like the park weirdo I mentioned before approaches you. (He's half naked, and he looks crazy.) You pull out your firearm, and tell them to stay the hell away. He's crazy, so he doesn't listen, and keeps coming towards you. You shoot him, he dies. So when the police arrive, you are standing there with a firearm, and a dead, half-naked guy. He probably doesn't look crazy any more - just dead. Now if the guy has a record of violent crime, or is carrying a weapon, your story is pretty believable and you probably get no-billed by the grand jury. (At least here in Texas where there's still an acknowledgement of the right to self-defense.) But what if the guy doesn't have a record and had no weapon? You are likely to be in a LOT of trouble. Maybe you get out of it, maybe you don't. In addition, if the guy has any surviving relatives, they are liable to sue.

Problem is, you never mentioned that the guy did or didn't have a weapon, (disparity of force) did the guy do anything threatning? Attack you, assult you, batter you? Did you feel a threat of an immediate battery? Or did you just bust a cap in a half naked mentaly unstable guy half baked on drugs? I personally have a rule about pulling out my pistol and shooting someone with it. I will defend my life or in the defense of a friend, family member, innocent victim,etc. Hopefully I never will have to. But I will tell you this, EVEN if one is FULLY justified in defending themselves with deadly force, even if they are so FULLY JUSTIFIED that they aren't charged by the police with anything, the shooter will most likey still have to defend themselves civilly, from the dead guys scumbag family, who see past the fact that their relative was a scumbag criminal and will see only dollar signs. AND, EVEN if one is to be found not guilty civilly, they will still have to shell out thousands of dollars to be defended by a bloodsucking lawyer! Either way, you lose., ( but at least you'd be alive).... take your pick.

[+Mr.Benchmark]

Problem is, you never mentioned that the guy did or didn't have a weapon, (disparity of force) did the guy do anything threatning? Attack you, assult you, batter you? Did you feel a threat of an immediate battery? Or did you just bust a cap in a half naked mentaly unstable guy half baked on drugs? I personally have a rule about pulling out my pistol and shooting someone with it. I will defend my life or in the defense of a friend, family member, innocent victim,etc. Hopefully I never will have to. But I will tell you this, EVEN if one is FULLY justified in defending themselves with deadly force, even if they are so FULLY JUSTIFIED that they aren't charged by the police with anything, the shooter will most likey still have to defend themselves civilly, from the dead guys scumbag family, who see past the fact that their relative was a scumbag criminal and will see only dollar signs. AND, EVEN if one is to be found not guilty civilly, they will still have to shell out thousands of dollars to be defended by a bloodsucking lawyer! Either way, you lose., ( but at least you'd be alive).... take your pick.

I'm still on the fence about this. On the one hand, my top speed on foot is about 3.5 miles per hour. Not so great for running away. On the other hand, my wife is absolutely terrified of firearms. Probably in large part because the media only portrays two types of gun owners:

- crazy people

- tragic victims whose firearms lead to their own demise, or the death of one of their precious infants.

(In this world-view, actual criminals have firearms, of course, but they never actually use them, as long as you give them your money or whatever it is they are asking for. So if you get shot by one, it's either bad luck or kind of your own fault for fighting back.)

 

Perhaps I can convince her that I belong to neither category. I also suspect some of my caching friends would be uncomfortable knowing I carried a firearm.

 

So for the time being, I'll just keep caching in "the good part of town" (whatever that means - not very much, really), and keep hoping that the bad guys are scared of the dark.

[+Cache Rabbits]

I have to think that the media has swayed many opinions here about gun ownership. Never is anything reported about robbery, murder and rape attempts that are thwarted by legal gun owners.

 

As a gun owner I have certain priorities. My hope and plan is to never have to use my gun.

 

1. Avoid the confrontation.

2. If pursued, revealing the gun will hopefully be enough to remove the threat. The sound of a shotgun pump (which hopefully no one is caring while geocaching, unless hunting deer at the same time) is probably enough to scare off an intruder in your home.

3. Use of the gun but only as a last resort.

 

I hate to use the word common sense here, but when geocahing use common sense. Travel in twos when going to remote areas. Keep a cell phone with you so you can call for assistance when needed. Let others know where you are going, etc, etc

[+Fireman78]

I have to think that the media has swayed many opinions here about gun ownership. Never is anything reported about robbery, murder and rape attempts that are thwarted by legal gun owners.

 

As a gun owner I have certain priorities. My hope and plan is to never have to use my gun.

 

1. Avoid the confrontation.

2. If pursued, revealing the gun will hopefully be enough to remove the threat. The sound of a shotgun pump (which hopefully no one is caring while geocaching, unless hunting deer at the same time) is probably enough to scare off an intruder in your home.

3. Use of the gun but only as a last resort.

 

I hate to use the word common sense here, but when geocahing use common sense. Travel in twos when going to remote areas. Keep a cell phone with you so you can call for assistance when needed. Let others know where you are going, etc, etc

EVERYONE on the planet knows what a 12 gauge jacking in a round sounds like!

[+spoggle]

Life is dangerouse, please becarful as you never know when you are going to be acosted by a butter knife whielding maniac.

 

Seriously you just never know what is round the corner, just never place yourself in a posistion where you are vuneriable if you can help it. If you are going for a long hike take as many people as you can and if the terraine is dangerouse never go alone.

 

You can always be attacked as a friend of mine found out, when he was with 4 other people all male and rugby players. It is just about being prepared and trying your best to keep away from trouble.

[+Polgara]

A big ol fat rotweiler always helps...two of em is even better!

[+Pork King]

I myself like to carry my .45 pistol, whether caching alone or in a group. God didn't make men equal...Mr. Colt did.

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

My thought is that most crimes are crimes of convenience. Although possible, I think the likelyhood of someone planning a crime around Geocaching is unlikely. Trusting your instincts, watching your surroundings, and using the old "strength in numbers" rule is a good idea.

 

Avoiding caching at night, dusk, or in areas with known problems is probably your safest bet. In remote areas (ie, National Parks, backcountry) I would travel with a firiend for reasons way beyond human preditor problems.

 

Also, most assaults on victims in city boundries are either crimes of convenience (wrong place, wrong time), or if they are of the stalker variety, then they tend to be against folks such as walkers or joggers that follow the same route every day or two (sicko sees jogger every day for a week and attacks them). Geocachers ussually visit an area once or twice and not on a pattern.

 

Trust your instincts, travel with friends, don't be afraid to just walk away.