Personal safety when hiking alone
Replies
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lauragreenbaum wrote: »Hannahwalksfar wrote: »Never mind. It’s illegal here.
To that I say "So what??" You can buy it on Amazon. Carry it when you hike and have it in a place you can grab it quickly. I talked to an ex- Navy Seal who said part of their training is being sprayed in the face with it, and he said the toughest of guys were rendered incapacitated- if only for a couple minutes which is long enough to run.
Some people are not big on committing illegal weapon possession crimes. You can literally go to jail for possession of pepper spray in Australia.7 -
lauragreenbaum wrote: »Hannahwalksfar wrote: »Never mind. It’s illegal here.
To that I say "So what??" You can buy it on Amazon. Carry it when you hike and have it in a place you can grab it quickly. I talked to an ex- Navy Seal who said part of their training is being sprayed in the face with it, and he said the toughest of guys were rendered incapacitated- if only for a couple minutes which is long enough to run.
And do you think that Amazon would accept the purchase knowing that it is illegal in Australia?7 -
You can’t even use electric vibration (not shock) dog collars in Some states. It’s like a 25k fine if you’re caught. Laws are big here. Loads of stuff is illegal5
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Hannahwalksfar wrote: »This discussion also proves that people really don’t read past the OP before commenting.
To reiterate
Guns, pepper spray, bear spray, nun-chucks, brass knuckles, knives, hand grenades etc are all illegal here.
Wow, Australia's no fun at all.
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lauragreenbaum wrote: »Hannahwalksfar wrote: »Never mind. It’s illegal here.
To that I say "So what??" You can buy it on Amazon. Carry it when you hike and have it in a place you can grab it quickly. I talked to an ex- Navy Seal who said part of their training is being sprayed in the face with it, and he said the toughest of guys were rendered incapacitated- if only for a couple minutes which is long enough to run.
Look luck with doing that! We can not simply buy it from Amazon and get it shipped here. If you do get caught the fines are huge.2 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »Hannahwalksfar wrote: »This discussion also proves that people really don’t read past the OP before commenting.
To reiterate
Guns, pepper spray, bear spray, nun-chucks, brass knuckles, knives, hand grenades etc are all illegal here.
Wow, Australia's no fun at all.
😂🤣😂🤣0 -
Australia, where the homocide rate is more than 5 times lower than the US.
If you do have the mindset to inflict lethal force on an attacker (which is a legal form of self defense IF you have a "reasonable" fear that you may be killed or suffer serious bodily injury as a result of the attack), I would suggest you look into carrying a light weight karambit blade which can be used very effectively w/o significant training. If used deliberately to cut the throat, femoral or brachial arteries, the result will almost always be fatal.
Is that based on your knowledge of the law where you live, the law in New Zealand, or the law is Australia, where the OP actually lives?2 -
Self defence laws in Australia are pretty ambiguous. Basically you can take reasonable force to subdue an attacker if you have to. If you can you must try other reasonable methods of self-protection before becoming physical. It really is based on a case by case basis from what I understand.1
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Yeah, yeah I know.. no knives, no guns, no sprays, no taser... but its ok we are taught to wrestle crocs and subdue a water buffalo with a look from birth. True story
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lauragreenbaum wrote: »Hannahwalksfar wrote: »Never mind. It’s illegal here.
To that I say "So what??" You can buy it on Amazon. Carry it when you hike and have it in a place you can grab it quickly. I talked to an ex- Navy Seal who said part of their training is being sprayed in the face with it, and he said the toughest of guys were rendered incapacitated- if only for a couple minutes which is long enough to run.
I guess you missed my post where I said Amazon wouldn't ship it to me and I had to buy it in a gun store (just because something is for sale on Amazon doesn't mean they will ship it to you.)
Or the OP's numerous posts stating she is not willing to do anything illegal.4 -
slimgirljo15 wrote: »
Yeah, yeah I know.. no knives, no guns, no sprays, no taser... but its ok we are taught to wrestle crocs and subdue a water buffalo with a look from birth. True story
I legit know how to wrestle a croc 😂2 -
Hannahwalksfar wrote: »slimgirljo15 wrote: »
Yeah, yeah I know.. no knives, no guns, no sprays, no taser... but its ok we are taught to wrestle crocs and subdue a water buffalo with a look from birth. True story
I legit know how to wrestle a croc 😂
😁 I'm up near Cairns, we know how to handle our crocs 😂1 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »Australia, where the homocide rate is more than 5 times lower than the US.
If you do have the mindset to inflict lethal force on an attacker (which is a legal form of self defense IF you have a "reasonable" fear that you may be killed or suffer serious bodily injury as a result of the attack), I would suggest you look into carrying a light weight karambit blade which can be used very effectively w/o significant training. If used deliberately to cut the throat, femoral or brachial arteries, the result will almost always be fatal.
Is that based on your knowledge of the law where you live, the law in New Zealand, or the law is Australia, where the OP actually lives?
Sometimes people are shocked to find out that the rest of the world is not actually part of Florida.12 -
slimgirljo15 wrote: »Hannahwalksfar wrote: »slimgirljo15 wrote: »
Yeah, yeah I know.. no knives, no guns, no sprays, no taser... but its ok we are taught to wrestle crocs and subdue a water buffalo with a look from birth. True story
I legit know how to wrestle a croc 😂
😁 I'm up near Cairns, we know how to handle our crocs 😂
Haha. I used to work near the gulf and then as a reptile handler. Got the crocs covered. Just the people have me confused 😆3 -
Hannahwalksfar wrote: »slimgirljo15 wrote: »
Yeah, yeah I know.. no knives, no guns, no sprays, no taser... but its ok we are taught to wrestle crocs and subdue a water buffalo with a look from birth. True story
I legit know how to wrestle a croc 😂
OK, now we're talking! Wrestle a croc, hog-tie it, schlep it along on your hike with some small pieces of raw meat, and if somebody looks like they want to assault you, toss the meat in line toward them and let the croc loose.
Of course, I suppose if they're from Australia, they'll know how to wrestle the croc, too. Hmmm. .... Back to the drawing board.
....
Just trying to lighten the mood. I haven't got any new ideas. I think the best recommendations I've seen is borrowing a dog if yours won't make the trip, do whatever you can to look confident and not like an easy target, stick to areas with mobile service if you can, and ask local police for any advice they have.3 -
Sadly crocs are illegal in this state 😂6
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Hannahwalksfar wrote: »Sadly crocs are illegal in this state 😂
:laugh: you couldn't even have a snake...also illegal without the necessary licences
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They (license) only cost $40 but then you have to record everything and can’t sell it for six months after purchase even if it is a snappy jerk lol0
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Hannahwalksfar wrote: »They (license) only cost $40 but then you have to record everything and can’t sell it for six months after purchase even if it is a snappy jerk lol
My son and daughter both have licences..
I often visit and find a python sunning on the clothes line.4 -
As a single woman who hikes alone I have found my best defense is awareness and observation. When I am hiking, I do not listen to music or anything else because I need to hear my surroundings. I make a note of vehicles parked at the trailhead. I make sure someone knows where I went and when I expect to be back. I carry no weapon.
OP, do what is comfortable to you, but I like the idea mentioned upthread about talking to your local park rangers (or whatever the Aussie equivalent is) or law enforcement to get advice for ways to stay safe and also to get an honest assessment of potential risks. Sometimes I think the risk is blown out of proportion and a little perspective helps.4 -
A bit of Crocodile Dundee is in order here!
Have I said how much I love Australia?
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lynn_glenmont wrote: »OK, now we're talking! Wrestle a croc, hog-tie it, schlep it along on your hike with some small pieces of raw meat, and if somebody looks like they want to assault you, toss the meat in line toward them and let the croc loose.
What a great way to burn extra calories!
Hannahwalksfar wrote: »Sadly crocs are illegal in this state 😂
They should be, they're a fashion abomination.
Humor aside, let's please leave the gun debate out of this thread, and stop proposing weapons that are illegal where OP is.
Humor partially back on:
If you always hike where there's cell signal, when you feel nervous you could pull out your phone and pretend to or actually go live on FB and start talking loudly. "Hey, It's Hannah and we're live on FB from the Croc Wrangling Trail near Cairns. So far we've seen 2 kangaroos, a koala, a snake, and this creepy guy in the red hat (show him on camera) but no crocs! Stay tuned, we'll find a croc to wrangle soon and later I'll show you how to make boots and a purse after the barbie!"
** Apologies to all the Aussies for putting most stereotypes into one post.
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😂😂🤣😂🤣 I legit am going to do that exact Facebook vid. Sans the creepy guy I hope6
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sugaraddict4321 wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »OK, now we're talking! Wrestle a croc, hog-tie it, schlep it along on your hike with some small pieces of raw meat, and if somebody looks like they want to assault you, toss the meat in line toward them and let the croc loose.
What a great way to burn extra calories!Hannahwalksfar wrote: »Sadly crocs are illegal in this state 😂
They should be, they're a fashion abomination.
Humor aside, let's please leave the gun debate out of this thread, and stop proposing weapons that are illegal where OP is.
Humor partially back on:
If you always hike where there's cell signal, when you feel nervous you could pull out your phone and pretend to or actually go live on FB and start talking loudly. "Hey, It's Hannah and we're live on FB from the Croc Wrangling Trail near Cairns. So far we've seen 2 kangaroos, a koala, a snake, and this creepy guy in the red hat (show him on camera) but no crocs! Stay tuned, we'll find a croc to wrangle soon and later I'll show you how to make boots and a purse after the barbie!"
** Apologies to all the Aussies for putting most stereotypes into one post.
I love it!2 -
Hannahwalksfar wrote: »My experience was more creepy than menacing. I was walking and an older man passed me on the entry of the trail near the lot. I felt him stop but kept on walking he then turned around and started following me. I took a couple of random trails that I knew were unpopular and he followed me down them at about 30m back. I then pretended I forgot something, turned around. Looked him straight in the eye, said hi and then walked passed him. He followed me out but much further back. I stayed in my car on my phone until he left and a family arrived then I went hiking. If the family hadn’t have arrived I probably would have gone home. I hiked along an adjacent trail to them so I could hear them but not see them. Felt safe enough then.
@Hannahwalksfar
Be careful, trust instinct. Sounds like you're already prepared!!
I had a guy once, walking his dog, fall like he had a heart attack. My first instinct was to run to check on him... Then my second thought: Ted Bundy would play injured. Decided to go to car and call for help. I got in my car, shined headlights in the direction he fell, miraculous recovery, he quickly sat up, and glared. It creeped me out. I didn't walk that park before sunrise ever again.5 -
Yeah, predators think like predators and it’s hard for us to think like that when we’re wired differently. Good on you for thinking twice.3
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Love this! I need it![/quote]
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Lillymoo01 wrote: »A bit of Crocodile Dundee is in order here!
Have I said how much I love Australia?
I can't believe it took 9 pages before someone went there. 2 -
I have an english mastiff and a gun. If you get past one you're not getting past the other.1
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solasammy87 wrote: »I have an english mastiff and a gun. If you get past one you're not getting past the other.
Since this suggestion won't die, and since even though it's not applicable to the OP in Australia, there are other's reading this post from the US who might think this is a good idea... Carrying a gun (and gun ownership in general), does NOT make you safer. Unless you are highly trained in how to use it, you gun "that protects you" could easily become your attacker's gun. Not to mention:
Of legal gun owners, the person they are far, far, most likely to shoot with their gun is themselves. There is not even a close second to that. After that, the next most likely thing that a legal gun is going to be used in is a criminal homicide. After that, the next thing is to be used in a homicide against the gun owner, especially for women who live with male partners. Then somewhere down the line, there's using it in a legimate self defense situation.
That gun is far more likely to cause harm to yourself or another illegally than it is to protect you in a legal self defense situation, even in places where it is legal to carry one and use it in self defense.15
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