Another thing vehicle dwellers have going for them

[MrNoodly]

This article tells of a woman who ran off the road in the Arizona desert and wasn't found for six days. She managed to barely survive without food or water.

https://tinyurl.com/yadj7quz

We vehicle dwellers have food and water, extra clothing, bedding, and (I hope) some first aid supplies, so if we crash, break down or get stuck we have a far better chance of surviving until help arrives.

And here's an article about why you should stay with your vehicle when you have trouble. Basically, a vehicle is easier to spot than a person.

https://tinyurl.com/y8x28ztq

 

[highdesertranger]

always stay with your vehicle. never, never, never try to walk out cross country. highdesertranger

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Carry a personal emergency beacon.

 

[RoamerRV428]

true in that the few times we had a breakdown and were stuck our home was with us with all we needed...if mangled in a wreck we could still scavange things from that but if someone is hurt beyond helping themselves with their 'junk with them' then they are in trouble. We can carry tons with us and still not be in a great spot to save ourselves but one prepared is always better than one who is not. scary for that women and she is lucky the fences were being checked. ugh, just a horrible situation for her.

 

[AnonymousDog]

Whether lost on foot or in a vehicle, stay put. A stationary target is easier for search and rescue to find than a moving one. Trust me, I did SAR and search management for 11 years.

 

[Seminole Wind]

that and HDR's statement assume that someone might miss me and actually send out help and that they have a clue as to where i might be.

that is pretty rare in my life. while for the average joe it is good advice, there are exceptions

 

[highdesertranger]

well it's not that someone might come looking for you but that another vehicle will eventually come down the road your on. even in very remote locations another vehicle will come down the road, eventually. highdesertranger

 

[AnonymousDog]

And your vehicle will be much more visible than you alone.

 

[bullfrog]

If you think you cann't survive in a vehicle you normally live in, what makes you think you can do any better on your own without it? Learn the skills and carry the supplies to be confident enough knowing you can live in your vehicle for extended periods. Practice close to help untill you learn what you really need then when you venture out have a plan B,C and D. It amazes me how many people drive 20 miles down a dirt path in the desert and don't even take enough water to survive a day. I cann't believe there is a place on US 60 that is so isolated no one drove by in 6 days and maybe the fact she went off the road was a factor. Drawing attention to her location would have surely helped. A vehicle in itself is a huge resourse why would you abandon it? Do things to bring help to you don't go trying to find it if injured.

 

[Seminole Wind]

i can usually stay well supplied and live comfortably for a month or 2 with out need to resupply. water being the limiting factor. so i think i am doing pretty good on "being prepared". also, i routinely camp in area where i wont see or hear another soul for the entire 2 weeks i am in that spot.

i also am very aware of where i am and where i would need to go to get help. i am not going to sit around burning up my supplies hopeful someone might stumble on me if all i have to do is hike out to the road to flag someone down or hike a few miles to get a cell signal. there is a difference between a city slicker that got lost and someone with years of backwoods/wilderness experience.

there are plenty of situation where if you know what youre doing and have the right equipment where going for help is better than sitting. let say we are out boonedocking looking for a new campsite and we slide off the road and you get hurt bad. i am not going to sit around and hope someone just happens across us if i know i can get out to where i can summon help. take the "127 hour" example.

i am not saying every schmo that wanders into the woods should just push on through, but there are plenty of places that if you go there, you better be prepared to deal with emergencies and not rely on somebody else bailing you out

 

[highdesertranger]

Seminole what you are failing to comprehend is we are not talking about you. we are talking about the average Joe. telling people to leave their vehicle and walk out is bad advice. even though I for the most part agree with most of what your saying, telling others to leave their vehicles is bad advice. highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

I also agree with most of what Semimole said as being aware of your surroundings and position from help can solve a lot of problems but in most cases people who are injured or scared make some really poor decisions. This lady was able to go several hundred yards in what was probably the wrong direction causing a delay in her being found and this happens when people over extimate their abilites and get scared. There have been many examples of people walking to find a place where they "think" there might be a cell signal only to suffer because they didn't know for sure there was a cell signal at that place. Big difference between knowing and thinking. Odds are most people are not as aware of where they are as you would be. But again a head injury or stress could lead even you or anyone to make a poor decision. Planning ahead like having enough ammo to do 3 shots every so often, being able to light 3 signal fires without burning the forest down, honking the horn 3 times every so often, knowing how to use a vehicle mirror to produce 3 flashes or SOS in Morse code at over head planes, maybe owning and knowing how to use flare signals and carrying a loud whistle because the odds favor staying with the vehicle for most people in most cases. I would bet with the burn bans that were in effect in that part of the country 3 signal fires would have been reported to the authorities by the passing train crew or anyone going down the road.

 

[57shasta]

Tourists in Death Valley routinely venture out into desolate areas (either by choice or blindly following a GPS) with hardly any idea of how vast and remote the park can be. Some get stuck and when found it has been noted they have little or no water or food and all the clothes they have are only suited for daytime (shorts, flip flops and tee shirts).

There is one famous tragic tale of german tourists who became victims of the desert.

 

[Dingfelder]

Tell it? Or link it?

 

[user 2252]

It may help if you tell a friend where you are going.

 

[AnonymousDog]

Another thing you can do if you'll be leaving your vehicle is leave a note with your plans and time. Info about what your wearing and gear you're carrying would help as well. Signing in at trailheads is highly recommended too.

I could go on and on. Like I said I used to be involved in search and rescue and could give all kinds of tips on what to do if lost and how to help SAR personnel find you.

And if you're really bored I could thrill you with all kinds of info about lost person behavior.

 

[MrNoodly]

...i am not going to sit around burning up my supplies hopeful someone might stumble on me...

This is why a personal locator beacon is a good idea.