FOR WOMEN ONLY: Solo women and protection/safety on the road

[yesican]

After you illegally spray the person with&nbsp;wasp spray&nbsp;who's attacking you, guess you'll have to shoot em, or stab em so their's no lawsuit!<img src="/images/boards/smilies/rolleyes.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /><br />Rae

 

[Nelda]

We now carry a small canister of bear spray, a can of wasp stray, mosquito spray too.<br /> And a heavy cast iron skillet.<br />I also carry a Colt 380 because that fit me the best. BUT, I don't shoot regularly so I'm not as comfortable with it as I used to be.<br />I'll tell you a story; when I was a little girl, (a very, very long time ago) my mother and I visited the elderly woman and I noticed on her nightstand, by her bed, was a can of Oven Cleaner. It had saved her, a few years earlier from an attacker, who had gotten in through the window.&nbsp; It was her trophy and she showed it off with great pride.<br /><br />Nelda

 

[Brighid]

You're right, Twokniveskatie, it is very pathetic when someone attacked has to worry about being sued. The world we live in is just crazy !<img src="/images/boards/smilies/eek.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /><br /><br />

 

[ttpadilla]

<br />Hi, Ladies!<br /><br />Safety...always a hot topic.&nbsp; The one common thread throughout the posts is to listen to your intuition and always be aware of your surroundings and the people in them.<br /><br />I am reminded that it is very easy to let your guard down, especially when you are around people you think you know.&nbsp; And Ladies, this is the internet--with all that entails.&nbsp; You know what I mean.&nbsp; Someone you think is a nice person, helpful to others, says all the right things, can turn into a different person when darkness falls and alcohol or other chemicals are consumed.&nbsp; We all know this, I'm sure.&nbsp; Just a gentle reminder to be smart and stay safe.&nbsp; Hold yourselves close, my sisters.<br /><br />Happy Trails!<br />Ann<br /><br />

<br /><br />That is so true, and I've experienced that first hand. Thanks for the reminder, Ann.&nbsp; Additionally, those of us who are of the older generation were probably raised to "be nice"; to protect everyone else's feelings, especially the feelings of men.&nbsp; That single BS trait has gotten me in more trouble than I care to remember.&nbsp; There are predators out there, and they know how to make you feel guilty (or STUPID) for "misinterpreting" their motives, so that you submerge your gut instinct and drop your defenses.&nbsp; We cannot afford to be so foolish.

 

[Brighid]

Amen, ttpadilla.

 

[Robi]

This is AWESOME! LIKE! I have hooked up with one or two ladies/men from groups such as Loners on Wheels when traveling...I find good spots this way from more experienced RVers. &nbsp;We could also suggest caravan ideas if we are headed somewhere. Drop off or hook up as needed.<br /><br />I have two loud barking dogs that WILL bite if need be...During the summer, here at Slab CIty, while "guarding" our slab alone, dogs barked, when I went outside I smelled cigarette smoke...I hollered LOUDLY..."I WILL RELEASE THE DOGS AND THEY DO BITE...TRUST ME! &nbsp;SO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! MY DOGS WILL BITE!" &nbsp;Dogs stopped barking after backing me up vocally. &nbsp;Must have worked. &nbsp;HEEHEE.<br /><br />They say "Never own a gun unless prepared to use it". &nbsp;I would add, better be real cleavor, or far away so they cannot take it away and now have a weapon against you. &nbsp;I don't own one.<br /><br />Been meaning to get some long distance pepper spray...thanks for the reminder.<br />Hey, how about this one: get a recording of loading a shotgun or shotgun firing and broadcast it...hmmm let's see, how would we do that...but you would not have to worry about gun laws.<br /><br />I have a gal friend that was getting weird vibes gassing her rig, she told the guy SHE was doing it cuz her ol' man does so much for her he was in the rig eating the lunch (or napping) she made him. He gets real cranky when disturbed, but if you want to push this, I'll be happy to introduce you once I finish gassing up. (then hop in your rig and drive off.<br /><br />Women tend to have that "care-taking" "be polite" attitude. We DON"T OWE a STRANGER an ExPLANATION! &nbsp;"Get out of my face!" Act like a crazy-witch, talk angry to yourself (that worked for me in San Francisco years ago while walking in a dicey area to catch public transport...even the crazies crossed the street! &nbsp;LOL).<br /><br />Visualize STRENGTH/SAFETY...NOT FEAR!<br />CHEERS!<br /><br /><br />

 

[ttpadilla]

Love it!!!&nbsp; I only have the one dog, and she's still a pup not 7 mos yet).&nbsp; And, as a Lab, she is quite a people lover.&nbsp; I'm not sure yet whether I can count on her to sound ferocious when needed, but she'll probably do fine.

 

[mockturtle]

<span id="post_message_1275547668">Women tend to have that "care-taking" "be polite" attitude. We DON"T OWE a STRANGER an ExPLANATION! &nbsp;"Get out of my face!" </span>

This is emphasized in the book Katie recommended [<em>The Gift of Fear</em>], which I am reading now.&nbsp; Someone will try to put <em>you</em> on the defensive by calling you stuck-up or 'too good to talk to me', that kind of thing.&nbsp; But the book offers valuable tips on reading the true intent of seemingly casual remarks.&nbsp; Obviously, not everyone trying to strike up a conversation is a predator but neither do we 'owe' anyone politeness when our senses unsettle us.

 

[ttpadilla]

Someone will try to put <em>you</em> on the defensive by calling you stuck-up or 'too good to talk to me', that kind of thing.&nbsp; But the book offers valuable tips on reading the true intent of seemingly casual remarks.&nbsp; Obviously, not everyone trying to strike up a conversation is a predator but neither do we 'owe' anyone politeness when our senses unsettle us.

<br /><br />Even if he's not a predator, anyone with that kind of approach (and attitude) is a dickhead, so you should be happy to get away from him anyway. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[gp]

As part of the safety package, wear a wedding band. It silently infers that a dh is somewhere nearby.

 

[Where~the~wind~blows]

I like that! very simple stuff....

 

[TxGypsy]

I am almost always armed. &nbsp;A 380 is a good general carry gun for me. &nbsp;ALWAYS aim for center of mass. &nbsp;If you are not willing to do so, you are better off without the gun. &nbsp;My backup is a baseball bat and lots and lots of adrenaline. &nbsp;<br><br>My dog is a miniature schnauzer that barks at every little bump or small noise. &nbsp;He's a great companion, but not really much in the way of protection.<br><br>A good habit to get into when walking between a building and your vehicle is to take one key and place it between your pointer finger and middle finger. &nbsp;Hold the rest of your keys in your fist. &nbsp;This essentially makes a small 'knife' you can jab into an assailant. &nbsp;<br><br>Take some self defense classes at a local karate studio. &nbsp;Make it clear that you don't want to learn karate...just self defense. &nbsp;There are a number of things that you can do to an assailant that will disable them pretty quickly that most of them won't be expecting.

 

[Ocean]

Just wanted to add this for the folks carrying tazers...please be sure to read all the documentation that comes with a tazer when you purchase one. While they are great defensive tools they do have limitations. Heavy clothing is one of them. The probes in a tazer are ejected with an extreme amount of force, however, if an attacker is wearing a heavy jacket or multiple layers of clothing then the probe may not make contact. Also, there have been instances (few and far between thankfully) when a tazer has had no effect on the attacker (drugs involved) and you need to have a backup plan on the remote chance that this happens. Also be aware that when the voltage is done cycling through a tazer then the attacker can be back on his feet within seconds. I'm speaking from personal experience. While working as a police officer I had to be shot with a tazer in order to be able to carrying one on duty. I was shot in the back with one probe going&nbsp;in my right shoulder blade area and the other in my left hip. While the tazer did have the intended effect, as soon as the voltage stopped I was on my feet with no noticeable pain or other issues. Again, they are wonderful defensive tools and I do recommend them...just wanted to point out a few things in the interest of being prepared&nbsp;and staying safe. <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[Wander Woman]

When I lived in San Diego I was advised by the cops I knew not to carry a weapon unless I was trained and ready to use it. They said one of two things usually happen when women with weapons are attacked, the first is that their weapon is somewhere they can't get to it in time, like their purse. The second is if they do pull out a weapon, it is taken away from them and used against them. They suggested wearing a personal alarm, it's like a watch but has a panic button that sets off a screaming alarm, that can only be tuned off by taking it off and hitting a button on the back. I don't have mine anymore, but they must still be available somewhere on the Internet. Do test it out and make sure it is LOUD, I did buy one I could barely hear, so sent it back. When I camp, I set out two chairs and leave a book in the extra one, sometimes a masculine hat as well. I agree your internal alarm is your best defense. My niece is 18 and just hitchhiked across country twice, alone with her dog and no money, and only felt uncomfortable once, and she simply left the area that time. (She was fine, but it took years off her parents life's).

 

[Queen]

Wander Woman - excellent advice from the SD police. &nbsp;It takes quite a bit of practice to become and remain proficient with a handgun, and even more training to be able to maintain that proficiency under duress. &nbsp;I've had all that training and my first line of defense is still pepper spray.

 

[Guest]

I saw a few people say something about "clean women travelling alone", just curious what exactly is meant by clean?

 

[yesican]

Clean = Not dirty!

 

[Guest]

Haha, I assumed <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> just double checking. I've been called dirty for my tattoos before.

 

[Guest]

Bear spray is a great idea! To scare away animals like bears or even snoopy people, I wonder if a hand held boat horn would work, they're really load. A junior league baseball bat could come in handy and of course a knife as a side arm. When out in BLM areas, at night you could set up a few portable solar powered lawn lights to keep&nbsp;the area around your vehicle lite up some for no cost but buying them.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 

[Guest]

(Someone will try to put <EM>you</EM> on the defensive by calling you stuck-up or 'too good to talk to me', that kind of thing.&nbsp; But the book offers valuable tips on reading the true intent of seemingly casual remarks.&nbsp; Obviously, not everyone trying to strike up a conversation is a predator but neither do we 'owe' anyone politeness when our senses unsettle us.)<BR><BR><STRONG>When traveling alone, you don't owe anyone anything, except the police of course. Always be on your guard and go by your intuition. Even if your wrong or mistaken, it's better to be safe than sorry. Don't stay for one second when someone is giving you some jive talk, or being over friendly out of the blue, and stay a safe comfortable distance from people.</STRONG>