What Dangers Do You Worry About?

[WriterMs]

There's a great quote about a ship being safest in the harbor, but that is not what ships are built for. You have to leave the (perceived) safety of the shore to be (or find out) what you are.

 

[Stargazer]

This is a tough one because I hear two questions:

What "dangers" does one "worry about" on the road, and
What stresses you out?

Two different questions.

Do I "worry" about the dangers? Not anymore, because I have a plan to respond to the typical ones. Knowing what I will do (or try to do) seems to release me from those late night fears.

Worrying, however, is different. I worry about mankind. World peace or lack thereof. Racism. Bigotry. Earth's destruction. My little attempts to leave a better world to my grandchildren and their grandchildren are less than one tear drop in an ocean of tears.

I worry about my little grandchildren. Sweet innocents who will have to deal with all of the above because I/We couldn't change the world.

Which brings me back to dangers on the road. Personal safety, thefts, mechanical failures, running out of money, etc., etc., all pale in my mind compared to the bigger picture. That flat tire? My personal welfare? In the larger scheme of things, they don't mean much. I can and have fix(ed) the flat. At 3:00 am, I despair of fixing the hurts of mankind.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Heck, I've had roadside repair jobs that have lasted for YEARS after I cobbled it together using nothing but coat hangers and duct tape.

WHAT?  No bubble gum?  You might have to turn in your McGyver certification 

What I worry about the most is: What will happen to my dog if I have a heart attack when I am alone in the wilderness?

-- Spiff

 

[flying kurbmaster]

worry doesn't make much sense as we all seem to agree with, however in reality, sometimes I wake up in the early hours of the morning in a mild panic attack about something I can do nothing about, is irrelevant, hypothetical, or just plain crazy. That is when I get up and make myself a warm drink, go on my computer, talk about it, read, make breakfast, go for a walk, call somebody, pray, meditate or do something else that will change my thinking.

 

[66788]

WHAT?  No bubble gum?  You might have to turn in your McGyver certification 

What I worry about the most is: What will happen to my dog if I have a heart attack when I am alone in the wilderness?

-- Spiff

Kind of depends on whether or not he's locked inside the van with you.  He would probably be OK if outside, but may eat your body if he is trapped inside the van.   

This might make a great book.

 

[B and C]

Kind of depends on whether or not he's locked inside the van with you.  He would probably be OK if outside, but may turn cannibal if he is trapped inside the van.   

I don't know for sure if this is a myth or not.  Dogs will lay down by their master and starve to death.  Cats on the other hand will eat you, it is just in their nature as they are not as domesticated as dogs.

 

[Belinda2]

I have one worry:
What happens if I get frozen inside the van this winter?
I only have one exit out of my sleeping space area. I have made sure I can change positions, have a potty, and food, but I will be waiting for hours for a defrost and there are sometimes when that may not happen for days. I have made an area to go upfront in the vehicle to get out another door, but it would take me 45 minutes to rearrange it all
Belinda2
Maryland

 

[T.he I.nvisible M.an]

No fear here ...

I listen to my reasoning mind. If the situation doesn't seem "right" I either don't stop or if already there leave. I may not exactly know what isn't right (and I'm not the paranoid type) but I will most definitely act on my gut feeling. I am my own heavy mechanic so I don't fear breakdowns (more of a pain in the ass). I'm in reasonable good health (I do hard physical work when called for). At 6'-3" and 215lbs I'm not usually the smallest guy in the room. I avoid the cops, blend in as much as possible, no drinking or drugs and when not resting or online I spend a majority of my time working for a client. If I were to go tomorrow I would say I had a pretty good run (so I don't really fear death anymore but I certainly do not abuse that lack of fear).

To sum it all up ... EVERYTHING has a solution if you take the time and do your homework.

And now you know ...

T.I.M.

 

[Almost There]

I have one worry:
What happens if I get frozen inside the van this winter?
     I only have one exit out of my sleeping space area. I have made sure I can change positions, have a potty, and food, but I will be waiting for hours for a defrost and there are sometimes when that may not happen for days. I have made an area to go upfront in the vehicle to get out another door, but it would take me 45 minutes to rearrange it all
Belinda2
Maryland

So worst case scenario is that if your normal exit is frozen shut, it would take you 45 minutes to move enough stuff around so that you could get out another day?

Not bad at all, I've seen it take me more than 45 minutes to be able to get IN my van after all the doors are frozen shut....

Another alternative is to use your cell phone to call a friend!! Keep them supplied with lock de-icer.

 

[SoulRaven]

I have one worry:
What happens if I get frozen inside the van this winter?
     I only have one exit out of my sleeping space area. I have made sure I can change positions, have a potty, and food, but I will be waiting for hours for a defrost and there are sometimes when that may not happen for days. I have made an area to go upfront in the vehicle to get out another door, but it would take me 45 minutes to rearrange it all
Belinda2
Maryland

Getting frozen inside your van isn't usually a big problem, because you can put your weight against the door to push it out.  You can also exit through a front window in an emergency.

By the time I've run my heater before getting out of bed, my van is usually pretty well thawed out too.

 

[SoulRaven]

So worst case scenario is that if your normal exit is frozen shut, it would take you 45 minutes to move enough stuff around so that you could get out another day?

Not bad at all, I've seen it take me more than 45 minutes to be able to get IN my van after all the doors are frozen shut....

Another alternative is to use your cell phone to call a friend!! Keep them supplied with lock de-icer.

I just carry deicer with me, much simpler.  Besides for the locks, it works great to spray it around the door seals as well.

 

[Belinda2]

De-icer to get in. Vinegar and something I can't remember makes de-icer fluid.
Heater to get out. I don't always go to bed with the heater. Now I will.
Got it. Thanks guys!!!

Off Grid,
Putting my weight against the door probably will not work. My bed is very narrow in a minivan to "get the running start" and I only weigh 112-115 pounds.

 

[SoulRaven]

De-icer to get in. Vinegar and something I can't remember makes de-icer fluid.
Heater to get out. I don't always go to bed with the heater. Now I will.
Got it. Thanks guys!!!

Off Grid,
Putting my weight against the door probably will not work. My bed is very narrow in a minivan to "get the running start" and I only weigh 112-115 pounds.

I always keep my heater within reach of my bed, so I can turn it on without getting out of bed before the van has a chance to warm up.  Makes things a lot nicer.

I'm a little guy too, but from the inside it usually it to difficult.  From the outside where all you have to hang on to is a flimsy handle is a much bigger problem.

 

[rvpopeye]

One of the things I have done about this is rub some vaseline on the door gasket.

 

[WriterMs]

I worry about my little grandchildren.  Sweet innocents who will have to deal with all of the above because I/We couldn't change the world.

Which brings me back to dangers on the road.  Personal safety, thefts, mechanical failures, running out of money, etc., etc., all pale in my mind compared to the bigger picture.  That flat tire?  My personal welfare?  In the larger scheme of things, they don't mean much.  I can and have fix(ed) the flat.  At 3:00 am, I despair of fixing the hurts of mankind.

Your full post is very poetically if painfully written. I think folks should take comfort if they make an effort to do what they can.. in whatever circumstance they find themselves. You cannot change minds that will not see.

On the other hand, if you have any faith in the "universal mind" type theories, you can take comfort in also having uplifting and grateful thoughts for all the wonderful things in the world. The more of us that find personal peace and joy, the more of that there is in the world to uplift others.

 

[Patrick46]

Ohhh....good response!!! ^^^

 

[USExplorer]

Traveling by road entails numerous risks. Fear does not mitigate those risks. I love traveling by road, and meeting new people along the way. Fear and love cannot coexist.

Frustration, yes, adrenaline too... fear, no. Actually, scratch that. I have a fear of tripping on hikes, and not on mushrooms either. I once had to limp 6 miles back to my truck on a banged up knee in the wilds of West Virginia, so I am extra careful when hiking. I consider this a rational fear, as it has never made me afraid of hiking a non-technical trail.
I also have a fear of traffic tickets. Most people have no problem ignoring artificially low speed limits in small towns, but I've always been acutely aware of my out of state plate and kept my speed strictly governed.I haven't had a ticket since I was 18 years old, and that one was after deliberate police provocation.
I am not particularly afraid of fellow humans, probably because I never encounter humans who see me as prey (LEOs excepted). A gang of teens is not going to mug someone who looks them right in the eye and nods in greeting. A drunkard will be sobered when the target of his abuse speaks in a flat, clipped tone. Fear inspires opportunists.

 

[WriterMs]

Fear and love cannot coexist.

Wholeheartedly believe this is true in many contexts.

 

[NaturePhreak]

I worry about being broken down along the side of the road at night. Because of this, I always try to find a camping spot by mid afternoon.

 

[NaturePhreak]

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