GPSGuided wrote:DanShell wrote:It's very interesting to read the replies of the ladies because in my limited experience I have found 99% of the people I have had a chat too on a hike to be polite, well mannered and a pleasure to talk to.
Then obviously it's that 1% that's the problem.
ErichFromm wrote:I would think pepper spray would be enough of a deterrent if the situation ever arose.
Strider wrote:What if someone was being stalked? A chopper overhead would almost certainly be a deterrent? Plus, it contains police who could then pursue the weirdo?
GPSGuided wrote:ErichFromm wrote:I would think pepper spray would be enough of a deterrent if the situation ever arose.
Irrespective of male or female, what would be the role of pepper spray? I'd think it's just a delay mechanism, to buy time and allow one to run away. Against a really dedicated aggressor, pepper spray isn't likely to be able to put the person down. Even stun guns have trouble with that. Out there, having an exit strategy/route at all times remains important.
ErichFromm wrote:I would think pepper spray would be enough of a deterrent if the situation ever arose. After seeing the responses here I'll be recommending the same to female friends who may solo hike.
A plb would take too long to get a response to be any help.
Lindsay wrote:ErichFromm wrote:I would think pepper spray would be enough of a deterrent if the situation ever arose. After seeing the responses here I'll be recommending the same to female friends who may solo hike.
A plb would take too long to get a response to be any help.
Pepper sprays are illegal in Australia. There is nowhere to buy them legitimately.
Travis22 wrote:Lindsay wrote:ErichFromm wrote:I would think pepper spray would be enough of a deterrent if the situation ever arose. After seeing the responses here I'll be recommending the same to female friends who may solo hike.
A plb would take too long to get a response to be any help.
Pepper sprays are illegal in Australia. There is nowhere to buy them legitimately.
Iirc there are a few states in oz where you can / or used to be able to buy it almost 'over the counter'.
WA and I thought SA used to sell it to you if you were over 18.
http://www.wellingtonsurplus.com.au/lis ... PER+SPRAYS
Travis
walkon wrote:...The best fight is one avoided! Anyway I always hike in a group so that's a non issue for me.
walkon wrote:Boy boys boys you are soo being typical testosterone driven males who don't listen. The girls have told you it is all about AVOIDING confrontation but do you listen NO! Think about it we are in the middle of nowhere! If we get an attacker angry with sore eyes where do we go. So stop thinking of fighting all the time and try using your brains instead. The best fight is one avoided!
awildland wrote:I just wrote a huge reply to this thread and then it didn;t save…couldn't be bothered writing it all again…in summary, horrible things happen in life anywhere anytime. Bushwalkers are nice people who share my passion for the quiet peaceful Australian bush. I am of the female variety and have solo camped in campgrounds, solo day walked and this week did my first solo over night. Beautiful.
walkon wrote:Congratulations welcome to the slob club (solo liberated overland bushwalkers club) and glad that you liked your time on your own. How did you go with it, the Bush seems more alive when you're by yourself and I like the heightened sense of your surroundings. I suppose all this makes me feel more alive as well.
Glad you could experience freedom more power to you
ErichFromm wrote: but how comfortable are female hikers going on their own. And if they are not is it because of city safety concerns (i.e, being attacked) or hiking safety concerns (i.e., falling down a cliff or being attacked by wombats)?
awildland wrote:and back to the main point of this thread. Erich I think some women will walk solo and some won't in the same way that some men don't walk solo... and safety concerns may not always be the reason for this decision.
but I would definitely encourage your friend to give it a go. Good planning, good backup and support, the right gear and then the next BIG step...putting one solo foot in front of the other.
ErichFromm wrote:Believe me I have been encouraging. I think in my friend's case there is an element of lack of self-confidence too. She loves to hike, but also likes to relax in knowing someone else is in charge of getting safely to where we are going. I'm the guy who obsesses about silnylon / cuben fibre and dew points after all![]()
Often we'll do a hike that I've done earlier and she'll say "that trail was pretty easy to find" and my thought is "yeah - you should try it on your own when you don't have someone leading the way and knowing if you take a wrong turn it could be a costly mistake!"
and I cant really imagine anyone out there trying to pick up.
Travis22 wrote:................ I'd like to think the younger hikers / outdoor size guys today are much more educated on what's write and wrong and not objectifying women etc...??
Travis.
neilmny wrote:Travis22 wrote:................ I'd like to think the younger hikers / outdoor size guys today are much more educated on what's write and wrong and not objectifying women etc...??
Travis.
Dream on Travis, as a father of 2 daughters the knuckle heads (being polite here) come mostly in the younger ages.
Besides as an older bloke I can tell you that fellas of older age are too busy surviving the effort to be aroused by the presence of a random female.
Kainas I'm saddened by your experiences/outlook but rest assured most people are decent but I can see from your sailing experiences where you got your sad view of things.
I'll shut up now.
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