To carry or not to carry

"Just Jeepin'" (macintux)
06/24/2019 at 21:10 • Filed to: None

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a very cautious person. I don’t like the thought of causing unintentional damage or harming people. And everything in life is risky, which means I spend more than my fair share of time waffling.

One of my current waffles, relevant to my trip next week, is whether to carry an air horn with me.

For me, this is the worst possible decision to have to make. I like the idea of having an air horn for emergencies. If I break down far from a busy road and far from phone connectivity, which doesn’t seem terribly unlikely in a mountainous state where I don’t know the roads, an air horn would be useful. If I have to scare off a black bear, an air horn would be useful (yes, I know, they’re more scared of me, yadda yadda).

Realistically, I’ll probably never need one, but they’re small and light and it would be trivial to keep one around.

However, they’re also flammable. And inflammable (English, man, what a weird language). And keeping an explosive canister in easy reach seems like more of a risk than not having one at all, especially with the “keep out of sunlight” warnings that I can’t comply with in my Jeep.

So my question: has anyone ever been in a situation where one would be particularly useful? The more I type , the easier this decision gets, but what the hell, I wrote all this up so I might as well ask.

DISCUSSION (30)

MM54 > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:14

I thought this was going to be about carrying something else, to which my answer is yes.

As to carrying an air horn... I have no idea. There’s nowhere to keep it in the Jeep that’s out of the way?

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:18

They are incredibly handy for alerting wayward phone-fixated pedestrians that they are about to wander into your path...

Just Jeepin' > MM54
06/24/2019 at 21:20

Yeah, no, I’ve toyed with the idea of keeping a gun around, but frankly even with training I’m entirely unconvinced I wouldn’t be in more danger with it than without. The only reason I would carry a gun would be to protect others, and if after 48 years I’ve never been in such a situation, despite the fact that I live in a part of the city where murders are depressingly not uncommon, I don’t see a need.

And in the Jeep, the only two places I can see carrying the air horn are directly behind my seat, where it would be (more or less) reachable underneath one of my fire extinguishers and out of direct sunlight most of the time, or in my “trunk”, which would keep it out of direct sunlight but at some small risk of exceeding the 120° limit they advise against (and would mean it would be unreachable in most emergencies).

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:20

If you are worried about explosions (you shouldn't) then you can get air horns that you charge with a bicycle pump - Air Zound I think it is called.

Just Jeepin' > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
06/24/2019 at 21:21

Compressed air isn’t entirely safe either, although I suppose the pressures reachable by a bike pump don’t pose much of a risk. Thanks for the tip.

wafflesnfalafel > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:23

I’ve got one in the car. I originally got it as a potential supplement or replacement for bear spray, (which doesn’t have much range.) I ended up staying with the bear spray figuring it might be more “helpful” against crazy humans while hiking as well.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:24

Carry it. I’ ve left one in every car I’ve owned for the past decade of so. (They have a way of following me home from construction si tes.) Nothing to worry about imho. Your jeep would probably have to be fully e ngulfed already to set it off like you’re imagining.

gettingoldercarguy > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:25

I forget where I place my wallet, keys and phone all the time. I basically don’t trust myself to be responsible with a firearm. What about bear mace? I rock that now, especially after walking my twins a year ago and be ing attacked by a hound who got ou t o f their house.

facw > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:27

(yes, I know, they’re more scared of me, yadda yadda).

https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/wilderness-training

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > MM54
06/24/2019 at 21:30

Fwiw if he waffles and hesitates as such, the answer to the question which wasn’t asked would be a resounding “Don’t carry it.” imho.

If you found yourself in a situation where you needed it, hesitation risks getting you in a worse scenario than no t having it at all. Granted I’m in Canada so what do I really know , but I’m a fan of the writings of Massad Ayoob, among others, and have absorbed a bit.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:30

Just Jeepin’: “I’m a very cautious person!”

Aso Just Jeepin’: *drive most rollover prone vehicle that’s legal for road use*

I’d bring one with. If it exploding is a concern, maybe keep it in your toolbox if you keep one in the car?

facw > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:32

Kinja'd!!!

Just Jeepin' > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
06/24/2019 at 21:34

Heh, well, it’s more about caution when it comes to others’ welfare. I don’t often carry passengers.

Toolboxes are problematic because I’d like it to be available from the driver’s seat and I definitely don’t want a toolbox up front. No room and a risk in a rollover...although I do have a small tool bag on the back of my seat that wouldn’t be much fun in such an event.

Just Jeepin' > facw
06/24/2019 at 21:35

It is definitely true that my Jeep’s horn is worthless at highway speeds, so having an air horn around would be particularly tempting.

Chuckles > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:43

Maybe just get a really loud whistle?

DipodomysDeserti > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:44

I would go with an emergency whistle before an air horn and bear spray if you’re worried about bears. I feel more people associate airhorn with celebration rather than emergency. Whistle almost always means “stop” or “something is wrong”.

Biggest precaution is telling people where you’re headed and what time you’ll check in with them.

Best bet is to be able to get yourself out of any situation. I’ve drove and hiked in some remote areas, and you come across some weird fucking people in those areas. A lot of times the ones who stop are the ones you wish hadn’t.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 21:49

Honestly if you are that worried, pickup a PLB, yeas there are a few hundred bucks but what is your life worth? There have been many deaths in the last few years of people whop would have lived if they bought one of these lightweight devices. I used to back country ski and I always had an avalanche beacon strapped to me. Again it is really cheap life insurance.

Just Jeepin' > Chuckles
06/24/2019 at 21:50

I have one of those too.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 22:07

Fwiw, if you still have concerns they are available in non- flammable ozone safe varieties as well as it turns out.

https://www.esafetysupplies.com/products/8-oz-non-flammable-ozone-safe-air-horn

Just Jeepin' > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
06/24/2019 at 22:15

Ooh, interesting, thanks.

Just Jeepin' > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
06/24/2019 at 22:17

I could see myself spending way too much time browsing this site. Cowboy hard hats!

https://www.esafetysupplies.com/products/occunomix-cowboy-style-hard-hats

Chariotoflove > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 22:18

I’d be more likely to keep one by the phone to use on telemarketers.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 22:19

Happy to help. I had no idea either but the discussion got me wondering, which got me googling.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 22:20

Safety first, partner

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 22:21

Forgot about how those go airborn in a rollover. Does anybody make a toolbox tie down?

vicali > Just Jeepin'
06/24/2019 at 22:56

A few of my crew used to carry them in the bush to blast at bears. I carried an AM radio in my vest pocket and it did the same thing.

You could get a bear banger if you’re really worried- chances are if you are at your rig you are on zero danger.

Air horn might be good at startling people, or getting others attention. I don’t think it’s really a rescue tool unless you are close to civilization though.

Whistles are louder and work as long as you can blow it.. probably a better option.

I don’t recognize the ‘danger’ of them at all.. you know what else is dangerous? Gasoline, Jeeps, traffic, bees, mosquitoes, going outside, staying inside, etc etc..

MM54 > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
06/24/2019 at 23:06

That’s a fair point about hesitation. The above ‘yes’ is more to the overall idea though, not his exact situation.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > MM54
06/24/2019 at 23:08

I'm with ya then. Well, I would be if we were allowed here anyway. Better to have a screwdriver and never need it than to be screwed without it.

Just Jeepin' > vicali
06/24/2019 at 23:15

Sure, but the danger of my Jeep is a fair trade for the fun. I’ve never needed an air horn, so I’d be adding (minimal) danger for a vague notion that someday it might be important.

It’s all about tradeoffs.

Just Jeepin' > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
06/24/2019 at 23:20

I’m sure you can tie down anything you want, at least if you get a friendly container, but a proper toolbox is usually pretty damned heavy.

It’s also a security question: I try not to carry things that are going to be particularly attractive to steal, since the top is off all summer. Everything I put in the Jeep has to take into account water resistance (another reason a toolbox is unattractive), security, safety in a rollover, heavy enough to not blow away with the doors and roof off, limited space in the cabin, desire to not block the ability to fold my rear seat forward, not block other seats’ movements, etc.

Frankly, it’s all quite the pain in my ass.