Northwoods Geocaching has the following safety tips [link]:
- Geocache with a buddy. That way, if you run into any trouble, take a tumble or just get lost, you’re not alone. Plus, geocaching is much more fun with family and friends.
- Tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
- Consider bringing along water and some basic emergency equipment. Cell phones can come in handy in emergency situations.
- Be aware of what’s around you. For example, don’t concentrate so hard on your GPS that you walk into a tree or into a stream.
- Keep an eye on the weather and dress appropriately.
These are five excellent safety tips! Numbers 1 and 3 mention "trouble" and "emergency situations". What immediately comes to my mind is getting stuck, becoming injured or running into a very unfriendly wild boar, bobcat, bear, or Florida panther. What doesn't come to my mind or the mind of many of the people I've talked to is assault.
Let's face it, the woods have eyes in Florida. I like to believe in the goodness of humanity but I'm not naïve anymore.
One day last year, I went to Franz Ross Park by myself to take pictures and hunt a cache that's no longer active. I took this beautiful shot of the path leading behind the shelter.
I took the walk because there was a homeless man in the shelter and I didn't want to search around in the brush in front of him since that's where my GPS was telling me the cache was. I figured I'd take my photographs first and then eventually come back to the spot.
Well, he started following me and hollaring after me. I'd been approached by homeless people before and if I have something to give, I'll give it if they ask. I've also had nice chats. People are people. I had gone out solely to hunt a couple caches, record for EVPs at Restlawn Memorial Gardens, and take photographs around Port Charlotte. I had no money or food to share.
Unfortunately, I got a different vibe from him from the moment he hollared, "GIRL! HEY!" at me. I turned to face him and walked backwards, watching him as he jogged up to me. He looked me up and down, stuck out his tongue, and proceeded to describe how long it had been since he'd had sex and how nice and secluded this part of the park was. I told him I wasn't interested, that I am married and have four children who need me. I even remember telling him that I'm not on birth control and one more pregnancy could kill me (that's the truth, too). He kept pace with me as I walked faster, continuing on to share his opinion of my looks and gave a very detailed and grotesque offer that wasn't really an offer. At this moment, I did the math. He was larger and stronger, I can't outrun a gopher turtle, I couldn't remember any of my self-defense training, I had no weapons except for the damage I could do by using my camera and my GPS unit as clubs to his skull and genitals, and there was no one who could hear me scream... and if they did, would they even respond or know how to get to me? I'd forgotten one thing that I had on my person that saved me, my phone! I was reminded when Mr. HH DC'd (direct connected, a/k/a walkie-talkie) me from his Nextel to mine. "[Beep Beep] Hey, baby, where ya at?" his voice bellowed through as if Divine Intervention had given him perfect timing. I grabbed my phone from my pocket and before I could push the button to respond, the man was running back through the path. "Hold on." I told Mr. HH and jogged around the other side of the path and watched the man bike away.
I did not report him to the police. It honestly didn't occur to me. I just use my experience as a warning for others not to venture out unprepared. Franz Ross Park is a populated and well-used park. It has police surveillance often. I was supposedly safe there. Not so. Anyone can be victim at any time in any place. The crime depends on what the attacker wants to do, not what the victim is doing.
This is not only a warning for women to be careful. This is also a warning for men. Men can also be overpowered, taken by surprise, and attacked for a number of reasons, some of them being the same reasons that women are attacked. Watching a GPS can distract us from our environment, like is mentioned in the above list's #4. While we are supposed to keep an eye out for muggles, it might be harder to spot the people who don't wish to be seen while they watch us.
I carry mace everywhere now and my mace doubles as a baton. I have cached with the oldest little HauntHunter for fun regular and small sized caches in the area but have mostly cached with Mr. HH or the whole HauntHunters crew. I always have my phone and feel a bit of panic now that I hear Sprint is going to discontinue Nextel's DC service. Bad Sprint!
Cache with a buddy, keep your eyes open, don't talk to strangers, and stay safe!
- Mrs. HH
No comments:
Post a Comment