Spooked by the dark on my own!

[nightfisher]

A gentle reminder, can we keep this thread clean and avoid sexual innuendo`s please

[RobertI]

I have also been spooked on occasion, and totally sympathise with you. No easy answer but I find having a nice bright torch to hand, such as my mega bright Powertank, is always re-aasuring to reveal any intruders. My biggest problem is what to do when a member of the public walks by in the dark completely unaware that I am there. Do I carry on and risk surprising them and possibly inviting a torch in the face, or do I skulk quietly in the shadows until they have gone? If they have a dog its an even worse dilemma! I usually opt for the quiet skulking. 

[Mognet]

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[Alien 13]

I dont like the monsters that lurk in the dark so always have my Dog with me and my lab actually enjoys looking at the sky especially Andromeda.

Alan

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

I dont like the monsters that lurk in the dark so always have my Dog with me and my lab actually enjoys looking at the sky especially Andromeda.

Alan

Bless the lab.He might dream of going there.

[kev100]

My regular site is the car park overlooking the Cerne Abbas Giant. Normally, it's pretty quiet, with only the odd car going by (cue hat down over the eyes/hood up till their gone), and back to the eyepiece. On a couple of occasions, though, a car has pulled in to the lay by, waited a while (with lights on pointed directly at me), before pulling away; clearly, by the sound of the haste with which it's done, somewhat p***ed off. I've often thought, "Oh ho, I've just ruined their amorous evening ..."

On one occasion, and I posted an observing report here on SGL: ... things were altogether more 'exciting' ... 

Kev

 

 

[LukeSkywatcher]

Dogs are great observing company. They dont talk the whole night through,they dont hog the scope and they sense danger before us humans do. If you have a dog who is slightly off balance mentally (like my Chara), all the better. Nobody who may approach you with the intention of harming you will get within 30ft of you before the dog gives them "that look". 

If you dont have a dog, dont be rushing out to buy one. They need constant maintaining and work out very expensive 

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

They need constant maintaining and work out very expensive 

Dog's aren't expensive. It's vets who use up all your insurance money on an MRI to discover that your dog has got swollen head muscles (as if you couldn't tell by looking) and actually had google suggested in the first place (and could have been proven with a blood test and a biopsy).

[LukeSkywatcher]

I dont have any pet insurance. Ive never found a need for it (never say never). All of the dogs i have had in my life have lived to the ripe old age of 16yrs. A couple just dropped due to old age, and a couple developed hearth problems which we treated with medication, but in the end the medication was just not working so i did the kindest thing.

Chara (my 9 yr old Yorkie) is the toughest nut ever. In her lifetime she has eaten glass,wood,plastic and just about anything she can get her chops around. Never once have i need to take her to a vet.

The ONE time i did rush her to the vet was about 2 yrs ago. I ordered Chinese food and gave her a spare rib. The bone in the rib became lodged at the back of her mouth horizontally and she was in distress (but could still breath). I tried removing it myself, but that didnt work and i lost a few teaspoons of blood in the process.

Chara is NOT a people "person", so when i take her to the local vet/groomer for a haircut............they have to knock her out with an injection. Then they have to bring her round again with another injection. Thats about 100 euro every time. Annually to keep her groomed is 300 euro.

Sorry............i digress.

 

 

[JOC]

Long term dog owners here too - never any pet insurance.  If you are worried about costs then just set up a bank account and standing order and pay it £25 every month and draw against it for vet fees when you need it.  Don't get me started on the ills that I think are caused by pet insurance!

[LukeSkywatcher]

Here in Ireland we have something called the "Blue Cross". It is a mobile vet service which operates from the same location once a month and you can have your pet seen by a qualified vet for free.

[johnfosteruk]

I got spooked once out with a friend at a site on Dartmoor, there are Dartmoor Ponies on Dartmoor and one came from behind to pay us a visit, out of our skins we jumped

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Here in Ireland we have something called the "Blue Cross". It is a mobile vet service which operates from the same location once a month and you can have your pet seen by a qualified vet for free.

My father was from outside of Limerick.In the 1960's 70's the night skies seemed so bright with stars.I cannot remember any fear of looking at the star in dark fields then.I think that our so called dark skies of today are not as dark as they used to be.