The effect of crime on observing

[Greymouser]

8 hours ago, vlaiv said:

If you were in the open (as one would be for observing session) - you really need not worry about any effects of odd spliff being lit up near by.

There is simply no chance it will have any sort of effect on you - both on your health or state of mind. Concentration of "active matter" reaching you is basically 0 (fact that you can smell it tells something about how sensitive our nose is - it needs very low concentration of molecules that we identify as smell to smell something, and active molecules (THC / CBD) are not the ones you smell).

Unless you are bothered by smell of it, or have any other reason to retire from observing.

No, I know there is next to zero chance of any effect, even from the very strong cannabis she smokes. The issue is that it has the nickname: " Skunk, " for a very good reason, she smokes them about four metres from my back door. I would have noticed by now if there was any effect. There is a group about 50 metres from my back door who smoke it too, the smell is very clear to notice and truly foul! Your nose really does not need to be particularly sensitive and it can be smelled even further away. I do not care about drug use, in any form, but do so when it is anti social. Indeed there is a very good case to legalise drugs. 

Edited October 3, 2019 by Greymouser
distances altered.

[Paz]

5 hours ago, Carbon Brush said:

Sorry I can't find the source right now. But I remember reading that almost 50% of house break ins were during the day.
In other words daylight, security lights or dark make little difference!

One of the local social media videos that I have seen shared was of 2 guys caught on a home CCTV who parked in someone's drive and cleared out their garage into a truck - both guys clearly identifiable on a main street in broad daylight with cars passing all the time, making no attempt to conceal their activities.

[MilwaukeeLion]

My issue is nocturnal animals, sneak right up to give me a jolt.  Had no idea this hobby would bring them in that close.  

[Alien 13]

I used to set up and image from my garden with my dog and cat in attendance and felt perfectly safe...

Alan

[Whistlin Bob]

A few years ago, at our local club meeting (which is rural), a few of us had stayed into the small hours and the police turned up responding to reports of shifty looking characters hanging around the forestry centre- us!!!

They had some fine views of Saturn and Jupiter before departing 😁😁😁!

[DirkSteele]

21 minutes ago, Whistlin Bob said:

A few years ago, at our local club meeting (which is rural), a few of us had stayed into the small hours and the police turned up responding to reports of shifty looking characters hanging around the forestry centre- us!!!

They had some fine views of Saturn and Jupiter before departing 😁😁😁!

Several years ago I was observing on Wimbledon Common with a few others and a policeman came up to us and asked if we would be long as he wanted to "release the dogs."  Tried not to laugh as I thought of Mr Burns saying "release the hounds."  However, we did pack down shortly thereafter though were coming to the end of the session anyway.  Sadly he declined a quick peak at Saturn.  His loss.

[PeterW]

Been there, cops turned up a memorable club session thinking we were “car breakers”:.. someone brought a huge dob in a transit van!! 
Wimbledon any good, more urban than Bushy.

 

Peter

[Rob Sellent]

I have to be at peace to observe. Nothing on my mind and nothing to worry about. When younger and living in the cities and towns, I tried observing in local parks or dark pockets of scrub land but the experience was too disquieting. Even when I was on my own, I was never really alone. At night in the cities it is not the ghouls and ghosts that break up the silence.

 

Edited October 4, 2019 by Rob Sellent

[Ouroboros]

In my small town in Oxfordshire it's not the possibility of lone crims intent on burglary that worry me as much as groups of rowdy nocturnal yoofs.  I have a small park and play area next to my house which at night is frequented by groups of young people hanging out, smoking weed etc. I really don't want to become the focus of their attention.  So it's the fenced back garden for me, which is a pity because my sky-scape is limited by several trees. I should move house really. 

Our place in Cornwall is very rural. It's away from a road and some would probably find it eerily isolated, although we're neighboured by several other houses. I feel much safer there. Although when a sheep in the neighbouring field coughs it can be a bit alarming. Oddly enough if there's no breeze and all is quiet it's more eerie. The slightest noise and I think "wozzat?" 🙂 

Edited October 4, 2019 by Ouroboros

[Stickfarm8]

So far I've confined my imaging to the driveway in front of our house. I've not tried to add remote viewing to the mix yet.  We live in a semi-rural part of KY, well east of Louisville.

We've lived here for 28 years. At first the neighbors were baffled at what the heck I was up to now (crazy anal retentive engineer....) till 2 AM on my driveway...but after I realized their "curiosity" - I spoke to them about what I was getting into, and invited them to bring their kids over, etc.  when they saw me out. My scope doesn't have a great focal length of viewing planets, but with the high magnification eyepiece you can get a pretty decent view of Jupiter, even Saturn, which really excited the kids - and even the adults. Now they cut their headlights when they see me out while passing the house - even the neighbor across the street, who likes to back is truck in, shuts his lights off while backing in.  They also shut their porch lights off when they notice I'm out. So I'm pretty content in this environment !

It will be interesting how I feel when I finally do venture out remote .......

Rich

[PeterW]

Congrats on convincing your neighbours and great to hear they were so accommodating. Outside the US you might get a few nutters, drunks or couples up to no good. Not really an issue if you go as a (small) group as no one is armed. really dark skies are definitely worth hunting out and visiting, though you don’t want to be distracted when you’re there.

 

PEter 

[Danjc]

I have a raised patio that I setup from which can be seen from the field at the back. There is a metal shelter thing in the field that attracts the local yoofs but all they tend to do is smoke a bit of weed and have a laugh. 
You can’t miss them in the dark as they all have there phones on so I always know there whereabouts and besides if they are going out there way to have a bit of a smoke in a dark field chances are they are not going to be any bother. 
As it gets colder they seem to disappear and must hibernate away in there hoodies for the winter 👍🏻

   

[Nigella Bryant]

I find it scary when I've gone on my own to a dark site. I don't feel safe at all and my partner won't let me on my own anymore. I do 95% of my observations from my observatory now, I lock myself in and the shutter can be put down quickly. I also have my phone with me. The only thing to jump through the shutter has been my cat who then curls up on my chair.