How safe do you feel?

[Bogmonster]

I'd feel a bit strange going to some remote place on my own with my scope. I live in the middle of nowhere so I can just go out to the driveway but even the thoughts of setting up in front of my house weirds me out a little as a few random cars can pass by. I don't really want to draw attention to myself. Generally, a lot of the areas have a certain type of inhabitant who will approach you and they don't care about your scope (if you know what I mean).

That said, I wouldn't mind going out with a group of like minded people to a dark spot.

[paulastro]

Blimey, I'm glad when I started in astronomy, over fifty years ago, that I didn't realise there was so much I should be worrying about when I'm out and about with my telescope! 😱

There's a difference between taking reasonable,  precautions,  fear and paranoia. 

[Mr Spock]

Whenever I go to dark, scary places, I just ask myself 'what would Buffy do?'

So I carry a stake, and axe and a sword...

[Ratlet]

I look like a bit of an itinerant librarian who has been launched at speed through a bush.  I'm generally more worried what effect I'd have on other people at a dark isolated spot.

I find muttering to myself constantly about teeth adds to the ambiance.

[cajen2]

"Millennium hand and shrimp".... Sorry, literary reference! 😄

[Jasonb]

8 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

"Millennium hand and shrimp".... Sorry, literary reference! 😄

Bug'r it! 

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Jasonb

[Jasonb]

3 hours ago, Bogmonster said:

I'd feel a bit strange going to some remote place on my own with my scope. I live in the middle of nowhere so I can just go out to the driveway but even the thoughts of setting up in front of my house weirds me out a little as a few random cars can pass by. I don't really want to draw attention to myself. Generally, a lot of the areas have a certain type of inhabitant who will approach you and they don't care about your scope (if you know what I mean).

That said, I wouldn't mind going out with a group of like minded people to a dark spot.

I've been on the look out for some dark sky locations, and things like tyre marks left on the road (especially large circles) give me a hint that the place might see some hassle of an evening. As others have said, a lot of the concerns would probably never happen, but if you're out on your own, with heavy equipment that you can't move easily, you just don't want the hassle. I'd definitely prefer to be with a few people.

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

4 hours ago, Moonlit Knight said:

Absolutely, it’s when I feel safest, happiest, most comfortable and content. It’s in towns and cities where I feel least comfortable. I am from the Peak District, I spent most of my childhood playing on the moors, sometimes at night, even in the snow. 

Same here. Since 1995 we have had a shed broken into, a wannabe house burglar (hopefully) frightened for life by me and only five years ago, a successful car key burglary & subsequent car robbery.

An oversized rear fence installed three years ago makes it just a bit harder to gain access and tall conifer removal makes it harder to hide.

I'd feel much safer in a rural dark field!

Edited March 3, 2023 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[Mognet]

I've only felt unsafe once while out. Went up to a local and out of the way dark site one night to find someone had parked a mobile home there. Looked like they had set up to stay for a while too. Hung around for ten minutes not seeing or hearing any movement, but decided not to stay as I wasn't comfortable. The site is too far out of the way at the end of a country road for anyone to just turn up randomly

[Glued]

I'm such a scaredy cat I get unnerved sitting in my own garden sometimes. I can't imagine I'd cope well if I ventured further away from my house than that!  

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

1 hour ago, Glued said:

I'm such a scaredy cat I get unnerved sitting in my own garden sometimes. I can't imagine I'd cope well if I ventured further away from my house than that!  

You're safer far out in the countryside than an urban garden. I've jumped out my skin a couple of times in the garden with ears pricked and eyes on stalks. Although it was probably just next door's rats or a cat rustling!

Loads of people solo wild camp etc without issue. The farther away you are from civilisation the better. Especially in the UK with no bears or wolves to size you up. 

[Moonshed]

10 minutes ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Loads of people solo wild camp etc without issue. The farther away you are from civilisation the better. Especially in the UK with no bears or wolves to size you up. 

No bears or wolves, true, but I have come across spiders that were huge enough to drag you off to their lair. (Or so it seemed to me).😆

[Franklin]

4 hours ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Since 1995 we have had a shed broken into, a wannabe house burglar (hopefully) frightened for life by me and only five years ago, a successful car key burglary & subsequent car robbery.

Scally scousers🙂!

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

32 minutes ago, Moonshed said:

No bears or wolves, true, but I have come across spiders that were huge enough to drag you off to their lair. (Or so it seemed to me).😆

Haha. As much as I hate spiders and they can give you a fright, it's the midges I'm really scared of. The last time I camped in Kielder mid September, being super butch & macho 🤠, I wore shorts and was eaten alive!

[bosun21]

9 hours ago, Moonlit Knight said:

Absolutely, it’s when I feel safest, happiest, most comfortable and content. It’s in towns and cities where I feel least comfortable. I am from the Peak District, I spent most of my childhood playing on the moors, sometimes at night, even in the snow. 

Same here. Being originally from Scotland I used to travel all over the Highlands and Islands fishing and sleeping under the stars. I feel totally at peace with the world when in this environment.

[Elp]

On 03/03/2023 at 16:17, Moonshed said:

I have come across spiders that were huge enough to drag you off to their lair. (Or so it seemed to me).😆

I would never want be out in somewhere like Australia due to this.

[Moonshed]

2 minutes ago, Elp said:

I would never want be out in somewhere like Australia due to this.

I have seen so many photos and videos of gigantic spiders that live inside Australian houses I would never go there unless I could borrow a NASA spacesuit.

[Elp]

1 minute ago, Moonshed said:

I have seen so many photos and videos of gigantic spiders that live inside Australian houses I would never go there unless I could borrow a NASA spacesuit.

What's worse, it's the little ones you have to worry about.

[Xilman]

On 03/03/2023 at 11:54, Jasonb said:

Bug'r it! 

 

Buggrem all.

[pipnina]

On 03/03/2023 at 14:33, Glued said:

I'm such a scaredy cat I get unnerved sitting in my own garden sometimes. I can't imagine I'd cope well if I ventured further away from my house than that!  

 

On 03/03/2023 at 16:03, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

You're safer far out in the countryside than an urban garden. I've jumped out my skin a couple of times in the garden with ears pricked and eyes on stalks. Although it was probably just next door's rats or a cat rustling!

Loads of people solo wild camp etc without issue. The farther away you are from civilisation the better. Especially in the UK with no bears or wolves to size you up. 

I sometimes run outside to swear at my equipment mid-session (things like the mount bugging out and needing the old off/on treatment, or me forgetting to plug something in etc) totally fear-free.

Other times my mind is trying to tell me I'll need to fight for my life at any moment.

I have jumped a fair few times, once when I heard walking, only for it to be a hedgehog! Another time when I heard a soft but loud snap and THUD. That turned out to be the apples falling from the tree haha.

 

[LukeSkywatcher]

The scariest moment that I ever had was when observing from my back garden and a cat decided to jump down beside me from the top of a neighbouring boiler house.

The funniest moment was when a hedgehog that was in my garden bumped into my tripod and refused to move until I moved my tripod out of it's way.

[Mr Magoo]

I regularly observe in an isolated dark site, on my own, from dusk till dawn. I've been going to the same spot for eight years. It's around a mile from the nearest road, across fields with the grass cut low to indicate the path (National Trust land).

I pack my telescope (5 inch Intes Mak) , mount, eyepieces, food, water, etc into a 65 litre backpack, carry the tripod in it's case, and set off with a headtorch. 

Once the sun's gone down I've never seen a soul. I tend to think who in their right mind is going to come along to this isolated spot, on a very cold night, unless they have a legitimate interest such as mine, being out in nature and enjoying the star filled sky.

I've jumped out of my skin on a few occasions, usually because a strap has caught the wind and slapped onto my jacket making an abrupt sharp sound. That, and thinking about ghost stories is about as scary as its been.

The best places to go are well away from roads, housing, people. The ones who might rob you wont stray far from their source of income.

I realise I'm fortunate enough in that I'm still fit and able to go where I go, I'm 60 and will do it for as long as I can. The sense of freedom and amazing experiences I've had observing make it all worthwhile.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2023 by Mr Magoo

[Elp]

Being isolated also opens the senses to stimuli, the amount of strange noises I've heard during the night (water suddenly dripping onto things, things creaking, animals), last one was like a seagull being attacked slowly crying out in diminished breaths.

Edited March 5, 2023 by Elp

[900SL]

A high power torch is a useful thing. I have an insanely bright Led Lenser with a focusable beam that would knock out a visitors night vision for a while. It's the one used by some of the services from memory 

[CraigT82]

18 minutes ago, 900SL said:

A high power torch is a useful thing. I

For personal safety you can’t beat a 6 cell maglite 😉

Edited March 5, 2023 by CraigT82