Willfully Incapable People

[David E]

Late one night, my wife and I drove up on an accident that just happened. She, being a nurse, went to attend to the slightly injured parties whilst I, a former cop, directed traffic using my Surefire flashlight routinely carried on my belt.

I use a flashlight daily, maybe more than my knife.

 

[besafe2]

Late one night, my wife and I drove up on an accident that just happened. She, being a nurse, went to attend to the slightly injured parties whilst I, a former cop, directed traffic using my Surefire flashlight routinely carried on my belt.

I use a flashlight daily, maybe more than my knife.

David:
Also former officer. Same with me on flashlight part.

 

[Officers'Wife]

Hi Ash,

While this is true, the first time you need the jumper cables or the socket set or the 9mm open end wrench or the WD-40 or the baling wire it gives you a clue that you should have it in your vehicle.

It's kind of like when Father Bob asked my Dad what he thought would be happening that he would need to carry is 45 automatic. Dad shrugged and said he had no idea but if the situation did come he surely wanted to have it available.

 

[Potatohead]

The other day I saw National Geographic's "American Blackout," where the power grid goes down due to a cyber attack. The jittery footage is annoying after awhile, but it did illustrate that you can't schedule an emergency. What you have with you matters.

Interesting thread. I don't know if this is really on topic but I live in Huntsville AL. and a year or 2 ago we had some BAD twisters go through the area. You may have heard about it-it was the day Tuscaloosa was practically leveled. The power was out for 4-6 days depending on what part of the city you were in and my household was woefully under prepared. I actually had to end up taking my wife and little ones to Bham and rent a room because of it. Had we not had the money to turn it into a mini vacation, it would have been horrible. We couldn't gas, the grocery stores had no food after the first day..they were talking about shutting the water off..it was ugly.We now keep some supplies around (still not enough though).

Tuscaloosa got most of the attention and resources, it's amazing how fast the news moved to something else and the rest of the country just moved on while we were still pretty bad off. It surprised us how easy it is, even in the ultra mod USA, to slip into 3rd world status. Alot of us will be screwed if we have a MAJOR country wide catastrophe.

 

[Nighteyes]

I am almost never far from (a) home, (b) my car, or (c) my wife's car. All three of these are well-equipped.

In those circumstances where I am far from these, I carry a small packet of useful things such as a tiny flashlight, cigarette lighter, small folding knife, basic first-aid gear, string/cord, and a space blanket. The packet fits into a fanny pack; it practically disappears in a day-pack.

I almost always have water.

 

[Ash]

I gotta friend in Hartselle and he was amazed about the incapables on his street, rural that it is. Said friend, on the other hand, is well-prepared and would THE guy in town to get help from.

 

[JTMcC]

There are a lot of good replies here.
Growing up self reliant/rural, and Dear Old Dad was 10th SF Group, we (3 boys) never left the house without a knife, matches (or the then new bic lighters), and usually some type of gun.
I know that me/brothers were able to survive any type of weather for as long as needed if an emergency popped up. Same today.

I've been asked about 18,473 times "do you have a knife"? of course I have a knife. I have asked about 18,473 times, "how do you get thru a day without a knife on hand"????? The second question is always "can I borrow it"?, no, but I'll use it for you.

Every grown man/woman should have some form, my Wife/Chic and Daughters always carry some type of Leatherman even the small one's with the scissors. They are amazingly usefull in day to day life.

A grown man without any kind of knife is almost worthless, even in a cubicle. How embarassing for my Daughter to have to open a package for your "manly" self.

Of course the flashlights help a lot too. Many Americans live a helpless life, we know that.

As to the OP, I opened an large can (pineapple juice) with my Kershaw Vapor (a Ken Onion design, oh wow, but pretty nice) at a church pot luck the other day, I'd of done the same with any number of cheap knives I've owned up to and including the 1970's Buck folder my brother gave me for my 16th B-day in 1976, that's still in use).
Saved the day, yes I did, the punch was made. Of course they ask me first, otherwise a lot of good (and maybe more expensive maybe not : ) ) knives would of come out instead of mine : )
I would be ashamed to not have a suitable (and sharp, even if it's cheap) knife on hand every day as an adult American male.

J

 

[RBid]

My on-body EDC is similar to what many of you carry... Keys, wallet, iphone 5, work keys, pen, knife, multitool, light, pistol, spare mag. The pistol and mag obviously stay out of sight, but a common response to people seeing me pull things out of my pockets (to use them, no less!) is, "why do you carry all that stuff?"

Answer: "I use them."

For that matter, I use items from my EDC bag frequently, too. Kleenex, baby wipes, etc. Very handy.

 

[Garyshome]

My work truck. carpenter, guess what i carry!

 

[mavracer]

I use a flashlight daily, maybe more than my knife.

I've been carrying a flashlight daily for about 8 years now, I don't know how I got along without it.

 

[el Godfather]

I have never carried matches even back in college days when I occasionally smoked tobacco. They were either in car or at home, or if it at bar they always had a light.

Knife- ummm never carried one and never really needed one other than for eating steak and such.

I like to carry as little as possible. I hate pockets full of stuff that I might need to survive out in a jungle.

I do however like to wear a watch out of habit and carry a wallet with plastic and papers. Even when I travel I mostly buy clothes on the trip as part of the shopping - to avoid carrying luggage both ways.


That all said, I dont know why this post is in strategies and training section as this is a firearms forum pertaining to defense, collection, hunting and other firearms sports.

 

[DeMilled]

The pocket knife and lighter (I don't smoke either) has been a given since I was about 10yrs old but I found an item I carry in my wallet that most people would never think to have on them; some people have never seen one before I use it in front of them.

The good Ol' P38 can opener!

I was at a gun shop in Arizona and they had a box of them at the counter, right next to the register, for something like a dollar apiece. I grabbed six, or so, and have never been without one ever since.

Ever see someone holding a can with that "Awe crud, we forgot to bring the can opener." look on their face? It's priceless when I start to work on the can and they act like I just MacGyvered some new tool right in front of them.

 

[Fred Fuller]

That all said, I dont know why this post is in strategies and training section

Yeah, five pages is probably enough on hardware.