Equipped To Survive Equipped To Survive® Presents
The Survival Forum
Where do you want to go on ETS?

Page 1 of 2 1 2 >
Topic Options
#217082 - 02/15/11 01:18 AM Highway Help Sign?
Bingley Offline
Veteran

Registered: 02/27/08
Posts: 1576
For those of you who responded to my car emergency kit posting, I am basically done gathering my toys-- urh, I mean emergency tools-- except for a few things here and there. One of the things I'm thinking about adding is a help sign, and so I approach the Forum again in search of advice.
  • Do I need a help sign if I already have road flares and flashing lights? (I think I do, because if I'm driving, I would interpret flashing lights as "caution!" rather than "I need your help!")
  • What is a good source for a good sign? I found http://www.highwayhelp.org/sign.html, which seems to be a good idea. It hangs outside the car window (won't be obscured by snow or rain); it juts out vertically for better visibility; it is reflective. It may just be hard to purchase, and it says "call police" rather than "help."

Thanks!


Da Bing

P.S. Will share pictures as soon as I have the kit ready. Who says emergency preparedness is not fun?

Top
#217085 - 02/15/11 01:38 AM Re: Highway Help Sign? [Re: Bingley]
Dagny Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 11/25/08
Posts: 1918
Loc: Washington, DC
Perhaps you could spell out "H E L P ! " on the flip-side with black tape.

A few months ago I was at REI and they had a little kit on sale for $5 that included a large blaze orange "HELP" sign (would cover a good bit of my car roof) and I bought a couple. Some blaze orange items are a good idea anyway and I figured the HELP signs were worth the minimal space -- especially in winter where a blizzard could cover your car up.

Unfortunately, I can't remember the brand and tossed the packaging. Haven't been able to find it online to post the link.


Top
#217087 - 02/15/11 01:54 AM Re: Highway Help Sign? [Re: Bingley]
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
You know, I wouldn't automatically interpret that little telephone with the word "police" on it to mean "please call the police." Not having seen that sign befoe, I might think that the police had tagged that car or something like that.

Just my $0.02 worth (uh, possibly worth less than that).

HJ
_________________________
Adventures In Stoving

Top
#217088 - 02/15/11 01:58 AM Re: Highway Help Sign? [Re: Bingley]
Art_in_FL Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 09/01/07
Posts: 2432
Given the general level of training, equipment, and expected ability to deal with dangerous situations, I think that "call police" might indeed be better than "help". I hate to be negative, and I doubt predators are likely to be deterred by any specific wording, but between helpful idiots and people who may seek to take advantage, I would be more confident with police arriving than a random bystander.

Top
#217091 - 02/15/11 02:10 AM Re: Highway Help Sign? [Re: Bingley]
stevenpd Offline
Journeyman

Registered: 09/15/07
Posts: 81
Loc: SoCal
One like this?

[img:center]http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/safetycentral_2139_277562509[/img]

located @ Safety Central

No affiliation, etc., etc.
_________________________
“Always remember the 6 P’s”
(Prior Preparation Prevents [censored] Poor Performance)

Top
#217099 - 02/15/11 02:49 AM Re: Highway Help Sign? [Re: Art_in_FL]
Blast Offline
INTERCEPTOR
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 3760
Loc: TX
Originally Posted By: Art_in_FL
Given the general level of training, equipment, and expected ability to deal with dangerous situations, I think that "call police" might indeed be better than "help". I hate to be negative, and I doubt predators are likely to be deterred by any specific wording, but between helpful idiots and people who may seek to take advantage, I would be more confident with police arriving than a random bystander.


That's a good point. I would think a bad guy (or gal, to be PC grin) would hesitate to do anything to a car with a "Call Police: sign due to the risk that the police may already be on their way.

-Blast
_________________________
Foraging Texas
Medicine Man Plant Co.
DrMerriwether on YouTube
Radio Call Sign: KI5BOG
*As an Amazon Influencer, I may earn a sales commission on Amazon links in my posts.

Top
#217106 - 02/15/11 03:30 AM Re: Highway Help Sign? [Re: Bingley]
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3219
Loc: Alberta, Canada
I think "Call Police" is the best choice. There aren't many people who would pass that sign and not call it in. You're not asking much of them, really. Clear, direct, and clean from the point of view of the passer-by.

"Help" is too vague (okay, it's not really, but we live in crazy times). I think many would interpret it as "stop and help me," which has a lot more risk/hassle/ick factors, including lawyers and axe murderers. Not the calculation you want going on in the heads of your potential rescuers.

Top
#217117 - 02/15/11 01:48 PM Re: Highway Help Sign? [Re: dougwalkabout]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
This is the era of the cell phone. Why would you ask a passerby to do that which you can do easier and better yourself? I am assuming you are in a coverage area, which is actually pretty likely if you are on a major highway. If you are in an isolated area, a drive by is more likely to spontaneously inquire if you need assistance without any sign being displayed.

My experience has been that getting outside assistance has not been a significant problem. I, for one, regularly stop, or, at least, slow down, survey the situation, and make eye contact and/or inquiries.
_________________________
Geezer in Chief

Top
#217150 - 02/15/11 11:18 PM Re: Highway Help Sign? [Re: hikermor]
Ann Offline
Newbie

Registered: 01/04/11
Posts: 42
Loc: Western Washington
I'm recalling a minor incident once. Was riding my bike to the store and noticed a car pulling over to the side of a busy highway just before an intersection. The driver didn't appear concerned and nothing seemed to be wrong, so I continued on my way. Coming home a couple hours later the car was still there, the driver was a young woman who now had a coat on. I rode up and asked her if she needed help. "YES!" she says, "All these people are driving by and no one is helping me and I don't know how they could just keep driving by..."

I let her borrow my cell phone to make a quick call and all was set to rights with a friend on their way to assist. If I recall correctly her phone had stopped working and she was lost and nearly out of gas.

Looking back I wonder if she might have found a sign helpful in that circumstance. Flagging down a car seems to be reserved for emergencies, and as she was a young woman I'm speculating that she may have been afraid that if she didn't appear to have it all together then a bad character might take advantage of the situation. Some sort of way to indicate in a dignified manner that you are requesting assitance just might have its place.

Looking back, I'm remembering she seemed to have had no plan for what to do and was instead rather paralyzed by the situation she found herself in. Afterwards I was perplexed because it was a very busy road, and just down the street were some businesses, and if she had walked towards the businesses within her sight she would have come to the police station where she could have got help. Instead she had sat in her car for at least 2 hours doing nothing except hoping that her cell phone began working again.


Edited by Ann (02/15/11 11:19 PM)

Top
#217154 - 02/16/11 12:05 AM Re: Highway Help Sign? [Re: Ann]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
The typical way to indicate you have a problem is to pop the hood on your vehicle. From your description, that might have been beyond the ability of this person.
_________________________
Geezer in Chief

Top
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >



Moderator:  Alan_Romania, Blast, cliff, Hikin_Jim 
March
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online
0 registered (), 325 Guests and 52 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
GallenR, Jeebo, NicholasMarshall, Yadav, BenFoakes
5367 Registered Users
Newest Posts
What did you do today to prepare?
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:21 PM
Zippo Butane Inserts
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:11 PM
Question about a "Backyard Mutitool"
by Ren
03/17/24 01:00 AM
Problem in my WhatsApp configuration
by Chisel
03/09/24 01:55 PM
New Madrid Seismic Zone
by Jeanette_Isabelle
03/04/24 02:44 PM
EDC Reduction
by EchoingLaugh
03/02/24 04:12 PM
Using a Compass Without a Map
by KenK
02/28/24 12:22 AM
Newest Images
Tiny knife / wrench
Handmade knives
2"x2" Glass Signal Mirror, Retroreflective Mesh
Trade School Tool Kit
My Pocket Kit
Glossary
Test

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this site.