Reasonable or Excessive?

JD Mandrell

JD Mandrell

Joined
Apr 20, 2001
Messages
18,423
Since this is about "gear", I guess this is the place to ask.

You find yourself in a situation where you and friends are going out of town for the day, around an hour each way, away from home.

You intend to drive, but when you meet, someone shows up with a new car and insists on everyone riding in it.

Question...would you ask them if they have any room on their truck, and if so, transfer your "72 hour" bag to their car for the trip "just in case", or leave it behind?
 
Id politely decline the invitation to ride in their vehicle and use the excuse "I get car sick if I don't drive" or "I'm nervous riding in a vehicle I'm not controlling"
 
Depending on where we're going, and why, I'd probably grab one of my EDC survival pouches from the bag, and bring that. But if it really bothered me, if I'm going with friends, I'd ask them if I could bring the whole thing. If the answer is "no", well, I might be better driving myself.
 
I don't know if I see the issue here. If I'm driving with my friends and one of them has a backpack or a purse with them, it comes with them with no questions asked. The contents are irrelevant.
 
If you, your bag, and everyone else can fit in the car just as comfortably as if you didn't have the bag, then i see no problem. If you're trying to fit seven people in a smart car (roller skate), then I would leave the full bag.
 
I'd bring my EDC (your 72-hour bag) - no question. Whether i'm driving or not, if i go *it* goes.

I've been asked by most of my friends, "So, what's in your pack?". Standard answer, 1st Aide Kit, some of my photography gear - just some basic stuff i like to have nearby. No one pushes back on that - most know i'm pretty heavily into "outdoors activities" and familiar with where i've recently lived/worked (which i generally advise them required me to *always* be sorta prepared).
 
sqoon said:
I don't know if I see the issue here. If I'm driving with my friends and one of them has a backpack or a purse with them, it comes with them with no questions asked. The contents are irrelevant.
Click to expand...

^ This. Unless its some 80 litre multiday backpack.

Besides, what do you need your kit for? You've got your knife on you, right? :D
 
If I was going somewhere and was asked to ride in another vehicle, and told I couldn't take a pack with me, I'd rather not go.
 
generally, where I go, the man-bag goes. Most of my friends have benefited from it at one point or another, or at the very least are interested in seeing what problem I'll be able to solve from it.
 
All of my friends know that I'm always packin' my gear.

They rely on my stuff as much as I do.

Gun, ammo, TP, babywipes, sunscreen, food ..................
 
my bag stays in my car, i have enough edc items on my persons usually for the 72 hour bag to never bother me. if i go on a overnight it will come with me. but if i was every asked to leave it behind i never have had a problem with that.
 
Neither, I don't see the problem. You intended to drive your car. Someone else shows up with a new car and offers you the chance to have a go in it. If you're not interested for whatever reason you're only back to your default position of driving your own car. Conversely, I have some simple rules about being in my car. If you want to know what it's like to take a ride in it don't bring children or you'll be disappointed. Simple as that.
 
trying to figure out why a person asking you to ride in their new car is so difficult to "just say no" to? :D
 
I realize this is the gear thread for a group of people who are total gear heads (myself included), but not being able to go out and enjoy a day with friends without your bug out bag seems pretty excessive. Realistically, all this prepping is only of any real value if it brings you enjoyment. Try as I might, aside from large storms which were well forecasted, I'm just not coming up with any events in recent US history that would make a 72hr bag that valuable. When an otherwise enjoyable hobby begins to interfere with living a normal life, it's time to reassess.

I speak from experience. I once carried a .357 in the pocket of my swim trunks during a vacation in Hawaii, and my daily tote bag has, among other things, a match safe full of stormproof matches. Just what you need in July in CA when it's 105 degrees...

But I can leave it all behind, too. I recently had the displeasure of flying commercially to a couple cities. Both trips I chose to leave all my toys behind so I could travel with just a cary-on bag. While I continually cursed the inconvenience of not having a knife, and while I would have felt better at times with one of my guns (I'm permitted to cary anywhere in the US), it was worth it. Not checking a bag meant I could get to the airport an hour later, it saved me $25 each way, and it allowed me to make a last minute flight change that saved me four hours. Yes, trying to open a bag of peanuts by abrading it on the edge of the hotel shower door is inconvenient, but it doesn't hold a candle to getting home at one in the morning verses eight in the evening.

Being able to leave all that stuff behind made the trips much, much more enjoyable.

Just another point of view.
 
I think this has a lot to do with where you are going and what you are doing.

If I'm going to a Museum, Car Show, Beach or to lunch then yeah you don't need much.

If I'm going to the Mountains for an Adventure hike, Dirt Bike riding, Shooting or the Desert then yeah I'm bringing gear.
 
Mannlicher said:
trying to figure out why a person asking you to ride in their new car is so difficult to "just say no" to? :D
Click to expand...

^^
This. I much prefer to drive myself. Hell even with my wife either she rides with me or we take separate vehicles.
 
I don't have a 72 hr bag but even if I did it wouldn't worry me leaving it behind.

As long as I have a bottle of water, ferro-rod and a knife then I'm pretty happy going anywhere.
 
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