Three folks murdered at that rest stop in the last five years.  I wonder how
many million weren't?

dimwitted Moose and Flying Squirrel
-----Original Message-----
From: Carol Sussman <Sussmn@AOL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Thursday, August 31, 2000 2:09 PM
Subject: safety

>I was loath to get into this thread until a recent post (well-intentioned,
>I'm sure. Flamethrowers off) seemed  to advise women against solo travel.
>Life well-lived ensures risk.
>We are each responsible for our own assessment of risk and appropriate
safety
>measures.  Key word here is responsibility.
>Anyone alone on the road is a potential target. Do your own calculations as
>to whether an old shabby (possibly unreliable) low value vehicle is safer
>than a newer more valuable one. I have a 1981 Volvo wagon and an '89 Westy.
>Am I more/less likely to be victimized as a middle-aged woman than when I
was
>30 years younger?  Are older males at less risk than younger?  Factor in
>older =wiser=weaker vs. youth =strength=less experienced=more attractive
for
>BOTH genders . Go on, make yourself nuts until afraid to go anywhere!
>     Common sense, that increasinly rare commodity, rules.
>Know how to keep the van running, have communications capacity. Use this
list
>to make an itinerary of folks who will know where you are. Follow your gut
>instinct. Studies on assault indicate that women who ignore a sense of
>uneasiness shouldn't.  When in doubt, don't leave your van. (Carry a
bucket!)
>Travel with joy and caution, remembering that MOST FOLKS ARE DECENT.
>CarolS Sussman
>Formerly:
>safety officer, construction
>Emergency Medical Technician
>Assistant to the Atlantic County Medical Examiner (assisted in 500+
autopsies)
>SCCA racer of several MGB's
>currently travel with a big black dog so I don't need to display/use the
.38.
>(NO, I do not want to re-energize the gun thread on or off this list.)