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Where I am in the northeast right now, it's about -15°F. There are roads passing through unpopulated areas of National Forest that have no cell service. If you

by teeray 9y ago

Where I am in the northeast right now, it's about -15°F. There are roads passing through unpopulated areas of National Forest that have no cell service. If you break down along these roads and no one drives by to help, what in warmer climates would be just an unfortunate inconvenience would leave you frozen to death by dawn. We shouldn't compromise safety because we lack the self control to turn on Do Not Disturb mode.

ghaff 9y ago
There are satellite systems if you care enough to get one.
Casseres 9y ago
Sounds like an EPIRB for the car would be a good investment. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_position-indicating_radiobeacon_station https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_position-indicating_...
- zkms 9y ago
  Letting mobile operators build LTE base stations is a far better one; expecting people to buy/carry/test 406MHz beacons (as opposed to a cell phone, which they test by virtue of regularly using it) to call for a tow truck is folly. NIMBY objections to operators installing base stations really shouldn't override people's ability to summon appropriate (a car breaking down in extremely cold weather doesn't need a full-on SAR response, but it does need a response) emergency services. Also if someone is using their phone in a national park, you can always walk the hell away from them; your laziness doesn't entitle you to prevent the buildout of cell service that can save lives.
  - Casseres 9y ago
    > you can always walk the hell away from them; your laziness doesn't entitle you Someone said they had a remote, dangerous drive, and all I did was offer a suggestion to help their safety. When I went backpacking alone in Yellowstone, I carried a PLB. When I sweated buckets working in the engine rooms on ships at sea, we had EPIRBs. I'm not going to retract my statement about investing in an EPIRB/PLB - a life-saving device. I don't see how my previous comment indicated any opinion on my part about the proliferation of cellular coverage. Getting angry at me was uncalled-for.
ghaff 9y ago
(Especially) if you're driving through unpopulated areas with no cell service in winter and what you're carrying in your car won't let you survive a cold night on the side of the road, you probably need to be carrying more clothing and other supplies in your car.

by teeray 9y ago

ghaff 9y ago

There are satellite systems if you care enough to get one.

Casseres 9y ago

Sounds like an EPIRB for the car would be a good investment. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_position-indicating_radiobeacon_station https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_position-indicating_...

zkms 9y ago
Letting mobile operators build LTE base stations is a far better one; expecting people to buy/carry/test 406MHz beacons (as opposed to a cell phone, which they test by virtue of regularly using it) to call for a tow truck is folly. NIMBY objections to operators installing base stations really shouldn't override people's ability to summon appropriate (a car breaking down in extremely cold weather doesn't need a full-on SAR response, but it does need a response) emergency services. Also if someone is using their phone in a national park, you can always walk the hell away from them; your laziness doesn't entitle you to prevent the buildout of cell service that can save lives.
- Casseres 9y ago
  > you can always walk the hell away from them; your laziness doesn't entitle you Someone said they had a remote, dangerous drive, and all I did was offer a suggestion to help their safety. When I went backpacking alone in Yellowstone, I carried a PLB. When I sweated buckets working in the engine rooms on ships at sea, we had EPIRBs. I'm not going to retract my statement about investing in an EPIRB/PLB - a life-saving device. I don't see how my previous comment indicated any opinion on my part about the proliferation of cellular coverage. Getting angry at me was uncalled-for.

ghaff 9y ago

(Especially) if you're driving through unpopulated areas with no cell service in winter and what you're carrying in your car won't let you survive a cold night on the side of the road, you probably need to be carrying more clothing and other supplies in your car.