Twilight to dusk jogger here, anyone else carry a light in hand? Why do people stare?

[ledmitter_nli]

I have the XT11 at the ready in hand and an MP3 player in the other. The light is OFF. I have a makeshift ziptie handle
for it which makes it easy pull from my waistband if it's clipped to my side underneath the shirt.

That's besides the point. I run at a city park. People look and wonder what it is in my hand. More to the point - it's seems
to be arousing suspicion from John Law. I haven't been stopped, but you can tell you are being observed.

How would you deal with the extra attention it might be causing? What, nobody's seen a person carrying a light before?

It's like everyone out there is a

 

[msim]

I walk my dog holding a flashlight in my hand every night and I think people notice I have something in my hand but assume it's a light, pepper spray or something else they don't need to worry about. The thing that catches my attention in your photo is the zip tie. I hate to be *that guy* but I think it makes the light look closer to a pipe bomb, like this:

than a flashlight.

That's just my opinion though. Others may disagree.

 

[BillSWPA]

I also sometimes run in the dark. Carrying a light is simple common sense, as you are certainly aware.

I think the stares are not due to the fact that you are carrying a light, but are based on people wondering what you are carrying.

I have never had an issue when my light has been turned on. I often run near traffic, so I keep my light on, and on the side of my body closest to traffic (in addition to wearing light colored clothing). With a multi-mode light, a low or medium mode would likely be adequate to be seen by traffic while preserving your battery life.

Please lose the MP3 player when you are running. Your ability to hear what is going on around you is critical to staying safe, whether it is from the oncoming car that you have not seen, but can hear, or from other dangers. I have personally watched people get hit by cars while crossing the street listening to headphones.

 

[jaycyu]

As I jogged when the weather was still cold, I separately tried the quick-detach Roto-loc, Ultrafire nylon holster 313, and Solarforce SS clip for my L2P on my belt. None of which showed any signs of falling off. I can actuate the beam in half a second for any option.

I also aimed to run at 2am and avoid anyone on the street. (12am is the worst as people get back from parties and OT in a paranoid state).

One night when I was about to cross a street, a cop car pulled right in front, as the passenger looked at me, then directed a hood-mounted 500 lumen search-light at me. I revealed my empty hands and they went on their way. Thankfully, I didn't do anything stupid like drawing my 1200 lumen L2P from my belt.:sweat:

I did get a number of stares carrying the Roto-loc with a S8 switch when I shopped in Costco and the like. :shrug:

 

[ledmitter_nli]

Yeah I'm at the park that's fairly illuminated and there are many pedestrian lanes with no cars. Heads on a swivel.

Your light is clipped to the side right? Well mine feels right at home in grasp. I don't have it on, it would be retarded with the light shining behind you bobbing up and down.

msim - I guess it doesn't look like something purchased off the shelf, eh? :candle:

jaycyu - that roto-loc looks like a holster. sure to raise your aggro level with everyone.

 

[Poppy]

I have the XT11 at the ready in hand and an MP3 player in the other. The light is OFF. I have a makeshift ziptie handle
for it which makes it easy pull from my waistband if it's clipped to my side underneath the shirt.

That's besides the point. I run at a city park. People look and wonder what it is in my hand. More to the point - it's seems
to be arousing suspicion from John Law. I haven't been stopped, but you can tell you are being observed.

Since you hail, not too far from 9/11 ground zero. I am glad that people are giving you a second look.
The way you are holding it it the picture that you presented above, it could look like a hand grenade pin.

 

[ledmitter_nli]

LOL Really? A hand grenade? C'mon.

 

[Poppy]

LOL Really? A hand grenade? C'mon.

lol.. you're an experimentor. Try snipping off that little zip tie, and see if you get the same or as many concerned looks.

If you caught one of those episodes of that new Brain show, they did an experiment to show how poorly our peripheral vision decifers details. I don't find it odd at all, for a person to catch a glimpse of you holding that thing with a rounded pin and wondering if it is something they should be concerned about. They would have to focus the central part of thier vision to make a determination, and by then you are probably further away and it would be harder for them to focus, therefore forcing them to stare.

IF you were running with something that looked more like a water bottle, (unless YOU are a sight to behold ) then I suspect that you would get fewer stares.

 

[ledmitter_nli]

lol.. you're an experimentor. Try snipping off that little zip tie, and see if you get the same or as many concerned looks.

I might just carry a different light altogether. Too much trouble getting that ziptie on.

lIF you were running with something that looked more like a water bottle, (unless YOU are a sight to behold ) then I suspect that you would get fewer stares.

I think I look like a dork. I doubt that I'd get any looks except for the implement in my hand.

 

[Poppy]

Hmmmm, chasing after some pixie dust I see :thumbsup:

 

[TEEJ]

Yeah, the zip tie's gotta go.



Get a glow in the dark lanyard from MD-Lightsource, it will clip right on, and look less menacing....plus, you can see it in the dark, so its easy to grab/not lose the light if dropped, etc.




Dang dude, Pixie Dust is kicking your *** too.

Sheesh.

 

[Showmethelight]

If you're running before dark and a time when the light is not actually needed or on, can you not affix it to your waist in some manner so it's not noticeable and at your ready only if you needed it? Sorry if I'm missing something

 

[enomosiki]

When I'm running out in daylight, I usually stick a small light in my pocket. When it is dark or darkness is approaching, I run while holding my "big gun" light, complete with lanyard so I don't drop the thing.

One such time, this happened;

ledmitter_nli, which park do you run in?

If you're running before dark and a time when the light is not actually needed or on, can you not affix it to your waist in some manner so it's not noticeable and at your ready only if you needed it? Sorry if I'm missing something

Running shorts and pants don't have much grip to begin with, and the drawstrings only provide enough tension to keep themselves from being sliding down.

Using the clip is pretty much impossible, since the shorts/pants have flimsy fabric that provide absolutely no support to keep the light from falling out.

Sticking the light inside one of the pockets, especially larger and heavier ones, and provided that the shorts/pants even have them, don't work out too good. They tend to wobble around quite a bit, and constantly knock around your junk. Not fun.

 

[Showmethelight]

So turn the darn thing on and no one is confused by what it is if it is dark, are you joking? If I'm in a car and see anyone with a reflective vest for jogging or a little light on, that is great. You're out for attention it seems

and lets be honest, tying a 300 lumen one cr123 light to a waist band like an S10 or four sevens mini would never be felt

 

[ledmitter_nli]

Love the XT11

What gets me is the

who probably think it's some sort of billy club or whatever. The majority are so medicated by their seemingly polite candy coated world view that the idea of carrying a light fist in hand must seem menacing to them and not for personal preservation reasons. People should tune in to their local police radio scanner for a sample of what's *really* going on out there.

Also why should I turn on my light? There's enough ambient light from the street lights. The XT11 is backup. And clipping it to the side waist band is a little wonky, it bounces up and down. Additionally with the handle, it prints underneath a shirt which would probably draw even more attention. I only clip it when I'm wearing a loose button down shirt.

enom - worlds fair.

 

[Showmethelight]

Also why should I turn on my light? There's enough ambient light from the street lights.[/QUOTE]

Youre carrying it in hand why again?

 

[ledmitter_nli]

In case it's "needed." Are you a flashaholic? Where's your imagination?

 

[herosemblem]

NLI, sounds to me like you've imagined a problem where there is none.
"Sheeple who probably think [a flashlight] is some sort of billy club...the majority are so medicated by their candy coated world view..."?

I don't think anyone has, or will, harass you because you carry a flashlight. Using one's eyes to look at a neat object doesn't hurt anyone :thumbsup:. Like I said, no need to imagine a problem that doesn't exist, or to overanalyze an observation to the extent that people (me) begin suggesting you wear a tinfoil hat.
Just enjoy your tools and use them when you like!

 

[enomosiki]

Love the XT11

What gets me is the

who probably think it's some sort of billy club or whatever. The majority are so medicated by their seemingly polite candy coated world view that the idea of carrying a light fist in hand must seem menacing to them and not for personal preservation reasons. People should tune in to their local police radio scanner for a sample of what's *really* going on out there.

Also why should I turn on my light? There's enough ambient light from the street lights. The XT11 is backup. And clipping it to the side waist band is a little wonky, it bounces up and down. Additionally with the handle, it prints underneath a shirt which would probably draw even more attention. I only clip it when I'm wearing a loose button down shirt.

enom - worlds fair.

That's roughly the way I run with my C2 in the dark, as well, except that the lanyard is around my wrist.

Anyway, I wouldn't pay attention to others. They are probably paranoid because they have probably never seen anything like it carried by anyone before. Let 'em wonder.

If you get stopped, then you get stopped. Cops are usually into these things, and you might actually end up having a nice little conversation with one.

Anyway, at least you live in a decent area. I used to live in Flushing until I moved to Brooklyn. Ugh.

 

[ledmitter_nli]

I'll carry what I feel most conformable with. The XT11's head peaks out enough from behind the palm - it obviously should look like a flashlight.

The dual switch tail button however 'might' look like some kind of ballistic apparatus to someone uninformed. Some of these lights really do not look like they're off the shelf.

BTW: There's actually several CFP members from the Flushing area. LOL. Small world.

You rocking a quad emitter dropin for your C2?