self defense

[tprevost]

I do property management and am often in similar situations as you describe. I would definately follow the advise of others here and take another self defense class. Curious as to why you can't carry pepper spray or it's equivalent? I had my whole office take a self defense class here locally given by an ex-swat guy, it was very good...no fluff, very straightforward. He also uses a rope on his keys... It is attached to your keys and is long enough to hook on your wrist and still have 6+ inches of swing, which makes a decent unconventional weapon. It was nice to have the training though!

[jessmarimba]

Thanks for the suggestions. My coworker here also doesn't like me going into some of these areas so work might go for a self-defense class.

Can't be armed, pepper spray, etc. for reasons Oakleaf guessed - 95% of the time I'm flying to these locations. Work wouldn't pay to check a bag for $50 round trip simply so I could have a gun, and knives and pepper spray aren't allowed on planes. Pretty sure the big maglites aren't either . Flying is also why I have to go alone and no dog. I wish you could rent police dogs for protection, or something!

I'm pretty careful about not carrying much with me - usually just have my keys clipped to my belt loop, my camera, and my phone.

I just get a little disturbed sometimes by these camps and then it's hard to stay calm. Once I stumbled across a chair surrounded by beer cans, chip bags, and a chainsaw - in the middle of 15 acres of woods. I felt like I was in the middle of a horror flick. Where is the chainsaw's owner??? In a different job, I was with a group that stumbled across a pot field run by a drug cartel. I really don't want to run into the folks in charge of something like that. And the odds of that happening again are pretty low but it's easy to psych yourself out when you know no one would hear you scream!!

[Trek420]

Pretty sure the big maglites aren't either .

Not the big ones. I like the lil' ones like this

http://www.maglite.com/Maglite_Solitaire_AAA.asp

I wish you could rent police dogs for protection, or something!

Rentadog! I love it!