SolemnSight
Banned
?simple question, why +++what do you tell them concerning flashlights, or ...(+) x-naying the title, how do you promote flashlights???
blessings
blessings
You never know who is going to become interested in flashlights or when. I received a Surefire 6P as a present about 6 years ago. I had never heard of Surefire and I never gave flashlights any thought. Actually, I'd never heard of Maglite until I came to CPF! I knew this light was bright and used batteries that I wasn't going to replace when it wore out
The next year I received a Fenix 2 AA or AAA (can't remember and the light has now been stolen from my car) but I was a little more impressed when in a dark section of town on a rainy night while trying to find someone's street (and house) and I pointed that small light at the street sign while still in my car. The beam hit the sign easily (XR-E I'm guessing).
Another year or so past until I wanted to learn more about buying or making a LED dive light to replace my HID dive light. That's when I came upon CPF and after learning more and playing around with things a little more I became (somewhat) hooked.
I never try to get anyone too interested in lights because most of them just aren't I do give a few lights away however and some people do gradually get a bit more interested just in being around when lights are needed and they like mine a little better than whatever they have.
That's about all you can do I think
Did you ever replace those batteries on the Surefire that wore out? :laughing:
On a side note, I was literally cracking up as I read your post, Tomcat... and while I laugh at how clearly frustrated you are/were with the "muggles" I assure you it is not my taking pleasure in your woes but rather the laughter of a sympathetic soul who too has experienced such things firsthand. You see, I know EXACTLY how you feel. I have been in very, very similar situations many times and have ended up with almost identical results. Flashlights just simply aren't for certain people no matter how hard one tries to introduce them properly. I've given many a light as a present only to watch it slip into the depths of the unused gadgetry on a shelf/in a box/at the back of a closet. I know that feeling, and I applaud you for describing it so accurately. I was frustrated FOR you as I read that and having been in those shoes before I sure can appreciate it!
LOL Tomcat, we feel your frustration - many of us have had similar experiences! :green:
Non-flashoholics will always show some interest in a bright light: "Wow, that's bright!" etc., particularly if it has an impressive power to size ratio.
There's a good demo I sometimes do when people ask me about all my lights. I take a regular unmodified SureFire 6P or C2 and point the beam at the ceiling, then in front of their eyes I replace the LA with a Moddoo triple and the cells with 2x AW IMR18350s. The difference certainly gets their attention. But of course as soon as you mention the $$ involved, they immediately lose interest...
:thinking: I wonder if some evil genius here could develop a AA sized ROP with the specific aim of boggling the minds of the unenlightened. It could have it's many cells hidden in a separate leg mounted battery pack, worn under the trousers, with the wires fed discreetly up through the shirt sleeve and into the light. A small speaker worn on the belt buckle would play Handel's Hallelujah Chorus when the light is fired up.
I name this project the WTF Muggle Blaster!
I tell 'muggles' just one thing - buy a light and keep it with you all the time. I've tried so many times to explain the lights I carry to the unprepared who want to borrow them, but they just don't want to hear. They are focused only on the moment and forget once they've borrowed your light and done their thing. It always seems to come down to "You paid how much?" and then they shut down. Discussions on premium lights are pointless with most people because you will rarely convince them that there's more to a torch than just light. Even when Maglites were all the rage and desirable to gadgety people, the cost was always brought up and overshadowed any other positives.
So I don't bother talking tech to such people. I feel that my evangelism would be better used to demonstrate and convince them of the merits of EDC. Whether it's a small multi-tool, a light or even just some Band-Aids and hand wash, I think I'd be doing them a much more useful favour if I could convince them to be more prepared for their everyday environment. Too many folk just can't see beyond the unlikely chance that they might one day be caught unprepared in a situation to bother planning for it. I've had too many circular arguments with other Londoners who think I'm mad for carrying lights during the day, and yet the same people willingly put themselves in a moving metal casket 90ft below the surface of the planet five days a week as they travel to work on the Underground without considering that there is a real chance that the lights can (and do) go out, or the train will stop working. I've had it happen to me a few times and even before being diagnosed a flashaholic, would consider going underground without even a keychain light utterly stupid. One friend chided me about the Underground thing and said "But I have my mobile phone for any emergencies." Sure but who ya gonna call, Ghostbusters? No signal, no point! I've even given decent lights as presents in the hope of getting some people 'on board', but even that failed. They mostly just leave them in drawers at home because they don't want to damage them. They're tools for heaven's sake. Just how ham-fisted are you?
I once gave a friend a Fenix L2D CE Rebel as a birthday present as he never had a light in his house let alone in his backpack (which he carried everywhere). I showed him the ropes and figured a nice light might spark some thought about being more prepared, especially as he seemed interested in the good lights I had. I figured a long running LED that's versatile, controllable and cheap to feed would be an appreciated and useful present. A year later I realised I had never seen him use the Fenix, even when we'd been in situations where I'd drawn out a light. I asked him about it and got this reply. "Oh I bought a Mini Maglite instead. They're really good. You can replace the bulb. And it's silver."
Is it any wonder I've given up. Muggles in the dark can stay in the dark. I'll meet them on the other side.
Funny you should mention that. I had a dream last night about a doctor (I think) who was using a mega-bright 2AAA penlight. It was like the ROP of penlights! Unfortunately I woke up before I could ask him what his setup was.
Hehe, I always catch myself getting into technical details as well and have to stop myself when I see peoples' eyes glaze over. At that point, I usually flash the light around again which elicits ooooohs and ahhhhhhs and then suddenly none of it matters anymore... I gave up being frustrated a long time ago. Luckily I have a flashaholic friend who comes over at least once a week so I can unload everything I've been bottling up...
Your not the only one TomCat!!!
I too have given up, well thats not true, i have stopped telling or attempting to convice the people I currently know the uses of a knife or torch. But there will still be the pointless never ending discussions of me trying to convice *Muggles*.