Wow, why in the world do you carry a flashlight with you?

[dc38]

Five things idont leave home without: Flashlight, Flashlight, knife, comms, watch. Yes, i also carry 2 lights just in case...sf e2laa and any high lux thrower

 

[newbie66]

I work in the engineering field and most times I do need a light source when inspecting stuff. Even in broad daylight, certain application do need a light to ease locating stuff in a drawer for example. One of my colleague got a wood splinter in her finger and I used a light to locate it. It made the extraction easy in no time.

What light are you using and where did you buy it from?

 

[ven]

I work in the engineering field and most times I do need a light source when inspecting stuff. Even in broad daylight, certain application do need a light to ease locating stuff in a drawer for example. One of my colleague got a wood splinter in her finger and I used a light to locate it. It made the extraction easy in no time.

I am the same,most of my work is reasonably lighted,however for example when doing maintenance on robots,certainly shaded areas on the pack clamps. When using a light certainly gives extra detail during inspections. I know for sure without a flashlight i would miss potential issues!!

 

[Drogon]

I've gotten into the habit of carrying my flashlight at all times, and it's come in really handy during the last couple of power outages. I also use it to light the sidewalk in areas of my own neighborhood where the street lights don't reach. This is important in order to avoid stepping in dog poop. I live near a dog park, and, unfortunately, some of my neighbors aren't very good about cleaning up after their pets.

 

[stanleywen]

I've gotten into the habit of carrying my flashlight at all times, and it's come in really handy during the last couple of power outages. I also use it to light the sidewalk in areas of my own neighborhood where the street lights don't reach. This is important in order to avoid stepping in dog poop. I live near a dog park, and, unfortunately, some of my neighbors aren't very good about cleaning up after their pets.

That's what I do with my flashlight when walking in the night - to spot excrements of dogs. (we also call them "landmines" in Taiwan.)

 

[parnass]

Hello Drogon. Welcome to CPF. :welcome:

 

[gooberbk]

I carry one because after 10 eye surgeries I have lost a lot of my night vision. it really doesn't even need to be dark any low light situation.

 

[Dorcas Yarger]

So I could find the things I lost in the dark.

 

[Poppy]

I've been EDCing now for two years with a light on my key-chain. I also have about 5 of those plastic bar code tags on the key chain. I literally give my keys, and my EDC to someone 2-4 times a day, so that one of those tags can get scanned.

NEVER did ANYONE EVER ask me about the light, or why I carry one. Never.

I also carry a small lock back pocket knife as a money clip. That gets taken out, and laid on the counter once or twice a day... again.. never a comment.

IDK, maybe more people carry flashlights here in NJ, maybe they just mind their own business?

The last time I had my car valet parked, I asked the attendant what percentage of people had flashlights on their key ring? He said that he didn't really pay attention, but thought it was about 20-30%. That number surprised me.

 

[blah9]

That is pretty surprising. Maybe so many people carry them because they went through Hurricane Sandy?

 

[Berneck1]

September 11th is what did it for me. I worked across the street from the World Trade Center, and after that day my awareness of what could go wrong at any time was greatly increased. I think I started with a 2xAA energizer rubberized incandescent light, or something like that. I quickly moved to the Photon II Micro Light. I bought a bunch of them and gave them to friends, family and co-workers. Some people still have them! I think back then they were $25 each! In 2001 money, they were very expensive. I remember all of us being amazed at how bright they were!!!! Lol. Through the years I upgraded as the LED lights became more affordable. These days, I never leave the house without a Thrunite Ti3 or Eagletac D25a at a minimum. I give the Olight i3s as gifts.


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[blah9]

Yeah, that's a good point too. I guess that's the obvious reason now that I think about it.

My dad has two stories he always told me that also convinced me to EDC a light. One was that he left an event after dark and ended up in a parking lot where he couldn't see his hands in front of his face. And the other time we were on vacation and a stray dog ran toward him in the dark (again he couldn't see).

So from then on he convinced all of my family to have a keychain light at all times if nothing else. It has come in handy so many times.

 

[nemsone]

In today's world technology has advanced so much a single cell light weight small bright light can be carried on my person without really even noticing it for example maratac aaa rev 3 or fenix e12


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[Poppy]

I hadn't given it any thought, but I agree, the high incidence of key-chain flashlights may be related to 9/11, because I was in Bergen County, and there is a high percentage of people who commute from there to NYC. It seems that everyone in that area was impacted by 9/11 or knows someone who was.

 

[xzel87]

I don't have a reason (yet) on why I carry a light. For me it's a chicken or egg first question. I guess I first started carrying to see whether I liked it, so far it's been almost a month and to conclude I can't say it's something I like to do, because for me it's like carrying your wallet around, just like cash and credit cards, sometimes you need a light...heck I've used it to shine in my mouth to see and get rid of a fish bone stuck to my gums.

Edit: So yesterday I wore pocket-less shorts to bed. Remembered reading about someone clipping light to rubber waistband of PJs, so what the heck I clipped my Lumintop Tool to the rubber waistband of my shorts and went to sleep. Lo and behold, woke up and needed to go to the toilet, instead of turning on the house lights (like I usually do) I just took light, turn it on (medium), stuck it in mouth and did my business, then went back to sleep. Only realised what I did differently the next morning when I saw the light still clipped to my waistband and I recalled what I did the might before.

 

[Anybodysguess]

I work as a cashier at Winn-Dixie and I must say, you would be surprised how many people EDC a light, whether a tiny keychain light, a light on a karabiner on a belt buckle, or a light in a holster, and I'm sure there are more with lights in pockets and purses, I think a lot of people see why always having light is handy.

I have always EDC a knife and usually end up using it every day, I always liked lights, just always had cheap 9 led ones or slightly better. I usually had access to a (cheap) light when at home or camping but I then decided to EDC one, and now find myself using it every day too, actually more than my knife.

Until recently my very brightest light was a 130 lumen 3C maglight. Which compared to my newer lights, O'pen and Fenix E41 doesn't seem to actually live up to 130 lumens.

 

[bluemax_1]

September 11th is what did it for me. I worked across the street from the World Trade Center, and after that day my awareness of what could go wrong at any time was greatly increased. I think I started with a 2xAA energizer rubberized incandescent light, or something like that. I quickly moved to the Photon II Micro Light. I bought a bunch of them and gave them to friends, family and co-workers. Some people still have them! I think back then they were $25 each! In 2001 money, they were very expensive. I remember all of us being amazed at how bright they were!!!! Lol. Through the years I upgraded as the LED lights became more affordable. These days, I never leave the house without a Thrunite Ti3 or Eagletac D25a at a minimum. I give the Olight i3s as gifts.


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I've bought and given away numerous Streamlight Nano and eGear/UST Pico lights to friends and some coworkers. I prefer the Pico light to the Nano or Photon style squeeze lights because unlike the squeeze lights (carried a few Photons in my day), I've never had the Pico turn on in my pocket unintentionally. I HAVE had the Photon lights be dead when I needed them because something in my pocket squeezed them and drained the battery (and I've had the Nano's head fall off).

The Pico light is small enough that anyone with 3 or more keys (or 1 key with a remote) won't notice its addition and YET, I've noticed people I've given these lights to don't have them on their keyrings (despite having keys and other junk they rarely/never use).

Even folks who've been in power outages with me where they learned that it's a very good idea to have a backup light source and not have to drain your sole emergency communications device (cellphone) to provide light.

There are none so blind as those who WILL NOT see. OTOH, there are also co-workers who I've turned into flashaholics, buying lights for themselves AND friends/family.

Some folks like to be prepared (the minority %). Some folks realize they need to be more prepared when something happens to show them how unprepared they are (most of us), but there's a pretty large demographic who willfully chooses to focus on frivolities while remaining unprepared and simply expect other people to take care of things.

For example, the vast majority of people I know DON'T have jumper cables in their vehicle. Despite someone or other needing jumper cables at least once a month, many of them just say, "well I know YOU'VE got them". And when I'm not around?

These are the same kinds of mentalities who tell me, "if anything happens, I'm sticking with/calling you cuz I know you're prepared". There's only one other colleague at work (one of the ones I turned into a flashaholic) who also likes being prepared and unlike many/most, when he encounters a situation that shows he could be better prepared for it the next time, actually does something about it.


Max

 

[MidnightDistortions]

I don't have a reason (yet) on why I carry a light. For me it's a chicken or egg first question. I guess I first started carrying to see whether I liked it, so far it's been almost a month and to conclude I can't say it's something I like to do, because for me it's like carrying your wallet around, just like cash and credit cards, sometimes you need a light...heck I've used it to shine in my mouth to see and get rid of a fish bone stuck to my gums.

Edit: So yesterday I wore pocket-less shorts to bed. Remembered reading about someone clipping light to rubber waistband of PJs, so what the heck I clipped my Lumintop Tool to the rubber waistband of my shorts and went to sleep. Lo and behold, woke up and needed to go to the toilet, instead of turning on the house lights (like I usually do) I just took light, turn it on (medium), stuck it in mouth and did my business, then went back to sleep. Only realised what I did differently the next morning when I saw the light still clipped to my waistband and I recalled what I did the might before.

A few months ago when we had our first snowfall, i had to go look in the outside utility closet at work, it was dark out and the light in the utility closet wasn't working so i pulled my flashlight out. Then i had a check engine light so i was checking oil, my gas cap and see if anything was leaking. If i didn't have my light i probably wouldn't have checked all that stuff out and i didn't need to other then i noticed my oil needed to be changed so when i had the shop check out my car, i told them to change the oil while my car was being checked out. Rarely i need to EDC a light, if the power went out at my work and the lights in the store doesn't work they got lights pretty much everywhere, plus you can grab one off the shelf and requisition one if you need it, but i always figure.. it's dark out some of the time and the electric power does go out from time to time. For me, i just prefer having a light on hand long enough to figure out the situation .

I used to turn lights on when i needed to use the bathroom at night, after toying around with my flashlights and using them for small activities, i realized it's just easier to grab a flashlight then it is turning on a light or several lights. It got to the point where i just use a flashlight instead of turning on a light switch lol. I always have to remind myself when i have someone over at my place to turn on the lights LOL.

 

[TEEJ]

I saw a huge increase in at least key chain lights after the long term power outages in NJ too.

The availability of LED lights has made this a lot easier, as a small light can now be many times brighter and run longer, etc.

Of course, I also saw a huge number of people who knew the storms were coming, and wiped out the shelves of every battery and light they could find....and, after the storms were over, showed up in long lines to return them.

 

[MidnightDistortions]

I saw a huge increase in at least key chain lights after the long term power outages in NJ too.

The availability of LED lights has made this a lot easier, as a small light can now be many times brighter and run longer, etc.

Of course, I also saw a huge number of people who knew the storms were coming, and wiped out the shelves of every battery and light they could find....and, after the storms were over, showed up in long lines to return them.

When it comes to holidays such as Christmas or Halloween people often times will return Christmas lights, ornaments or halloween candy. Thankfully i got a few lights that won't eat up juice and i got a 16 pack of Eneloops, a 4 pack of Duraloops and some Energizers NiMH cells, don't have to worry about not having a light .

I wonder how many of those people return those batteries only to find they need to replace their batteries in their remotes.