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Two Dead and one critically injured while hiking

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  1. #31

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    I am totally not surprised by this. I saw so many idiots last weekend, young people throwing their empty plastic bottles on the floor and I wanted to punch him in the face. Towards the end of my hike I saw a Chinese couple calling the police asking to be rescued because they were lost on eagle nest trail with people passing through every 5 minutes...maybe it's better for these people to perish.


  2. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by HK_Katherine:
    Amen to that. Plus don't hike alone! Even on popular paths. I gave this advice to a chick on the Facebook page of one of the hiking groups and she got totally OTT about how she wanted to go at her own pace and do her own thing and wasn't going to hike with anyone. I did wonder why she was a member of the group! And she had health issues just like the driver guy. Idiots.
    Despite the instinctive reaction against this from others, I would generally agree with it. For 99% of hikers out there in HK, they should not be hiking alone. It doesn't apply to everyone all the time, but for the main part, it is sound advice.

    I hike alone occasionally, but on very standard trails and someone knows where I am going. Over reliance on a phone is something I consider a bit risky- I've shattered phones in falls (cycling, not hiking). Phones are generally a good backup, but again, I am sure that some people rely on them too much at the expense of things like common sense, experience or first aid training.
    Last edited by jgl; 15-09-2015 at 12:10 AM.
    HK_Katherine and shri like this.

  3. #33

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    It doesn't matter how "safe" it is. Hiking alone means when/if you do have a heart attack, no one can get you help asap. I don't think there's even time to get your own phone .
    Once I fell and twisted my ankle badly on the twins. Thankfully I was with a friend, as it was surprising how kind of disoriented I became... I thought continuing to Stanley was fastest back, but thankfully my friend was thinking straight and turned us back. I would have been ok alone in this situation, but having a friend help comfort me the best way down and help get a taxi asap was really wonderful....(she also had more first aid knowledge than me ).


  4. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by WMDS:
    I saw so many idiots last weekend, young people throwing their empty plastic bottles on the floor and I wanted to punch him in the face.
    I hike every week and I see all the litter but I've never seen anyone actually dropping it. I would get punchy too.
    hongkong7 likes this.

  5. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by Elegiaque:
    It doesn't matter how "safe" it is.
    I wouldn't say it is necessarily safe. Nothing in life is, 100%. I would say hiking alone is a risk that I am happy to take, when I balance it against the benefits.
    TheBrit, emx, HK_Katherine and 2 others like this.

  6. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by bookblogger:
    I wouldn't say it is necessarily safe. Nothing in life is, 100%. I would say hiking alone is a risk that I am happy to take, when I balance it against the benefits.
    yeah, that's around where I am. and like I said in an earlier post, I adjust my approach depending on where I'm going.
    Agreed with whoever said that relying too much on a cell phone is a mistake - there can be spots with no coverage. And I do like bringing a little plastic whistle with me, sort of a worst-case-scenario thing.

  7. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by WMDS:
    I am totally not surprised by this. I saw so many idiots last weekend, young people throwing their empty plastic bottles on the floor and I wanted to punch him in the face. Towards the end of my hike I saw a Chinese couple calling the police asking to be rescued because they were lost on eagle nest trail with people passing through every 5 minutes...maybe it's better for these people to perish.
    Not disagreeing with your view, but hiking is meant as a form of relaxation and getting fit. I mean, if hiking induces you a desire to punch someone, then it really defeats the purpose of hiking, no?

  8. #38

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    related to Hiking but a good news (btw RIP to the two hilers found dead earlier).

    Law Chor Kin completed the Grand Slam over the weekend:

    Four 100-mile races in 10 weeks - Law Chor-kin becomes first Hongkonger to complete Grand Slam of Ultrarunning | South China Morning Post


  9. #39

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    Jun 2011
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    Could i make our helper come so i wasn't hiking alone or is that illegal? I hike alone all the time, where else here do you get some quality alone time? But, a couple of times I have had a bit of a sit down and think, 'That was a bit dumb, wasn't it!' I remember this one time i was bush crashing and i came across this odd tree. I thought it was weird someone had brought an axe so far into the bush away from the trail just to chop all the bark off the bottom of the tree. I gave it a good examination and began to wonder how they'd gotten the axe to make those scrapping marks when my brain suddenly woke up and my bum tightened up very quickly. So, anybody care for a hiking buddy this Saturday? I know a nice place to go, no crowds.


  10. #40

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    Quote Originally Posted by CharlieGordon:
    Could i make our helper come so i wasn't hiking alone or is that illegal? I hike alone all the time, where else here do you get some quality alone time? But, a couple of times I have had a bit of a sit down and think, 'That was a bit dumb, wasn't it!' I remember this one time i was bush crashing and i came across this odd tree. I thought it was weird someone had brought an axe so far into the bush away from the trail just to chop all the bark off the bottom of the tree. I gave it a good examination and began to wonder how they'd gotten the axe to make those scrapping marks when my brain suddenly woke up and my bum tightened up very quickly. So, anybody care for a hiking buddy this Saturday? I know a nice place to go, no crowds.
    We have several helpers in our hiking group - just like other people, some love it and others do not!

    I HATED the idea of hiking in a group when I arrived here, but my husband was away on business when we first arrived and so I was really forced to join a group or hike alone - and hiking alone is just not something I'm prepared to do. I discovered to my amazement that I actually enjoyed hiking in a group! So why not give it a go? You can get plenty of "alone" time in a group because people do all spread out along the trail and then join up every so often at junctions etc.

    Otherwise, leave your route and estimated exit time with your helper and give her instructions to call the police if you miss it by more than an hour or so.... (and keep your phone charged so you can ring her and let her know you are out to avoid calling them unnecessarily!!!)