[pct-l] Bear spray

[Brick Robbins]

2016-02-20 12:12 GMT-08:00 Alli <fitzalli at gmail.com>:
> I never needed bear spray and hold no irrational fear of bears but
> I would not avoid a simple precaution to uphold the principle that "nothing
> will ever happen". People will most likely never hurt you either, unless
> they're crazy.

The same line of reasoning can be used to advocate carrying firearms.

Everyone has to decide their own acceptable level of risk, but I
prefer to use an evidence based approach, instead of a fear based "oh
my god, look at all the nasty things that can happen, I need to be
prepared for all of them"  approach.

So ask yourself, how many injuries/fatalities have there been on the
PCT due to black bears over the years? None that I know of.
How many deaths by hypothermia?
How may from falling?
How many from getting hit by cars crossing roads?

My feeling is that preparing for these more likely concerns would be a
better use of the finite effort that each hiker has, and the finite
amount of load in one's pack.

BTW, I would be more afraid of people along the trail (at least near
trail heads and it town) than I would be of bears.