Re: How will the police find me.

micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

In comp.mobile.android, on Mon, 20 May 2024 18:38:25 -0000 (UTC), Chris
<ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote:
 

micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

In comp.mobile.android, on Sun, 19 May 2024 21:58:37 -0400, knuttle
<keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote:
 

On 05/19/2024 9:46 PM, micky wrote:

Going hiking tomorrow.  Finally realized I was sending my location to my
ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it.   Assuming the worst, that I
break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is broken or
stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I still haven't
texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's location using the
simple instructions I found on the web.
 
But if she's unable to explain to the police where I am, how do the
police figure it out?    Can they see everyone's location just by
knowing their phone number?   This would be bad if it were for suspected
criminals and they didn't have a warrant, but if it's to save me, I'd
sort of like for them to know where I am.  And I don't want there to be
a lot of time required to enable it each time for each new lost person.
 
Or is my friend supposed to somehow send the location information she
can see on her phone to their phone?   How?
 
 
BTW, I started doing this last fall, without realizing the plan was
incomplete.  Since then the AllTrails app has added the same feature to
its maps.  It probably piggybacks on Google maps.  I'll know when I try
the two tomorrow.   The AllTrails app is fantastic in that you can use
it for free if you have cellular signal where you are walking, and if
you pay for a year, you can download all the maps you'll want to use
(which I think continue to work even after your subscription has
expired) and you can use them without a cell signal.  AND, they show
where on the trail you are.  The maps zoom in more than google maps do.
I think they'll even tell you when it's time to turn, but that's not
something I'd likely want to use.
 
I've come across a couple other non-Google maps that include GPS.  I
think the Yorktown battlefield in Virginia was one of them. You really
have to give a lot of credit to the USA government for putting those
satellites up there.  Who would even have thunk it that this could work?
 
OTOH, i've read that the whole thing is a scam, and GPS doesn't really
show where you are.  It just sends random locations, and people believe
they are accurate.  People are so suggestible.  Many have drunk the
kool-aid and they believe in GPS and vaccines.  It's sad.

 

If you had Been in the Boy Scouts you would learn to live in the woods
without a electronic device of any type.  You would learn about mark or
finding marks so you could retrace your path.  You would learn about
finding your direction so you do not get lost.
 
Learn to be in the woods before you go off wandering on a hike depending
on your cellphone.  Knowledge of the Woods will save your life when your
batteries expire.

 
I presume you're kidding, but just in case, I'll answer as if you
weren't.
 
I've been hiking in the woods alone since I was 6 years old. 

 
Then you should know that before you head off to tell someone your route
and approximate time you will be done by. Then if you're not back by the
time you said you would be that person can alert mountain rescue.

 
I thought it was clear from my post that I did all that.
 

This has always been the case with no need for technology.

 
No, the post revolved around knowing with some precision where I was,

Which in the scenario you provided of your phone being stolen or broken is
impossible.

not just somewhere, anywhere, on a 2 to 10 miles trail, so that on a
loop trail rescuers can go clockwise or counter-clockwise from the trail
head, whichever is quicker.  Or with yesterday's trai that went from one
road to another 3 miles away and then via another route back to the
first road, they can start at whichever road is closer to the person
being rescued.
 
Or, especially relevant yesterday when much of the trail on a hill near
a river, even the path itself sloped to the side, if the person has
rolled down a hill off the trail, so the rescuers don't walk right by
him.
 

If you want to depend on fallible technology - requires battery, wifi, gps,

 
Only GPS and battery, and I have plenty of battery and GPS is exceedinly
reliable.  There was no cell signal on 90% of the trail, and certainly
no wifi.

Well that's useless for anyone but you. Your ex nor the police will ever
where you are from your phone 90% of the time.

But I challenge your use of "depend on".  You missed the part that I had
told my friend where I was going on and how long it would take me.  

Good.

The
technology part is a supplement, so that they will be find me faster.

Not without a data connection they won't.