Jump to content

Great idea for solo boaters and lasses out on their own


BlueStringPudding

Featured Posts

I've just come across something called BSafe. It's a personal safety app and it's free. It enables designated friends to "follow" you home late at night using your phone's GPS. It's also a personal alarm that automatically contacts nearest and dearest if you have an accident and tells them where you are. Does lots of other clever things too - seems like great idea for solo boaters and lasses out on their own. At least anywhere you have a phone signal. ;):boat:

 

Here's the link to the website. I downloaded the app on Android from Google Play

 

http://getbsafe.com/features/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a bit surprised there isn't a massive bit on the website about how it cannot be hacked into.

 

If I was broadcasting my location because I felt threatened, I'd want to be very, very sure the people I felt threatened by couldn't access my location. I'm thinking ex partners, stalkers and so on

 

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2057930/5-personal-safety-apps-that-watch-your-back.html

 

Richard

Edited by RLWP
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the op meant "lassies out on their own" as a category who feel at risk when they are out and about, boating aside. I have an emergency app on my lock screen, doesn't do tracking though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

If I was broadcasting my location because I felt threatened, I'd want to be very, very sure the people I felt threatened by couldn't access my location. I'm thinking ex partners, stalkers and so on

 

Richard

All these people out to get you? You obviously leave an lasting impression on people Richard!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What happens when there is no mobile signal and poor GPS signal? Sounds like there might be lots of false alarms. Not a bad idea otherwise.

I don't know exactly how this app. works but modern GPS systems can often still track you even if the device cannot get a signal. eg when we use GPS when passing under the Dartford Tunnel and the Tunnels in Paris it uses your last known direction and speed to calculate where you are if it loses the signal. Thus when you emerge it takes less time to pick you up again.

 

I have even seen it work like this while mine plotted me through the Channel Tunnel!

 

So you will I guess still get an approximation of your position sent which must be better than nothing I would have thought, at least until it acquires a GPS signal once again.

 

I understand phones also use a combination of phone signal, GPS and wi-fi to improve positional accuracy.

 

Personally I think the app. Is an excellent idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a bit surprised there isn't a massive bit on the website about how it cannot be hacked into.

 

If I was broadcasting my location because I felt threatened, I'd want to be very, very sure the people I felt threatened by couldn't access my location. I'm thinking ex partners, stalkers and so on

 

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2057930/5-personal-safety-apps-that-watch-your-back.html

 

Richard

 

It probably can be hacked into by someone who could hack into the Pentagon, or whatever.... nothing can be 100% unhackable. But what are the chances of your hypothetical trouble causer having those skills, or even knowing that you use this particular app.

 

Isn't it more likely that the stalker or ex partner will know where you are without having to resort to Pentagon hacking techniques - the app and it's sound/video uploading facility could be just the thing to warn them off.

 

iPhones have had a tracking facility for several years now, but I have not heard of it being used nefariously, (that's not to say it hasnt).

 

It looks like a good app, and there have been many occasions where I would probably have found it comforting over the years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hang on a bit! This app deliberately broadcasts your location. I would really like to see something on the website to assure the user that the only people getting that location are the ones they want.

 

For a start, what about the data server for the app. Who is managing that? Are they managing it securely?

 

And if I send a location to a friend, can it be passed on, duplicated or intercepted?

 

What I said was I am surprised the website isn't stressing how secure their data management is for the reasons I just said

 

Richard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Though I don't have any knowledge of this App I imagine it will be similar to the Life 360 App. This gives the location of persons in your group, who need to be invited to join by the instigator of each group. So unless you have been integrated into the group you cannot find the whereabouts of its members.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Oh come on blackrose! ... you know perfectly what she meant. Are you being serious or just trying to start a row?

 

I seem to remember you grumbled once about politically correct speech and how we have become so pedantic about certain phrases that we now no longer can say how we think for fear of causing offence.

 

It has indeed come to such a sorry state as that, perfectly ordinary statements are twisted by zealots who almost seem to deliberately seek such verbal ambiguity and then pounce to berate and condemn.

 

Yes, of course I know what she meant. I wasn't trying to be politically correct and I wasn't condemning or berating her either - I'm not sure why you thought that? huh.png I just though it was an odd turn of phrase, that's all.

 

Or am I not allowed to say what I think for fear of causing offence? Ironically it's actually you who's pouncing to condemn and berate me!

Edited by blackrose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hang on a bit! This app deliberately broadcasts your location. I would really like to see something on the website to assure the user that the only people getting that location are the ones they want.

 

For a start, what about the data server for the app. Who is managing that? Are they managing it securely?

 

And if I send a location to a friend, can it be passed on, duplicated or intercepted?

 

What I said was I am surprised the website isn't stressing how secure their data management is for the reasons I just said

 

Richard

 

 

All phones track you and log where you are or have been and its all available on the net with your log in details.

 

You can turn this off though if you wish.

 

No different in my eyes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Though I have no knowledge of this particular App I would expect it to be similar to the Life 360 App, with which you can track people in your particular group. You need to be a member of the group to be able to see the location of another group member.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Yes, of course I know what she meant. I wasn't trying to be politically correct and I wasn't condemning or berating her either - I'm not sure why you thought that? huh.png I just though it was an odd turn of phrase, that's all.

 

Or am I not allowed to say what I think for fear of causing offence? Ironically it's actually you who's pouncing to condemn and berate me!

 

Yes its a shame there isnt an irony smiley isn't it...maybe this one would do rolleyes.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, of course I know what she meant. I wasn't trying to be politically correct and I wasn't condemning or berating her either - I'm not sure why you thought that? :huh: I just though it was an odd turn of phrase, that's all.

 

Or am I not allowed to say what I think for fear of causing offence? Ironically it's actually you who's pouncing to condemn and berate me![/quote

 

 

 

perfectly clear to me "solo boaters". I took go be of any gender either of which might say collapse on board and be traced by app. " Lasses out on their own" I took to mean females walking home from night out or teenage girls walking from school or friends home alone.

Sorry but it didn't seem an odd turn of phrase.

Edited by valrene9600
Link to comment
Share on other sites

perfectly clear to me "solo boaters". I took go be of any gender either of which might say collapse on board and be traced by app. " Lasses out on their own" I took to mean females walking home from night out or teenage girls walking from school or friends home alone.

Sorry but it didn't seem an odd turn of phrase.

Thanks Valrene. So much pedantry before for your very welcome sensible post. :cheers:

 

I have no intention of responding to the pedants, I'm just pleased to raise awareness of something that could genuinely help people who feel vulnerable. Twelve or thirteen people I know from Facebook have downloaded the app since I drew attention to it earlier today. So clearly it's seen as something helpful

 

By all means continue the grammar assassination, gentlemen. Every comment bumps the topic back up and enables others to see my original post and the link to the app. It could save lives and certainly help potentially vulnerable people feel safer and their friends and families feel more reassured about their safety.

Though I don't have any knowledge of this App I imagine it will be similar to the Life 360 App. This gives the location of persons in your group, who need to be invited to join by the instigator of each group. So unless you have been integrated into the group you cannot find the whereabouts of its members.

That's the same with this app. :)

Edited by BlueStringPudding
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have google maps on your phone it is and always has been transmitting your location every few seconds. Have you never clicked on the Traffic item on google earth? it shows you how fast all the cars/smartphones are travelling down all the major roads live in real time. They only display the phones moving along roads everybody elses stationary phones are not displayed but I can bet you the data is still recorded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's a good move for solo boaters, of both genders, but perhaps especially female, or those with medical issues that might cause an unexpected problem.

As a side word, do people also use the "ICE" system? (In Case of Emergency ).....within your phone contacts, have some contacts starting with "ICE", for emergency services to find a contact should the need arise. As well as next of kin/partners etc, I have one saying "ICE dog home alone!" With the contact number of a friend I know could locate my boat and get in to the boat to rescue my dog, should anything happen to us both when we have left her alone onboard.

Emergency services are, I believe, trained to look for "ICE" contacts in phones.....If they can get into them. I don't keep a lock on mine, though I know many do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's a good move for solo boaters, of both genders, but perhaps especially female, or those with medical issues that might cause an unexpected problem.

As a side word, do people also use the "ICE" system? (In Case of Emergency ).....within your phone contacts, have some contacts starting with "ICE", for emergency services to find a contact should the need arise. As well as next of kin/partners etc, I have one saying "ICE dog home alone!" With the contact number of a friend I know could locate my boat and get in to the boat to rescue my dog, should anything happen to us both when we have left her alone onboard.

Emergency services are, I believe, trained to look for "ICE" contacts in phones.....If they can get into them. I don't keep a lock on mine, though I know many do.

Ice is a good idea but as you say it only works if you don't lock your phone. On most you can dial 999 without the need to unlock them perhaps phone makes should allow the creation of a 'white list' of numbers like 999 that appear on the lock screen that can be dialled without unlocking the phone?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had a training day yesterday at St Pancras about tideway cruising. Sobering video about the importance of wearing a lifejacket...

 

One of the services that was mentioned was one for sending text messages to the emergency services. Although mainly designed for people who cannot make voice calls because they have a hearing loss or a speech impairment, it could be useful if you have a poor signal and/or can't make a voice call.

 

Registration is very simple, see here: http://www.emergencysms.org.uk/index.php

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.