Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Opinions on the new cut-walking laws vary, of course, but I recently discovered an unexpected benefit of wearing the ANSI Class III reflective vests that the law requires.

I was out in non-alterna (or barely alterna country) last weekend walking some cuts to look for Barking Frogs. I didn't have my vest on at first (oops) and 4 separate vehicles stopped when they saw me walking cuts to ask if I needed help.

When I put the vest on, no one else stopped. I guess they assume if you have the vest on:

1. you are stopped on purpose and don't need help...
or
2. you are some sort of LE or other authority figure.

Either way, it saved me a lot of "no thanks, I'm just looking for frogs" and the inevitable 10 minutes of time-wasting conversation that ensues.

So I guess having that stylish green/orange beast on has an unseen benefit....more time herping, less time explaining yourself.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Although these vests make us look like tools and represent an overreach of authority, I agree with that ONE benefit. I noticed the same reaction(or non-reaction) of passersby...

Here are some of the non benefits.....it is dangerous to walk a lot of the cuts, especially on Juno Rd. cause most are so close to the road and it is curvy in some places - you could get hit by tire testers going like bats out of hell. Second, you are nowhere near your vehicle, so it could be robbed or vandalized. Third, if you are older like many of our clan, how difficult and safe is it for walking cuts? There are no provisions for handicap access like hunting from your vehicle. Once you leave that vehicle you are at the mercy of the desert and anyone that wants to do you harm. In all the years of herping I cannot find a single incident where collecting from a vehicle with artificial lights caused any accidents. So the State of Texas has thrown us out into the desert with no concern for our safety. Yet you are most welcome to come to Texas and slaughter as many animals as you like - including rattlesnakes at the various roundups. If Texas is looking for safety, this ain't the way to go about it. Really - a reflective vest? How safe do you feel now? And by the way....the cartels run drugs up and down the Juno Rd.

Here are some of the non benefits.....it is dangerous to walk a lot of the cuts
Second, you are nowhere near your vehicle, so it could be robbed or vandalized.
Third, if you are older like many of our clan, how difficult and safe is it for walking cuts?

These aren't "non-benefits" to the new law. These are complaints about a different legal issue...that roadhunting is illegal. Yes, I also wish road-hunting was legal, but I was just pointing out that wearing the safety vests has an unintended benefit.

And you are implying that these new laws are what lead herpers to walk cuts. We've been walking those cuts for decades prior to this new law.

As for your points,...it is dangerous but it is less dangerous if you have a vest on.
And driving 25mph down Juno or worse, 277, is pretty dangerous as well. I've had a lot more close calls with some yahoo nearly rear-ending me at 90mph while road hunting, or nearly getting hit while stopped to pick something off the road than I've ever had walking cuts.

For point two, I don't walk that far from my vehicle when I'm roadhunting. Do we know of anyone who has had this happen in all the decades people have walked cuts?

Being out on a quiet west Texas road late at night when you are tired, etc., is dangerous whether you are in your car or walking. And the age issue only changes your perception. When you are young you think your reflexes, strength or having a gun will protect you. As you get older you realize it probably wouldn't.

Really - a reflective vest? How safe do you feel now? And by the way....the cartels run drugs up and down the Juno Rd.

I do feel safer with the orange vest on since I have greater confidence a driver will see me. I have also noticed that drivers tend to slow down more when you are walking a cut with the vest on.

Yes, and you think being in a car makes that much difference to the drug runners?
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Hi,

sorry but there are soome points I don´t understand:

"Here are some of the non benefits.....it is dangerous to walk a lot of the cuts, especially on Juno Rd. cause most are so close to the road and it is curvy in some places - you could get hit by tire testers going like bats out of hell. Second, you are nowhere near your vehicle, so it could be robbed or vandalized. Third, if you are older like many of our clan, how difficult and safe is it for walking cuts?"

In all other parts of the world this is normal, that´s absolute normal. It is your decision to do stuff like this and you have to handle the dangers. If I go here in germany into a Forrest (no matter if private or public ground) I can meet Sus scrofa and they can be dangerous. Or if I climb on rocks it can be dangerous but it´s my decision to do this and my responsibility.

Or do I misunderstand it because of linguistic barriers?
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Regards Malte

www.lampropeltis-alterna.de

I believe his point was that it is more dangerous to walk than spotlighting from a vehicle, which is now specifically outlawed. One of the supposed reasons of the Man disallowing spotlighting was for "safety", which is absurd. We now no longer have the option to hunt from the vehicle, at least not without risk of getting a ticket. But, thankfully Almighty Government has allowed us to walk cuts, as long as we pay them to do it and wear cute little vests...

So is it a total of a 144 square inches front and back, or 144 on both the front and back? I went looking for one today and wasn't sure what the heck it meant.

RUSS

So is it a total of a 144 square inches front and back, or 144 on both the front and back? I went looking for one today and wasn't sure what the heck it meant.

This was the subject of much debate back in May...the last word "we" received was 144 sq in on the front, AND 144 sq in on the back. Oddly, there is no vest which is designed for those specific requirements--indicative of a law being written by people who don't know what they're talking about.

Unless you customize a vest with a lesser amount of reflective material by taping additional reflective tape onto it to meet the minimum, you can err on the side of caution by getting an ANSI Class 3 vest.

http://www.firenews.net/pdf/3m_quickreference.pdf

You can search for suppliers of "ANSI Class 3 Vest" and find what you need, sometimes as cheaply as about twelve bucks.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

Even the Class III vests don't meet the requirement, wtf. Well, you'll recognize me by all of the reflective tape I'll be applying, lol.

Russ

Even the Class III vests don't meet the requirement, wtf.

Actually, they do...that's why they meet ANSI specifications. They EXCEED the snake-vest requirement.

What I WILL say, is that I wouldn't call them "vests," but more like "shirts," and if you're buying one for your kid (since they also must comply), it's more like a "robe."
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

Even the Class III vests don't meet the requirement, wtf.

>>Actually, they do...that's why they meet ANSI specifications. They EXCEED the snake-vest requirement.

I don't think I was very clear on this reply. ANSI Class III specifications exceed the TPW Code snake-vest minimums. If you're finding a vest that says it's "ANSI Class III" and it's not, that's a different story.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

What I WILL say, is that I wouldn't call them "vests," but more like "shirts,"

Actually, I bought an ANSI Class III vest that came with sleeves, but when I measured the amount of reflective tape, I figured out I could cut the sleeves off and still have 144 inches front and back.

But, YMMV of course.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

I figured out I could cut the sleeves off and still have 144 inches front and back.

So you altered the conditions of the vest; the old "Kobayashi Maru" trick.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet