Bears can be very dangerous to hikers, particularly at night; even if you have a suitable personal weapon, by the time you wake up, it can be too late. And a substantial level of protection is needed; bears are quite capable of smashing and tearing their way into automobiles if they smell that it has a tasty filling.
Now, hikers can enjoy the freedom of hiking a trail, while remaining fairly safe from bears, thanks to the new BorgCo bear-proof autonomous vehicle. It consists of a tough, resilient yet lightweight box, large enough to enclose a fully clothed adult human. The box is mounted on a set of powered, articulated legs, allowing it to traverse even the most challenging of terrain.
The user wears a transponder, and the vehicle is programmed to follow that transponder wherever it goes, trying not to let the separation vary from five metres.
When a bear is sighted, the user leaps into the box and slams the lid. The box is strong enough to withstand a sustained attack from an adult Grizzly or polar bear. Even if the lid isn't fully closed in time, mechanisms prevent it being levered open from the outside until the occupant releases it.
Pistol ports are provided, with appropriate protective covers, and one-way vision blocks.
An EPIRB can be included.
At night, the user can sleep in the box, safe from attack (and incidentally, mosquitoes and the like). It saves carrying a tent.-- 8th of 7, Jan 08 2021 Bear Proof Suit https://www.vice.co...-how-we-should-live [bs0u0155, Jan 08 2021] Is there a minimum distance between the transponder and the autonomous vehicle? On one hand, I'd like to avoid having it run into me when coming to a sudden halt, on the other, it'd terribly unfortunate to find myself running after it, once a bear's been sighted...-- A2Mail, Jan 08 2021 If you move away from it, it will follow. If you move towards it, it just stops and waits.-- 8th of 7, Jan 08 2021 No, Luggages are famously (notoriously ?) loyal to their owners. But if you had a Luggage, you wouldn't need to climb inside; you'd simply hide behind it, and let it swallow the bear, in one gulp ...
Or it might just elect to stamp the bear to death.-- 8th of 7, Jan 08 2021 Simply go hiking in <link>-- bs0u0155, Jan 08 2021 There's an element of Prior Art, but the Luggage is a transport system for possessions, not an autonomous "panic room".
Rincewind never actually hides in the Luggage, as far as is known, and there are times when that might have been a good option for him, rather than running away. The Luggage is, after all, notably magic-proof.-- 8th of 7, Jan 08 2021 random, halfbakery