Bring a plastic whistle. Even a small one. Keep it in your bag or purse or pocket or on your keychain.
That way, if you see anything that looks wrong anywhere at the rally, you - and everyone around you - can stand up and start blowing those whistles and pointing.
If the people in Butler PA could have done this when they saw the kid on the roof with the gun, things might have been very different. (Don't get me wrong - they tried. But just yelling is not enough when a huge rally is going on.)
Yes, the rally regulations say you cannot bring whistles and noisemakers. That means you're not to use them during a "normal" rally, which is understandable.
I'm talking about keeping something with you in case of emergency. That's very different.
Or learn how to whistle loud:
Learning How to Whistle Extremely Loud (Taxi Whistle)
two handed whistle: 92.6 db single handed whistle: 95.0 db actual whistle: 90.7db
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y522sYZPANk
A skill from my previous generation, which is at least 3 generation before this kid. Maybe 4. My father couldn't sing a tune but could whistle one. And the fingers in the mouth? Very loud indeed.
When we heard that we better be high tailing it to the house.
My grandfather taught me how to do the two handed whistle when I was young. It’s surprised people many times over the years and I’ve had a great time with it. Ha. Also been useful to keep family together in crowds. It took me a good while and some diligence to learn. But he and I were very pleased with ourselves when I mastered it. 😆
There's an idea, many "survival/rescue" style whistles are extremely loud. I have one on my pack that looks like a zipper pull tab, it's very discreet.
I love this site, I keep finding ideas and things I never knew existed. These are gonna be in the next kids' party favor bags, I promise you.
as someone that has had my phone questioned at a rally, I don't know if I'd want to be on their list🫣
some of those guys seem to lack common sense...
but I also like to stay under the radar, so this^ might be a tip for someone more outgoing.
But whistles cause died suddenly. /s