wellway
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,769
Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Aug 9, 2023 9:43:17 GMT
Ditto for the UK, not legal to have a gun, knife, taste or mace on you. I get the argument against guns and knives, but what is the reason for not being allowed to have a taser or even mace? What options are available for self defense against someone or group of someones who is easily able to overpower you? What would happen if you used crazy4scrap's 25' wasp spray? All I can tell you is that the items are prohibited and my understanding is that not even all police officers carry tasers. Those that do have to undergo training and should be able to back up the use of one. There is a strict procedure for discharging one. There is a police watchdog that investigate actions by Police forces and officers. Again, not an area I've looked much into, but any acts of self defence must be reasonable. I'm guessing that if you can prove you had just been to the shop to buy wasp spray with intention of dealing with a nest on your porch and happened to have the spray that would probably be looked at more favourably than if you discharged wasp spray in a nightclub, i.e. you were using it as protection. Plus we don't have bears or other such wildlife that we need to worry about.
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Post by gar on Aug 9, 2023 10:26:31 GMT
Plus we can see that adding more ‘weapons’ just escalates things and leads to more and more in a never ending cycle so if the general public started carrying mace sprays and tasers you can guess where that would end.
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SweetieBsMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,612
Jun 25, 2014 19:55:12 GMT
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Aug 9, 2023 11:30:03 GMT
I have a something on my keys.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Aug 9, 2023 11:30:43 GMT
I don’t carry anything on me but I am always attentive to my surroundings and try to avoid dangerous areas. When I was running alone there were trails and areas I wouldn’t take advantage of due to risk. Even my favorite local park would get passed by if there wasn’t a reasonable number of cars in the parking lot. That’s always been my reality as a woman.
Now that two German shepherds go with me, I feel much less vulnerable. I’m put off though by the number of men who comment on that. “Nobody’s gonna mess with you with those two dogs.” Well, nobody should be messing with me anyway. Ugh.
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Post by smasonnc on Aug 9, 2023 12:03:02 GMT
Plus we don't have bears or other such wildlife that we need to worry about. But if British mysteries are to be believed, there are murderers in every English village. 😂 I don't carry a weapon, but I stay aware of my surroundings. I live in a small town just north of a large-ish city. We don't have much crime here and it's mostly property crimes and scamming old people. If I lived down there, I would probably have pepper spray. When we lived in a bigger city, I bought pepper spray for my kids when they started to drive. It was pretty common.
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iluvpink
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,291
Location: Michigan
Jul 13, 2014 12:40:31 GMT
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Post by iluvpink on Aug 9, 2023 12:16:49 GMT
No. Many years ago I carried a whistle as I have a long walk from the parking ramp to my office and for a few years I came in at 6:15 am and it was still dark and there were very few people on campus. Now I come in at 7:00 and there are more people about and it's only dark for a few months. Plus I'm old and fat now so while I know sexual assault can happen, I'm just not as worried about it as I used to be.
I also used to carry a small swiss army knife but stopped because I lost it and haven't gotten another because of metal detectors. It wasn't so much for protection as being handy! I keep meaning to get another one and just leave it in my car.
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Post by peasapie on Aug 9, 2023 12:26:05 GMT
I didn’t. But my daughter recently gave me a can of mace that hooks onto my keychain, so I carry it. For no reason other than my daughter gave it to me.
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smartypants71
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,710
Location: Houston, TX
Jun 25, 2014 22:47:49 GMT
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Post by smartypants71 on Aug 9, 2023 12:27:38 GMT
I have a Birdie on my purse. When I have to walk the dog at night, I carry a taser that doubles as a flashlight, but I'm really just using it bc it is a flashlight.
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artbabe
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,042
Jun 26, 2014 1:59:10 GMT
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Post by artbabe on Aug 9, 2023 13:16:31 GMT
But if British mysteries are to be believed, there are murderers in every English village. 😂 One a week, actually. And judging from Midsomer Murders, people tend to be hit over the head a lot. Or smashed by a giant wheel of cheese. Gosh I love that show. I voted nothing. I see some of you carry your keys in your hand but that wouldn't work for me. In the summer my key chain has exactly one key on it. Two during the school year. Not a very effective weapon.
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Post by Bridget in MD on Aug 9, 2023 13:23:55 GMT
I don't but I think DD does when she goes to college (pepper spray)
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Post by peace on Aug 9, 2023 13:34:36 GMT
I'm just disappointed that "condoms" weren't on the list I don't carry anything but now I live in Florida and it is a bit scary. LOTS of road rage here. LOTS of redneck gun toting tough guys. So while I don't carry anything now- I haven't ruled it out. (I used to live in Chicago and never felt I needed anything then)
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Post by epeanymous on Aug 9, 2023 13:37:36 GMT
No. Mostly I am afraid of getting hit by a car while walking and I am not sure what I can do about that.
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Post by workingclassdog on Aug 9, 2023 13:41:34 GMT
I don't carry anything and don't think much about it. I do have Mace in my truck but I usually don't even think about it. My DD is much more concerned and prepared especially if we are out on the road traveling together.
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rickmer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,123
Jul 1, 2014 20:20:18 GMT
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Post by rickmer on Aug 9, 2023 17:33:25 GMT
i live in a city of over 6 million people. i don't carry around self-protection.
my view is the odds of something happening are fairly slim, i try to be pretty street smart/aware of what is going on around me and i am not hanging out in more dodgy neighbourhoods at more dangerous times (ie: night).
i feel if i live someplace that i need to be packing heat, then i need to move someplace else more so than i need a weapon.
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Post by katiejane on Aug 9, 2023 18:04:20 GMT
Yep, another Brit. No weapons, and don't feel the need to have any. I don't worry that there are people waiting to jump out and hit me with a cheese wheel or harm me, and there are no coyotes or bears lurking around the corner here.
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TXMary
Pearl Clutcher
And so many nights I just dream of the ocean. God, I wish I was sailin' again.
Posts: 2,811
Jun 26, 2014 17:25:06 GMT
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Post by TXMary on Aug 9, 2023 18:15:03 GMT
I don't carry anything. I did buy a birdie but I never even took it out of the box. I guess it's not doing me much good there. If I was worried about threats around here it would be more wild animals than people.
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Post by Zee on Aug 9, 2023 19:28:38 GMT
I don't need to here but when I lived in PA the park I walked in every day sometimes had some very weird individuals. There was a men's halfway house within walking distance. After being confronted by one once, I started carrying pepper spray and one of those little stun guns, and changing my time and route daily. Another time one of these characters brought me a turtle in a carry-out container. HE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR ME AND KNEW I WOULD BE CROSSING THE BRIDGE AND LOOKING DOWN AT THE TURTLES THERE. I do kind of miss the local color, lol.
I felt a lot safer after I started carrying some protection and didn't want to give up my daily walk with my dog, so it was a good compromise.
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Post by maryland on Aug 9, 2023 23:24:11 GMT
No, I have never felt the need to carry protection in any place I have been. My husband is pretty paranoid compared to me, and he doesn't even carry anything with him (he used to travel a lot, but always stayed in safe hotels and areas).
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Post by morecowbell on Aug 9, 2023 23:50:18 GMT
But if British mysteries are to be believed, there are murderers in every English village. 😂 One a week, actually. And judging from Midsomer Murders, people tend to be hit over the head a lot. Or smashed by a giant wheel of cheese. Gosh I love that show. I voted nothing. I see some of you carry your keys in your hand but that wouldn't work for me. In the summer my key chain has exactly one key on it. Two during the school year. Not a very effective weapon. Keep in mind, if you're ever in a situation where you need something- God forbid 1 key is better than nothing.
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,930
Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Aug 10, 2023 3:45:53 GMT
Normally nothing but when I was in college I carried mace, and I occasionally carry bear spray when hiking—especially with my dog.
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StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,666
Location: Ohio
Member is Online
Jul 5, 2014 1:53:49 GMT
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Post by StephDRebel on Aug 10, 2023 4:04:56 GMT
I live in one of the most violent/dangerous cities in the country and I have pepper spray but usually don't carry it.
I have a big dog, pay attention to my surroundings, I made friends with all the unhoused people, bartenders, and shop owners in the areas I commonly walk, and I avoid areas likely to be crazy...like the block of nightclubs. We go to them, but leave before last call.
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StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,666
Location: Ohio
Member is Online
Jul 5, 2014 1:53:49 GMT
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Post by StephDRebel on Aug 10, 2023 4:10:49 GMT
We do keep a can of wasp spray in our bedroom. If someone broke in, it sprays 25’ and can disable a person without killing them if you spray them in the face. This is legit. I was attacked by an abusive partner once and I had just set wasp spray on the counter. I ran past and grabbed it and aimed for his face. He flopped on his back like a cockroach screaming.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Aug 10, 2023 15:45:39 GMT
Just a PSA for everyone carrying around pepper spray or mace. You should test it every so often to make sure the nozzle isn’t clogged and that the propellant inside is still good. I’ve read every 90-180 days is what’s recommended. My aunt used to have a small can of it on her keychain that she never used or tested for YEARS. If she actually needed to use it, it likely wouldn’t have worked after all that time.
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