avoiding trouble: the best defense!

[twokniveskatie]

the best defense is a good offense......tell us about yours!

 

[Guest]

Hi Kate and all...the title sums up all I could say about this...<br>Thanks,<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[twokniveskatie]

the most important thing is situational awareness. pay attention! know who and what are in your surroundings. when walking to your rig from the walmart, for instance, don't be distracted by your text messages or digging through your bag for the van keys. be prepared! look around you so, not only do you know what is going on, but others know that you are alert. makes for a less desirable target.<div><br></div><div>i'm hoping for more suggestions along this line!!!</div>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<P><b><FONT size=3>Wrong place at the wrong time can be as simple as your local fast food restaurant in the middle of the day.&nbsp; I was, shall I say "confronted" by a thug.&nbsp; I think he was starting to feel stupid trying to intimidate me, he was about 6'2 to my 5'4&nbsp;(yes I was intimidated but not showing it yet) while the workers were on the floor behind the counter calling 911. I made the mistake of dropping my eye contact.&nbsp; No need to go further with&nbsp;the story.&nbsp; I will not drop eye contact again.&nbsp; I also now&nbsp;carry pepper spray, on a bracelet around my wrist, spray in hand.&nbsp; It does no good to ask an attacker to wait while I go thru my purse.&nbsp; Pepper spray, don't leave home without it.</FONT></b></P>

 

[4x4tour]

Here's one of my personal favorites:<br><br><A href="http://www.tbotech.com/cellphonestungun.htm" target=_blank>http://www.tbotech.com/cellphonestungun.htm</A><br><br><br>No thug would see that coming...lol <br>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<b>I have often considered a taser\stun gun. I really like the cell phone link you sent.&nbsp; I don't want to be close enough to use a stun gun. I suppose if it happens and I have my pepper spray, I to would have its effects on myself as well.&nbsp; I really have not researched, does the stun gun work thru clothes?</b><br><b>Diane</b><br>

 

[Butternut]

<font size="3"><font face="Georgia">I use to hitch hike a lot and was always pretty good about turning down rides that didn't feel quite right. One day I was thumbing and it started to pour. There was no shelter nearby and I had to keep trudging along. Finally this pick up pulled over and the "lady" in the driver's seat ushered me in. After I was seated and got my bearings I realized that it wasn't a lady, just an old dude with super long hair, lipstick, a trucker hat and (wait for it) unicorns all over the cab of the truck. There were posters on the ceiling and figurines on the dash. The guy immediately started talking to me about his father (it sounded like he was not a nice guy). </font></font><font face="Georgia" size="3">Needless to say, I had to threaten to open the door while going down the highway before he pulled over and let me out. The moral of this story is beware of men with unicorn fetishes. </font><br>

 

[4x4tour]

Pepper Spray sucks, no offense... Its good for bears, but a meth-addicted, drug induced maniac isnt going to be fazed by it.&nbsp; Trust me, Ive had to spray hundreds of bad guys, and it was more effective on me, than it was them...&nbsp;&nbsp; I had to wrap mine with tape (like a hockey stick) so it wouldnt slip out of my hands during fights.&nbsp;&nbsp; The stuff gets EVERYWHERE.&nbsp; Since switching to Tasers, suspects were less apt to fight... <br><br>If it's legal to own/use a taser that fires its electrodes where you live, I'd get one.&nbsp; <br><br><br>

 

[VanTramp]

Don't taze me Bro!&nbsp;<img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/nono.gif"><div><br></div><div>Sorry, couldn't resist....</div>

 

[4x4tour]

<FONT face="times new roman, times, serif" size=3>The only difference in the version used by the police and the version available to the public is the length of the wires. The LEO version is 21' the public is 15'.</FONT><br><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT>&nbsp;<br><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>If you get the C2, the company will replace&nbsp;your taser free of charge if you use it to defend yourself. All you have to do is get a copy of the police report and send it to them.</FONT><br><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT>&nbsp;<br><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><A href="http://www.itaser.com/" target=_blank>http://www.itaser.com/</A><br><!-- / message --></FONT>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<b>I may be getting one of each, after much research I'm still confused.</b>&nbsp; <IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/confused.gif">&nbsp; <b>It's cool, I found pink tasers and pink knives(sorry, its a girl thing, even some old girls like me still like to be a little feminine).&nbsp;</b><br><b>&nbsp;The taser and spray may keep an attacker at a distance, I like that. I realize a gun will too. I'm not afraid of guns, I just can't see me using one in self defence. I think they say something like, if you are going to carry a gun, will you be able to use it when the time comes? I don't know if I could.</b><br><b>Diane</b><br><br>

 

[4x4tour]

<P><FONT face="times new roman, times, serif" size=3>Diane, <BR>&nbsp;<BR>I was fully trained in pepper spray dispersion, and I will honestly tell you that it's VERY difficult to get someone squarely in the face with one, never mind the eyes when they intend harm to you... Also, it rarely worked.&nbsp; <BR>&nbsp;<BR>The deploying tasers may intimidate you in the time of need.&nbsp; <BR>&nbsp;<BR>For you, I like that pink cell phone one.&nbsp; You could&nbsp;carry it in&nbsp;your hand while going in and out of places and no one would have a clue, and more importantly, you would have less to think (and&nbsp;panic) about when you need to give the sucker some juice! lol <BR>&nbsp;<BR>Like I preach... MUSCLE MEMORY... Practice defense scenarios in your mind (and physically react to them by pretending that the suspect is in front/behind you, or better yet, get a friend) and you will be more confident, and prepared.&nbsp; Sounds silly, I know,&nbsp;but&nbsp;no one has ever got the drop on me, and when I needed to affect some NARLY PCP/Meth arrests, muscle memory kicked in and I was fine. </FONT></P><FONT face="times new roman, times, serif" size=3>For home/camper defense, you should get a small semi-automatic with a safety.&nbsp; My Glock .40 cal doesnt have one (per se), but the Smith and Wesson types do.&nbsp; Inexperienced shooters have no business owning a Glock, IMHO... <BR><BR>Or, if that intimidates you, a blast from a big can of bear pepper spray would HAVE to work on a human, I'd think... lol <BR>But, would gas you out in the process... <BR></FONT>

 

[Stillwater]

Make eye contact with everyone... short, but unafraid. Walk with purpose, even if you have none. Always look like you know where you're going and what you're doing. Friendly but firm. I'm helpful. I genuinely like people. I also have made a plan to defend myself from them, if their intentions are malicious.&nbsp;<div><br></div><div>On my person, that usually means a single-stack .45. I always carry a knife but consider it more a tool than a weapon. 'Course, most tools can make effective weapons. A claw hammer is an UGLY thing.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Me? I'm just a quiet, humble, peaceful, simple man trying to make it in a harsh, mean world. I think most folks recognize that and let my walk my own path.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Me... meditating.</div><div>

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[packnrat]

eye contact. think in your mind how made you would get if they hurt a kid.. your kid. any child under two. put that into your eyes. and stare into and through him.
watch his hands and feet for any movement.
sure i am 220 pounds 5 ft 10 in, 60 pounds over weight, 58 years old, and a failing body. i look like a quick and easy target.
but learn how to defend your self. aka: where to hit and why.
keep a eye on everything around you at all times.
no spray, taser, gun. is going to do you any good after the creep has you. that is only in the movies.
the best defense is a strong and fast ofenice .
nobody is coming to help.

Edited to remove political references
~ cyndi