The Wasp Spray Myth

[Pocket Rocket]

Bear spray can brought into Canada as long as the canister is clearly marked as bear spray, and is intended to be used as an animal deterrent.

Pepper spray/mace is illegal in Canada.

 

[Conquest2011]

From my professional experience, I highly recommend any variety of Sabre Red pepper sprays. Its "heat" factor is 100% sourced from red peppers, with no chemicals or other toxic ingredients... and it HURTS, speaking from having been exposed both directly (required as a part of my instructor training) and indirectly in "friendly fire" crowd control situations. Many of the Sabre Red products are limited to law enforcement use, but they have a variety of civilian defense products as well.

That stuff is the devil, all kinds of evil in a can. Just be aware of over spray, especially when you might have to run through it to get away. Speaking from experience, 25 years in corrections. Went home many a night wearing Sabre Red.

Be careful out there.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Bear spray is NOT as strong as regular pepper spray:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh9F-wk8KIQ

 

[NY_Dutch]

This site has a listing of the various state laws regarding carrying pepper spray.

https://www.pepper-spray-store.com/pages/all-pepper-spray-state-laws

 

[bigfatguy]

In the US, the states that forbid you from carrying pepper spray, stun guns, or firearms are likely the same ones that will try to convict you for defending yourself against a human attacker with wasp spray, a rock, poking him with your keys, golf club, or using a nearby stick.

NJ, CA, CT, MA, and some cities in otherwise reasonable states (Chicago, NYC, etc...)

As luck would have it, these are also our countries worst places for crime.

The best advice I can give you is: avoid places that protect criminals from their victims. Deny them your money.

 

[Sloop]

Actually Alaska, New Mexico, and Nevada have the highest violent crime rates in the entire United States. Everything you said is not true.

 

[Chameleonxanth]

"poking him with your keys"

Made me actually laugh out loud. 

 

[Chameleonxanth]

Actually Alaska, New Mexico, and Nevada have the highest violent crime rates in the entire United States. Everything you said is not true.

Regardless of the accuracy of the statistics about the exact states/cities cited, I appreciate the spirit of this post and the general advice it is conveying. 

 

[bigfatguy]

"poking him with your keys"

Made me actually laugh out loud. 

I can't find a reference to link to, but there was a young woman put on trial in one of the big coastal cities for defending herself by putting her keys between her fingers and punching a (mugger? rapist?). They classified her keys as "brass knuckles".

Actually Alaska, New Mexico,

Tiny population (makes rate measurements increase rapidly), rampant alcoholism, and favored by many who simply don't deal well with other people.

New Mexico, and Nevada

geographically large, low population, mostly low-crime states with heavily populated, crime-ridden, anti-self-defense cities throwing off the numbers.

Everything you said is not true.

I suspect you mean "not everything I said is true", because it is verifiable that at least one thing I said is true. However, if you can find me any significant number of people moving from "high crime" Alaska to the "safety" of Chicago's south side or Detroit, I'll admit I'm wrong.

 

[Chameleonxanth]

"I can't find a reference to link to, but there was a young woman put on trial in one of the big coastal cities for defending herself by putting her keys between her fingers and punching a (mugger? rapist?). They classified her keys as 'brass knuckles'."

Well, that's depressing.  Still, I like to think I'd risk it and claw the guy to shreds with my wicked keys.

 

[NY_Dutch]

The keys between the fingers is a common technique taught in self-defense classes, often by LEOs. I can't picture any LEO arresting someone for using the technique as a defense against an attacker, but I could see it if the key user was the attacker. Or an attacker possibly suing for injuries caused by a defender using keys...

 

[Senator]

The keys between the fingers is a common technique taught in self-defense classes, often by LEOs. I can't picture any LEO arresting someone for using the technique as a defense against an attacker, but I could see it if the key user was the attacker. Or an attacker possibly suing for injuries caused by a defender using keys...

Sometimes it depends on if the victim had a chance to retreat rather than attack.  Even if someone jumps on your back, in some areas your obligation is to get away and run away.  Without being the judge and jury issuing punishment and hurting the attacker.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Sometimes it depends on if the victim had a chance to retreat rather than attack.  Even if someone jumps on your back, in some areas your obligation is to get away and run away.  Without being the judge and jury issuing punishment and hurting the attacker.

The key technique is taught as a defensive move against an active attack, not an offensive move to deter an attack.

 

[timjet]

Unbeknownst to me, Bear Spray fogs the area it is directed to. You can't see it but you sure will know it. I speak from experience. In June DW & I were hiking in the Grand Tetons when we came upon a young mother and her 6 yo son. We stopped and talked a bit. The mom had let the boy have her Bear Spray and had instructed him not to play with it. As we were leaving, boys being boys, he unintentionally pushed the button and emitted a half second burst of spray into the ground ahead of us. I saw the spray and thought it was gone and into the ground. We proceeded ahead - what a mistake. Even though we couldn't see it, the area around the ground where the spray had hit was fogged. DW & I were incapacitated for a good 2 minutes.

If you use it for self protection, be aware of this. Back away from the area and exit any enclosed area as fast as you can. Once you are effected by the spray you will probably not be able to help yourself. I wouldn't advise using Bear Spray in an enclosed RV, especially in the bedroom.