personal safety idea August 12, 2009, 05:46:25 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104755As I'm about to start solo traveling, I found this an excellent suggestion--knowing that there are other solo'ers out there thought I'd pass this on. Beats having a gun sitting around! And, it works on wasp nests!"You no longer need to keep your .45 or AK-47 sitting out on the coffee table... a can of wasp spray will do! Never would have thought it !!! I have a friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area who was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead. The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection. You could also keep it in your car and it's perfectly legal. Thought this was interesting and might be of use..." Gini Free and Junah-Dober Gal Celie and Nihm, Tonkinese kitlets "Kooch" the little red LD that could "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: personal safety idea Reply #1 – August 12, 2009, 06:21:58 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104758Gini Free wrote: "You no longer need to keep your .45 or AK-47 sitting out on the coffee table... a can of wasp spray will do! Never would have thought it !!! --- Gini, there are many references to the use of wasp spray for self-defense that come up when one googles the term. Some of the information is off the wall (Imagine that!) and some links contain several "think about this" points about the wisdom and legality of using this stuff for anything other than for the purpose for which it was intended. You might want to read Snopes' Barbara Mikkelson's take on using this product for "self-defense": http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/waspspray.aspYMMV, but, for several reasons, I would not even consider depending on the use of wasp spray for "self-defense".Joan
Re: personal safety idea Reply #2 – August 12, 2009, 06:27:14 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104759"The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote."Interesting information about this from Snopes http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/waspspray.aspLarry
Re: personal safety idea Reply #3 – August 12, 2009, 06:27:26 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104760On Aug 12, 2009, at 5:44 PM, Gini Free wrote:Quote "You no longer need to keep your .45 or AK-47 sitting out on the coffee table... a can of wasp spray will do! Never would have thought it !!! Gini, I also seem to recall a post by Jonna Harlan ages ago, promoting the use of Easy Off Oven Spray as an effective pepper spray substitute. Either product would certainly be much easier than trying to smuggle contraband across our neighbors' borders!Hope your preparations are coming along smoothly.Lorna
personal safety idea Reply #4 – August 20, 2009, 05:56:25 pm Yahoo Message Number: 105086As I'm about to start solo traveling, I found this an excellent suggestion--knowing that there are other solo'ers out there thought I'd pass this on. Beats having a gun sitting around! And, it works on wasp nests!"You no longer need to keep your .45 or AK-47 sitting out on the coffee table... a can of wasp spray will do! Never would have thought it !!! I have a friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area who was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead. The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection. You could also keep it in your car and it's perfectly legal. Thought this was interesting and might be of use..." Gini Free and Junah-Dober Gal Celie and Nihm, Tonkinese kitlets "Kooch" the little red LD that could "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: personal safety idea Reply #5 – August 20, 2009, 06:22:46 pm Yahoo Message Number: 105089Wonderful information. Thank you.Sandy
Re: personal safety idea Reply #6 – August 20, 2009, 07:37:24 pm Yahoo Message Number: 105091Quote As I'm about to start solo traveling, I found this an excellent suggestion--knowing that there are other solo'ers out there thought I'd pass this on. Beats having a gun sitting around! And, it works on wasp nests! Gini, You might want to give Snopes.com a look-see. Wasp spray has mixed reviews and, apparently, some states ban the use as personal protection.Roz
Re: personal safety idea Reply #7 – August 20, 2009, 08:53:57 pm Yahoo Message Number: 105098If you don't have wasp spray handy when needed you can always use your handy fire extinguisher which are legal everywhere. To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com From: Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:22:44 -0700 Subject: Re: [LD] personal safety ideaWonderful information. Thank you.Sandy
Re: personal safety idea Reply #8 – August 20, 2009, 09:58:10 pm Yahoo Message Number: 105101OK, we've heard four suggestions: pepper spray, wasp spray, oven cleaner spray, and a fire extinguisher. Let's put this into concrete terms, focusing on RV use. What are the scenarios in which we want to defend ourselves? 1) Intruder in occupied RV (e.g., late-night break-in). 2) Assault while out hiking (e.g., mugger). 3) Assault at the entry door (e.g., someone knocks on your door, yelling for help... then attacks you when you open the door). Let's start with the last scenario. If you fall into this trap, it's nobody's fault but your own. NEVER open the door to a stranger. Talk to them through the window, or better still, get an intercom and use it. For example, it's after dark when a woman pounds on your door screaming, "Please help me--he's going to kill me!" Your response: 1) Yell loudly "BOB--GET THE SHOTGUN, QUICK!" and 2) tell the woman you're calling the police right now (and do so). If you open the door, there's a good chance that the woman's male confederate, who's hiding nearby, will muscle his way into your coach, and you can guess what happens after that. (I'm not making this scenario up, by the way--it's an often-reported scam.) That leaves scenarios one and two: an intruder in your coach while you're there, or a mugging attempt. Well, from what I've been told, you really can't use pepper spray inside--you'll be as disabled as the attacker, or pretty nearly. Wasp spray or oven cleaner? Maybe, although you're going to do considerable damage to your interior. Ditto the fire extinguisher idea. And in any of these cases, it'll be no good unless you have the spray canister within arm's reach. Suppose somebody breaks in during the night. Do you keep a can of wasp spray next to your bed? Oven cleaner? No? I didn't think so. I do have a small fire extinguisher mounted on the ceiling above my overcab bed (do you?), so in an emergency I suppose I could use that, but I don't know how much of a deterrent it would be. And then there's the question of how the intruder is armed. Suppose you're sitting in your barrel chair reading, with your trusty can of wasp spray at your side, when a thug breaks in your door. OK, you're pointing the wasp spray at him... and he's pointing a gun at you. How much good will any kind of spray do you in that situation? Next, let's consider the outside scenario: you're hiking in a park or walking through a picturesque neighborhood when a mugger or a vicious dog accosts you. How likely is it that you can get to a can of wasp spray in time to defend yourself? Oven cleaner? Fire extinguisher? Think about it: those are BIG cans, and even if you could get a holster for one, you'd look mighty strange walking the streets with a can of oven cleaner on your belt. This is a situation where most experts recommend pepper spray. The canisters are small--as small as a fountain pen, in some cases--and easily carried without attracting unwanted attention. Contrary to what the chain-letter story about wasp spray alleges, a well-designed pepper spray canister has a range of at least 15 to 20 feet. (I know, because I've test-fired them as part of Dick Baleria's pepper spray certification course.) You do NOT have to get close enough to your assailant to risk being overpowered--far from it! If you're going to carry a defensive weapon with you when walking outside your rig, pepper spray is your best bet. My point here is that there are a lot of emails like this one in circulation, making plausible-sounding claims that may or may not apply to us RVers. Before you jump on this kind of bandwagon, THINK about how the proffered advice applies to your situation. What kinds of trouble are you most likely to run into? Exactly how would you use wasp spray (or whatever) in those situations? Would it really help?Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: personal safety idea Reply #9 – August 20, 2009, 11:07:43 pm Yahoo Message Number: 105102You're funny Andy. And sensible. We're lucky to have you!Cathi
Re: personal safety idea Reply #10 – August 20, 2009, 11:21:40 pm Yahoo Message Number: 105103Keep your keys in the ignition at all times, doors locked, curtains drawn and a pair of size 12 boots outside your door. Oh, and don't forget the 10" diameter bowl full of water next to the boots!!!!!Lorna Boone, NC
Re: personal safety idea Reply #11 – August 20, 2009, 11:28:09 pm Yahoo Message Number: 105105QuoteKeep your keys in the ignition at all times, doors locked, curtains drawn and a pair of size 12 boots outside your door. Oh, and don't forget the 10" diameter bowl full of water next to the boots!!!!! Lorna, you forgot the large spiked dog collar next to the water bowl and the note on the door that says: "Honey, the boa constrictor got loose again and I haven't been able to find him yet."Linda Hylton http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=1167 http://earl-linda.blogspot.com/
Re: personal safety idea Reply #12 – August 20, 2009, 11:52:50 pm Yahoo Message Number: 105107Another idea: I always travel with dogs. My problem is that they are all debarked so only have a half bark. But I did have a decal made (blue and white to match DD) that I have beside the front door handle that says "Please Knock. Dogs Inside". Although this is true, a stranger would not know that I don't have any dogs that will attack. But with this sign and several barking dogs (together they sound louder), it could be a deterrent. I've also known solo RVers that have had a recording made of big growling dogs that they have at the ready for any intruder outside situation. Of course, Lorna's big bowl of water and huge men's boots are good too..and you could add a large chain with a really big leather dog collar attached to the step. These days you can't be too careful.Keep safe out there!!Judy Wms.Blue '07 RB "Dog Daze" andWhite '09 Scion "Puppy Daze"And all the fur kids[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: personal safety idea Reply #13 – August 21, 2009, 12:03:28 am Yahoo Message Number: 105108Linda, you're always good for some great guffaws!!!!!!!Lorna
Re: personal safety idea Reply #14 – August 21, 2009, 12:20:31 am Yahoo Message Number: 105109Quote OK, we've heard four suggestions: pepper spray, wasp spray, oven cleaner spray, and a fire extinguisher. Let's put this into concrete terms, focusing on RV use. Andy Baird Thanks Andy...as always, mighty fine advice.Dick in HOT Ridgecrest, CA 05 RK
Re: personal safety idea Reply #15 – August 21, 2009, 12:59:20 am Yahoo Message Number: 105111Andy has made some excellent points and suggestions in message #105101. I'd like to add a personal warning to NEVER use hornet/wasp spray indoors. I made the mistake of trying to battle an aggressive bald-face hornet that was on a high ceiling in our house. I managed to kill it, but destroyed a good wooden table. The wasp spray just destroyed the surface. It will have to be refinished. (It's a nerve poison, by the way.) As far as personal defense sprays, like pepper spray, or bear spray go, they are not legal in all states. Massachusetts may be the only state that requires a FID (Firearms Identification Card) to buy and carry it, but some other states have restrictions, too. This article has the latest information I could find on the legality of carrying personal defense sprays in MA. http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/homepage/x1730895311/Proposed-legislation-woul\ d-eliminate-FID-requirement-for-Mace-pepper-sprayOr: http://tinyurl.com/kw8zpcThis is the application to apply for a FID in MA: http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/chsb/frb_fid_lic_app.pdfSharon N. Crossville, TN
Re: personal safety idea Reply #16 – August 21, 2009, 11:21:56 am Yahoo Message Number: 105116Right Lorna. I have read on here before, park your rig in a way the LD can be driven away immediately. Fortunately in five years, we have never felt threatened but we are aware of our surroundings. Suni[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: personal safety idea Reply #17 – August 21, 2009, 12:39:43 pm Yahoo Message Number: 105122Ditto, here in over 5 years of full-timing. Even in Mexicobest, paul"Thriving not surviving" - Paul Schaye (at 2008 NYC Marathon)
Re: personal safety idea Reply #18 – August 21, 2009, 02:05:57 pm Yahoo Message Number: 105125QuoteFortunately in five years, we have never felt threatened but we are aware of our surroundings We feel as safe camping as we do at home. I can emphasize with the concern of single women traveling, but I am not aware that the risks are really out there. The crime I hear about from the gun toting rangers have nothing to do with break ins or assaults on campers.Cheers, Don
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