[Closed] Do you keep a weapon handy at home

this does the job

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My wife used to suggest I keep my cricket bat handy near the bed after we moved to oz. I did point out that if I had cause to use it in the hallway, I'd have to ask the intruder to step back outside so I'd have room to swing the thing. Not exactly practical! 😆

Only needed one once. Lived in a student house in Reading. Had a break in, was sure he had gone but my housemate thought she heard a noise and sent me to investigate. Only 'weapon: to hand was my chain whip, 8" steel bar with12" if chain on the end. Looked scarier than it was,likely to have done more damage to my knuckles than to him. Fortunately I was right and he had gone.
Have climbing gear in the bedroom so an ice axe is readily at hand but has never been called upon for this and I don't expect it to be.

The risk of burglary is statistically pretty low too but any sensible person should lock their doors, add security lights...perhaps an alarm.

Yes of course, all very sensible and advisable actions but that is a world apart from what some are suggesting on this thread.

And how far do you take it? Do you have a weapon in the car too? Or just under the bed? What about when you are walking home from the pub? What about if a mugger jumps out and threatens you and yours?

And finally, I've never been much of a fighter, I doubt that a baseball bat in my hands would change that.

What about when you are walking home from the pub? What about if a mugger jumps out and threatens you and yours?

In the old days you could carry cane that concealed a handy sword for dispatching said blaggard in such a situation.

I have only suffered attempted mugging twice, once by two men with a knife who after my continued insistence I had nothing worth stealing on me which I did not gave up, this was pre mobile phone.

Another time a teenager approached me with a Rottweiler and said if I did not give him my money he would set his dog on me, I responded by petting his dog which was as soppy as shite. To which he started shouting don't stroke my dog Before walking off swearing under his breath.

Though I do have Marmite at the foot of the bed.

Pretty sure he is the antithesis of the food product. Who could hate him? Looks ace.

Bianchi-Boy - Member

The risk of burglary is statistically pretty low too but any sensible person should lock their doors, add security lights...perhaps an alarm.

And how far do you take it? Do you have a weapon in the car too? Or just under the bed? What about when you are walking home from the pub? What about if a mugger jumps out and threatens you and yours?

The same logic doesn't apply because a mugger (rationally speaking) has no reason to assume that you have all of your worldly possessions on you and that you will be in a position to hand them over if they just leverage enough force/threat of force.

Similarly with a car you can give them the car, no car thief is then (rationally) going to decide to torture you for possessions you might have hidden in the car.

And finally, I've never been much of a fighter, I doubt that a baseball bat in my hands would change that.

It might not for a lot of people, I'm just trying to explain why some people might decide to have some form of weapon around the home for a worst case scenario.

People answer the door when they’re not expecting someone? There’s your problem.

I have a PR 24 under the bed and an old gerber lock blade in the bedside cabinet drawer which I got from a PX. They will never leave the house and I pray that I never have to use either. I never had anything before jnr came along. Couldn't give a stuff about possessions, they can have them. I doubt I'd use either unless someone decided to climb the stairs.

The same logic doesn't apply

Don't be silly, of course it does. The question (managed or perceived risk assessment) is not about the circumstances. It is about the value to you of what is threatened. Child/watch collection/boyfriend/girlfriend)

You are up in the bedroom (your scenario) and you have to decide how to protect you and yours. Or you are in the car and you have to decide how to protect you and yours. Or you are on the street and you have to decide how to protect you and yours. How you react is your decision. Fight or flight. It's pretty basic.

The same logic doesn't apply because a mugger (rationally speaking) has no reason to assume that you have all of your worldly possessions on you

So do you go out tooled up ready for any thieving scumbag/mugger that might cross your path or do you just go out and have a nice night with the lady/bloke that you love?

Anyway, I'm out of this silliness. I do not think I am Rambo, I love my family and look after them, and I have spent 12 years writing risk ass plans for HRO and Indeterminate Sentence for Public Protection Off plans so what do I know?

I think I would play free form jazz very loudly.

If it didn't drive them away it has the effect of making me very, very angry.

Any you wouldn't like me when I'm angry.

Bianchi-Boy - Member

The same logic doesn't apply

Don't be silly, of course it does. The question (managed or perceived risk assessment) is not about the circumstances. It is about the value to you of what is threatened. Child/watch collection/boyfriend/girlfriend)

Only if you break it down into the most grossly basic components.

You are up in the bedroom (your scenario) and you have to decide how to protect you and yours. Or you are in the car and you have to decide how to protect you and yours. Or you are on the street and you have to decide how to protect you and yours. How you react is your decision. Fight or flight. It's pretty basic.

In your house with your family you in a certain sense trapped. Flight is not really a realistic option unless you feel you can some how evade or stun the intruder, collect your family members then flee your house into the night.

In your car or in the street there are obviously a myriad of potential hypothetical situations but flight is probably a more realistic option in most scenarios. Especially in a car. You're trying to dismiss any validity or rationality for having something to hand in the house by making a fallacious comparison with the rest of normal life.

so what do I know?

Well I guess you know that a mugging is different from a burglary at least.

Well, here at home I have a bunch of nice sharp kitchen knives, in my living room I have a couple of wicker baskets, one of which has several axes in it along with other sharp blades which I sometimes use for carving, behind the couch is a walking stick with a carved harpy eagle head on the top which could cause some damage, especially the hooked beak, and upstairs, and more useful, I have a number of very bright flashlights with strobe functions which would prove highly distracting to anyone sneaking up the stairs.
There’s also the Kukhri my dad was given by a Gurkha out in Singapore after he was released from Changi, the blade is a bit corroded, and the sheath has come apart and needs restoration, but it’s bastard sharp, and as it’s designed as a close-quarters combat weapon, highly effective on anyone coming up the stairs who wouldn’t be able to see anyone in any of the upstairs rooms, or standing behind the bannister rail at the top...
I’d be perfectly prepared to use it, from the higher defensive position the advantage is all mine.
There’s also a small block of metal I obtained from somewhere as a paperweight, that’s remarkably heavy for its size, no idea what it is, could be tungsten, but just dropping it on an intruders head would cause him to take stock of the situation.
Once he wakes up, probably in A&E...

I have a keyboard under the bed, aint nobody gonna mess with a keyboard warrior!!!!!!

Have we heard from Muddydwarf yet?
🙂

People answer the door when they’re not expecting someone? There’s your problem

Just shoot them on the lawn before they get to the door...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Yoshihiro_Hattori