to think that keeping a weapon under one's bed is futile?

[Barkybarkynutnut]

Just want to get others perspective on this. I have been surprised that quite a few of my friends have a weapon under their beds of some description of another! I never have even considered it. Am I foolish not to have something to hand to hit an intruder with? The thoughts of having to keep a baseball bat or something under the bed terrifies me!

If you couldn't use it don't keep one. It would be far more likely to be used against you, so you're probably better off planning a hiding place / escape route instead.

I can't really see the point. If someone is going to go so far as to break into your bedroom, the chances are high that they are also going to take the weapon from you and use it against you.

I agree with pp that I would worry it was used against me. I sleep like a log so doubt I would hear anyone... Just shocked that a few female friends keep knives or bats by their bedside. Maybe they are the exception???

Well, I used to. Then I got older and came to the reluctant conclusion that a woman in her forties is unlikely to come out the winner in a fight with a man in his twenties say, no matter what the weapon,so my new plan is to get out as fast as possible.

I don't know anyone in UK that does this. I agree it would probably be used on you by the intruder.
SIL did not UK until her Dh came back early from trip, tried to sneak in the bedroom to go to bed thinking she was fast asleep. He heard the shot gun rack and had to hurry to make himself known before she fired in the direction of the door. They stopped keeping it under the bed after that, they had no kids back then.

I kept a hockey stick down the side of my bed for ages, my Grandad had a hammer!

I have a hockey stick.

I could totally use it, too.

(Not just as a hockey stick, I know which bits of Mr Burglar to aim for.)

If someone broke into my house while my son is asleep and completely trusting in his environment then God help them.

I owuldn't bloody be able to reach it. my bed is high and my coordination shite.

My stress farts when suddenly oken up are worse than pepper spray, mind!

Third person with a hockey stick. I would be fully capable of using it as a weapon. Our hockey matches were very St Trinians.

Not at all, I keep a wheel nut thing(wrench?) in my bedside drawer!
Think it's stems back to being burgled when I was a child, utterly terrifying and it's still with me 28 years later.
A weapon is better than no weapon I say.

No bat under the bed but a rottweiler in the utility. . .

Makes more sense in the UK to keep a phone there rather than a weapon... call the police for help and then hide/get out!

I think a dog is a better idea too Winteriscoming, not that I have one.

My plan is to cause a trip hazard with my floordrobe and slow them down. Then go for their eyes with Olbas oil. Sorted.

I had one. A big long metal stick. It was actually the long handle from my child's trike and as it had a handle on the end I figured it would be harder to get off me (I gave this a lot of thought! 😂)
My husband had a stalker and often worked nights, leaving us alone in the house. Someone he dated for a few months 15 years ago (amicable split as teens when she left for Uni) found him on FB last year, chatted a bit and went from 'polite catch up' to completely fucking crazy in about a week. Over the next couple of months, she called his work (listed on his FB) pretending to be the police, sent me nasty messages, told him a mutual friend knew for certain that our DC weren't his (they have no mutual friends and he barely remembers her and the DC are most certainly DH's!) she even invented a child they had together and demanded 14 years back child support. The police and her parents have confirmed the child does not exist. She also sent our daughter messages telling her DH wasn't her real daddy. Turns out she's done it before to another man. Eek!

Sentencing is in November.

Yep. I had a big metal stick and wouldn't have thought twice about sticking that psychotic bitch right through the neck if she had entered my home where my three babies were.

Major I just nearly wet myself!!
Olbas oil - the single woman's security aid. .

I keep a dog under my bed and I'm not afraid to use him.

Though whether he qualifies as a weapon is not certain.

I lock my bedroom door at night and keep a can of spray, car keys and mob beside me in the bed. My first reaction to being burgled, would be to jump out the window, but I'll have to bring my cat with me as well, and my car keys. Blimey, maybe I'll just install a panic room, it'd be the easier option!

The legality of the weapons is also questionable according to my police officer friend. You must have a reason to own e.g. a baseball bat and have all the other paraphernalia otherwise it's classed as an offensive weapon.

I would think a hammer is ok though because everyone has one and that's completely normal to own.
I don't have anything at home but do have a tyre iron within easy reach should I break down somewhere dodgy in my car

My husband has pick axe handle under his side of the bed. If he heard anyone coming up the stairs he'd be out there with it like a shot. Dd bedroom is before ours and therefore likely to be entered before ours by an intruder. He plans on intervening if it ever happens.

Dh is tall, well built, hairy and covered in tattoos! If anyone saw him naked and angry with his weapon they'd shit themselves!

Despite playing hockey 30 years ago I am under no illusions that I am any match for the kind of headcase that would break into my bedroom so given that any weapon I might have would probably be used against me I have none. I do admire all of the street hardened mafiosa on here though - how thrilling.

I have two large greyhounds. They're soft as anything but I know from previous experience they would defend me and DD if they thought there was danger, plus they have the bonus of not being able to be used against me and not requiring any strength in my shoulder (waiting for an op to fix it).
Personally before I had them I kept a can of defense spray (farb gel) next to the bed I lived in a rough area

Not now, but when I lived overseas I kept a knife under my pillow and actually need to brandish it. I’m a big brown woman, nearly 5 7, and was in a country where most men aren’t my size - the guy ran off sharpish. Wouldn’t do it here.

I toy with the idea. My scenarios involve me hiding (light sleeper) then whacking intruder with weapon & then escaping. We have an alarm now though so I should get a warning.

I used to as a single person although i agree it is hit and miss whether it ends up being turned against you or not but i liked to think the option was there should i ever need it. I always slept (7th floor flat) with the full metal door locked and the key left in the lock so i would have been woken by anyone potentially getting in and jf anyone was in my flat it certainly wasnt for a social visit.

Now i no longer live alone i have nothing of the sort near me, a mistaken identity incident isnt even worth thinking about.