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!

I lock my bedroom door so if someone tried to get in I'd hear them and be awake. I've a big ornamental knife hanging off my headboard within easy reach.
I had a friend years ago who beat a burglar black and blue, then dragged him out on to the street and called an ambulance for "an accident"

I don't now, but when we had a flurry of armed burglars booting their way through your front door with a sawn off and then taking your valuables about 10 years ago , I had a 6 cell Maglite behind most doors . When we thought we actually had someone in the house at night , DH sent me to go check - apparently I'm far scarier ....

I didn't sleep very well last night! I'm going to consider an arsenal of protection aids (for the sake of UK law) and dot them about the bedroom. Brilliant answers...looks like I'm in the minority but not for long!( Fantasises about giving it to em with both barrels) reality is we live in the quietest lowest crime rate area in the UK so I think I'm over planning slightly!!

Ive got a recording on my phone of a what sounds like a very large dog barking and is very realistic. If i hear a weird noise i play it and shout something like "Shut up Brutus"
I also keep a old dogs dish by the back door.
Is probably useless but am hoping that if someone thinks there is a possibility of a massive dog in the house then they would pick somewhere else just incase

I haven’t got a weapon as such, but if someone got past the dog, the exceptionally creaky stairs would wake me up and, at the top of the stairs, I keep a 5ft wooden stick with a big metal hook on it for opening the loft hatch. It could do some damage if poked at an intruder! That or the fire extinguisher on the landing! Plus I have a walking stick at the side of the bed which I would happily use to fend someone off. I’d like to think I’d be sensible in the event of a burglar and quietly ring the police, but, in reality, if I thought my son was in danger, I would go completely crazy at them.

Gillian1980
Dh is tall, well built, hairy and covered in tattoos! If anyone saw him naked and angry with his weapon they'd shit themselves!

That sounds rather risky.. 😆

There are two types of break in, broadly speaking. The people who want to sneak in, quietly ransack your house for easy-to-lift electronics, cash, car keys etc, then make a speedy get away. Not likely to go into your room solo, or seek conflict, but realistically likely to be fitter than your average homeowner. If it comes to it, they'll either run when they see you- which they'll do if you have a weapon or not- or use whatever level of violence they have to to escape. My dad was knocked to the ground by burglars like this- they didn't want to hurt him but he was standing between them and the door. I honestly think if he was carrying say a baseball bat they would have given him a thump with it on their way out.

The other kind is the home invasion, people who want certain things and are prepared to threaten and injure to get them. Sadly know people this happened to- they run a business and the assumption was they'd have a safe. They were threatened, tied up, and lightly injured. Again, if they had tried to resist, I think they could have been killed.

I have a phone by the bed and a bolt on our bedroom door, as well as all alarms being on and security lights front and back. There is no way I would allow a weapon in our bedroom- seriously: you're confused and half asleep and naked, they're pumped full of adrenaline with eyes adjusted to the light and a fight or flight instinct. Even if you were a ninja you're starting out at a huge disadvantage in that situation, and you don't know if they have another mate outside the door.

I agree a large burley husband might make people run away (and I'm lucky I have one of those!) but I'm under no illusion a weapon would do anything other than raise our likelihood of being seriously injured.

I think all the people who imagine they can overcome an intruder are kidding themselves, and in some cases potentially opening themselves up for prosecution (oh yes the pepper spray was by the bed as I like to season my weekend eggs on toast with it.....) I'd rather spend those seconds ringing 999.

I would throw my "gentle on eyes" eye makeup remover on their face.... that shit will blind them.

gentle on eyes remover

Ornamental giant sword here.
Also a plethora of bats/cosh type things.
Due to the layout of our house - we couldn't get all the DCs and hide quickly so we'd have to just die trying.

*disclaimer - this would only be in a horror film ambush murderous home invasion type shit.
If they just want the car keys, happy to play dead in the bed til they leave

I'm very paranoid about being attacked and carry a fold up knife if I'm out walking .

When I lived alone I kept a knife In my bedside draw. We now have a cricket bat by the front door. We live in the middle of nowhere but dh insists on it. I know I sound mad and I don't keep knives around the house anymore!

I have a baseball bat under my side of the bed. Indefensible as a routine piece of bedroom decor.

I would only try using it in a surprise attack though, catching a lone burglar off guard somehow. If a burglar entered my bedroom, I'd try to keep to non-violence (it's not visible).

Castle Doctrine state law gives me the right to use non-deadly force such as pepper spray on trespassers, AppalachianWalzing.

I could legally shoot them dead, as long as I gave them a warning. But I'm not going to.

Claw hammer.
Easy to swing, justify and do debilitating damage.

I've had a rib broken by a burglar and all I could manage to do was spray him with hair mousse.
(Was years ago)

Have once been in a room when two burglars entered, I talked my way out of trouble. Reckon my chances of achieving anything useful by physical violence would be absolutely zilch so would rather not go down that route. With a baseball bat you would have to be sure of hitting hard enough to knock them out, otherwise they'd just have it off you and use it on you. I couldn't be sure of that. But I am a great talker.

No weapons here but I've got a gob like a foghorn, so everyone in a 10mile radius would be woken by my screaming! I also have a seriously loud and vicious 3yo DS

I think having a spare hammer to hand in the bedroom is a good idea as you could use it to break a window in a fire if you couldn't go downstairs to get out. Our bedroom window is generally locked and our landing window doesn't open.

Right out to buy a spare " bedroom hammer" tomorrow.

Re an intrude - I have a landline phone right by my bed so would call police first. My mobile is often flat at night as I too scared of fire to charge it overnight by my bed. Hmm I sense a theme here...
Anyway new hammer might be my plan B for an intruder if the police don't arrive in time.

When I lived in a very rough area I kept a bat under the bed. No idea what I would have done with it mind

My DH works away a lot and I used to have a guitar in an arms reach, as my weapon of defence! That was about 4 years ago, I don't have anything now! Never sure what I thought I would have achieved waving a guitar over someone's head 😂