Self defence spray/pepper spray

[TearsAndTeats]

Can’t stop thinking about those people on the train, armed only with a jack Daniel’s bottle waiting for the carriage doors to open.

i know pepper spray is illegal, but why? Should it be?

genuinely looking for reassurance, debate etc. I’d feel much better having a directional spray. I know women who DIY “bug spray” etc to carry around with them when walking dogs alone, but the wind etc makes these not appealing.

i really think pepper spray should be legal in the UK.

@Simonjt I don't think anyone is saying deep heat is comparable to pepper spray, and you say it's pointless to carry, but actually in a complete emergency situation (which we'd hope to never be in) it's about disorientating someone even momentarily to be able to run or get away or do something else. Tbh hairspray or any type of spray could probably do the same

It is very concerning, I believe the rise in fear will lead to more and more 'ordinary' people carrying weapons of some kind. Fear makes rationality fly out of the window.

I had a heated discussion with a friend this morning. She was trying to explain to me about a punch knife, able to be used by an untrained person for defence and can be made from materials that don't set off security scanners.

I don't believe this is the answer and will lead to more deaths.

But I cannot deny her genuine fear that the police will not protect her or her children because it is true. In the middle of the woods, a random towns street or on a train that doesn't luckily pull into a station right next to an armed police station and hospital, she is right. The police likely wouldn't be able to save her in time.

She is adamant she would rather take the risk of being charged for carrying a weapon, than the risk of her daughter being murdered in front of her and being unable to do anything with her bare hands.

We need far more police. We need more armed police. We need to SEE the increased police presence everywhere we go. No weapons should be allowed to be carried, even for religious reasons.

Or we may be sleep walking in to a disaster.

@PreciousTatas exactly. I dont want to see a rise in people carrying weapons either but until we have more security/assurances what else are people going to do?

You cannot blame people for not wanting to end up as another crime statistic.

A mini can of hairspray is something mentioned in a self defence course. I've never had it in my eyes so can't say if it's effective though

I'm not sure how I feel about it. I worry that increasing the number of people armed in someway probably just increases the risk of injury/harm overall. That said I think it's silly to suggest legalising pepper spray would lead to criminals using it. They are already armed illegally and presumably don't shy away from pepper spray simply because it's illegal!

I'd massively prefer the jack Daniels bottle in a dodgy situation! A full, sealed glass bottle is as effective as a baseball bat in confined conditions. I've seen plenty of split heads with one of them and plenty of people attack through pepper spray...

I've watched someone cause life changing injuries with a frying pan, to be fair, you can't predict what someone will use as a weapon.

This is the same impulse that leads teenagers to take knives to school to feel safe. It’s a dumb idea for them - and for anyone else. The chances of needing it to thwart a violent attack are virtually nonexistent.

Jif lemon (the plastic things) or hairspray is effective for some things. 👍

Americans can legally carry lethal weapons around with them, and there is no issue with violence & mass murder over there.

Yeah….I live in the US, in an open carry state. It’s perfectly normal to walk into a supermarket or a petrol station and the person in front has a gun on their hip.
I’m not a gun owner and don’t want to be. (My husband is).
But I do carry a key chain that has my car/house keys on it, along with a taser, pepper spray, several stabby tools and a very loud personal alarm.
The only reason I feel the need to carry that is because there’s a good chance everyone else around me is also carrying some form of weapon 🫠

Legally grey areas
Certain self-defence sprays: Products like Farbgel defence spray are sometimes marketed as legal alternatives to pepper spray. However, their legality is not definitively confirmed by the courts, and a police officer could still arrest you for carrying one until the product's legality is verified.

Just something I read, I think legally anything that is carried with the idea of being used as a weapon of self defence is a grey area.

I despair at the state of the world.

Purchased this today to carin my handbag

Fuck right off with this the authorities can't protect us bullshit

I didn’t know about the legal status but having been at threat the main thing is it’s quite difficult to do something in the moment.

So if people have access to pepper spray what’s to stop criminals using it to attack and mug people? What happens if an attacker takes your spray and turns it on you?

CS gas possession isn't a nominal crime ,it's classed as a firearm and carries minimum five year sentence iirc.

Apologies six months minimum sentence but can go to ten years but I doubt that would be applied.

Exactly this.

Also, how often do you hear of mass shooters in the US being stopped by members of the public carrying guns? It just doesnt help.

I have one and I'm glad I do!

I've had CS gas used on me.

It creates a feeling that you can't breathe and provokes an overwhelming desire to get away. Which is why it is effective.

You could not use it on a train as you'd incapacitate yourself and everyone elsse as well as the attacker.

Even if you did have a spray or weapon on you, you are unlikely to be able to access it quickly and use it before getting attacked or having it used against you.

in what way are we not being protected by our authorities?

I have pepper spray in my handbag (not UK). I travel alone a lot and my DH thought it would be a good idea. To this day, I don't know how to use it and don't want to practice because it's bloody pepper spray so it just sits there in my handbag. Honestly, if I needed to use it, I'd have to spend about 10 minutes rummaging through my handbag to find it anyway. I would be the epitome of, "Hang on! Don't kill me yet. I've just got to find something...."

Exactly! All of these silly people carrying around deep heat spray... I guarantee the first and only time you will use it will be when you apply it to your sore shoulder! It's brilliant stuff to be fair, and it does no harm living at the bottom of your handbag. You will never, ever, use it to disarm a criminal however

Very good, I might copy that. I love spicy food.