sassenach Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 I'm thinking of getting DD one of these. https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Personal-EXTREME-Premium-Portable/dp/B077BVDNMX/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1513788919&sr=8-3&keywords=personal+alarm She works into the wee hours of the night on a regular basis and her parking can sometimes be a walk from her house. Do any of you have experience with these? are they effective? safe? In one sense, this seems like it would definitely take someone off guard. The only thing that makes me hesitate is that if they had a weapon, they might be surprised into using it. I'm not sure if that's a rational fear or not. Then the alternative would be what? Pepper spray? Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 I used that in college. It is only effective when there were people looking out for me. If it is an isolated area and no one is going to be on the look out, then it is not going to be of much help. It’s like car alarms, people have unfortunately become desensitized to those. However if the neighborhood watch was on the lookout for car thieves, they would react to car alarms to at least verify if someone's car was hacked/broken into. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicJen Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 When I was in that situation I carried pepper spray. I got it at a large sporting goods store. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 I'm going for keychain weapons in the stockings this year. Happy holidays, y'all! My dds are just as likely to pepper spray themselves and innocent bystanders as attackers, so that's a no-go. Also, if it doesn't completely incapacitate the attacker, they are going to be pissed. I think alarms are better than nothing but not great - people are likely to react slowly, because they hear alarms all the time, and when they do react it's difficult to tell where the sound is coming from. So, keychain weapons or other small, handheld weapons meant to be used at close range can be a good choice. She should have her keys out already anyway (and a key does make a pretty good alternative weapon). Basically, you want something that gives her a few seconds to run and scream if grabbed. Search terms to get an idea of what's available: keychain weapon, tactical pen weapon, kubaton, pocket stick. A small, strong flashlight can also be a very effective handheld weapon, with the added bonus of lighting her way, if she will consistently use it. Keychain weapons are popular because you always have it with you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 (edited) Got DD one for college. Those suckers are loud! I don't think it could ever be mistaken for a car alarm, and it sounds so different I definitely think it would attract attention or scare someone off. It hurts your ears, really! Edited December 21, 2017 by goldberry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in SJ Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 I made my college age dds carry pepper spray after taking the class and they would occasionally practice in the backyard hitting the archery target already out there. Amber in SJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 I'm going for keychain weapons in the stockings this year. Happy holidays, y'all! My dds are just as likely to pepper spray themselves and innocent bystanders as attackers, so that's a no-go. Also, if it doesn't completely incapacitate the attacker, they are going to be pissed. I think alarms are better than nothing but not great - people are likely to react slowly, because they hear alarms all the time, and when they do react it's difficult to tell where the sound is coming from. So, keychain weapons or other small, handheld weapons meant to be used at close range can be a good choice. She should have her keys out already anyway (and a key does make a pretty good alternative weapon). Basically, you want something that gives her a few seconds to run and scream if grabbed. Search terms to get an idea of what's available: keychain weapon, tactical pen weapon, kubaton, pocket stick. A small, strong flashlight can also be a very effective handheld weapon, with the added bonus of lighting her way, if she will consistently use it. Keychain weapons are popular because you always have it with you. I like the idea of the keychain weapons. If you bought yours online, do you have a link for them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64923/ Here is one. Those ears look dangerous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 What about a stun gun thing? Or a more practical solution, like possibly walking with coworkers to the lot after work, or reparking closer to the store on a break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Indeed Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 My daughters have pepper spray, carry larger pocket knives, and have keychain weapons. One Dd has a tool called black cat, and the other a similar version but a dog. Self protection and training is very important to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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