[charliej47]

:comeandgetsome: I live in the country about two miles out of town. Depending on the deputy location response can be anywhere from 10 minutes to over an hour with all of the cut backs. I always keep my doors locked. (The wife and I have some dis-agreemement on this.)

If I'm up I am armed. I carry cambered.

Any time I go to the door I always check to see that the weapon will free the holster and that the safety is on. I always check to see who is there before I unlock and open the door.

If I don't hear the knock or the doorbell my best bud will let me know that something strange is going on and I immediately go to RED until I can verify the status.

If I don't see anything and it is night time, being as paranoid as I am I will do a perimeter check with weapon in hand.:theyareontome:

 

[Bark'n]

Sounds like you have a system. Your wife really needs to get on the same page and get on board with keeping the doors locked 24/7.

Home invasions are serious crimes and usually end very ugly. Home invasions are also on the rise. ESPECIALLY in rural communities where law enforcement is sparse.

One thing about being a member here is that we have something like 6 or 7 thousand active members from all over the country. You will see posted frequently all the crimes going on that you won't see on your local news or newspaper. Our members are pretty good and quick to post what's going on in the news, whether its a home invasion or otherwise.

There was a rural family in Illinois in the last month slaughtered in their home. 3 or 4 people dead. Very rural farm area 90 miles from closest big city so No One is immune.

I hope you can get your wife to come around soon to the importance of being secure in the home, keeping it locked up, even in daytime. She needs to appreciate the importance of working together as a team, rather than butting heads.

I lived on 60 acres for over 12 years in a very rural area. About 5 miles outside of town. And the town had population of 144. (not a thriving metropolis) Our house set about 150 yards off the road, at the top of a hill. We held the high ground! All our neighbors in the area had houses right on the road. So, I know you can't always call the police for every situation which gets your curiosity up outside your house... But, you need to be very careful checking your perimeter by yourself. Especially at night. Don't be in a hurry to go out there. Often times, sitting still and listening for a period of time will let you know if you need to investigate further. Letting a dog outside first before venturing out yourself will usually let you know if danger is close. I know you don't want anything to happen to your dog, but his purpose is to alert you to danger. Develop a system for checking perimeter and be careful going around corners and other potential points of ambush.

Thanks for posting your situation. I think you are doing pretty well as long as you can convince your wife to be safety conscious and more serious about security.

Also, exterior lighting is always a good investment. Solar powered flood lights with motion sensors are pretty reasonably priced these days.

 

[Katana]

It sounds like you're doing pretty well there. I guess the only thing I'd be concerned about is your perimeter checks. Do you do them alone?

No ones got eyes in the back of their head, and if someone was out there wanting to do you harm, you'd need them if you're out there by yourself.

Btw, knowing Middletown like I do (sitting at the Stony Ridge truckstop off of 75 as I type this), you're not paranoid. I hate being here overnight unarmed.

 

[cwblanco]

Don't forget your trip flares and trip alarms for your perimeter defense. Alternate the times for your perimeter inspections. Wear black or camouflage to avoid detections. Practice good night light discipline. Make certain that your claymores are set with clackers plugged in. Wait a minute -- I ain't in Vietnam no more.

 

[MadMac]

This has been hashed out here several times.

Personally, I simply do not answer the door unless:

1) I initiated the visit - e.g., the appliance repair guy I called, or
2) it is someone I know intimately, e.g. family member, friend, or close neighbor.

Everyone else gets left on the porch until they walk away.

If you don't fall into one of those two categories, there is no value in me answering the door to talk with you.

A couple years ago here in my very quiet and upscale suburban town, a retired man in his 60's opened the door to a young man with blood on his face seeking assistance. The Good Samaritan was attacked and beaten after opening is door, and then his wife was chased out the back door and sexually assaulted. Neighbors stood and watched in horror while dialing 911.

Your perimeter check sounds like an unnecessary risk. Granted, you are armed, but you are alone in the dark. I'd stay behind my locked doors after dark. No sense going looking for trouble unless it comes to you and yours.

 

[Siddhartha]

I lived in the woods for a few years, one plus we had was the ability to target practice on our property. When you live at the end of the road and see cars come up and down the road that shouldnt and have no business there, well we had some targets set up on the old barn(away from the direction of the road, always know your target and whats behind it), a couple of rounds into the barn everyday and word gets around to stay away cause those guys are crazy. Add some spent brass on the porch, they get the point........

 

[SIXTO]

I'd hate to live as a prisoner in my own home. This thread is kinda sad really.

 

[MadMac]

I'd hate to live as a prisoner in my own home. This thread is kinda sad really.

I don't feel like a prisoner at all - my home is my sanctuary. I travel constantly, am meeting new people almost daily, and take multiple "mini-vacations" each year with my wife now that we're empty nesters.

When I am in my home, I have no desire to waste time with Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormon missionaries, magazine salesmen, census workers, Boy Scout/Girl Scout beggars, nosy neighbors, pitchmen, trick-or-treaters, or the random psycho or potential burglar.

Perhaps you have Playboy bunnies and people who give you money ringing your doorbell, but I think I accurately categorized every single doorbell ringer I have had in 20 years - except for the ding-dong-ditch-it kids going through their teeny-bopper stage.

Unless it's a nice neighbor standing at my door with a pan of brownies or a jug of homemade eggnog, I leave them there until they leave.

 

[Deanimator]

I don't carry in the house, but am never far from a loaded firearm.

I NEVER answer the door without a firearm in my hand or in my pocket.

 

[Deanimator]

I'd hate to live as a prisoner in my own home. This thread is kinda sad really.

I'd hate to get murdered because I wore rose colored glasses 24/7.

 

[TX-JB]

I'd hate to get murdered because I wore rose colored glasses 24/7.

I don't think he's wearing rose colored glasses...He's also not spending his life hiding behind locked doors...

 

[Random]

Home invasions are serious crimes and usually end very ugly. Home invasions are also on the rise. ESPECIALLY in rural communities where law enforcement is sparse.

I keep hearing that, and I totally believe it, but does anyone have any stats to back it up? (I did a quick google check - nothing very useful)

 

[Random]

This has been hashed out here several times.

Personally, I simply do not answer the door unless:

1) I initiated the visit - e.g., the appliance repair guy I called, or
2) it is someone I know intimately, e.g. family member, friend, or close neighbor.

Everyone else gets left on the porch until they walk away.

Wish I could do that. I live in a rental. There is no peephole, and no window that I can look out to see who's there.

 

[Majorlk]

I don't carry in the house, but am never far from a loaded firearm.

I NEVER answer the door without a firearm in my hand or in my pocket.

That's how I do it. When I lived in Houston (near Hobby Airport) my 18 1/8" barreled Winchester 1300 w/extended magazine tube was the "butler" of choice. It's still my primary in-the-middle-of-the-night gun.

 

[sigmanluke]

I agree with SIXTO....sounds like a prisoner to me. Don't get me wrong, I keep my doors locked all day, unless I'm outside in my yard. I don't mind answereing my door most of the time, there are times when I choose no to. There are times when I wish my wife would choose not to answer the door, but that is a different story.

I am another that is armed when not in bed, and I think the OP is doing pretty well. I don't think the perimiter checks are the best idea, the dog is good for that. Also, doing the perimiter checks with gun in hand....sounds like an accident waiting to happen. JMHO YMV

 

[Majorlk]

Wish I could do that. I live in a rental. There is no peephole, and no window that I can look out to see who's there.

Most commercial rental units I've seen have them. If the landlord/manager won't install a peep, I'd do it myself.

 

[varob]

I keep hearing that, and I totally believe it, but does anyone have any stats to back it up? (I did a quick google check - nothing very useful)

In a lot of rural counties, sometimes there are only a couple of deputies on the road. This has to increase response times.

There are also the four legged criminals. Some a few pounds and others can be a few hundred pounds.

 

[MadMac]

Most commercial rental units I've seen have them. If the landlord/manager won't install a peep, I'd do it myself.

Speaking as a landlord, I have these in my rental units, and would gladly provide them if they weren't there. They are cheap and easy to install. A small price to pay for peace of mind.

 

[surefire7]

When I moved from a small town in Missouri to Colorado, I was pretty naive and trusting. I would answer the door whenever the doorbell rang. Once, I was alone and opened the door to a nice 20-something man selling magazines...invited him into the house.:nono: He sold me the subscription and left. It was a fake subscription but the only thing I lost was the money for the subscription.:embarassed: I shudder now to think what COULD have happened. This was all before my" awakening" to SD and CCWs( thanks to my husband ) and now I live in yellow; I'm not paranoid, just prepared and alert. Thank heavens I was given a chance to become aware, things could have ended up VERY badly. Stay armed and stay safe!:hand10:

 

[C Paul Lincoln]

I also live in a rural area, with response times up to 45 minutes. My driveway is about 800 feet long, uphill, and very clearly marked with no trespassing and "survivors will be prosecuted" signs a friend made for me. Still, I get the occasional uninvited idiot that can't seem to read or understand I don't want to be bothered.

In the past, I've had salesmen, curious cityfied morons (my appologies to those who live in town), census types, and of course hunters and fishermen. I especially enjoyed the fishermen who drove up with a boat in tow at 5 a.m. to ask permission to launch from my property. And the guy from Nielson Ratings who -- when asked if he understood "no trespassing" -- said he didn't think I would mind, because, after all, he is from the Nielson company.

It is rare for me to have "visitors" after dark, but I have motion detector lights that flood the driveway and all the area in front of the house, while I am in the dark on the second floor. I do lock my doors at night now, whereas 10 years ago I didn't. And, I try to be a bit unpredicatable -- sometimes I close the gate when I'm there, and sometimes I leave it open when I'm gone.

My best defensive tactic, I think, is that I openly carry around my property including any time I am down near the road. If I stop to talk to fishermen on my property, I'm open carrying. If I'm on the tractor mowing the roadside, I'm open carrying. If somebody comes up my road without permission, I'm open carrying (and certainly have a rifle nearby). By now, I have a reputation as the crazy guy on the hill who might be home and is always armed, or might come home while you're there uninvited and is always armed.

I do think that going outside alone at night to investigate noises is a risk, but by the same notion I can't call the sheriff to do that without good cause. I usually give it a few minutes after the lights activate, to see if there is additional movement. I then use my floodlight from the upstairs windows, which allows me to see all but a few blind corners. If I'm still concerned, I go out with shotgun or AR in hand and 1911 on hip.

Oh, and finally -- I don't think I am a "prisoner" in my own home in the least. I live in a beautiful place and the rural nature gives me the freedom to do things that many in town cannot. Being responsible for my own home security is a small price for that freedome.

Sorry for the long post -- just "wordy" tonight!!:embarassed:

C Paul Lincoln