[justherenow]

So today, I was at home off work for the holiday. I was waiting on someone and looking out the front window when a guy on a bikecycle, I have never seen rides by the house. My house is on the corner, right next to a major 4 lay highway in the area. I see him lift his bike over the fence separating the neighborhood from an exit ramp when he jumps the fence. He then looks back right at me and yells "what the :banned: are you looking at" and I pay no attention, he makes a few gestures and yells a bit more. I dont know what his problem is/was, I just know he had some issues. He ended up riding off while giving me the bird and yelling a few more things I could not understand, all because I was inside my home looking at the window, and I admit, I did make eye contact due to his strange behavior.

Had he started to come back towards my house, I would have quickly shut and locked my front door and called for the LEO's which I am sure would have been here in an hour or 2 (sarcasm, they actually get to priority calls pretty fast in my city).

Had he done that, and made it inside my home, I would have been $%^& up the creek w/o a paddle as I do not have any type of home defense currently since I am still waiting to get my firearm out of layaway. To top it off, I do have a child in the home, so my priority would have been to protect him first.

I just thought I would throw out what could have been an encounter in my neck of the woods, food for thought.

 

[Stirling XD]

It sure is sad that you can't look out your own window without ticking someone off. At least nothing escalated past the verbal stage.

There are more tools for self-defense than firearms. OC spray is cheap compared to a most guns. Tasers are a little more expensive, yet very useful. And let's not forget that some of the more popular urban defensive tools: Louisville Slugger, fireplace poker and the 9 iron.

You're not defenseless just because you don't have a gun. But sometimes it sure feels that way. Walk around your house and put some of your household items into that categories of "weapon" and "non-weapon". Stay alert and stay safe.

 

[justherenow]

It is sad, and I live in a nearly zero crime very working class area. My neighbors are either working higher paying jobs or retired.

I am sure I would have found something pretty quick had I needed it, fireplace poker was only a few steps away, and I am sure I would have thought of it.

 

[Ram Rod]

So today, I was at home off work for the holiday. I was waiting on someone and looking out the front window when a guy on a bikecycle, I have never seen rides by the house. My house is on the corner, right next to a major 4 lay highway in the area. I see him lift his bike over the fence separating the neighborhood from an exit ramp when he jumps the fence. He then looks back right at me and yells "what the :banned: are you looking at" and I pay no attention, he makes a few gestures and yells a bit more. I dont know what his problem is/was, I just know he had some issues. He ended up riding off while giving me the bird and yelling a few more things I could not understand, all because I was inside my home looking at the window, and I admit, I did make eye contact due to his strange behavior.

Had he started to come back towards my house, I would have quickly shut and locked my front door and called for the LEO's which I am sure would have been here in an hour or 2 (sarcasm, they actually get to priority calls pretty fast in my city).

Had he done that, and made it inside my home, I would have been $%^& up the creek w/o a paddle as I do not have any type of home defense currently since I am still waiting to get my firearm out of layaway. To top it off, I do have a child in the home, so my priority would have been to protect him first.

I just thought I would throw out what could have been an encounter in my neck of the woods, food for thought.

My suggestions? Whenever you see someone or something suspicious.....make yourself inconspicuous. Idgets abound these days, and "issues' could very well mean drugs. A simple look or stare can cause those in 'neutral' to slip a gear into evil (posted in another thread). I don't know how many times I've gotten the middle finger flag just for looking and I wasn't even suspicious of anything. This is the world we now deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Secondly....your best home defense is YOU. With or without firearms. YOU have to make a tactical decision from the start. You have plenty of resources at your disposal barring a firearm. I cannot list those here, but your locked door is first. No pepper spray? You keep a fire extinguisher in your house? Second best IMO. Baseball bat? Nice. Home defense starts at the basics and before firearms in my opinion. Always have a plan. That's the beginning and before you get a firearm to further enhance your position or fortify your castle. Start being tactically minded now, and it will be that much easier once you have reinforcements such as a firearm. Being dependent on yourself and your tactics goes a heck of a lot further than you depending on a firearm to solve all of your issues. Trust me. Think outside the box first, then when you're in the box it won't seem so small.

 

[justherenow]

This honestly was the first time I have had to think "what if" when it comes to the house. Now the eyes are open on that. Being here 9 years, not one house or car in a 5 block radius has had a break in, the cops only have been to the neighbors house twice over their son street racing.

I do have a fire extingushier, I have a fire poker, a couple mag lights, straight edged weapons, locks on the doors and anything else I can find. I am going to pick up some mace this week. Obviously a firearm would be a last resort.

Just in the last few weeks has it been made harder to look outside and be seen. I put a new screen door on the house and cut down the shrubs that surrounded the front, now people can see me better when I am looking outside.

 

[RETSUPT99]

No gun, eh? Not even a shottie?:ticking:
Put on a hockey mask and start up the 'ole chainsaw'...that'll get his attention...:rofl:

I probably would have called 911 to report the strange behavior.:yup:

 

[RMS]

No gun, eh? Not even a shottie?:ticking:
Put on a hockey mask and start up the 'ole chainsaw'...that'll get his attention...:rofl:

I probably would have called 911 to report the strange behavior.:yup:

+1 :rofl:

 

[Bricktop]

Keep an eye/ear out for this fruitcake he maybe back. Keep safe, be aware, and always have a plan. Baseball bat is legal to have.

 

[GUDWyo]

It is sad, and I live in a nearly zero crime very working class area. My neighbors are either working higher paying jobs or retired.

I am sure I would have found something pretty quick had I needed it, fireplace poker was only a few steps away, and I am sure I would have thought of it.

sounds like you live in a nice part of town, this would seem to be a place ripe with targets for bad guys, old people and business class folk who are at work during the day. in my humble opinion you should look into getting a shotgun. a blunt object like a bat or fire poker wont do all that much if the guy breaks in an points a handgun at you, but he might think twice if he starts to go in to the kitchen and is staring down the barrel of a 12 gauge :ahhhhh: even if u have a handgun, a shotgun is better for home defence, u don't really aim, u just point, and if u do happen to miss and you shoot out the window the bbs will do much less collateral damage then a .45 (or what ever you use) even if the LEOs get there in record time it only takes a few seconds for the guy to get in and hurt or kill you or your child. even if they get there in time to catch him it won't really matter because you could be dead.

 

[MJK]

I believe in making eye contact with these types. It immediately signals you are aware of their presence and will not play the sheep role. If he comes at you because of eye contact then he likely would have come at you without.

I like the chainsaw idea!

 

[Bricktop]

Good point GUDWyo, and a 12 gage is cheap and ammo is plentiful.

 

[QKShooter]

You can really hit a Home Run on a bad guys head with a good baseball bat.

At least have one of those handy.

Heck...lash a stout butcher knife onto the end of a broomstick.

Have something in that house of yours to protect your kid until you get your firearm.

 

[larefugee]

Now I'm curious to know what would have happened if you gave him one of these --> :nanana:

 

[Bark'n]

Ram Rod made some excellent points!

First, be inconspicuous! Depending on the nut case, just eyeballing them can set them off to the point they now have a new mission in life. YOU!

If he as any kind of tactical mind, and is determined, he would not confront you at the 1st incident, but may be devious to come back at a later time for some mischief.

Second, the best defense is a "layered" defense. You should work on ways to harden your castle and putting together your defensive tool box. The more tools in the tool box, the more options available. Both lethal and non lethal.

Having a child in the house adds all kinds of factors to any equation so make sure every defensive tool or implement is kid safe. No reason not to have firearms at the ready, for when a firearm is what is needed to save a life, there really is no substitute. However, you have to consider access and safe storage of the weapons when children are around.

Finally, all children in the home should be part of the defensive system. It will be up to you to decide at what age they should become an integral part and start their training and education. But don't put it off. Part of gun safety is to have the children learn and understand what the weapons are, their function, how to care for them, their destructive power, and at some point, how to use them correctly and respectfully.

You have a lot of homework to do, and don't think it happens over night. Proper home defense and personal protection is a life long endeavor. One which is constantly updated and changed to suit the households needs.

 

[Geno]

What Bark'n said.

 

[justherenow]

I agree with all the points made. I have alot to do and will get it sooner or later, thats the great thing about this site. I am in the process of getting a .380 which is due to price of the firearm. I will need to wait until tax time to get a shottie or something, but have other methods of defense, from fixed blades to beating the guy after blinding him with a fire extinguisher.

Funny one mentioned the child learning to respect firearms. I talk to my son daily about them, and will be having a friend who teaches gun safety with the NRA program spend a couple hours with him doing the same, thinking it may take someone other than me to get through his head about it.

 

[CJ810]

Baseball bat is legal to have.

How long does it take to get a permit for one?

 

[Geno]

Go see your friendly banker for a 'home security ' loan.

 

[Thumper]

It just goes to show, you can be in your own home minding your own business and still have some moron start trouble. :gah:

Bear sized pepper spray is a good home defense tool too! :image035:

 

[oneshot]

No gun, eh? Not even a shottie?:ticking:
Put on a hockey mask and start up the 'ole chainsaw'...that'll get his attention...:rofl:

I probably would have called 911 to report the strange behavior.:yup:

+10:35::rofl:

WASHINGTON DID’NT USE HIS RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH TO DEFEAT THE BRITISH, HE SHOT THEM


"To my mind it is wholly irresponsible to go into the world incapable of preventing violence, injury, crime, and death. How feeble is the mindset to accept defenselessness. How unnatural. How cheap. How cowardly. How pathetic." Ted Nugent