Guns and roses

[DeborahB]

I’m in the middle of an interesting conversation locally about using guns for home defense. We have a NextDoor group online and people are feeling threatened and talking about getting guns. It’s freaking me out because statistically bringing a gun into a home invasion is a big mistake.

I live in a single family house in a normal, middle class neighborhood. I don’t have a sense of fear at all in my area. I live in a residential area of a city. Sure, there is crime and so on. That’s life. But I live alone. I installed a monitored burglar alarm system when I moved in and I use it. I also lock my car and it has an alarm.

I don’t walk around at night and that doesn’t seem to be the issue. It’s cars being broken into and maybe some homes being broken into. I don’t plan to keep a baseball bat by the front door.

Just curious what others’ feelings are about crime prevention.

 

[TwoByFour]

Get a dog. The bigger and louder, the better. I would not rely on a gun for self defense, too many things can go wrong. Besides you have to willing to shoot someone. Could you?

 

[DeborahB]

Get a dog. The bigger and louder, the better. I would not rely on a gun for self defense, too many things can go wrong. Besides you have to willing to shoot someone. Could you?

Thanks, but I am allergic to dogs, and no, I will not be buying a gun or shooting a person!

I’m just curious if other people are hearing talk of guns and self defense. The local conversation alarmed me. I’m in favor of lights, noise, alarms and so on. I just ordered mace and a little thing that blasts 130 decibels of noise when triggered. I don’t think I need them but figured it wouldn’t hurt.

 

[Car-Guy]

Unfortunately, crime is a fact of life. Everywhere! Some areas worse than others.

Car alarms, external motion detectors and a big dog are great (and in place here) but to me a gun is like an American Express card. I never leave home without it. And when at home, a loaded gun is never more than ~50 feet away. However, I hope like hell that I never have to shoot anyone. I think that outlines my POV.

 

[W2R]

Everybody has guns where I live. It's always been that way; part of local South Louisiana culture. Boys grow up learning gun safety at a young age when they learn to hunt. I didn't grow up here so it seemed odd to me at first, but I'm used to it now.

 

[travelover]

Statistically, the best defense is to live in a good area and stay away from areas of high crime. This strategy has worked for me for 66 years. You can get all spun up and paranoid, but realistically you are in more danger from something like an auto accident or a medical emergency.

 

[Car-Guy]

You can get all spun up and paranoid, but realistically you are in more danger from something like an auto accident or a medical emergency.

Absolutely agree that you are in more danger on a day to day basis from an auto accident or medical emergency, however I strongly disagree that owning a gun for self defense (if that is what you are trying to say) is getting spun up and paranoid. Around here, it's called common sense.

 

[Aerides]

I’m in the middle of an interesting conversation locally about using guns for home defense. We have a NextDoor group

That's your big mistake. Next Door generally brings out alarmists and paranoia, and seems to focus on crime and safety in a way that's probably overkill. Every car break in becomes "ooh we need gates, cameras at each entry, 24/7 security!!!!" - when it's probably someone's teenagers from the same neighborhood.

Not to say that reasonable home defense isn't good, and it's different for everyone depending on their geography and comfort level. A gun is not for me, but for someone who is well trained and confident in their ability to use it when needed it would be a no brainer.

Before I joined Nextdoor I liked my neighborhood a whole lot better.

 

[Ronstar]

I have a driveway gate, security cameras, and a monitored security system. Also have guns, but they are more of a hobby than a security measure. That said, they serve as the last line of defense. Judging by the target practice sounds in the neighborhood, I’d say that my neighbors are armed and ready. There have been a few break-ins in our neighborhood - all when there was nobody home.

 

[joeea]

We have a NextDoor group online and people are feeling threatened and talking about getting guns.

It’s cars being broken into and maybe some homes being broken into.

I'm not sure how guns stop cars from getting broken into. Locking your car makes a lot more sense to me.

I always wanted to know which of my neighbors owned guns so that I could make sure my kids never went there.

 

[nobody]

Within a few weeks of moving into my current house in a very nice neighborhood with a low crime rate, I was burglarized while I was at work. Now I set the alarm and have installed cameras.



I've had guns since I was a kid, raised on hunting and shooting. I have my CCW permit and carry as often as I can where I am allowed to. I try and make it every couple of weeks to the gun range for practice.



If you don't practice on a regular basis or don't feel you could pull the trigger if in the rare case circumstances call for it, then by all means don't get one.


Home invasions are rare as most burglars want to get in grab what they can and get out without any confrontation.

 

[swakyaby]

DH and my next door neighbor (retired police officer) have firearms, and I feel good about that. I know I should learn to handle firearms myself, having several at home, but somehow have been reluctant to go to the firing range. I can't explain my reluctance. But if an intruder entered my home and appeared threatening to me or DH, I'm pretty sure I would not feel bad about shooting the intruder.

 

[DeborahB]

That's your big mistake. Next Door generally brings out alarmists and paranoia, and seems to focus on crime and safety in a way that's probably overkill. Every car break in becomes "ooh we need gates, cameras at each entry, 24/7 security!!!!" - when it's probably someone's teenagers from the same neighborhood.

Not to say that reasonable home defense isn't good, and it's different for everyone depending on their geography and comfort level. A gun is not for me, but for someone who is well trained and confident in their ability to use it when needed it would be a no brainer.

Before I joined Nextdoor I liked my neighborhood a whole lot better.

Great post! Until recently NextDoor was mostly helpful for finding a plumber. This is a new twist. I always wonder how the cars were broken into because no one mentions broken windows - were they naive enough to leave them unlocked in the driveway?

The latest crisis was when someone opened the door to a bunch of teenagers on Halloween. They took all his candy and tried to grab the dog (“a member of my family”). Me, I turn off the lights after the little kids stop coming.

I never hear guns here. Guns just would escalate the situation, I think. I was told I lived in a land of marshmallows and cupcakes- seriously, I couldn’t make this up - for telling the guy he’d probably end up in jail if he pulled out a gun.

Professional thieves don’t want to break in when you’re home!

 

[travelover]

That's your big mistake. Next Door generally brings out alarmists and paranoia, and seems to focus on crime and safety in a way that's probably overkill. .........

I've noticed the same thing - paranoid people spinning up other people. We recently had someone sounding the alarms about a strange man that came to her house. Turns out it was a cable company inspector who has all the right ID and was perfectly legit.

 

[DeborahB]

DH and my next door neighbor (retired police officer) have firearms, and I feel good about that. I know I should learn to handle firearms myself, having several at home, but somehow have been reluctant to go to the firing range. I can't explain my reluctance. But if an intruder entered my home and appeared threatening to me or DH, I'm pretty sure I would not feel bad about shooting the intruder.

I’m not comfortable with guns and understand your reluctance.

 

[aja8888]

Professional thieves don’t want to break in when you’re home!

Professional thieves don't want a murder rap either. What you need to worry about are crazed drug addicts who need a fix and you are the one with the funds.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I think we'd be surprised at how many people leave cars unlocked with valuables in them. Nephew got arrested when he and his no-good "friend" were simply walking down their suburban streets trying car handles. The cops found a ton of stolen goods at that kid's house.

I think nephew learned his lesson and seems to be doing well now.

 

[Lsbcal]

I see a gun as only to be used in the most dire circumstances ... but not a bad idea. It should be secured too. Otherwise pick up the phone and call the cops or let them walk off with property (and maybe get a picture of their faces with a security camera).

 

[NYEXPAT]

Call me disappointed!

I thought for sure we were going to be talking about this:

 

[razztazz]

As you live in a decent area you have little to worry about.

If someone breaks in while you're out, good. That's why you have insurance

SO, the problem is what to do when you're home. Have as many hurdles as possible to make them jump. I have a long history with Police and worked for ADT at one time, so I've been in or near this stuff forever.

1) You already have an alarm. Good! Burglars hate that crap. Any noise or attention drives them off.

2) Make sure there is a sign on the door announcing your alarm

When I worked for ADT we had to ask the local Police to please stop telling people that just having a sign has about 90% of the deterrent effect of an actual system. It's bad for business.

3) Get one of those door-blocking devices. They hate that crap too. They don't like to spend too much time or work too hard.

4) If feasible, have the entrance doors and maybe a bedroom door robusted. i.e. Heavy door, longer anchor screws etc so no one will be able to simply bash his way in.

5) Once I realized I was too old to have complete confidence in my ability to simply split out the back door I got some pepper spray. No, I don't expect it to save my life.

Remember this is happening while you are home, inside, and “buttoned up.” You will have warning. The perp will have to make noise. Then, of course the alarm will sound anyway. He will have to work his ass off to get in. All those things work against a successful attempt. This will thin the herd by about 98% .

Also, this assumes the miscreant is a fairly garden variety smash-and-grab burglar. NOT “five armed gunman” who got the wrong address. NOT a cocaine crazed animal on a killing binge. And NOT someone or group of more sophisticated “entrepreneurs” who have cased your house and know you have a $100,000 stamp collection or something in there that will make it worth their while to get in at all costs

It also does not include someone looking for targets of opportunity on a Saturday afternoon while you are home but NOT buttoned up. 10:00 am the doors are open for the breeze and the sunshine etc.
In that case it's hard to do anything. Even with a gun you ain't gettin' to it in time... unless you can distract him long enough to get to it. That's not impossible but it's not likely.

Personally if you live in the kind of neighborhood where you would feel saver with a gun you should move to a better 'hood. That said, I have nothing against owning a gun just in case.

You can't make yourself impervious but you can get the percentage against you so low it's almost foolish to worry about it. It's a lot like the 4% rule and running out of money or the threads we have about long term care insurance.

 

[MRG]

Can't tell you what to do.

I like to walk outside and there's things out there that will eat me. I carry out there. A couple of weapons are available for home defense and in our vehicles. If you have a weapon you must train with it, otherwise it's a liability.

Many years ago, future DW and I were all of 17, and a group of 6-8 guys held us captive, theatened to rape her and slit my throat. That didn't happen, but I still remember it. Today I'd act according to the training we've since had.

Good luck.

 

[TwoByFour]

Interesting comments on NextDoor. I use it but now that you mention it, it is indeed full of paranoid sounding posts.

Where we live there is a bit of property crime - car break-ins and breaking into houses when nobody is home. Neither of which a gun will do anything for. We have never had our house broken in to, but we had dogs for years, and now we have a gate across the driveway.

 

[youbet]

. I just ordered mace and a little thing that blasts 130 decibels of noise when triggered. I don’t think I need them but figured it wouldn’t hurt.

There is a continuum of items designed for self defense ranging from trained use of your bare hands to sprays (such as you mentioned) to mechanical devices to firearms. Where you place yourself along that continuum is up to you and the law in your area. It sounds like you've made an attempt to educate yourself on the pros and cons of various approaches and are utilizing some. It's your decision.

 

[Aus_E_Expat]

Interesting discussion but I live in a country where you would not even be contemplating this discussion as guns are not an option.

Funny how no guns allowed = low crime rate.

 

[youbet]

Statistically, the best defense is to live in a good area and stay away from areas of high crime. This strategy has worked for me for 66 years. You can get all spun up and paranoid, but realistically you are in more danger from something like an auto accident or a medical emergency.

I agree that personal behaviours + the locations and circumstances you place yourself in are absolutely key and control your odds of trouble. For example, while I've owned guns all my life and am skilled using and maintaining them, I don't keep anything "handy" at home nor do I carry here in the neighborhood. It's too unlikely that I'll have trouble here in suburbia to justify the risk caused by having grandkids and firearms (or similar deadly weapons) handy. My choice. However, when we're camping I do feel better not being defenseless (geezer couple in a flimsy camper that like to get off the beaten track and frequently out of cell phone coverage). Also my choice.

Regarding your

all spun up and paranoid,

comment, I agree that if being someplace at some time makes you feel that way, don't go to that place at that time. But sometimes your concerns fall far short of "spun up and paranoid" but you'd feel better abut some circumstance with some self-defense enhancements along.