Simple question for our Australian members.

[jds holler]

Consider this: Here in Murica, I can have two sketchy looking "homeless" dudes approach me on a back street in a bad part of town. If I put out my left hand as a "STOP" signal, and reach in my pocket with my right hand, they always seem to want nuthin to do with me.

Why do ya think that is??

jd

 

[dthomas]

No uneasy or paranoid feeling. Most of us that keep firearms close to the bed at night and carry one on us are not looking to use them we have them just in case they are needed. Don't let what you see on the news make you think that is how most of us are. Most people that were attacked didn't wake up in the morning thinking that something was going to happen to them but things can go bad at any given time or place but i don't go around thinking that something bad is about to happen. Most people are good with only a few bad ones.

 

[SGK]

I realise that things are different here in the US and that anyone living here needs to get used to that. But when you ask questions like this you have to realise that when living in NZ, Australia or the UK (to name those places I've lived in outside the US) we don't even ponder reaching for firearms for self defence. We don't worry about, or rehearse in our minds or on public forums, scenarios where we might have need for one. And our kids don't come home from school talking about how they had "code red" drills at school. (We have fire drills and, where I grew up, earthquake drills but never had to rehearse a shooter scenario.) It's different and in no insignificant part because of firearm laws - none of which impinge on our hunting or target rifle competition fun. That's not to say that tragic events don't happen - the tragedy in Christchurch last year shocked both NZ and Australia - but thankfully they haven't led to a "I must gun up and protect myself and family with deadly force" psyche. One is much more likely to reach for a cricket bat or fire poker if awoken at 2am and find that this is more than sufficient to manage the situation until the cops arrive.

 

[338 Mollett]

In some countries the thief has his hand cut off,here they sue the homeowner because there wasn't enough to steal.Our laws are upside down !ranging from the lowest vagabond to our government.People do not believe in our judicial system anymore,and that includes a lot of LEO.I have the shoulder of a 150 year old man I can't swing anything anymore.The second an intruder sets foot in my house his CHIT is in the wind !

 

[Tim N]

I’m curious to know what action(s), if any, you would have taken if you had seen the potential intruder at 2:00AM on your porch?

Good question
I’ve never been in that situation so I’m really not sure apart from yelling get out..
That would have worked in my situation mentioned before.
Which won’t work if someone has bad intentions
Since then an acquaintance who is in the police suggested a can of wasp spray which can spray over 5m and cause a great deal of pain is handy.
It could give me a bit of time to find something to subdue them.
So I guess I’m not ready for such a situation.

 

[Tim N]

You read a lot in to my post and assume much about my feelings.

About all I’ll say in regards to being awakened at 2:00 in the morning by a potential intruder is that I would have handled it differently than you.

What would you have done?

The end of the would be intruder story:
The next morning I walked outside to see someone asleep on the porch lounge.
I didn’t recognise him, a young man in his mid 20s(I’m 53) , he was however wearing a sports uniform same as my sons.
They had been celebrating a finals match, he knew where we lived and headed to our place ( I don’t know why) after my son came home.
Just glad I didn’t have a loaded gun ready to go and get startled up by a drunk in my bedroom, could have been the regret of a lifetime.
If you are ready to take on an intruder I guess it’s like hunting where you need to identify your target before firing.
I am genuinely curious to know what the gun culture is like in the USA, not meaning to upset anyone.

It seems your self defence laws work where you are and our laws are different but the culture is different too.

Thanks for the reply’s

 

[rwj]

Good question
I’ve never been in that situation so I’m really not sure apart from yelling get out..
That would have worked in my situation mentioned before.
Which won’t work if someone has bad intentions
Since then an acquaintance who is in the police suggested a can of wasp spray which can spray over 5m and cause a great deal of pain is handy.
It could give me a bit of time to find something to subdue them.
So I guess I’m not ready for such a situation.

You’re at least one step closer!

 

[Bindi2]

Good question
I’ve never been in that situation so I’m really not sure apart from yelling get out..
That would have worked in my situation mentioned before.
Which won’t work if someone has bad intentions
Since then an acquaintance who is in the police suggested a can of wasp spray which can spray over 5m and cause a great deal of pain is handy.
It could give me a bit of time to find something to subdue them.
So I guess I’m not ready for such a situation.

If you use that can of spray you are liable for court action by the receiver of its contents

 

[dthomas]

Yes you do have to identify your target. You also have to live with your actions. I don't take this responsibility lightly.

 

[Tim N]

If you use that can of spray you are liable for court action by the receiver of its contents

It’s a wonder you can step out of your house thinking that way.
If someone has entered my house without a welcome- I’m not worried about court action.
I can always plant a can of hair spray on them to make it look like a fair fight

 

[Danoh]

I can always plant a can of hair spray on them to make it look like a fair fight

lol!

 

[RDavies]

It’s a wonder you can step out of your house thinking that way.
If someone has entered my house without a welcome- I’m not worried about court action.
I can always plant a can of hair spray on them to make it look like a fair fight

Ooohhhh you so bad arse Tim.
I could see you quick drawing a tin of your wifes Verve hair spray from your hip and blasting some poor miscreant.

Seriously though, I have spent many years of my life in countries where I did always carry a gun and would say you were a bloody idiot if you didn't.
I do remember back then saying I want to move to a place where I didn't need to carry a gun, and so I did. (but then ended up spending most of my money on hunting and target guns once I got here anyway).
If I did live in USA, I likely would get a self defence gun as I did in other countries, but in my time in Australia (I have lived all over it) I have never ever felt a need to have a gun for self defence and don't know anyone else who has. Where I now live (close to Tim) I last saw my house keys when I moved in 12 years ago and more often than not my car keys can be found sitting in the ignition, so obviously crime just isn't a thing where we live. (obviously there are some localized bad areas in big cities where some likely would like to have the option of carrying a self defence gun.

Where Tim and I live, the only threat I can think of to our life or property is hitting kangaroos in our cars, so the smart people fit roo bars as a precaution. My friends and family from overseas on the other hand thought we were strange for having these big silly bars on our cars as it Isnt an issue they ever face. Just as many Australians think strange about people in other countries who feel the need to carry guns. Different countries have different problems.

 

[rwj]

Ooohhhh you so bad arse Tim.
I could see you quick drawing a tin of your wifes Verve hair spray from your hip and blasting some poor miscreant.

Seriously though, I have spent many years of my life in countries where I did always carry a gun and would say you were a bloody idiot if you didn't.
I do remember back then saying I want to move to a place where I didn't need to carry a gun, and so I did. (but then ended up spending most of my money on hunting and target guns once I got here anyway).
If I did live in USA, I likely would get a self defence gun as I did in other countries, but in my time in Australia (I have lived all over it) I have never ever felt a need to have a gun for self defence and don't know anyone else who has. Where I now live (close to Tim) I last saw my house keys when I moved in 12 years ago and more often than not my car keys can be found sitting in the ignition, so obviously crime just isn't a thing where we live. (obviously there are some localized bad areas in big cities where some likely would like to have the option of carrying a self defence gun.

Where Tim and I live, the only threat I can think of to our life or property is hitting kangaroos in our cars, so the smart people fit roo bars as a precaution. My friends and family from overseas on the other hand thought we were strange for having these big silly bars on our cars as it Isnt an issue they ever face. Just as many Australians think strange about people in other countries who feel the need to carry guns. Different countries have different problems.

Very interesting that your description of where you live now sounds exactly the way where I lived in the US was until the late 1970s. I don’t know what led to the societal changes we live with here today, but I miss those “old” times/ways. Here’s to hoping that they aren’t heading your way!

 

[Bindi2]

It’s a wonder you can step out of your house thinking that way.
If someone has entered my house without a welcome- I’m not worried about court action.
I can always plant a can of hair spray on them to make it look like a fair fight

It is not my thinking it is classed as assault. I lived the majority of my life with firearms being handy and produced them when needed with the desired results happening and the instigator of this action leaving quickly at my direction. I now live much closer to a police station the criminal activity is much higher and is not being contained because the judiciary and legal system is failing the general law abiding population including the police. Recently the police shot and killed an indigenous female that caused a circus for a week or so, which resulted in her funeral being moved 400 kms away to remove the heat out of town. Racism is being strongly used one way by the small group. Drugs are rife with the resulting theft problem to pay for it. Go and work for the ambulance service to see how bad the under belly of Australia is. The powder keg is huge and growing fast including the Ethnic issues. AND people wonder why there are more firearms in Australia now than before JWHs buy back.

 

[Adam in WI]

If you use that can of spray you are liable for court action by the receiver of its contents

So basically if someone wants to come into your home and start some stuff, are they pretty much your guest then? What recourse do you have?

 

[Tim N]

So basically if someone wants to come into your home and start some stuff, are they pretty much your guest then? What recourse do you have?

Over here a guest is someone welcome to stay.
Reasonable force is what’s allowed as far as I know.
I’d worry about my family first and legal outcomes second.

 

[Adam in WI]

Reasonable force is what’s allowed as far as I know.

Seems a little too open to interpretation to me. Given similar circumstances I like to think I'd abide by the adage "I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six”

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

The gun culture her in America is a direct result of our Revolution from repressive foreign despot. The results led our founding fathers to form a government based on individual rights and a fear of government taking away our basic freedom. The Bill Of Rights assumes that we are born with certain rights and that no one should be able to deny them or even grant them to us.

There are more guns in this country than people. In fact with the onset of the AR15, and the ability to make them in your basement, no one has any idea of their numbers. You can buy an 80% lower for $35.00 and a complete upper for $229.00 and you don't have to register it. There are kits sold here to make pistol clones. After WWll, you could buy complete surplus guns of almost any sort and caliber for as little as $10.00 At surplus stores, that were in every city, there were racks of these weapons and anyone with the money could walk in and buy one. I was 14 years old and bought my first German Mauser for $12.98 and carried it out of the store with no wrappings. Remember Sonny's Surplus?

All told, U.S. companies have manufactured more than 150 million firearms since 1986, according to the “Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report,” published each year by the Justice Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms. No one has any idea of the numbers prior to that date.

I have been carrying a pistol on my right hip since 1958. There is one on my night stand, next to my bed, among other places in my house. Does that make me paranoid? Hell no. With an ample supply of ammunition, I have nothing to fear from anyone. I don't carry because of fear, I do it simply because I can and like the feel of it. It's second nature to me. Funny, the only place I don't usually carry, is at the firing range, unless I am using it for practice.

I doubt if the USA will ever attempt to pass a law similar to Australia. It would not work here. Most would simply ignore it.

 

[Bindi2]

We have no Bill of Rights. We are subjects not Citizens. We have privileges that can be removed at any time.

 

[Macropod]

In Australia all licenced firearm owners are placed on a Crimtrac database or so I am told. If that is true, then that gives you some idea of how law abiding firearms owners are regarded by the Australian government.

Essentially a threat or potential threat.