What measures do you have in place at your house to take care of intruders?

[SJWhiteley]

I live in Florida, and I have a nice gun collection.

Better keep your doors locked, then :P

[thebuffalo]

Better keep your doors locked, then :P

Haha I don't worry too much. Intruders don't have a high success rate for occupied homes in my area.

[moonman239]

I live in Florida, and I have a nice gun collection.

Does your last name happen to be Zimmerman?

[thebuffalo]

Does your last name happen to be Zimmerman?

No but I fully believe he was in the right, if some strange ghetto looking young man approached me violently I would take full advantage of my right to self defense.

[baja_yu]

Self defense, yes. But didn't Zimmerman actually follow the kid, in spite being told by the Police not to do so? This isn't a rhetorical question, I didn't follow the case very closely.

[thebuffalo]

Self defense, yes. But didn't Zimmerman actually follow the kid, in spite being told by the Police not to do so? This isn't a rhetorical question, I didn't follow the case very closely.

Not sure at all, but I know from experience that people that grow up in the wrong parts of Florida tend to do very stupid things. I've been sitting at my friends apartment and his door got kicked in by 2 masked men with shotguns, turns out they had the wrong apartment number.

Just yesterday I had a man about 6'4" 220 come to my door with an angry attitude looking for a Kevin, no Kevin happens to live at my house. Very thug looking guy, I keep a baseball bat behind the door, and a 9mm in a jacket pocket next to the door for situations like this. I imagine he will actually watch my house to be sure that this Kevin he is searching for doesn't live there.

[Shaggy Hiker]

People should realize that Florida is not like the rest of the known world. I lived there for nearly five years, and was constantly struck by the very strangeness of the place. For instance, I always thought that Miami Vice was just another TV show, until I moved down there and realized it was a documentary. You have to accept the surreal when you live there.

[thebuffalo]

People should realize that Florida is not like the rest of the known world. I lived there for nearly five years, and was constantly struck by the very strangeness of the place. For instance, I always thought that Miami Vice was just another TV show, until I moved down there and realized it was a documentary. You have to accept the surreal when you live there.

I think I finally understand about the Hot Dog vendors, I saw a few in Tampa around Channelside.

[arunb]

a PIR based system with sensors on all doors and windows to detect motion, front door has a microwave and PIR sensor to detect human presence, addtionaly each sensor is connected to a bright light that switches ON when human presence is detected.

Some doors have an IR camera that clicks takes a photo of the intruder, this camera does not need ambient light and works very well in the dark. The photo from each camera unit is collected wirelessly and sent to a webserver for later analysis...

Also each sensor triggers a loud alarm to scare of intruders, the alarm sounds for a few seconds then switches OFF.

[namrekka]

This works fine.

[Nightwalker83]

In our house, we have a Border Collie and a Pomeranian-Chihuahua who barks at the door when someone approaches the front door. We have a security system and weapons, and I keep my cellphone in my bedroom at night. In addition, our HOA has security guards who monitor the area by patrolling it and with security cameras (though I haven't seen one in our area). If the alarm goes off and I'm sure it's a burglar, I'll call 911 on my cellphone.

I'll raise you two chihuahuas, three cats, roller-shutters on nearly every window and screen doors.

[SJWhiteley]

... roller-shutters on nearly every window and screen doors.

I stayed with someone in Belgium, and they had roller shutters. They closed them every night (!) and set the down stairs motion sensor - warning me not to go down stairs... Honestly, I found that really creepy: the sense of locking oneself in an enclosed space just seemed a bit much. I couldn't wait to leave.

How do others feel about shutters as a protective measure? (I'd get some for hurricanes and weather - I'll do that when I get a house built - or when being away for an extended period).

[Shaggy Hiker]

It's very retro. I've been reading a book on what life was like prior to the advent of artificial lighting. Locking oneself into their house was the thing to do at night for a large swath of the people. We have gone back to that, or perhaps we never left it.

[kareninstructor]

It's very retro. I've been reading a book on what life was like prior to the advent of artificial lighting. Locking oneself into their house was the thing to do at night for a large swath of the people. We have gone back to that, or perhaps we never left it.

I agree with you, before artificial light people went to bed much earlier than in current times. Many wars were fought in the day time and soldiers rested in the evening. Times sure have changed, five hour energy drinks, people staying up at all hours of the day and night. I remember disliking Sunday because many stores would not be open. Now we can get almost anything no matter what day or time of day it is. Of course we provide criminals with more opportunities at o’ dark thirty at ATM machines, store dimly light parking lots etc. For a time many left doors unlocked, keys in their cars but I think we have done exactly what you say, gone back to locking things up seemingly like we never stopped.

[Shaggy Hiker]

There are still places in this country where people leave doors unlocked, or even open, but those places do seem to be dwindling and never increasing.

[NeedSomeAnswers]

Better keep your doors locked, then :P

maybe if you banned Guns people wouldn't get shot so much...... (ducks from the expected gun fire from outraged Americans)

[Shaggy Hiker]

I doubt it would matter, other than changing the types of injuries.

Prior to the Civil War, there was a large segment of the US South that had a very violent, dueling, culture. This appeared to have been driven by a touchy sense of honor. Conflicts were resolved in ways that only differed by the types of weapons employed. Some say that this culture allowed the South to do as well as it did in the Civil War, though I think it has more to do with the failure of a few northern generals.

However, that culture still survives in a only slightly diluted fashion. I would expect that banning guns would reduce certain types of shootings (accidental, mostly), but nothing more than that.

[dilettante]

I wonder how many of these small, fearful people cowering behind firearms end up blowing their own feet off or worse?

Excerpt from "Pioneer Recollections Semi-Historic Side Lights on The Early Days of Lansing"

1847

Serenaded every night in summer by the denizens of an immense frog pond near the cabin and with clouds of mosquitoes indoors and outdoors adding their plaintive thrills to the grand jubilee of welcome to the “early pioneer”—these and other romantic sights and sounds, such as the snarling of wolves, the distant cry of the panther—like a woman in distress—and watching the pretty deer as they fearlessly browsed among the newly made brush heaps, made for us a new and novel experience.

Had No Firearms.

These deer were perfectly safe, as far as we were concerned, not a gun on the place, and not a man who knew how to shoot one if we had it. I have heard father say that he never shot but one gun in his life, an old musket, when backed up against a brick wall. The wall seemed to stand the shock well—not so with father.

We were, however, frightened later on, when one evening in early winter the cabin door opened softly and in stalked four big Indians, who, after giving the usual grunt, proceeded to spread their blankets upon the clay earth and lie down, heads to the fire, and remain quietly there until morning. Rising at the first peep of day, they filed out in the same order as they came in, giving us again the grunt. It is needless to say that the only sleeping done in the cabin that night was by those four Indians.

Indians Frequently Called.

We soon found that all our fears were needless as we were frequently visited in like manner, as night would sometimes overtake the Indians when tracking bears. The animals had a long and well-beaten run-way from northern Wisconsin, south to the head of Lake Michigan and then northeasterly, coming through the “Old Maid's” swamp at the head of the Thornapple, and crossing the state road—now Saginaw street—passing through the Chandler, or “Big” marsh, and then north through the Saginaw valley to the straits. They were certainly not in pursuit of deer for they could pick them up almost anywhere in those days. I have seen bears on this same run-way, but never felt like interfering with their progress.

Yes, Joe Gun Nut would probably crap his pants living in pioneer times.

[kareninstructor]

maybe if you banned Guns people wouldn't get shot so much...... (ducks from the expected gun fire from outraged Americans)

That is a thought among many but does not solve anything. Look at countries where firearms have been banned. Nothing will change the mind-set of people with bad intent.
Firearms many differ from cave men weapons by the distance one needs to be removed from the person who they aim to harm while cave man tools i.e. edge tools to impact weapons require closing the distance. A percentage of bad people will not want to get up close and personal but instead will at a different angle, sneak up and attack rather than head on. Then some will give up but that is a small percent. Lastly never under estimate a man with bad intent without any tools/weapons when his prey is a sheep.

Good read On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman
On Killing by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman
The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals that Protect Us From Violence by Gavin de Becker

[kareninstructor]

Yes, Joe Gun Nut would probably crap his pants living in pioneer times.

I agree with that.

[Shaggy Hiker]

Considering what they had for paper, they might be better off.

[dilettante]

True, nobody wasted corn cobs. There were several tasty dishes to be made from them in the hard times.

[NeedSomeAnswers]

That is a thought among many but does not solve anything. Look at countries where firearms have been banned. Nothing will change the mind-set of people with bad intent.

Like the UK where i live? or in fact most of Europe?

in 2012 the US has

over 60% of all homicides by firearm that's over 9000 (out of around 12000) homicides = that 2.97 per 100,000 people

in 2012 the UK has

we had 6.6% of all homicides by firearm that's around 40 (out of 550) homicides that's 0.07 per 100,000 people

it seems fairly obvious to me that if people dont have access to guns not only will gun crime fall but murder rates will fall as it is a very different thing killing someone from a distance by pressing a trigger then say stabbing someone which requires the murderer to be up close and personal with there victim.

[kareninstructor]

Like the UK where i live? or in fact most of Europe?

in 2012 the US has

over 60% of all homicides by firearm that's over 9000 (out of around 12000) homicides = that 2.97 per 100,000 people

in 2012 the UK has

we had 6.6% of all homicides by firearm that's around 40 (out of 550) homicides that's 0.07 per 100,000 people

it seems fairly obvious to me that if people dont have access to guns not only will gun crime fall but murder rates will fall as it is a very different thing killing someone from a distance by pressing a trigger then say stabbing someone which requires the murderer to be up close and personal with there victim.

I have no doubts that if firearms are removed there would be less crime. I would not attempt to use any goverment statistics as they are not always on target. Also I tend to look at the aggravated assault rate then murder. I did a Google search on aggravated assault rate uk, took one of the first links which indicates that there are at least two measurements for crime rate. Any ways I am not disputing your statement but instead simply saying criminals will always be criminals.

[thebuffalo]

it seems fairly obvious to me that if people dont have access to guns not only will gun crime fall but murder rates will fall as it is a very different thing killing someone from a distance by pressing a trigger then say stabbing someone which requires the murderer to be up close and personal with there victim.

This is like comparing apples to oranges, The UK and the US are two completely different places with completely different people. Banning guns in the U.S. wouldn't do anything but increase the illegal firearm statistics. I know damn well if they took away the 2nd Amendment, I wouldn't give up any of my guns. The U.S. has allowed civilians to own semi-automatic pistols, rifles, shotguns since 1791. Unless by that statement they literally meant bear arms, then in that case we have all been mislead for a very long time.

[kareninstructor]

This is like comparing apples to oranges, The UK and the US are two completely different places with completely different people. Banning guns in the U.S. wouldn't do anything but increase the illegal firearm statistics. I know damn well if they took away the 2nd Amendment, I wouldn't give up any of my guns. The U.S. has allowed civilians to own semi-automatic pistols, rifles, shotguns since 1791. Unless by that statement they literally meant bear arms, then in that case we have all been mislead for a very long time.

I think the most likely thing to happen is restricting things like magazine capacity to 10 like when Clinton was in office. Someone is always attempting to chip away at USA gun rights any day of the week. The worst that can happen is for people to not do anything to prevent this from happening. In the coming years my fear is for restrictions of what many classify as assualt rifles like an AR which is crazy as an AR can be an assault rifle, used for sport or self-defense. A few bad apples with these rifles will always makes the headlines and the goverment will make an example of these incidents but cover up those who use these rifles for sport or self-defense.

Worst case on restrictions is that I take my 20+ 30 round magazines for my Bush-Master and tuck them away other than use at the shooting range. No worries for handgun restrictions as I carry a 1911 with eight rounds, two less than what the restriction would be if it ended up flying.

[Hack]

My grandfather had many sayings. One of them was: "Locks only serve to keep the honest man out."

I believe the same with guns. Banning guns would mean that only hoodlums and criminals had them.

[Shaggy Hiker]

One thing I support is a license for guns. Some people fear that such a thing would be the first step in banning them, but a similar system has been in place for driving a car for a few years now, and thus far I haven't seen much of a move to ban cars. However, in some states, such as this one, you can't get a hunting license without taking a hunter education course, which includes a section on firearm safety (though I do remember that one of our instructors managed to shoot a hole through his truck by not following his own rules). Classes like that have been credited for a dramatic drop in hunting accidents.

It does create an interesting situation in this state, though: If you buy a gun for the purpose of hunting, you need both a license and proof that you have taken a course before you can use the gun in the way you intend. If you buy a gun for use against other people....you don't need squat. No course, no license, nothing at all.

[baja_yu]

[thebuffalo]

I feel like I can't even talk about this subject, I might get in trouble. But I disagree with the message brought by this poster.

[kareninstructor]

Our group teaches a class every Thursday evening for assisting people to get an Oregon Conceal handgun permit. The class runs 3 to 4 hours with one hour dedicated to firearm safety, which includes demonstrations on how to unload firearms safely. We also do a conceal handgun permit class for Utah which does the same basic firearm safety lecture but is molded to Utah requirements. Utah and some other states use to require students to have ‘hands on’ with unloading a firearm (done with dummy ammunition) but after several years they removed that requirement. Personally on paper it’s a good idea but in class all the student is thinking about is passing the class and not intending to retain this information sad to say.

Going back to our class, there are other instructors in Oregon that teach what we teach in less than one hour, a very abbreviated version and we do hear from people that attended these classes in that sure you can get your permit but little knowledge is really given to students. Heck, you get what you pay for.

Owning a firearm may be a second amendment right (at least for the foreseeable future) but get enough bozos shooting themselves and you give anti-gun zealots a valid reason to disarm the general public.

[Shaggy Hiker]

I believe our hunter ed classes take a week of classes where each class is an hour or two. I've never taken it, because I prefer to get my meat already cleaned and packaged. Of course, most of my friends that hunt (and most of my friends DO hunt) talk about how "getting out there" is at least as important to them as harvesting (though some eat only meat that they have harvested, and never buy any on principle, so harvesting IS important to them if they want to eat meat during the coming year). Of course, they don't talk too loudly about "getting out there" around me, since everybody knows that I "get out there" a whole lot more intensely than most.

[FunkyDexter]

in 2012 the US has

over 60% of all homicides by firearm that's over 9000 (out of around 12000) homicides = that 2.97 per 100,000 people

in 2012 the UK has

we had 6.6% of all homicides by firearm that's around 40 (out of 550) homicides that's 0.07 per 100,000 people

While I'm no gun lobbyist I've always thought this was an unfair comparison. It's quite hard to find examples around the world of places where guns are illegal but whose murder rate exceeds the US that's mostly because the US's murder rate is sky high. Conversly, it's pretty easy to find countries where guns are legal but which have very low murder rates, Switzerland and Canada are probably the most obvious examples. In fact I believe Switzerland is or was the most armed country in the world but it's murder rate is exceedingly low. The lesson we can take from that is that the US's problems are about much more than gun legislation.

In fact that's what I always think when I see this debate. I do think that common sense dictates that the free availability of guns is not a god thing, but to take the view that free availaibality will inevitably lead to murder or that limited availbility will inevitably see murder rates drop is an over-simplification of the issue. Media Culture, poverty, law enforcement, income disparity... all these things are likely to have a much larger impact.

Banning guns would mean that only hoodlums and criminals had them.

While I agree with the raw statement I think it misses the point. Of course it will only be criminals who have a gun... because having a gun makes you a criminal. The point is that the posession of a firearm becomes a definition of criminality, allowing the police to act before a murder is committed rather than after.

And I don't buy the "criminals will always be criminals" argument either. Yes they will always be criminals, but they will be considerably less dangerous and effective ones.

[kareninstructor]

Thinking about the original question and what happened to NY in general where for sometime went medieval and NY is pretty much (legally speaking) not big on citizens carrying or owning firearms I am guessing many wished they had one. All goes back to measures taken to secure one’s home.

I would like to know how many people have a contingency plan for disasters such as Katrina and Sandy or broad sword protection for if and when there is civil disobedience, economy issues forces some to do what it takes to survive as if they were in a third world country.

[thebuffalo]

I know I will be carrying at least 1 clip on me December 21st, 2012. I feel there might be some global rioting.

[kareninstructor]

I know I will be carrying at least 1 clip on me December 21st, 2012. I feel there might be some global rioting.

I have a "GO" bag that has at least 200 rounds of 45ACP ball ammo (heck if I am going to subject high quality ammo to various weather conditions). The wife goes lighter with 50 rounds.

[baja_yu]

What's on December 21st?!

[kareninstructor]

What's on December 21st?!

Interesting that someone actually created this site.
http://www.december212012.com/

[baja_yu]

Oh, another end of the world. That's not a problem for me since I died on May 21st 2011 when the World also ended. Now lets make a scientific study into how many more gays it took to cause hurricane Sandy compared to 9/11.

[Shaggy Hiker]

Or how many caused god to strike New Orleans with Katrina....except that he hooked it and largely missed the city. Being omniscient and all, he probably knew that the ACE had screwed up when building the levees, and that he only needed a glancing blow to flood the city, which meant that he could deliver the full effects of the storm on some hapless goob who didn't keep the sabbath sacred.