How do UK members here protect themselves?

I've read with great interest many posts here talking about the way US members protect themselves, thier home and thier family. They obviously have much more freedom to use what they want to carry out this task if need be.

This question is to the UK members here, but of course comments from other members are always welcomed too. How do you protect your house and family here in the UK? Do you do anything at all or do you have faith in that single latch holding your door shut? I'd imagine here in the UK the emphasis is placed on securing your house, which is all well and good, but i just wonder how people here have prepared themselves if someone came in with something more lethal than a torch?

Do you carry anything whilst out in public? Again, i know we are very limited here in the UK in what we can legally carry, but when the streets are no longer safe to walk in certain areas, sometimes you have to weigh up the risk.

CX.

Simple..

Your brain..

Having been face to face with a burglar I told him simply and very quietly he had a choice..

He could leave empty handed after telling me how he got in without police involvement as a promise...

Or he could leave in an ambulance or a bodybag if he so wished..

Use your judgement on the conditions involved.

If you for instance saw a guy leaving through your window with your TV in his hands.. better to leave it.. you can always just get another one.

Basic rule. if they are entering. you don,t KNOW what they are there for. If they are leaving. they already have what they want with no harm to your family.possesions can be replaced. your family cant

[edit on 29-6-2006 by AGENT_T]

In public, good manners and sharp wit usually do the trick, and looking sure of yourself when it's really clean pants time.

I'm sure if most people here had guns it would be a different story altogether. There's a big difference between losing your wallet and a few teeth to potentially losing your life.

As far as burglars go, the only problem I've ever had was someone broke in to my house, stole car keys and left. They were obviously quite local as the police rang two days later to say they had found my abandoned car. I walked for 20 minutes up the road then drove it back home.

EDIT: one too many 'when's.

[edit on 29/6/2006 by Irma]

Funny enough we actually let the police protect us as that's what they are paid to do

But in all seriousness there is so many silly rules now that it's not even worth the hassle trying to stop a burgler. If a burgler comes into your house, you might has well tell him/her what stuff to take and claim it back on your insurance or something.

Otherwise if you lay one finger on him/her, he/she then becomes the victim and can sue you for every penny

Who thinks up these rules

Protect from whom?

I've never felt the need to have any form of protection either at home or when I'm out. But, as I found when dealing with trouble makers when I ran a pub, the human voice can be a very efficent weapon in confrontational situations.

As my Sensei says: 'zanshin' which translates as 'awareness'

Eyes open at all times, stay alert, no daydreaming. Walk tall, people attack those who look weak.

True victory is gained from convincing someone not to attack in the first place.

As far as protecting your home, AGENT_T has hit the nail on the head.

Originally posted by DodgeG1 But in all seriousness there is so many silly rules now that it's not even worth the hassle trying to stop a burgler. Otherwise if you lay one finger on him/her, he/she then becomes the victim and can sue you for every penny

Who thinks up these rules

Annoying isn,t it. it,s not even the financial thing about being robbed.It,s the intrusion into your own home..

ANYWAY.strictly confidentially..I was told by a chief inspector friend of mine that if you do catch a burglar and ''whack him out'' best thing is to first secure him then get his ''DABS'' on your largest kitchen knife

I would agree with the first two replies. Wit and commmon sense help keep you safe.

Also, I would add that as we do not have a gun culture like you do in America, the protection issue may be one of apples and oranges. We probably have a very different mentality and approach in this respect.

I remember not too long ago, there was a piece in some of the papers by an ex-SAS soldier, detailing how to take on an intruder without breaking the law - e.g using household items such as ceramic lamps etc. His advice seems like just about the best thing you can do without having a gun, use your wits and whatever comes to hand. If you use a knife - especially in the current 'knife crime curse' politcal climate - it will look premeditated, and you run the risk of jail.
If you mess him up with a household object, then you can say that he came at you and you grabbed the nearest thing to defend yourself.

Common sense mainly, we don't go looking for a fight. The complete lack of firearms in the country also makes it a much safer place than America, or at least I guess it does.

Burglars are a problem, but a swift one to the crutch would probably send them running.

Originally posted by Paul
I would agree with the first two replies. Wit and commmon sense help keep you safe. .

I remember not too long ago, there was a piece in some of the papers by an ex-SAS soldier, detailing how to take on an intruder without breaking the law - e.g using household items such as ceramic lamps etc.

One of my favourite household hanging ornaments



You can even beat this down as a weapon in court as it was originally a farming tool

I have to concur - common sense and awareness has kept me well thus far. The only time this backfired was when I was in a foreign country visiting friends and a man made a lunge for my necklace. I was stupid and tried to wack him with my rollerblades, he then hit my throat with his fist. End of argument.

Robber - 1 ----- nikelbee - 0

Everyone consequentially thought I was an idiot not a hero and I had a swore and bruised neck for weeks. Someone told me I should have had something bigger to hit him with. But that's stupid as he could have had a knife.

I think once you start arming yourself with more and more possibilities; it never stops and soon you will need an arsenal to defend yourself from your fears.







[edit on 29-6-2006 by nikelbee]

Farming tool? What the hell would that be used for? I can only imagine it being used as a nasty beating tool.

Originally posted by CX
I've read with great interest many posts here talking about the way US members protect themselves, thier home and thier family. They obviously have much more freedom to use what they want to carry out this task if need be.

This question is to the UK members here, but of course comments from other members are always welcomed too. How do you protect your house and family here in the UK? Do you do anything at all or do you have faith in that single latch holding your door shut? I'd imagine here in the UK the emphasis is placed on securing your house, which is all well and good, but i just wonder how people here have prepared themselves if someone came in with something more lethal than a torch?

Do you carry anything whilst out in public? Again, i know we are very limited here in the UK in what we can legally carry, but when the streets are no longer safe to walk in certain areas, sometimes you have to weigh up the risk.

CX.

I'm not gonna be popular for this but I think that USAers (more than not) are incredibly paranoid too. Most Americans have guns because they need to protect themselves.................from other people with guns! In the UK there's usually a golf club or some other heavy object around like any house to fend off intruders. It is also EXTREMELY rare for anybody to get attacked in their own home here. And most are'nt going to get in a state worrying about it. On the other hand, alot of the youth over here now carry knives in the streets for protection (mostly chavs) lookin for a good old bit of stabbing. So you're probably safer in your own home....... Infact definately safer.

Originally posted by Zanzibar
Farming tool? What the hell would that be used for? I can only imagine it being used as a nasty beating tool.

It was originally developed as an aid to breaking up hard ground to plant maize seeds. originally it was a little longer but then they found out that it could puncture a guys head just as efficiently..

Just as the local chinese farmers used a rang of ''tools'' that have now become famous in today,s martial arts displays

partly about being prepared i guess,

1, i trained in Akido to help me to be able to defend myself,
I also keep my self fit and try to up my strength,

when out walking i carry keys in my hand, make sure my mobile is charged and have a little bottle of TCP in a spray bottle,

At home,

I have my 2 dogs,
i make sure my locks are up to date,
Wind chimes on doors and windows,
House sprays
Baseball bat,

I lock the kitchen utilitys away in case they could be used against me,
so many people stabbed in there homes are done so with there own kitchen knifes,

also i keep a spare charged up phone in my room

"Ave you got yor tool?"

"Wot tool?"

"This F*****g tool" (scum)...................


"What the devil is it?"

"Well it was originally developed as an aid to breaking up hard ground to plant maize seeds. Originally it was a little longer but then I found out that it could puncture someones head just as efficiently"

"Really? YOu know where I could I purchase one mate?"

"Well I know a bloke... hey wait a minute, aren't you trying to rob me?"

"Rob you? Goodness no! I've come to check your gas."

Originally posted by Xeros "Well it was originally developed as an aid to breaking up hard ground to plant maize seeds. Originally it was a little longer but then I found out that it could puncture someones head just as efficiently"

WOW that has got to be my worst typo yet

I meant THEY found it could puncture someones head.
which is when it was shortened and used as a weapon of war.

Glad to say I never had to try it myself

DOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


EDIT EDIT EDIT

HEY YOU CHEAT Xeros !!!!!! I didnt type that..You had me fooled there

[edit on 29-6-2006 by AGENT_T]

Originally posted by asala
partly about being prepared i guess,

1, i trained in Akido to help me to be able to defend myself,
I also keep my self fit and try to up my strength,

when out walking i carry keys in my hand, make sure my mobile is charged and have a little bottle of TCP in a spray bottle,

At home,

I have my 2 dogs,
i make sure my locks are up to date,
Wind chimes on doors and windows,
House sprays
Baseball bat,

I lock the kitchen utilitys away in case they could be used against me,
so many people stabbed in there homes are done so with there own kitchen knifes,

also i keep a spare charged up phone in my room

Wow, That sounds a little OTT. I assume you've had trouble before or live in a pretty rough area? I mean it's better to be safe than sorry and I can get a little worried unnecessarily (sp?) but that's craaaazy What if you get hungry and have to use a blunt knife because all of your sharp ones are locked away? I actually got a little paranoid the other day and had that thought, for no reason, but it did cross my mind

You poor, poor children of a benevolent government.

I watched with amazement as the UK took away your arms and then is getting( or wanting to) any long knives. ( Is this movement still going?) That is why we fight so hard here in the US for a 2A.


Roper

I Glock, there for I am!