LTL (OC) Spray carried with CCW

[Sharpie1]

I have decided to carry some OC spray in my vehicle, and on my person -- to give myself the option of diffusing a situation w/o drawing a pistol.

Of course, if I were threatened by someone with lethal force (i.e. knife, gun, etc.), I would probably shoot him immediately -- however, if a crazy person approaches me, screaming obscenities or a "hands on" beggar begs for money, the OC spray may be more appropriate.

I am posting this thread to get the opinions of the users of this board as to the effectiveness and utility of OC spray.

I also need advice concerning my wife having the option of OC spray. In Virginia (my state of residence), one can repel a threat with the same amount of force that is threatened. So, if a crazy person approached me and punched me in the face, I don't know that I would immediately consider this life-threatening - I probably wouldn't -- and therefore, would only be justified in hosing this person down with the OC spray. ***However***, if this same scenario were to happen to my wife, I believe that she could reasonably assume her life was in imminent danger (for obvious reasons), and use lethal force with her carry weapon, as necessary. A man attacking/threatening a man is much different than that same man threatening a woman, IMO.

I have bought a rather large can of spray to keep in the vehicle, and two good sized, but much smaller cans to carry -- complete with "holster".

What are your opinions?

Thanks,

--tadyson

 

[pax]

Great question!

It belongs over in Strategies & Tactics, I think. Hold on and I'll move the question over there.

pax

It is better to ask some of the questions than to know all the answers. -- James Thurber

 

[Bergeron]

I've been sprayed (voluntarily) by pepper spray. My face burned with vigour for about a half hour, but what really clenched the deal was the fact that the first part of the stream that I got hit with nailed me right in the eyes. I couldn't open my eyes without the most intense burn I have ever felt, I would have to close them after a second or two. It was about two hours before I could open (barely) my right eye without pain.

I have a feeling that it would do what you expect it to, that is, discourage the aggressive, but nonviolent.

 

[jsalcedo]

I had an AD of an OC keychain in my pocket.

The safety had turned off in my pants pocket and I had climbed
up onto a loading dock when I felt my pocket get cold.

The end result was the feeling of being kicked in the crotch by a mule for about 2 hours.


Also be very careful because my second can exploded when I left it in my car on a hot day.

I got a big unpleasant whiff when I opened my car door .

It is a good idea to get the cans of OC that shoot a large fog
not unlike those raid cans that let you take out hornet nests from a long distance.

The spray type can turn against you too quickly in any amount of wind.

 

[SKN]

Any chemical spray offers a stand off intermediate force option but cannot be counted on to be 100% effective 100% of the time. A dedicated adversary can fight through the application of OC but at least it can buy you time to create distance from the perceived threat.

 

[Sharpie1]

***************************

Right. I agree that it cannot be counted on as a last resort. It would be to calm an aggressor down -- not a voilent person, as someone else said on this thread.

What are your opinions on my wife carrying this option? I believe that she can justifiably use lethal force on more occasions than me, and I am a little bit leary of her using the OC spray, and regret not using the gun later.

I had always heard that one had a much larger chance of survival by using a gun to repel a violent attack over not fighting back at all -- but that if the same person used something besides a gun to fight back, the chances of death/injury multiplied greatly over that of not fighting back at all.

--td

 

[Bergeron]

Well, one positive aspect of the OC is that it can be used in scenarios where firearm usage is clearly inappropriate.

It would be okay, in other words, to spray someone for something that you would not pull a gun on them for.

 

[dance varmint]

While riding my bike along miles of back roads in rustic areas along the Wabash this past weekend, I was chased by dogs no less than four times, on on occasion by three at once, and one of them appeared to have a taste for flesh. I deployed the 2-oz OC which I always carry velcroed to the top frame tube. It stopped their "playful" chase...well, until it ran out. Now I better understand the need to be prepared to "reload". In any event, none of them came in contact with me. Those suckers must be hungry after a long cruel winter with no bikers to sup on.