self defense with LED?

[Stella_Polaris]

Mike89 wrote:

"If someone is going to use a light as a defense and that person was intending you harm from the gate (or the light might even result in provoking harm when it wasn't going to be the case to begin with), the light is just going to **** him off more and probably result in you getting the crap kicked out of you worse than if you hadn't done it, plus after he kicks your ***, he will probably steal your flashlight!

I can picture a guy who owns one of those multi functional Fenix lights, telling the assaulter to wait a sec while he's finding the right mode to shine at him. LOL

Or picturing some paranoid dude who always walks around at night with a flashlight in his hands waiting for someone to pop out of the bushes so he can shine the light in his face. Assaults don't happen that way. They happen when you're least expecting it or prepared for it. Surely no time to react in a split second to reach in your pocket and pull out a flashlight.

If my wife got confronted like that, I would want her to run like hell and scream bloody murder. I wouldn't tell her to reach into her purse, pull out her flashlight and shine it in the dude's face.

These are flashlights guys. I know we like to dream up all this stuff we're going to do with them, but having one in your pocket doesn't turn you into Clark Kent."

I AGGREE, Mike! And WHAT a sense of humour you have! I really laughed! I have a Wiseled Tactical, and it is said to be a "non lethal weapon" with its 1000 lumens strobe. But I aggree: If you are attacked in the middle of the night, you do not have the time to think of using the strobe / boost mode. You'd RUN, if you can. Anyway: I did try out the strobe mode on myself! By simple using the strobe mode in my dark kitchen and lighting againt the window whose reflections should have blinded me temporarily. And even though I was not blinded as such, I did get an annoying "red spot" before my eyes for ½ an hour after when looking at a white wall e.g. But after that, normal vision. With kind regards, Bo.

 

[yalskey]

That example is not even relevant. First off, Police and Military are trained for this sort of thing and are looking for it to happen. The situation for the average Joe is not even comparable. Advocating using a flashlight to thwart an attacker could get someone hurt.

How is it NOT relevant? If there was no benefit to them using flashlights in a violent or potentially violent situation why would they do so? And just because they use it more often than the average citizen doesn't mean those advantages go away.

Police and military are trained for these situations yes I agree. That knowledge is NOT exclusive to them however. A average person can learn the proper, and more importantly the imporper way to utilize a flashlight in a dangerous situation.

I'm really trying to bite my tongue here because you are implying that my advice is irresponsible and potentially dangerous for someone to apply. You have NO IDEA how many years and thousands of man hours I have poured my heart and soul into ensuring my self-defense advice is responsible and effective to those who would apply it. When I give self-defense advice, the absolute number one thing on my mind is making sure I give wise, effective, and responsible information to the people. Please DO NOT imply that I am violating my number 1 principal!!!

I believe that YOUR advice is off-base sir. To just conclude that flashlights are poor in any application of self-protection outright is completely one-dimensional. I agree that care must be taken to teach where it is useful and where it would be dangerous to rely on, but that's true with just about every tool, weapon, or self-defense technique taught to someone.

I'm sorry if I sound mean / rude here, but you really hit my hot button when you implied that I was giving poor self-defense advice.

 

[Stella_Polaris]

Here we go again! VERBAL "non lethal" strobes! :touche:

 

[greenLED]

Oh, man, how many times have we gone down this road?

On one hand, I see a complete "laypeople" being led to believe that just because they carry a bright light (4D Mag, or SF e2d) they'll be safe in the event of an attack- that is a dangerous position to be in and you're in for a rude awakening when you fumble for the switch (and don't find it) or, worse, get the light taken away from you and used against you (like it happened to one of my wife's coworkers).

On the other hand, I see individuals who are trained in SD and know how to use a light as a tool to get a job done (another layer of protection, as yalskey mentions) - in these cases a light becomes a useful thing, and may help in the outcome of a confrontation.

For a light (of any sort) to be effective in a SD situation, you need at least a couple of things:
- proper training to deploy/use the light as a defensive tool
- proper mindset to deploy said tool (i.e. you've decide what you're going to do, practiced how to do it *and* are comitted to your plan if SHTF)

...but the same applies to pepper spray. How many people carry OC and have never even tried to operate the safety switch, much less practice aiming and discharging? So, yes, there is some hype to it, but you can't entirely dismiss lights as defensive tools either.

OK, off my Mall Ninja soapbox now. :nana:


BTW, yalskey's podcast gives a lot of sensible information about self protection, and I recommend it if you are truly interested in learning more about violence and how to deal with it. It is not your typical testosterone-ladden, commando-wannabe, make-fun-of-all-sheepple canned hoopla, so Mall Ninjas beware. :nana:

 

[Brighteyez]

Okay, I gotta ask about the disclaimer in the last sentence. Is that akin to telling kids that a show is "educational" as a means of motivating them to watch the show?

BTW, yalskey's podcast gives a lot of sensible information about self protection, and I recommend it if you are truly interested in learning more about violence and how to deal with it. It is not your typical testosterone-ladden, commando-wannabe, make-fun-of-all-sheepple canned hoopla, so Mall Ninjas beware. :nana:

 

[BUZ]

I noticed that some LED flashlight are pretty intense, they could make someone blind, temporarily, so I wonder if instead of pepper spray, women can also use LED flash light now.

have you even heard of such a case?

I'll send you a can of sabre red level III 1.33% and you can see for yourself, I had to use it on someone about a year ago and @ first I though I'd killed kim he was screaming so bad! No light will have the effects of a good oc.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqWE-kBpyiI :laughing:

 

[BUZ]

I don't know i have seen too many "cops videos on TV where the cop maces or pepper sprays a guy and the guy keeps on coming at him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgCSb8urmgo

 

[zk188]

Why are people knocking the flashlight as a self defence tool? A flash to the eyes will disorient an attacker just giving you enough time to run away the bezel can also be used to strike an attacker in vulnerable areas like the throat and the eyes blinding the attacker even further. It can also be used to reinforce a fist.The flashlight is a valuble self defence tool the only one i can legally carry.

 

[orionlion82]

I can picture a guy who owns one of those multi functional Fenix lights, telling the assaulter to wait a sec while he's finding the right mode to shine at him. LOL
.

yep, i im the ONLY one thats ever been on the wrong side of my L2D strobe.

but if i ever need to blind an attacker to death, i can allways....




.




...well, what you said. (laughing smiley)

 

[BUZ]

the only one i can legally carry.

???

 

[zk188]

I cant carry a concealed carry firearm or a knife or stun gun because i am under 18.

 

[BUZ]

I cant carry a concealed carry firearm or a knife or oc spray because i am under 18.

How old are you? As long as you are 14 years of age or older and have permission from a parent or a legal guardian you can legally carry OC/pepper spray in WA State!

As far as a knife and concealed weapon go yeah you'll have to wait!

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.91.160







.

 

[zk188]

How old are you?

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.91.160






.

Sorry i ment to say stun gun.+im 14

 

[BUZ]

Sorry i ment to say stun gun.+im 14

........Well @ least now you know that you can carry OC!



I would much rather have OC than a stun gun, have to get to close with it unless your carrying a $350 + air tazer. Get yourself some fox labs 5.3 or better yet a can of sabre red 1.33% level III spray (very very few can resist the effects)!

 

[Stella_Polaris]

HERE is how to use your flashlight in SD, if a horse attacks you in the middle of the night:



With kind regards,

Bo.

 

[yalskey]

Oh, man, how many times have we gone down this road?

On one hand, I see a complete "laypeople" being led to believe that just because they carry a bright light (4D Mag, or SF e2d) they'll be safe in the event of an attack- that is a dangerous position to be in and you're in for a rude awakening when you fumble for the switch (and don't find it) or, worse, get the light taken away from you and used against you (like it happened to one of my wife's coworkers).

On the other hand, I see individuals who are trained in SD and know how to use a light as a tool to get a job done (another layer of protection, as yalskey mentions) - in these cases a light becomes a useful thing, and may help in the outcome of a confrontation.

For a light (of any sort) to be effective in a SD situation, you need at least a couple of things:
- proper training to deploy/use the light as a defensive tool
- proper mindset to deploy said tool (i.e. you've decide what you're going to do, practiced how to do it *and* are comitted to your plan if SHTF)

...but the same applies to pepper spray. How many people carry OC and have never even tried to operate the safety switch, much less practice aiming and discharging? So, yes, there is some hype to it, but you can't entirely dismiss lights as defensive tools either.

OK, off my Mall Ninja soapbox now. :nana:


BTW, yalskey's podcast gives a lot of sensible information about self protection, and I recommend it if you are truly interested in learning more about violence and how to deal with it. It is not your typical testosterone-ladden, commando-wannabe, make-fun-of-all-sheepple canned hoopla, so Mall Ninjas beware. :nana:

Thanks for getting my back there GreenLED. As you know, I agree with your assessment above. I guess if people want to feel the safety of absolute certainty of a black-and-white "yes it's good for SD" or "No it's NOT good for SD", they will fanatically cling to whichever absolute explanation made sense to them first.

A lot of things that people would conclude are dichotomies, are really issues with graduations of gray. It takes a bit of wisdom and maturity to balance contrary vantage points that yield a sober and balanced outlook. Versus subscribing with passion to the first theory that roughly rings true to a person's initial primal thoughts.

Thank you for the good word about my podcast. At least you know that my number 1 foundational rule is always giving very practical, sensible, level-headed advice... because I know that self-defense advice can be as deadly as poison, or as valuable as gold. This point always weighs heavy in my heart, and I take my self-defense VERY seriously.

 

[greenLED]

Okay, I gotta ask about the disclaimer in the last sentence. Is that akin to telling kids that a show is "educational" as a means of motivating them to watch the show?

I didn't write that last paragraph as a disclaimer of any sort. I guess my failed attempt at humor needs clarifying:

If you're expecting to hear about the latest techniques on how to kill your assailant with your keyring, or how Brazilian cage-fighting is the ultimate SD everybody should learn, this is not the show for you (or maybe it is? it might generate some thoughtful insights and that's always a good thing).

There is a long list of issues surrounding self-protection and violence that do not normally get mentioned when you go to your corner TKD store. Yalskey's show brings those issues to the forefront and, IMO, is great food for thought.

Personally, I like Yalskey's show because it doesn't try to sell me on what is right or wrong SD; I get no cookie-cutter recipes either. Instead, the show feeds my mind, and I get to choose where to go with that information. I may agree or disagree with what they say (and/or how they say it), but I appreciate that *somebody* is addressing these issues. Plus, the twisted humor brightens my day (but not everybody likes eating babies).

 

[SKYWLKR]

Here is my Self defense light. 135 Lumens and it is always with me...

It is blinding and disorentating to get hit with it, but right next to the light is this...

This can be deployed VERY quickly!!!

 

[Pook]

I think this is probably you best option in a self defence flashlight.......

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.830



Not sure how good of a light it is though...

 

[cage]

You could file sharp the edges of a cree star and use it like ninjas do.