This came in a little while ago.
Excellent video! I've been carrying POM for some time now, as do others I
know. I use the small size when I'm walking at the beach or something.
Otherwise, I use the MK2.
I use the tactics she mentions starting at the 00:50 mark.
1. Ask nicely: "I'm sorry, I can't help you" - and keep walking.
2. Forcefully Order: "GET BACK"! (assume defensive posture)
3. Give him (or her) a blast with the spray! (surprise deployment)
As
I've said before, I keep the MK2 in the console of the vehicle. After I park my car, I grab my OC spray and keep in my hand while transiting the parking
lot. At the store I stick it in my pocket, and then reverse the process
when returning to my vehicle.
This is simple and it works very
well. For one, if don't already have a weapon in your hand when an event
occurs it might as well be left back at home. You'll never be able to
retrieve it in the moment. If anyone notices you have pepper spray in your hand, just say something like "It's a dangerous
world today" and shrug your shoulders". Of course one can also use a
tactical pen or flashlight, but the advantage of pepper spray is that it's a
distance weapon. You can employ step #3 at 12-15 feet instead of contact
distance, which required to use a pen or flashlight.
As we all know, distance
is one of the key factors in a situation. The closer they get, the more
strength and skill will be needed.
Now, to it's effectiveness.
For any self-defense situation the goal is to break contact and escape,
or transition to a better weapon, depending on the situation.
So,
yes one can 'fight through' pepper spray, and some seem to feel no
effects, but if employed correctly (surprise) and the eyeballs are saturated with it, it will at least give some pause. Heck, you can squirt
someone eyes full of plain water and they will at least close and rub
their eyes for a second or two. That is all we want. You are buying time by screwing up "their" plan. I don't believe anyone can receive a
blast of OC directly into their eyes and have no effect whatsoever. Most
of the fails we hear about are when people fail to employ surprise
and allow the attacker to cover up.
And while it may not be totally
disabling, it doesn't need to be. Again, our goal is to "break
contact and escape". Fill the eyeballs full and get out of there. Or
transition to a better weapon as appropriate.
I call this
strategy defense in layers and we all know the best security is in
layers forcing the attackers to defeat multiple layers to get to you. In
this scenario:
1. AVOID. I study the parking area before I get out of
the vehicle. If I see something I don't like. I leave.
2. DETER. I walk
purposefully aware of my surroundings. Just have the can of spray as a
deterrent . If a criminal notices something in your hand, even if not sure
what it is, they may not want to find out.
3. EVADE. Verbal interaction and
continue walking.
4. DEPLOY and ESCAPE. Issue an assertive verbal command and then the OC spray, and break contact and escape.
That is at least four layers of security the criminal must defeat to get close to me. Close combat would be the final option if the everything else fails.
Bottom
line, nothing is 100% fail safe including a magazine of 9mm. I have
read of instances where an assailant was hit multiple time and kept
right on fighting. Unless you hit a vital target , it can take a minute or two for your attacker to become unable to continue their attack.
That is why I firmly
believe one should have a firm base in unarmed combat before anything
else. Being weapon centric is a big weakness if that weapon fails.
Steve Forester
