Incidentally, what is it that makes people believe that a duvet is adequate protection against being attacked ...) What are you talking about?! Of COURSE it's adequate protection - it also protects you from being struck by lightening and completely prevents you from hearing scarey noises like thunder. Duvets are an indispensible safety device that no home should be without.
Sarah [home]
15.01.2005, 2:10pm
If you break in to someones house while they are there you are taking a huge risk, legal or not I would not hesitate to use a gun to defend my person or anyone in my family. Personally I think if you are violating someone elses rights you have little recource when they in tern violate yours.
Duvets are excellent protection unless there is some sand you can bury your head in.
RedFred [home]
19.01.2005, 4:37pm
Self defense is one thing, chasing out an intruder then following after him shooting him in the back is another (as in the case of Tony Martin who was jailed for doing that to a 16 year old a few years back - this was the case that started off all the media attention on the subject over here).
Sand isn't generally on hand when intruders break in ... same idea though.
Tim [home]
19.01.2005, 5:03pm
I agree really. There was another case recently of someone who "repeatedly" stabbed an intruder (to death). I know for a fact that if an intruder broke in and a confrontation followed in which I (or my kids) were attacked I would certainly bash the said intruder over the head with the nearest heavy object BUT I wouldn't continue to bash them beyond what was necessary ... "take that you intruding bastard...and that...AND THAT!!!" Noooo neeed!
Sarah [home]
20.01.2005, 10:36am
PS - I actually feel quite sorry for anyone who was mad enough to break into our house...Tim knows what a terrifying opponent I can be in a heated moment a-ha-ha-ha!
Sarah [home]
20.01.2005, 10:38am
Sure I agree with you both that chasing the guy down is not a good thing, but often people get caught up in the moment and normal rational is suspended.
For instance, how often would you beat the burgular, until he is unconcious? that might just be long enough to kill him.
Here of course many homes have guns so the "how many times" question is fairly obsolete.
RedFred [home]
21.01.2005, 2:03pm
I think in my case it would just be bash and run - I wouldn't want to hang around long enough to continue beating the person up!
Sarah [home]
21.01.2005, 2:15pm
but what if that is not enought and then he comes after you for bashing him?
RedFred [home]
21.01.2005, 6:52pm
Erm...I guess I WOULD have to hit him a couple more times - meaning that he might very well end up a bit more "injured" than I would have intended - which takes us right back to the start... Jeepers! *feeling we're having a bit of a hole in the bucket moment here*
Sarah [home]
21.01.2005, 7:28pm
Well, I am something of a self defence advocate and even an 'expert' though I try and avoid boring people to death on the subject these days... Anyway, bottom line is that it's harder work to kill someone than most people imagine, without intending to do so. It's not impossible, by any means, but there is virtually no way that someone killed by repeated blunt trauma was a threat after probably 50 -70% of the blows had been landed. Human beings are much easier to knock unconscious or indeed disable in other ways than they are to kill.
Some One
18.09.2005, 12:52am