In response to Steve Brown's question about pepper spray, I was sprayed during some law enforcement training. My experience was the same as Steve's: it's distracting and discouraging, but it wouldn't stop me if I was seriously intent on my "mission". People's reactions are very varied-- The Word was to be wary of spraying people (i.e. particular ethnic groups) who are likely to be accustomed to pepper-spiced food (a very high tolerance can be built up). But I suppose we can take re-assurance from the fact that bears probably don't order jalepenos on their pizzas... I don't have any experience with polar bears, and fervently hope that I never do. For a firearm in the situations we have been discussing, though, I would chose a 12-gauge with slugs. No one will ever laugh at you for bringing one of those to a fight. As for those large-caliber hunting rifles, it seems to me that they would be great if you wanted to drop a bear at 300 yards (note: I don't have any big-game hunting experience, either). If you were facing a charging bear a shotgun would be reassuringly simple, and the "stopping" power of a 12-gauge slug is legendary. Shotguns are also, arguably, safer to carry, since you don't have to have a round chambered to be able to deploy the gun quickly. Another consideration in all of this is legalities. A shotgun often incurs less notice from the authorities than any other type of firearm, especially when crossing international borders. I believe there's a marine version of the Remington 870. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2003 05:44:37 -0800 From: "Steve Brown" <steve_at_brown-web.net> Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Guns and Polar Bears ... I haven't been pepper sprayed, but did go through tear gas training in the USMC. It was seriously distracting, but not immobilizing. Irritation to the eyes made seeing difficult-to-impossible, but everything else worked fine. It's painful, but the pain can be ignored if necessary. Maybe someone else has had pepper spray experience to share??? ... Steve Brown *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
>>> Maybe someone else has had pepper spray experience to share??? I was a photography professor at the Michaelis School of Fine Arts, University of Cape Town in the mid-late 70s. I was involved in a riot of 13 year old school kids who had been chased onto our campus (down town) by riot police with pepper grenades. The kids ran into my building and I got then up the stairs and into the silk screen rooms and dark rooms with running water. It was a mess, and I had 3 flights of stairs in a stair well to negotiate to get the kids out and to safety. The stair well was full of gas and there was a small window on the landing. I had to get that window open in order to clear the stairwell. I thought I was going to die! The window hadn't been opened for years (the building was typical colonial academic architecture) and even though I was prepared and had a wet cloth on my face, I collapsed. I eventually broke open the window and made it out, but I was useless for the next 1/2 hour or so. BTW, I have been working with some of the concentrate from India which has a rating of over 2M Scoville Units. Small mistake translate into big problems! Like going to the bathroom after handling the concentrate..... cu *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Wednesday, November 05, 2003, at 5:27:40 AM PST, chrstjrn-11113745_at_mailblocks.com wrote: > People's reactions are very varied-- The Word was to be wary of > spraying people (i.e. particular ethnic groups) who are likely to be > accustomed to pepper-spiced food (a very high tolerance can be built > up). I'm half Thai, and I grew up on very spicy food (yummy!). I remember helping my mom cook, and then absentmindedly rubbing my eyes after handling peppers. Ouch! (prolonged laying around and moaning). I learned my lesson after several (!) such unhappy experiences. :-) Even though I still eat spicy food, I don't think my tolerance for pepper in the eyes would be any greater than it was when I was little. At least I'm not very willing to test the above mentioned theory. -- Melissa *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Melissa wrote: >Even though I still eat spicy food, I don't think >my tolerance for pepper in the eyes would be any >greater than it was when I was little. At least >I'm not very willing to test the above mentioned theory. G'Day, Had a similar eye watering experience when I first made friends amongst the West Indian community in England 38 years ago. Used to study calculus at night with my mate Jim Singh. He would eat these pretty green and red fruits but never offered me any, until I protested one evening. He did warn me but would I listen? Of course not! I was 17 and the 'fruits' looked cool! All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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