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Old August 28, 2002, 07:47 PM   #1
SamH
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At 2am, I heard bangs and screams.

This actually happened to me a year ago, and I'd like to ask what people would have done if in my shoes.


I lived alone in a largish farmhouse in Australia, approximately 30 minutes from the nearest police station.
In Australia concealed carry is illegal, and I didn't own guns anyway.

Having just had a long and tiring day at university, I arrived home (an hour drive) at around 11pm. In my fatigued state of mind, I left one of the dining room lights on and went to bed. Bedroom door open, corridor light on, external doors locked. There were curtains draped in the bedroom, but no curtains in the dining/TV room.

At around 2pm, I was slowly awakened by a faint banging noise, growing louder by the second. Out of the frickin blue, my bedroom window was being banged too, and the awakening was pretty damn quick.

Not fully alert yet, I put on my clothes, grabbed a torch, went to the front door and turned on the porch light. And then I realised that opening the door would be just stupid, and retreated to my room. Where the hell was that bloody dog? It's meant to guard the bloody place!

There was some dude running around, banging on the windows and screaming for help. I peered around the curtains to see an average-looking man standing outside.

Stranger: "Sorry to wake you up, but my car's just run out of petrol. Can I use your phone?"

Me: "I just moved in here, mate. I don't have a line phone." [this was a lie, I had lived there for a while and had a line phone and a cell phone]

Unfortunately, I didn't realise that my cell phone was lying in full view of this guy. It was just sitting on the desk. Should have thought of that before-hand!

Stranger: "Can I use your cell phone then? I'll give you some money for the bill."

Stranger: "Here is a dollar."

Me: "Leave it on the ground. You give me the number and I'll relay the call."

Stranger: [pause] "Errr... can I just use it, I need to ring a friend."

Me: "Why do you need to call a friend?"

Stranger: "I'm just lost. I'm looking for a house around here, but I can't find it." [contradicting his previous excuse]

Me: "You give me the number, and I'll call for you."

He gave the number, and I called. There was a woman on the other side who just laughed and gave me an address to give to the wanker.
I gave him the address and relevant directions, and he left without hassle.

During the little conversation, I was acutely aware that [an] accomplice(s) could be breaking through the rear kitchen door or laundry doors (the kitchen door could have been pried with a Philips screw driver), but there was no suspicious noise coming from that direction. There were also no street lights, and the porch light only helped to blind my long-range visual acuity, without really helping to see the stranger at the window.


I'm not really sure what I'd have done if he pulled a gun or broke through the window (it was pretty big and could easily fit a person through). What would you have done in the same situation, and what if he did pull a gun or smash through the window?
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Old August 28, 2002, 09:45 PM   #2
Blackhawk
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What would you have done in the same situation, and what if he did pull a gun or smash through the window?
Pretty much the same as you provided you could catch me in a country that insists I be unarmed, firarms style.

Any stranger who wakes me at 2AM had better be bleeding or obviously in trouble.

He didn't have a gun 'cause they're illegal in Australia, right?

If he broke in knowing I was there, gun or not, he's not being neighborly. I'd break out my blow gun, dip a dart or two, and see who knows his way around my place in the dark better. I'll also have my favorite knife and a few of my almost favorites handy.

Thing is, if you don't have a gun, have other implements that may give you a chance.

Did you keep the shelia's number....?

Oh, where was that dog anyway?
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Old August 28, 2002, 11:28 PM   #3
imadork
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A bowie knife or fighting knife is an excellent weapon for around the house. Someone breaks in, you cut the lights and hang back behind a doorway. You club the guy over the head and jump on him, knife at the ready. After that he'll tell you if he wears ladies underwear.
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Old August 29, 2002, 12:55 AM   #4
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grabbed a torch
just shove the torch in his face a couple of times - most folks and animals will back away from fire!

...but seriously would be just the job for a Ka-Bar, or a baseball bat.
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Old August 29, 2002, 02:07 AM   #5
LASur5r+P
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At least...

In southern California, we can still own guns to defend our homes.

Otherwise...I've been in the martial arts for a while, and long swords for some distance or kukri's for CQB appeal to me. Bowies are interesting. Tomahawks are another option.

Some people in the states like bats. Take your choice.
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Old August 29, 2002, 06:26 AM   #6
SamH
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He didn't have a gun 'cause they're illegal in Australia, right?
Our politicians think so.

Quote:
Did you keep the shelia's number....?

Oh, where was that dog anyway?
Yep, I kept the shelia's [sic] number, but only just in case something unexpected (horrible) happened.

And the dog could have been anywhere. Perhaps far down in the paddock or something, although it usually slept in a kennel near the kitchen. That dog will eat snakes, and pick fights with multiple german shepards; but when it comes to humans, it just wants to play!

Quote:
Otherwise...I've been in the martial arts for a while, and long swords for some distance or kukri's for CQB appeal to me. Bowies are interesting. Tomahawks are another option.
Interesting options. I was taught to use a pole (around 6.5ft) in martial arts training, but that isn't really a CQB weapon. Besides, in was in a wardrobe next room.
Now I think about it, machetes, scythes, hatchets, crowbars, and metal piping could have all been useful weapons in close-quarters - except they were all in the garage.

I just hadn't prepared for bump-in-the-night contingencies. Not after that night though.
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Old August 30, 2002, 01:38 PM   #7
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"Sorry to wake you up, but my car's just run out of petrol. Can I use your phone?"
Egad! Sounds like a line out of A Clockwork Orange.

Good thing you didn't open. Good thing you did what you did. But had the guy broken in...

well... wouldn't you a least be carrying one of those Dundee knives?
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Old August 31, 2002, 02:28 AM   #8
bela
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Folders

I own a gerber applegate folder and some cheap copies and I like the 4 1/2" inch blade.
I wonder why so few folders are made with blades longer than 3 3/4 ".
For example, if I want to cut down a slice of bread a short blade is not very good.
(The next knife I shall buy will be a Gerber Applagate plain edge.)
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Old September 1, 2002, 11:57 PM   #9
Don Gwinn
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A lot of jurisdictions have laws against carrying anything longer than 4" of blade, and even more police officers think they work in such jurisdictions.
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