Another good tool in the home defense arsenal

[DG45]

I thought I should share this but I'm not sure which is the appropiate forum to post it on. I've seen lots of posts on this one relating to SD and HD, so I'll post it here.

Someone just passed an e-mail along to me that said "Take your keys to bed." The idea is that you can use the panic button on your key fob as a HD measure. It'll start your car horn blowing and keep it blowing until you turn it off. That alone may be enough to frighten an intruder away. At a minimum, it will alert your neighbors that somethings bady wrong at your house.

I usually put my keys on my bedside table every night anyway, but wouldn't have thought to use them as a HD tool before getting that email.

This is another good tool in the home security arsenal. It won't replace the Colt on my nightstand, but nevertheless its a very good idea.

 

[ClydeFrog]

car alarms-car horns, air horns...

I see the point of this post but I disagree.
In 2010, most people either ignore or avoid car alarms, horns, etc.
Unless the danger or event(s) are directly in front of a person, most people today are either to vapid or to self absorbed to get involved when hearing a car horn/alarm go off.
A small air horn like for boats/ sporting events may distort or impair a violent attacker-home invader but that should be part of a protection-security system.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Well, I don't know that the car alarm going off will stop the home invader in my bedroom from stabbing me to death, but it will scare the hell out of his buddies in the garage that were hoping to burgle the car.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

I agree that most people ignore horns and car alarms. By far, the most likely response from the neighbors is some profanity and a pillow over their ears until the noise stops.

Frankly, it sounds like Brady reasoning for gun alternatives.

 

[Nickel Plated]

At a minimum, it will alert your neighbors that somethings bady wrong at your house.

Or it will make them think you're an A-hole for blowing your horn in the middle of the night.

Frankly neither me nor anybody I know has ever heard a car alarm go off and went rushing outside thinking "OMG someone's car is being stolen, hope it's not mine!!!". I don't even know why car alarms still exist anymore.

Most you can do is probably try scratching the attacker with the keys, and I'll just let the other members chime in about that tactic.

 

[hoytinak]

Frankly neither me nor anybody I know has ever heard a car alarm go off and went rushing outside thinking "OMG someone's car is being stolen, hope it's not mine!!!".

I guess it depends on where you're at. Around here, our neighbor's look out for each other. Not too long ago there was a car alarm going off 3 houses down from me and pretty much the entire block came outside to see what was going on. Turned out the guy's 3yr old got ahold of his keys and was pushing the panic button.

 

[rwilson452]

I put an after market alarm system on my car that has a siren etc. The real reason I got it was it will alert me at considerable distance if it does go off. I was in the hospital and was going to be there for two months undergoing treatment. I didn't need to stay but a 300+ mile round trip perday was out of the question.

 

[MTS840]

This is another good tool in the home security arsenal. It won't replace the Colt on my nightstand, but nevertheless its a very good idea.

This does seem like a good idea. While some neighbors may ignore the alarm, the bad guy won't know this. This may put him on the defensive while he's in your house. He may decide to leave to avoid potential witnesses looking out their windows in the direction of your residence.

Of course, keep the weapon at hand at ready.

Good job! Thanks for the tip!

 

[DG45]

Surprised that this has met a mostly negative response. I agree with the poster who said the bad guy won't ignore it even if the neighbors do. I think most of the people who are saying they ignore car horns are thinking of the guy who inadverdently sets his off and inside 30 seconds turns it off. Believe me, if you've got a loud horn and nearby neighbors, it'll drive them crazy if it goes on and on. They'll do something, even if its calling the police on you.

 

[Daryl]

I don't have a remote for my truck, and I doubt I'd bother with it if I did in the event of a home burglary/invasion.

I do have motion sensors around the yard that set off a buzzer in my bedroom if someone's moving around out there. One buzz is the gate, two is the shop, and so forth.

If they get past the dog, then their intentions are serious. That being so, I have no inhibitions whatsoever in doing what's necessary to end that threat.

It's not something I would look back on without regret, but I'll do what's necessary to protect my family.

Daryl

 

[kodiakbeer]

It sounds like a good idea to me. Anything that distracts the intruder has to work in your favor.

Now, how to integrate that panic button into the grip of your pistol...?

 

[ClydeFrog]

old Benny Hill joke....

In the words of the late, great Benny Hill; "Never assume, because when you do, you make an a$$ out of u and me!"

As I posted, you have a valid point but alarms & horns & loud noises annoy more people than alert them to serious threats.

The recent news story of a dying homeless man lying in the public street for nearly an hour in New York City is a good example of real human behavior. A few people saw the wounded man and some even stood and watched him but they did not get involved or assist him ASAP. Sad but true.

I read an interesting item about how passengers on public transportation(trams, light rail, etc) listen & retain more from automated or computer voices than real human instructions/directions, .
I also heard the US Army uses a seperate, distinct female voice to alert pilots & air crew members in major emergencies or warnings so they do not ignore or distort the message. That to me makes a lot of sense.

 

[HKFan9]

My concern would be increase ambient noise on yourself would be counter what you would want in a break in situation. You want to hear where or what that person is doing, not what obnoxious noise your car is making. This might sound like me nit picking, but if you read up on the SAS storm of the Iranian embassy, they ordered planes in the area to fly lower to increase ambient noise levels so they could get in position with out the terrorists knowing.

Now I know that someone breaking into your house, chances are they are not elite soldiers such as SAS. But I would much rather remain quite behind my locked bedroom door and hearing those footsteps on the creeky wooden steps, than I would my car horn blasting away. If I can hear them, I know their position, not that I am going on an offense, but I know where they are at that moment, and can maybe adjust accordingly. I do keep my keys near my bed along with a flashlight, handgun, shotgun ect. Only because I keep my bedroom door locked, I hear footsteps on my stairs im going out the window because the front porch roof attaches right to the window. I can be out of the house within a few seconds, and either get in my car or run to a neighbors house. My belongings are replaceable, I am not.

 

[Daryl]

The recent news story of a dying homeless man lying in the public street for nearly an hour in New York City is a good example of real human behavior. A few people saw the wounded man and some even stood and watched him but they did not get involved or assist him ASAP. Sad but true.

That's happened more than once in New York.

Strange how we seldom, if ever hear about such things happening in other places. I think folks are mostly good, but I also think a lot of people get disconnected from the rest of the human race somehow.

My youngest sister is a nurse, and has gone out of her way to help other people many times when others wouldn't. There's no doubt that she's saved a couple of lives in doing so, and I certainly respect her for it.

I like to think I'd do the same in a similar circumstance, but I've never had the opportunity. One thing's for sure; she sets a good example.

Daryl

 

[kodiakbeer]

As I posted, you have a valid point but alarms & horns & loud noises annoy more people than alert them to serious threats.

I don't think the OP is suggesting a posse of armed neighbors will show up in response to the alarm, he's suggesting it to distract or threaten the intruder. The guy may run out the door, or it may just serve to divide his attention, either of which works in your favor.

 

[bigghoss]

I don't have a car alarm cuz I spent all my money on guns instead of buying a car worth stealing. plus I'd rather drive a paid-for '84 k-5 blazer than make $600/month payments on something "nice". and I like old chevys.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

This does seem like a good idea. While some neighbors may ignore the alarm, the bad guy won't know this.

Yes they will know, at least those who see the connection. After all, many make their living burglarizing vehicles and they know that car alarms are a dime a dozen and that 99 times out of 100 a car alarm is a false alarm and that nobody pays attention.

Then there will be those who have broken into your home and hear the car alarm and not even associate it with their entry into the home because it is the car alarm going off and not the house alarm. The intruder will think, "Somebody's car alarm is going off" and not give it another thought...just like the neighbors.

 

[orionengnr]

To me, this sounds a lot like the TV ads for Brinks home security systems, where the BG kicks in the door, the alarm goes off, the BG runs like heck.

Brilliant marketing, but pretty irrelevant for the real world. IMHO.

I trust the "four-dog" interactive alarm system, myself.

 

[bennnn]

I'm trying to think about how this might be made to work. It would pretty much never work for me.

But maybe, if someone lived in a community where the houses were close and everyone knew each other, this could be something discussed among several neighbors, and worked out as a help to a neighborhood watch sort of deal. ??

Personally, I think dogs and various guns are the best HD I can get, but not everyone lives like that.

 

[Hoss Fly]

Heard this many times & i agree its a tool in your favor-
ANYTHING that can be used in your favor is a tool that should be used--