Originally Posted by
I Like To Ride
Is it really that simple. ?Have you actually been in a real situation where you had to defend yourself with pepper spray against an attacker ?.
No, but I have had to defend myself (fist fight). I suspect what you might be thinking: "Then how can you know pepper gel will work?" That's because there are countless examples online of people defending themselves with it and not just in cycling-specific scenarios. If it wasn't effective on the vast majority of opponents, people wouldn't buy it. At the very least it would have very low average review scores from whichever online stores sell it.
I recommend pepper gel because it's the best all-around defense tool when considering multiple factors. A gun will stop an attacker much more soundly, but it comes with obvious legal problems. Even if you justifiably use it, you still might have an expensive court battle to clear yourself of any charges. There is also nothing stopping the attacker (or their family in case of death) from suing you, and your homeowners insurance may not cover you for such a claim.
Knives? They're horrible self defense weapons unless you have formal training. They can slip and cut you instead, and they're only good at close range. They also come with similar legal problems as guns.
A kubotan would also work and doesn't carry the legal baggage, but like a knife it can only be used at close range. Pepper gel is easy to carry, easy to draw, works on most opponents, works at medium range, doesn't get blown by the wind like standard spray, and doesn't carry the legal problems of guns and knives.
Originally Posted by
I Like To Ride
Just because a motorist exits their vehicle doesn't mean that they are at a disadvantage. You have no idea what a motorist may be carrying inside their vehicle. It could be a steel pipe, a baseball bat, a tire iron, a cheater bar, a hammer, an axe, a machete, a knife etc. All of those are very effective weapons and even if you carry a pepper spray it would still be very hard to defend yourself against an armed attacker who is motivated and determined to hurt you.
Their body is completely protected while they are still inside the motor vehicle. When they exit they are exposed, and unlike you they're not wearing a helmet to protect their skull. And yes, you don't know what they could be carrying. However, they also don't know if you're carrying anything. Granted, it probably won't be something large like a bat or pipe, but there are plenty of things cyclists can (and often do) carry which are unseen.