Originally Posted by
JW Fas
I'm surprised more cyclists don't carry something for self defense. Pepper gel works quite well. Once a motorist exits the protection of their metal cage they lose any advantage they might have had.
I carry pepper spray. After extensive research, I narrowed it down to POM pepper spray. As a daily bike commuter, for the past 2 years, I always keep it in the front pocket of my safety vest whenever I ride. As crazy as it sounds, I frequently ride 15-plus miles of heavily wooded trails after 9 p.m., a time when I rarely see other pedestrians. (Again, as crazy as it sounds) In addition to the pepper spray, I carry a folding pocket knife at night, for self-defense. While I am not concerned about motorists, I am always prepared to defend myself against a random stranger who might emerge from the trees to try to rob me. My preparation stems from the fact that I am a survivor of armed robbery in the past. Ironically, that incident happened while I was sitting in my parked car in a busy downtown area with lots of people walking nearby.
I am about to order a new POM pepper spray. I've heard they lose their potency after about 2 years.
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 ?.
A good pepper spray should blind an attacker. I've never used mine, but I've seen others use it, so I expect it to be effective.