FYI: Apparently, Connecticut is the only state in the tristate area where civilians are allowed to own Taser stun guns. And some people are actively educating the public about their legal right to bear electrically charged arms.
In this article from awhile back, The New Yorker talks about a stun gun salesperson who’s going around the country hosting “Taser parties” where women get together in living rooms to pick out Tasers and talk about how having one handy at all times is probably a necessary method of self-defense.
Self-defense is important, but something about this seems a little dubious:
Police tasers shock people for only five seconds, but the civilian version can send out electricity for up to thirty seconds, presumably giving one a chance to escape. Kreisman pressed the button a few more times, each time creating the frying sound associated with bug zappers, while her friends cheered…
“Most people arrive with a fear-based perception of the device,” Shafman said, but she added that that changes when they realize that the Taser won’t cause injury. She got over her own fear by volunteering to be Tasered at a training facility in Arizona.
“I wanted to be shot by my own product,” she said. “I was, like, ‘Just shoot me.’ I did it for three seconds. The trainer was really nice. He gives you a verbal warning— ‘Taser! Taser!’—and all of a sudden you hear a pop. He shot me in the rear end… It’s just a really intense, harsh pain. It feels like—if you’ve ever walked on a cold day and felt that little jolt, that static-electricity shock? It’s like that, but it goes inside you, into the core of your body. It’s the worst pain I’ve ever felt.”
I mean, I’ve never been tasered, but can it be a good idea to have, say, college students roaming around campus with the ability to inflict the worst pain you’ve ever felt for up to 30 seconds whenever deemed necessary? So what if they don’t cause injuries – weren’t pepper spray and well-aimed kicks supposed to be decent methods of self-defense in dark alleys?
Actually, the information isn’t fully correct. Tasers and other “electronic defense” items are legal to OWN in CT, but NOT to carry. You can have it in your house, but are not allowed to carry it on your person unless you are a certified law enforcement officer. If you do use one outside your home, you could be charged criminally for it, even if you are using it in your defense. Welcome to CT!Also, the Tasers that civilians have are less powerful than the police issue ones. The 30 second charge allows you to set down the unit and escape to safety. It is a lesser charge than the police models, and just continues the electronic shock for a longer time period so you can escape. The company encourages this and will replace your Taser free of charge with a copy of the police report. The Law enforcement models are more powerful, and will usually emit 1 shock, with the option for continuous or multiple shocks, depending on the models. The Tasers are around $300 to $400, up to $1000 so they are as much as many firearms. The word “Taser” is getting very generic, usually meaning any stun gun. Actual Tasers shoot 2 small electrodes out to a certain distance, which varies on the model, civilian vs police models, etc. The electrodes are what shocks you, up to 30′ away in some models, much lesser distance for civilian models. The cartridge has to be changed out after discharging as well, and the cartridges are not cheap!
Actually, the information isn’t fully correct. Tasers and other “electronic defense” items are legal to OWN in CT, but NOT to carry. You can have it in your house, but are not allowed to carry it on your person unless you are a certified law enforcement officer. If you do use one outside your home, you could be charged criminally for it, even if you are using it in your defense. Welcome to CT!
Also, the Tasers that civilians have are less powerful than the police issue ones. The 30 second charge allows you to set down the unit and escape to safety. It is a lesser charge than the police models, and just continues the electronic shock for a longer time period so you can escape. The company encourages this and will replace your Taser free of charge with a copy of the police report. The Law enforcement models are more powerful, and will usually emit 1 shock, with the option for continuous or multiple shocks, depending on the models. The Tasers are around $300 to $400, up to $1000 so they are as much as many firearms.
The word “Taser” is getting very generic, usually meaning any stun gun. Actual Tasers shoot 2 small electrodes out to a certain distance, which varies on the model, civilian vs police models, etc. The electrodes are what shocks you, up to 30′ away in some models, much lesser distance for civilian models. The cartridge has to be changed out after discharging as well, and the cartridges are not cheap!
If Tasers are outlawed, only outlaws will have Tasers…
If Tasers are outlawed, only outlaws will have Tasers…
uh I’m questioning the usage of weapons stronger than what law enforcement are allowed to carry by ordinary civilians, clearly I’m a bigot
uh I’m questioning the usage of weapons stronger than what law enforcement are allowed to carry by ordinary civilians, clearly I’m a bigot
who said it’s just women who might make bad bad taser decisions? male civilians are probably just as likely to unnecessarily tase people when they get nervous.
who said it’s just women who might make bad bad taser decisions? male civilians are probably just as likely to unnecessarily tase people when they get nervous.
http://www.makemelol.com/media/491/Dont_Tase_Me_Bro/
http://www.makemelol.com/media/491/Dont_Tase_Me_Bro/
Whatever happened to proper ladies having male escorts? Otherwise you’re just asking for it, amirite?
Whatever happened to proper ladies having male escorts? Otherwise you’re just asking for it, amirite?
Yeah, Anon 5:58 am, I agree. I mean, women can’t possibly make a sensible decision about which situations to use a taser gun in. They would probably just use them willy-nilly!
Yeah, Anon 5:58 am, I agree. I mean, women can’t possibly make a sensible decision about which situations to use a taser gun in. They would probably just use them willy-nilly!
I don’t trust women either
I don’t trust women either
cruciatus!
cruciatus!