Tip Suggestion: Wasp Spray?

[rolsby]

Before everyone starts posting, read this: http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/waspspray.asp

If you don't click on strange links (and I don't recommend you should), here's the email

A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection.  She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead.

The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote.  She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection.  Thought this was interesting and might be of use.

Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High School.  For decades, he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet spray near your door or bed.

Glinka says, "This is better than anything I can teach them."

Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than mace or pepper spray. The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if someone tries to break into your home, Glinka says "spray the culprit in the eyes". It's a tip he's given to students for decades.

It's also one he wants everyone to hear. If you're looking for protection, Glinka says look to the spray.

"That's going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out."

Maybe even save a life.  Please share this with all the people in your life

Who the heck is Val Glinka?  Amusingly enough he has a rating on RateMyTeachers.com; perhaps to give him some "credibility"?

Alex, maybe the tip should be what to look for in bad self-defense information.

[glock23cc]

Well  it sounds like a good idea but wasp spray is not approved for use on humans.  If u spray it in there mouth or they go blind or something u are asking for trouble.  Just be prepared for a lawsuit.
Make sure u post a sign saying " criminals will be sprayed in the face with wasp spray".    

[Doc Wesson]

Wasp spray is basically watered down Nerve Agent.. (you know like VX nerve gas used in chemical weaponry)... I would use absolutely any means necessary to defend myself or others from a would be life threatener....
Just make sure none gets in your face or others... because, unlike pepper spray.. some of the effects are irreversible if dosed properly.   The antidote is atropine.. and it ain't pretty getting it into the muscle...injecting needle about as big a-round as a pencil.... right into the thigh.. and DEEP...
I spend time out at Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah... they do BioChem testing out there and pretty much house all the nations agents there... before going in the facility, they made us take a physical, then schooled us on how to self inject with atropine spring loaded syringes... they gave us 3.  Use 1 if the lights start going dim (blind), use the second one if you see sparks (neurotransmitters) and then hopefully if 3rd one is needed, someone will come upon you, cause you are not gonna be able to do it... I remember those spring loaded syringes were huge.. you slam them into the thigh hard to activate the spring to thrust the needle, or pipe as it looks to me... deep within the thigh muscle...NICE!!!
Then they told us that the best thing to do in the case of nerve agent release alarm... was to find the Axxholes and Elbows....and try to catch and pass them.. funny guys....

[Alex Haddox]

+1 glock23cc

..and more emphasis. Hell Freaking NO.

I strongly recommend AGAINST using any spray designed for bugs or animals on humans. Even straight OC spray designed for bears can kill a human.

Every tool for its purpose. Do not stray outside product labeling.


Rolsby, you make a great point about bad information being out there. A great suggestion as a tip. May I mention your name?

[Eric R Shelton]

Wasp spray is basically watered down Nerve Agent..

Which is why Jack Spirko on a recent Survival Podcast shot this myth down.  I'm with Rolsby, though- this would be a great example of a "bad advice" podcast.

[rolsby]

Rolsby, you make a great point about bad information being out there. A great suggestion as a tip. May I mention your name?

Nah, I don't need the credit.  I already had my moment in the spotlight.  Just send me a t-shirt, oh wait...

[Alex Haddox]

Just send me a t-shirt, oh wait...

Ouch. But I do have t-shirts! They have been in my store for over a year and I haven't sold a single one. Like my donation button, I don't push them.

[rolsby]

Alex, I don't know what to say.  I have no excuse.  I vaguely remember looking for one but not finding it.  I apologize.  Maybe more variety of designs?  I know the pain of moving from concept to design to production on t-shirts...and that was with a family member with their own graphic design company.  What I would really like is a copy of "tactical hand signals" by "Officer Jim Wagner" on DVD.

You have a donation button? <-sarcasm font

I don't know if I made this clear from the beginning but I don't endorse the use of wasp spray in a self-defense application.  My point was to suggest some tactics for discerning good self-defense information from bad.  Barring all the usual tactics used in chain e-mail (lots of exclamation points, author is annonymous, misspellings, etc.) that is...

[Alex Haddox]

If I had access to the Jim Wagner Collection, I would certainly send you a copy. Alas, I pay full retail for my own copies.

Your non-endorsement was understood.

[Alex Haddox]

Practical Defense 112 - Poor Advice is online! Thanks for the topic suggestion!

[Pinkpurlknits]

My Mom forwarded this to me I looked at and discounted it, but thanks for bringing it up I can send this information to her.  Granted I am a college student who lives on campus, and in this state that means the only self-defense options I have are my awareness level, what I am physically capable of, and pepper spray.  I just mentioned this to explain why she would worry about me.