Does wasp spray work against assailants? I got a forward that included this:

[raccoon]

"WASP SPRAY

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."

Anybody know if this is true? If it is, what's a good brand?

[Myrina]

1. I think wasp spray is similar to fire-extinguisher stuff ...

... so yeah, spray anything like that in someone's face and you're going to be able to get away from them. Or piss them off mightily ...

[davepc]

2. Hoax

http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/waspspray.asp

Depending on any type of spray to dissuade an attacker is not a good idea. But if you're going to do it, get something purpose designed for that application.

Remember, if you aim is off or if they're wearing protective clothing or drugged up (PCP for example) then all's you do is piss them off.

[mucifer]

3. it said mixture not hoax. But, it is word for word the same email from the OP

[EFerrari]

29. It's hard to imagine a cop advising anyone to try something so dangerous. n/t

[Uben]

4. Works a lot better...

...with a tazer in the other hand! Spray, taze, beat, call the cops, taze some more, a little more spray, one more tazing, and you're done.

[xchrom]

5. exhausted, even. nt

[Uben]

6. Well, If you're gonna go to the trouble.....

....might as well have a job well done!

[xchrom]

11. ...

:spray:

[madokie]

12. Might burn your house down though as the propellent is probably flamable.

[raccoon]

13. With a tazer, you really have to get up close and personal.

Something I'd rather avoid IF POSSIBLE.

[Statistical]

24. Tazer has a maximum range of 15ft. How much further do you think wasp spray will be effective?

[raccoon]

28. Really? I thought you had to touch them with the tazer. nt

[Statistical]

30. No that is 1980s style "stun guns" (sometimes incorrectly called tasers)

This is a taser.



It fires two "probes" and trailing wires up to 15 feet. They pierce the skin of the target, completing an electrical circut. The effect is like a stun gun except at a distance. Rather than simply a blast of voltage the energy is pulsed to maximizing the disabling effect. The civilian version continues to pulse for 30 seconds. You can simply walk away while target is disabled (taser will replace it for free).

[raccoon]

33. Thanks for that info. nt

[Statistical]

7. Sadly you would likely be sued in our society.

If there is any lasting damage it could be shown in a civil lawsuit that your choice of method was negligent.

Now if you happened to grab a can of wasp spray and defended yourself reflexively that is one thing. If you are carrying something which has the potential to cause permanent blindness that is another.

Just use pepper spray or tazer or a firearm.

[Teaser]

8. neurotoxins in the eyes can't be good for you

but I doubt it's more effective than pepper spray.

[WhiteTara]

9. might be the only use for that sh*t. n/t

[madokie]

10. don't know for sure but I'd bet it would

you can hit a person in the face from a good 20 plus feet away with it and I'm sure that stuff would blind them when it got into their eyes. Probably have permanent after effects so the person wouldn't ever forget what can happen when first one sets out to deceive, steal or harm someone.

I think I'll buy some to keep just in case now that I'm aware of this.

[Cirque du So-What]

14. For the adventurous

there's always lighting the spray from a can of engine starting fluid (diethyl ether + hexane, etc.), which I guarantee makes a fireball of sufficient size to make even the most determined assailant turn tail...and if the assailant is on PCP & keeps advancing, then he will burn. As long as you don't set yourself or your surroundings on fire, the can of starting fluid holds out, and the assailant isn't packing a type ABC or BC fire extinguisher, you're golden!

[old mark]

15. Well, even the pepper spray is not effective on some people-depends

on how much alcohol or what drugs they may be on, and some people seem just to be unaffected by it. Wasp spray for self defense is a myth- see the second example -it is the exact email you evidently got.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/crime/a/wasp_spray.htm

Sorry, but in many cases pepper spray just pisses people off even more. Get a .38 Special revolver or a shotgun and learn how to use it.

And always keep a charged cell phone handy, especially at night.


mark

[GoCubsGo]

16. Wasp spray is poison, and you could get it on yourself in the process.

The assailant might not be the only one who needs the antidote. Whoever came up with this assinine idea needs their head examined. Pesticides already get massively misused. We don't need to be adding to to the problem. Just buy the damn pepper spray if you're that worried about getting attacked.

[Bigmack]

17. Works on dogs that chase me on my bike. nt

[Rex]

18. Depends on what kind you use.

http://www.bugaboopest.com/poison_free.htm Spray some of that shit in someones eyes and I promise you they will not be a problem. And the stuff really does shoot out at about 20 feet.

[L. Coyote]

19. It would be criminal assault, a felony, because it is a hazardous chemical.

[Xenotime]

20. It's better than a gun that's for sure.

[Statistical]

32. ROFL. You are so silly. Always trying. n/t

[safeinOhio]

21. They might try

a good dead bolt lock on the door and some 3 inch screws in the striker plate and hinges. Then lock the door when counting the money. It is a lot easier to keep the bad guys out than try to fight em when they are in.

[Maine_Nurse]

22. Get bear spray

Specs differ as to "shot pattern" but some of them are capable of impressive distance and they tend to have high levels of oleoresin capsicum. They are also large-capacity. Even if the scumbag doesn't fully respond to the chemical, everyone closes their eyes when getting sprayed with something so you can just keep on squirting as you prepare the bash their skull in with a stapler.

As for the wasp spray, just say no. While it may or may not have some effect, it is very likely to cause severe lasting problems by inhalation of a neurotoxin. Good way to get sued. If you are not willing to make them dead, then stick to things that have withstood court cases like pepper spray.

[RamboLiberal]

26. +1 on the bear spray

[benEzra]

23. Very poor choice. Low initial incapacitation potential, high long-term toxicity.

Which is precisely the opposite of what you want in a defensive weapon; it is initial incapacitation that it the most important, whether you are talking about less-lethal or potentially lethal weapons.

A good pepper spray (not some department store crap) is far superior to wasp spray or anything else.

http://www.pepperblaster.com/

Or, if you prefer a traditional spray can, and wind/confined spaces aren't an issue:

http://foxlabs.com/pepperspray.shtml

[Lance_Boyle]

25. Yes, but it will not work on Catholic, Jewish, Muslim or atheist assailants. n/t

[Dappleganger]

27. Don't bring wasp spray to a knife fight.

Don't bring a knife to a gun fight. Don't bring a gun fight into any fight without your brain.

Better still, use your brain and take a self-defense class specializing in edge training so you don't get yourself hurt in the process of using that giant can of spray.

[slackmaster]

31. Not only is it ineffective, but using it as a weapon would be a violation of federal law.

Read the label on any container of any pesticide and you'll see what I mean.

They all list approved uses of the product, and state that using it for any other purpose is unlawful.