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In the wee hours of the morning, I was scared to death by a rattling on my bedroom window. Fortunately, it was just a cat. (You can read that post here, http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/spay-and-neuter-your-pets-my-horror-story) But a really good point was brought up by friends.
In a little over three months, I won't be living with my parents. I will be living with a submariner who deploys often. I won't be able to scream and run and get anyone. If it isn't a cat next time, what will I do?
So, fellow bees, I'm sure a lot of you are on your own or spent time thinking about a situation like this. What do you do to feel safe when you're home alone?
I think my first instinct is to always dial 911, but living at home, I know all I have to do is make it to the other side of the house and I'm safe. Maybe I'll buy a dog and a pistol.
Any thoughts?
@HawaiiBamaBride: If you're concerned, maybe keep a bat by your bed within reach from a prone position. Or an air horn if you're afraid people won't hear you scream. If you've got a neighbor you REALLY trust, leave a key with them so that if they hear suspicious noises (or your air horn) they can come check it out. I've also heard that 911 is now text-able (is that a word?) so that if you're hiding, you don't need to use your voice to notify authorities.
I personally just keep a phone by my bed (well, my land line and my cell), keep my bedroom door locked as one extra barrier, and I also keep those little Christmas jingle bells around the outside door handles. Makes a bit of noise if someone's opening/closing the doors, and they don't know they're there because they hang on the inside.
I'd be cautious with buying a pistol, only because tragic accidents can happen if a drunk friend tries to sneak in or a BF/FI tries to surprise you. That's totally a personal choice though, and one that requires solid training if you go that route.
We have two rat terriors who can hear every little thing and let me know when something is too close, they have a way of telling me someone is in the yard. I just know how to read their actions now. I also have alot of weapons around the house: guns, pepper spray, bows, stun gun, and pellet guns, and I know how to use every one of them.
I also am signed up for kav maga classes that start in three weeks *STOKED*. To be honest, I think that I will feel the most secure with the kav maga classes as they are focused for "survive and live at any cost". You should look into them, I have been looking at different types of martial arts for years and IMO it is the best martial art for women. It was developed with women and men in mind so it really works for both.
My plan is to become frozen with terror.
Well, no, but that's probably what would happen to me anyway. I make sure my phone is right next to me, always triple check that doors/windows are locked, and I never open the door without using the peephole (in my apartment building). Apparently putting one of those chains on the door is actually the strongest lock for a door, plus you can open it slightly to see who's out there.
I also have two attack cats. They might lick the intruder to death.
ETA: Seeing how everyone else is prepared with weapons and training is making me feel super vulnerable, lol.
I lived alone alone before FI moved in. I have two cats, so they kept me company and I'm on the second floor in a condo. Dead bolts are awesome, as well as well lit porches/parking. I kept a metal baseball bat at the top of my steps, but never had to use it.
It can be scary to be alone if you're not used to it or naturally jumpy. I got used to it, so noises didn't scare me at all. I'm a little "ballsy" too, so I guess I handle things differently. FI brought a pitbull AND a Glock with him, so when I am alone, no worries. He took a trip a few months ago for a week and I missed him dearly, but Bailey (pitbull) protects her mommy and mommy sleeps next to the gun :)
Get a doggie, a nice big one. People hear that bark and defiantly think twice! Plus having a deadly weapon has benefits as well :)
@tksjewelry:I know, for sure, I'll be getting a dog as an alarm system. I really think you are very smart in being trained on every weapon in your home. I wouldn't own a pistol without being trained. Also, think kav maga sounds awesome. I'm going to google it now.
@galloway111:That's me! I would freeze up! Yeah I sleep with my phone right beside me. This morning though I chunked it across the room when I made the decision to make a run for it. lol. Not smart.
@NDBee:I'm not really concerned now since I haven't moved yet so I don't know the neighborhood I'll live in. Right now I live in the country and its very quiet so every noise is scary. Once I have neighbors and get adjusted, I don't think I'll freak out as bad. And I wouldn't have any gun in my home I wouldn't know how to use!
I never have to sleep alone but when my SO worked night I kept a knife by my bed. Im also had big brothers growing up so I fight mean. Lets all pray it never happens to any of us!
Put a bar along the bottom of your window so that no one can slide it open (same for patio doors).
Put a deadbolt on your front door.
Keep your cell phone beside your bed at night and maybe something else like a bat or pepper spray.
Get a dog?
@nhanvey:I'm with you on praying it never happens to anyone!
@MademoiselleL:I never thought about a bar on the windows. Hmm. Great idea! Thanks.
I'm surprised no one has suggest an armed alarm system yet. It's probably your best defense. Get one with monitoring that will notify to police and set it, even when you're home.
Leaving the porch light on and making sure your doors and windows are locked are always good ideas, like PPs said.
One of the local MMA places offers a free self-defense workshop, I'm going to call them tomorrow and find out some details!
@HawaiiBamaBride: Those are GREAT to do! I've done two of them. Make sure to ask if they do simulated attacks. It's one thing to learn all the moves and hits, but it's totally another to find out how you'll react when you're in a dark room and are grabbed from behind/laying down/etc. It can be REALLY scary to practice, but don't let that deter you, because it's the best way to get past that freeze-up for when it matters most, Heaven forbid.
I keep a cricket stump by the bed. Sometimes if Mr. Roux is away it ends up IN the bed with me. But honestly, we have very little security wise. I try to remember to lock the screen door and front door at night, but thats really it. We live in a quiet little town with a non existant crime rate, and really done have many valuable things to have stolen, only my old laptop and the plasma tv really, so I doubt our house would be targeted. I just don't think anyone would try to break into my house and kill me, so I don't worry too much. I do feel much safer though when Mr. Roux is home, and we plan to get a dog next year sometime.
Here is the first show I watched on the subject of KM martial arts, the lady on here is bad ass, I am glad that DH made me watch it, this show made my mind up immediately.
Ever since I moved in with my DH I always wondered what I would do in an intruder situation. I live in a tiny 2nd story apartment so I have no options really. The doors and locks are flimsy so I would be pretty much screwed. Maybe I could reach one of my very dull filet knives though...I'm just happy we live in a safe town.
Well... after we had a semi-intruder (turned out to be a confused paramedic... long story that's elsewhere and too lazy to find the link), I want a gun and a dog. DH wants me to have a gun too, and that's likely going to be our Christmas present to each other.
I keep a bat by the bed and knife hidden but accessible. I make note of anything that is within reach that can be used as weapon. Most household objects can be used to bash, stab or tempoarily stall someone. ANYTHING. Under the bed keep some bar bells or about a 1.5-2 feet of heavy chains. A perfum bottle can be used to spray it in eyes to cause discomfort. A pen by the night stand can be effective, stab them in eye or thoat. A Yankee candle in a jar, letter openner, air freshner, even if you don't smoke- keep a lighter handy ... you get the point.
I've never been a victim of crime *knock on wood* but God forbid if it every happens, I plan on giving them hell.
In my Upstate, NY house, we didn't lock doors and I lived a carefree and probably borderline careless life. Now that I have moved to a big city in South Florida things have changed. I'm living with some paranoid people and they are justified due to the crime rates
Home Protection:
-gated community
- German Shepherd
-Self Defense class
- Keep phones charged and one bedside every night
-Any sliding glass doors, have rods so they canno't be easily popped open.
-Security signs and system
-standard door locks, bolts
-prayer and trust in the Lord ! lol
-We keep a baseball bat in the car, and have something on each bedstand
What I would like to get:
Concealed weapon permit
Gun
Well, I keep a knife in the passengers door of my car. In my house, I keep knifes around as well.
I also lock both my screen door as well as my main front door. I am more worried about the windows, but I saw these alarms at a local hardware store that trip when you open a window. We have two windows that I can't lock with our window air conditioners and it freaks me out a little bit...
I have a basement door in my kitchen that leads to an outside door. The outside door is padlocked, and my kitchen access door has 2 locks on it, sliding and chain. I'm all about the locks, apparently... :)
And some people just lack common sense...like in NY I'm always amazed by the number of people who just have their windows with no curtains, just wide open to the whole world. I always wonder if their exhibitonists or just freaking stupid. Why should somoene standing on the street be able to see into your home or apartment like that.
Self defense class! I took one in college and it was awesome. If something happens, your initial response is to freeze and by taking that class you can get the first "freeze" out of your system. After that, some good extra locks on the door. Timers on a lamp. I wouldn't recommend a gun unless you're comfortable with it. One of the best defenses against intruders is light and making it look like someone is home.
@MrsCoachBtoBee: Yeah, I need to get those timers that comes on at different times each night. We have light cancelling curtains anyway, so even if I am home, people can't tell unless they're looking into our kitchen, which I'm not always comfortable with....
My husband works night shift. So when we first got our apartment I had to get use to being home alone at night. I use to live with my mom, step dad & two sisters. So it was always a full house.
As far as feeling safe in my house, I do. You get use to being alone. But there are things you can do to feel better.
We only have one door in our apartment. We live upstairs on the second floor. Our door has three locks, door knob lock, blot & chain lock. We have three guns in our home. & We have a dog who alerts us when someone is outside! Our dog REALLY does help. My little sister (turning 10 in a few weeks) stayed with us for a week on her summer break. One night she was scared of monster/ghosts so I simply told her "If there is anything at all in here trust me we would know." She asked why & I said "Because Sophie would make for sure we knew plus anyone within a 10 mile radius." haha Needles she rested well. :-)
Other things you can do is get a Security sign & a security system. If you can't afford the system, get the sign. My father in law cancled his system but left the sign up. He also has two gaurd dogs outside.
I've never thought about it too much. I sleep with the door unlocked and windows open and have done so my whole life. (I DID have a rottweiler for years which probably made me complacent)I think Canadians in general are more relaxed about that stuff. I need to be more secure, I know.
Most of my clients leave their doors unlocked all day.
I think if somebody wants to "get you" they will ...and the best deterrent is a good alarm system and motion lights. The phone next to the bed is a good idea!
Before my FI went to bed tonight he asked if I'd locked the front door and I was like, "huh?"
if you can you should get an alarm. I know there is a pretty good cost upfront but after that some companies only charge around $30-$40 a month. You can get a gun but if your living in a house that has more then one floor it wont do any good if your downstairs and keep the gun upstairs. SO and I plan to keep one of every floor of our house when we move (he has quite a few). Getting a dog is a good idea but I would not rely on that alone. The barking will give you time to get your gun and the phone though.
Well, I've got a pistol next to my bed. Done and done. ;)
@NDBee: Yes, true, if you're trigger-happy... I would make sure to see who I was shooting at first!
I live in Australia where no one else is alllowed guns either. Thats my best defense. LOL
Also dont get a gun unless you'll definately use it if the need arrises - any weapon you pick up you had better be ready to use, or you'll end up having it used on yourself.
This is so strange to me you guys all worrying about staying home by yourselves, we must have far less crime in Australia, its never even crossed my mind.
@piglet_625: Having light outside also helps. Leave your porch light on all the time if you have one - that's one of the easiest ways to figure out your habits. I always leave my kitchen light on also. If you have a garage or a nearby area where you park your car, put up a light there. I also second the sign idea. You can get a beware of dog one too, even if you don't have a dog.
Also, don't let people know you will be alone at night.
Wow, I'm really surprised how many people have or want guns. I live in an apartment and when DH is out of town for work, I use the dead bolt. I also keep my cell phone by my bed but I've never wanted a gun. I just feel like I would be too afraid to use it and that it would only give an intruder motivation to use one on me.
There are some great websites, some written by ex-criminal who've been house breakers, that talk about the best things you can do.
Motion sensitive lights I know are a big one! Also being conscientious about locking doors and windows. Dogs of course are good.
I lived alone for many years and it was never really a problem for me, but if you're worried maybe you can have an alarm system put in. Then you can call them instead of disturbing 911 every time you hear a bump.
This store: http://girlsfightback.com/shop has a great selection of alarms and stuff that you can use to protect yourself with.
I honestly wouldn't get a gun, because your aim is going to be pretty terrible if you're scared and it's dark...
Personally, I keep pepper spray and a hammer near me when I'm alone.
Fun story: one time in college I didn't have pepper spray and three very drunk guys were banging on my door demanding I take them to Taco Bell and making some very lewd comments. They weren't from my college, so I had no idea who they were (I opened my door the first time they knocked and told them no on the taco bell trip), and it was honestly pretty scary. I grabbed some Lysol and locked the door.
Cleaning chemicals are basically pepper spray with some very serious permanent effects. I figure that if you end up breaking into my house/dorm and try to do anything, you pretty much deserve it, though.
Home Depot and Lowes sell battery-operated window alarms for about $5-$7 dollars. There are two parts to the alarm (one you put on the door/window and the other you put on a stationary part of the door/window frame). If the two parts are separated because the door/window is being opened, then they put off a super loud alarm sound. They have a toggle on-off switch.
http://reviews.homedepot.com/1999/100081817/wireless-window-alarm-reviews/reviews.htm
I used these on the door and windows to my apartment when I lived alone. It is much cheaper than an actual alarm system (which I simply could not afford and the apartment wasn't wired for). The alarms on the windows I left on all the time and the alarm on the front door I flipped on once I was home.
I have a non-working alarm system (the previous owners had one I've just never activated it). As well as deadbolts on my doors and I own a couple of cans of pepper spray. You'd be amazed with the alarm system it's mostly the signs on the outside of your house that detract unwanted guests. I'm very against having a gun in the house as my dad teaches gun safety classes and he's such a gun nut. However, I did have him teach me all the basics of gun safety so that if I ever ran across an intruder and was able to get the gun away from him I'd know what to do.
My Silversmith 9mil with 20cal hollow tips helps me sleep at night when FI travels:)
Well, a home intruder would have to make it through:
Sorry to shout, but this needs to be said as loudly and clearly as possible:
DO NOT GET A DOG AS AN ALARM SYSTEM OR AS PROTECTION AGAINST INTRUDERS.
Animals shelters are full of poor dogs who were acquired by people who decided to get one to keep their homes safe, had no idea what they were getting into, and dumped them straight into the pound. Dogs are euthanized every day from the overcrowding that results. Most dog rescues won't even allow people to adopt a dog if they say that their primary reason for wanting a dog is for "protection."
Getting a dog is like getting a child that remains three years old for its entire life. It's a huge commitment of time, money, emotion, and a lot of (often unpredictable) aggravation, and in many ways requries an entire lifestyle change as you adapt your routine (every single day) to take care of a very needy creature. That's a commitment that lasts ten to twenty years. If you get a dog, it should be because you've done your research and know what sacrifices you'll have to make and still really, really, really want a new family member to be a part of your life for a very long time.
All that is aside from the fact that a dog almost never actually makes a good security system anyway, unless it's been specifically trained (i.e. by a police or military program) to do so. Our dogs have very strong "watchdog" instincts, they bark and growl every time someone comes to our door, but even they sleep straight through it when houseguests enter our front door in the middle of the night.
I don't mean to lecture anyone specifically; I'm sure some of you are very prepared to be lifelong dedicated dog owners, but this notion is mentioned so many times on this thread that this clarification needed to be made.
As others have commented, for most people, the better bet would be to buy a "Beware of Dog" sign without actually getting a dog.
i live alone with my 17mo son, and i have a pump-action 12ga. seriously. i've had it since a few months after my son was born. it's a home-defense model remington 870. my reasoning was this...i might be defending myself and my son in the dark, so a scatter-type round would be better than bullets, since i'm bound to hit something if generally pointed in the correct direction, AND the distinctive sound made by the racking motion might be enough of a deterrent to not have to fire at all.
with DH1 being a random homicide victim in an area where murders are rare and the ones that do occur are crimes of passion, i got pretty paranoid. i'll miss this place in some ways, but overall i couldn't be happier to move next week.
i made sure to take it to the property of my friend's parents to shoot 15 or 20 rounds through it to get used to the feel of it.
Where I live; everyone has guns even though crime is extremely rare. I know lots of ppl that never lock their cars or homes. We make sure our doors and windows are locked, even in daylight. we have security lights around the house, driveway sensors and 3 dogs. One being a very protective German Shepherd! I feel its better to be prepared rather than wait for something to happen.
someone already posted a GSP poster, but i love this one as well haha :D
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