Imaginary scenario:

For the benefit of this scenario, neither party has a gun, but you do not know the thief doesnt have some sort of weapon.

You are asleep in bed, other family members are in the house, your car keys are stashed in a bedside drawer, you hear something like a window break or a door downstairs and it wakes you up. In 2 minutes you will be confronted with a thief standing at your bedroom door. He wants your car. Say your car is a 6 month old car, worth $60k, your pride and joy.

The would-be-thief demands your car keys, do you give them to him, or fight him back? You could take him, but you dont know what he's hiding, and its dark.

Common sense to everyone would be to hand him the keys, after all the car could be replaced, but how many would put this common sense theory into practice?

Just out of interest.

If I was absolutely positive he didn't have a gun, I'd open my bed-side drawer and pull out my Walther (now with acutal ammo). I'd probably shoot him in the arm or leg if I could, otherwise I'd shoot with AT him (wherever the bullet lands).

I don't think I'd just hand over my car keys, but it's easier to say what I would do compared to what I would actually do.

shoot him with my gun next to my bed. or beat him with the bat under my bed. punch/ stab him with my brass knuckles/ knife under my pillow. i actually have 2 guns next to my bed, one under the mattress, three knives in the same drawer that have brass knucks on them. you dont want to break into my house or my room. also have a tire iron under my bed.

also have a tire iron under my bed.

mmm thats nice, I keep my porn under my bed.

hahaha!

But seriously, I would chance it, if I had something to fight him with (desert eagle or .44 magnum ;) ) Right now, seeing as I have no weapon (unless I wanna throw porn at him :eek: ) I would give him the keys and say **** it.

mmm thats nice, I keep my porn under my bed.

hahaha!

But seriously, I would chance it, if I had something to fight him with (desert eagle or .44 magnum ;) ) Right now, seeing as I have no weapon (unless I wanna throw porn at him :eek: ) I would give him the keys and say **** it.

id love to get a Desert Eagle but they are too expensive. he might like it if you throw porn at him. nothing to fight him with though id go down swinging.

I'd let him have it and then write a letter to Chuck Norris about the incident.

Chuck Norris can take care of it :sneaky:

Hand him the keys. That's what insurance is for.




...then I would report it stolen and let OnStar deal with it.

I'd let him have it and then write a letter to Chuck Norris about the incident.

Chuck Norris can take care of it :sneaky:

LOL, chuck norris.

There's almost a guarantee in the question that the crook would leave without hurting anyone if I gave him the keys. That's a no-brainer. It's too easy to track down a stolen car like that.

But if you give me 30 seconds, I'm waiting in the bedroom with a .12 gauge shotgun. The choice doesn't have to be made.

Maybe in the UK you can't have guns, but this is America. He is a walking dead man. He just doesn't know it yet.:gun:

Maybe in the UK you can't have guns, but this is America. He is a walking dead man. He just doesn't know it yet.:gun:

Damn right. Two minutes is a lifetime. Literally.
:blasted:

An adreanaline rush would probably cause me to kick him in the nuts, he wouldn't know what hit him.

The only potential weapons in my room are a swiss army knife and a letter opener, but if I walk a couple rooms over my dad has his shotgun collection :bigroll:

Well since I sleep with my Springfield XD 40 in reach at all times this is probably a moot point. Double tap of 40 cal hydrashok is what any robber would get in my house! If I didnt have my pistol I would most definately fight. The sight of me would probably make him retreat anyway- Im 6'3" and weigh 265lbs. I also lift weights and work out 5 days a week. I also spent alot of my life fighting and can definately kick some ass if needs be! I probably wouldnt even call the cops, the beating he would get would probably be punishment enough! :thepan:

One of us will get our ass beat..You say no guns.. but you forgot the D-cell Maglite that I keep next to my bedstand. If you've ever seen or been hit by one you know what I'm talking about!

I would be like, "dude, just dont hurt anybody, heres the keys."

Then after he grabs the keys and starts to walk away, I would put my foot through the back of his knees, while simutaneously grabbing his head and forcing it backwards in a quick burst, folding his body in half.

I would then recover my keys, place them back on the nightstand, and go back to sleep.

(i dont own any weapons.)

I would be like, "dude, just dont hurt anybody, heres the keys."

Then after he grabs the keys and starts to walk away, I would put my foot through the back of his knees, while simutaneously grabbing his head and forcing it backwards in a quick burst, folding his body in half.

I would then recover my keys, place them back on the nightstand, and go back to sleep.
LOL leaving mangled thief on the floor

It's so weird to hear all of you guys talking about having guns. I've never even held one.

Needless to say, he can have my damn keys.

In real life, most folks would wet thier pajamas!:eek:

In this case, logic says that if he had a weapon he would be pointing it at you - go from there.
1) If he has a gun, you aren't fast enough to pull a gun on him and drop him. Give him the keys, you can chase him if you feel lucky. Odds are the law won't see it as self defense though.
2) If he has a knife you have a better chance. In my case I pull the machete out from under the bed and imitate Crocodile Dundee saying "That's not a knife...this is a knife".

Lots of ways this could turn out. Experience is the best teacher. Always have a plan, and don't pay attention to the movies!

Semper Fi :thumbsup:

If I awoke to my window being broken the perp better have a weapon and be bigger and stronger than I because I'm gonna do everything in my power to take him/her out with blunt force trauma from my Louisville Slugger (with splinters!) because I have much more to loose than a car. The thief may be fighting for my possessions but I will be fighting for my life and the lives of my family. And I will fight to the death to protect them (preferably the perpetrator's death).
:bouncer:

My car is always in the garage. I'd hand him the keys, and push the button in the kitchen to open the power door. I'd watch him go into the garage and I'd listen for the driver door to close & hit the garage door button again trapping the SOB in the garage and then unscew the fuse to the power door from the fuse box also in the kitchen trapping him in the garage & then call the cops.

My thoughts were, that if they want a car bad enough they will take it.

At my dad's old house (before his second divorce he had a nicer house) a larger size old terraced house over three floors, with a back lane, with garage leading out into the lane, and small yard for a second car at the side. The yard was gated with gates that were solid and wooden, and could only be opened from the inside, to get in to the house from that side you had to go through the garage.

My dad was woken to a police officer banging on the garage>kitchen door, so dad opened it and the garage door had been removed completely, apparently the door was a particularly vulnerable one, and they were trying to get the car out, thinking we still had our yellow Saab convertible, the week before it had been traded in for a Vauxhall Astra 1.6L

Luckily we now have the Vectra which nobody wants to steal, although when we had the old Rover 214i at the same time, there was a bit of joyrider attention paid to this, probably because it was potentially easy to steal, three or four times we were woken up by the alarm (simple affair wired to only the horn and the turn signals) and a forced door.

Dad got into the habit of putting the Rover at the top of the drive, and the Vectra behind it, so even if they got into the Rover, they'd have to move the Vectra first, not somethign a joyrider would want to do.

Isuzus are in demand for parts, so that also goes to the top of the driveway infront of the Vectra on a night, dad hasnt gotten round to fitting gates to the driveway at his current place, because the driveway was only built recently.

It's so weird to hear all of you guys talking about having guns. I've never even held one.

Needless to say, he can have my damn keys.
God Bless America :thumbsup:

I'm looking into getting one of these:

http://www.mossberg.com/pcatalog/images/0250359.gif

It's a Mossberg 410 for home defense. Much safer than a pistol, better knockdown power at 20 feet than a 44 magnum. The pellets won't penetrate the wall and possibly injure someone else in the house.

And it's probably a better weapon than the .22 I've been using on those midnight armadillo raids.

I'm looking into getting one of these:

http://www.mossberg.com/pcatalog/images/0250359.gif

It's a Mossberg 410 for home defense. Much safer than a pistol, better knockdown power at 20 feet than a 44 magnum. The pellets won't penetrate the wall and possibly injure someone else in the house.

And it's probably a better weapon than the .22 I've been using on those midnight armadillo raids.

I have one in the 12ga flavor. Synthetic stock, short barrel for manuverability in close quarters. I don't have the pump pistol grip, I prefer the control of a standard handle. Is that a flash supressor/stabilizer in the picture? - nonsense IMO.
My Mossberg also accepts interchangable barrels, I have a longer ribbed barrel for birds too.

Semper Fi

Is that a flash supressor/stabilizer in the picture? - nonsense IMO.

Semper Fi

No, I think it's a choke. That short barrel would scatter the pellets too much. I was surprised when I read about the knockdown power. That's really what I'm interested in. I have a nice .12 ga but it's a little unweildy (I think that's the word).

The only thing I worry about is this growing trend of home invasion that seems to occur due to drug addiction. These people are fearless and do crazy shit when they're high or going through withdrawal. There doesn't appear to be a successful 12-step program for meth addiction. Once you're on it you're pretty much ruined.

I may be a little old fashioned but give me a good ole tried and true slab side 1911 .45 with hollow points.

I may be a little old fashioned but give me a good ole tried and true slab side 1911 .45 with hollow points.Nothing wrong with that choice. That'll put 'em down.

My father has one of those. Not real accurate beyond 25 or 30 feet unless you put in a lot of practice.

My grandfather winged a prowler with an 1873 revolver.

My father has one of those. Not real accurate beyond 25 or 30 feet unless you put in a lot of practice.Depends on the weapon and the shooter. An old friend of mine was a master marksman with a 1911, 1 1/2" grouping at 50 yards. You do need to be comfortable and proficient with what ever weapon you choose.

Well, first I have a very protective 135LBS Rottwieler that would probably have him on the floor using his arm as a chew toy. Lets say the dog was out, I would get behind my door and wait for him to open it, as soon as it cracks enough, I am going to kick it as hard as I can. This should have jammed or possibly broken his arm and startled him. Next I will open the door and kick the sh*t outta him while he is down. Now I would go for either a leg lock, arm bar, or choke hold while someone else in my house calls the cops. The good news is, I am in Texas, so I could do anything short of torture him in my garage and he can't do diddly crap to me.

I'm trying reeeaaaallllyy hard to imagine myself without a firearm. :rolleyes:

I know what I'd do if it happened tonight:

bang...bang...bang...bang...bang...bang...bang...b ang...bang...bang...click...

click...click...bang...bang...bang...bang...bang.. .bang...bang...:hide:

FYI I keep the keys to my Escalade in the ignition out in my garage. My family is more precious to me than any of my possessions and I'd be happy to let my Lade go to assure their safety. If the person made the mistake of wandering inside my home and/or threatning my family, well....see above.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/rolex/sfightback8pm.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/rolex/sparents2ta.jpg

Tasteless pro-gun propaganda ends. :thehand:

That is all. :D

Well I'd probably give him the keys, then run up behind him with a piece of rebar that's laying in my room, one hit to the back of the head and I get to keep my car. He'll be lucky to live through it.

2) If he has a knife you have a better chance. In my case I pull the machete out from under the bed and imitate Crocodile Dundee saying "That's not a knife...this is a knife".

That would be the most badass thing to ever happen. :worship:

My thoughts were, that if they want a car bad enough they will take it.

Not if they're dead they won't.

Not if they're dead they won't.

Maybe, but how well does it fare in court, i know its different in America, here, if we did that, well, look at this link.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/2000/04/20/nmar20.html

That doesnt show him in too good a light,b ut he was jailed for shooting a burglar, he got parole.

Well, we have been known as a bloody and barbaric society by those in the "Old Country".

Well, we have been known as a bloody and barbaric society by those in the "Old Country".


I would like to shoot someone who broke into my home, but whether I would or not is another matter.

See previous link.

My dad leaves his car keys in the hall, in the jeans he was wearing that day, in his jacket, anywhere really, although his wife tends to leave her set hanging up in the kitchen.

Maybe, but how well does it fare in court, i know its different in America, here, if we did that, well, look at this link.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/2000/04/20/nmar20.html

That doesnt show him in too good a light,b ut he was jailed for shooting a burglar, he got parole.That is not justice in my opinion.

Years ago there was an armed robbery of a family owned jewelry store in Santa Barbara. Three armed men from Los Angeles entered the store. A gun fight between the robbers, the store owner and two of his employees ensued. Two of the robbers were carried out in body bags, the third severely wounded, one of the employees ended up with a flesh wound.

I think that was the last time that store was robbed. In fact, after that armed robbery statistics in the area dropped drastically for a while. Sometimes the threat of dire consequences act as a deterrent.

That is not justice in my opinion.

Years ago there was an armed robbery of a family owned jewelry store in Santa Barbara. Three armed men from Los Angeles entered the store. A gun fight between the robbers, the store owner and two of his employees ensued. Two of the robbers were carried out in body bags, the third severely wounded, one of the employees ended up with a flesh wound.

I think that was the last time that store was robbed. In fact, after that armed robbery statistics in the area dropped drastically for a while. Sometimes the threat of dire consequences act as a deterrent.

I dont blame the store owner for doing that.

I would shake his hand and congratulate him.

I dont blame the store owner for doing that.

I would shake his hand and congratulate him.Yeah, he and his employees were local heroes for a while.

Yeah, he and his employees were local heroes for a while.

It's good to see they werent locked up for it as they would be here.

Don't get me wrong, I dont condone violence in a normal situation, but when you're protecting yourself, well its anyones game isnt it.

We still have a few laws here that offer us the right to protect ourselves upon threat of bodily injury or death.

My car is always in the garage. I'd hand him the keys, and push the button in the kitchen to open the power door. I'd watch him go into the garage and I'd listen for the driver door to close & hit the garage door button again trapping the SOB in the garage and then unscew the fuse to the power door from the fuse box also in the kitchen trapping him in the garage & then call the cops.
electic garage doors have a string to pull ti disconnet the door from the chain that pulls it so you can manually lift the door in case of a power outage...and whats to say he wouldnt just drive the car right through the door to escape??