# No pepper spray or guns



## thomas1234 (Oct 21, 2015)

Get a tazer. It's safer for everyone involved.

Jesus people, stop telling people to carry pepper spray. It splashes everywhere and makes you just as unless as the person you are spraying.

I know a lot of people advise you to carry... legally speaking killing people sucks even if you have a really good reason. Please stop spreading terrible advice.

Take all advice with a grain of salt.


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## William1964 (Jul 28, 2015)

I shouldn't have to live in a country where I need to feel like I have to carry a knife gun pepper spray. Nunchucks


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

thomas1234 said:


> Get a tazer. It's safer for everyone involved.
> 
> Jesus people, stop telling people to carry pepper spray. It splashes everywhere and makes you just as unless as the person you are spraying.
> 
> ...


And speaking purely pragmatically, a person who feels the need to arm him/herself to drive U/L, really should not be driving U/L. Weapons and public interface generally leads to the law of unintended consequences.


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## BostonBarry (Aug 31, 2015)

Foam pepper spray solves cross contamination. Tazers can be and have been fatal.


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## Taxi Driver in Arizona (Mar 18, 2015)

I recommend being much larger than most other people. Try to be 6'5" or taller.


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## BostonBarry (Aug 31, 2015)




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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Taxi Driver in Arizona said:


> I recommend being much larger than most other people. Try to be 6'5" or taller.


Arizona comes with the fire!


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

thomas1234 said:


> Get a tazer. It's safer for everyone involved.
> 
> Jesus people, stop telling people to carry pepper spray. It splashes everywhere and makes you just as unless as the person you are spraying.
> 
> ...


Yup. You might even find yourself looking into the eyes of the victims loved ones while you're in court defending your rights to use lethal force.


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## Uberselectguy (Oct 16, 2015)

BostonBarry said:


> Foam pepper spray solves cross contamination. Tazers can be and have been fatal.


I carried the foam pepper spray. Used it once, had nothing to do with Uber, on a Pit Bull that was attacking my wife and our Chow. The foam had zero backlash, was 100% effective. Sent that 75 pound Pit Bull screeching, tail tucked.

I understand tasters carry much liability onto the user, lawsuits can and are nasty. I doubt JR would do much for you.

Yet another justification for a GoPro facing towards the pax.


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

I used to have the m26 taser I think it was.. Used it twice on two volunteers at a bar. They went down. But they were small guys.

They got a pitcher of beer.

Tasers are fine and dandy but its only good for one assailant and you have one shot to hit em


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## Mr. T (Jun 27, 2015)

Tazers would be terrible ineffective in a combined space like a car.

1- to close to shoot it and have it effectively employ

2- touch stun, you have to close a gap, and risk them being able to grab you.

3- tazers don't work on everyone





4- always have more than one option


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

The touch stun doesn't do as well as the probed stun.


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## Mr. T (Jun 27, 2015)

That as well^^^


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Mr. T said:


> Tazers would be terrible ineffective in a combined space like a car.
> 
> 1- to close to shoot it and have it effectively employ
> 
> ...


That energy drink is the best protection of all. Well done T!


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## Mr. T (Jun 27, 2015)

Uber Kraus said:


> That energy drink is the best protection of all. Well done T!


That can happens to be a spitter for my dip. Gotta stay alert and all that jazz.


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

What kind of pistol is that


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## Mr. T (Jun 27, 2015)

M&P40 pro series C.O.R.E w/APEX trigger


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## thomas1234 (Oct 21, 2015)

I will look into the gel spray. That seems handy. The taser and or stun gun, or whatever is my choice of protection. I got a hand held deal that does the trick. Me and my Army buddies tested it. It took down a 6'4 beast man.
I'm not worried about killing anyone with it though. The chances that an unhinged drunkard, or a psycho is attacking me and has a pacemaker... i'll take those odds. 
I should get a dash cam. Thanks for the input guys.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

BostonBarry said:


> Foam pepper spray solves cross contamination. Tazers can be and have been fatal.


Pepper spray can kill an asthmatic too. Anything that is going to effectively stop someone who is attacking you is potentially lethal. If you don't like that then don't carry anything and don't fight back.


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

Better them than me.


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## thomas1234 (Oct 21, 2015)

I have gotten in plenty of fights. It's pretty tough to kill someone on accident. I mean s can happen, but come on. Get the dude out of the car, get the hell out of there.


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

Tell that to this guys family

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...an-with-one-punch-after-giving-him-directions

Plenty of other victims too...


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## texasm203 (Oct 27, 2015)

thomas1234 said:


> Get a tazer. It's safer for everyone involved.
> 
> Jesus people, stop telling people to carry pepper spray. It splashes everywhere and makes you just as unless as the person you are spraying.
> 
> ...


I can, and do, carry a firearm in my vehicle. I haven't gotten pepper spray/gel yet, but I intend to. I do not like only having a lethal option. That being said, I have pulled my firearm out before. Not driving while for Uber, but when I found myself in a "sketchy" situation other jobs (used to work security in some bad parts of town). I learned a few things from the experiences, as well as some laws in working with police closely:

1 - Make better choices to not be in those situations if possible. I didn't go looking for trouble, but you can kind of understand when it's close and you can decide to get out of there if possible.
2 - Brandishing a firearm in Texas and Iraq are 2 very different things. In Iraq, I had backup. In Texas, it's only me. That's scary, I don't care who you are.
3 - If you speak calmly, firmly, and show them you know what you're doing with your firearm by your stance and demeanor, you can generally gain their cooperation and not pull the trigger.
4 - If you are not prepared to pull the trigger, you don't need to have a firearm out, or on you for that matter. If you want something to point at people, you got 10 digits on your hands.
5 - If you pull that trigger, you are ending a life, you are going to jail (at least for a while), and if the situation is sketchy, you are going to be on trial criminally, and possibly civilly (Think OJ, innocent in criminal court, guilty in civil court). The only thing worth going through any or all of that is the preservation of your own life. Be 100% sure before you fire.
6 - Once you brandish a weapon, you are performing a form of assault and can be jailed.



Desert Driver said:


> And speaking purely pragmatically, a person who feels the need to arm him/herself to drive U/L, really should not be driving U/L. Weapons and public interface generally leads to the law of unintended consequences.


I agree with you. I don't arm myself just because I am driving Uber. I arm myself at all times that I can legally do so. If you think by being an Uber driver you are in any more danger than in your regular, everyday life, you need to stay home under your rock.

*you, you're, and your being an inclusive term and not directed towards and one particular person.


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

texasm203 said:


> I can, and do, carry a firearm in my vehicle. I haven't gotten pepper spray/gel yet, but I intend to. I do not like only having a lethal option. That being said, I have pulled my firearm out before. Not driving while for Uber, but when I found myself in a "sketchy" situation other jobs (used to work security in some bad parts of town). I learned a few things from the experiences, as well as some laws in working with police closely:
> 
> 1 - Make better choices to not be in those situations if possible. I didn't go looking for trouble, but you can kind of understand when it's close and you can decide to get out of there if possible.
> 2 - Brandishing a firearm in Texas and Iraq are 2 very different things. In Iraq, I had backup. In Texas, it's only me. That's scary, I don't care who you are.
> ...


Good comments all. Thank you for that post. I'm going to go out on a limb here and surmise that the majority of persons who CC probably don't know what they're doing and should not be doing CC. You, on the other hand, are apparently highly trained and competent with your firearm. I'm also going to guess that there are certain members of the CC population who quietly harbor a "looking for trouble" mentality and may even go so far as to place themselves in "target rich environments." Those are the blokes we need to be leary of.


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## texasm203 (Oct 27, 2015)

Desert Driver said:


> Those are the blokes we need to be leary of.


Could not agree more!


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## FlDriver (Oct 16, 2015)

William1964 said:


> I shouldn't have to live in a country where I need to feel like I have to carry a knife gun pepper spray. Nunchucks


Feel free to move to another country, but I don't see what the country has to do with one specific passenger being unruly.

I'd love to know when and where some of you are picking up riders if you think you need pepper spray or whatever. I've never had any that made me think of anything along those lines. The worst I get is a few who are in a bad mood, but that doesn't seem to be aimed at me, just something else going on in their life. Sounds like you need to get more picky about when and where you pick up riders.

Most of them seem happy, even excited to see me. Sometimes it's like they're amazed that I showed up and drove them where they wanted to go.


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

FlDriver said:


> Feel free to move to another country, but I don't see what the country has to do with one specific passenger being unruly.
> 
> I'd love to know when and where some of you are picking up riders if you think you need pepper spray or whatever. I've never had any that made me think of anything along those lines. The worst I get is a few who are in a bad mood, but that doesn't seem to be aimed at me, just something else going on in their life. Sounds like you need to get more picky about when and where you pick up riders.
> 
> Most of them seem happy, even excited to see me. Sometimes it's like they're amazed that I showed up and drove them where they wanted to go.


Here's a hint: Maybe don't be hanging out outside the fence of the penitentiary for pings. Just sayin'. 
There's a reason why there are signs prohibiting picking up hitchhikers in the vicinity of correctional facilities.


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## Mr. T (Jun 27, 2015)

thomas1234 said:


> I will look into the gel spray. That seems handy. The taser and or stun gun, or whatever is my choice of protection. I got a hand held deal that does the trick. Me and my Army buddies tested it. It took down a 6'4 beast man.
> I'm not worried about killing anyone with it though. The chances that an unhinged drunkard, or a psycho is attacking me and has a pacemaker... i'll take those odds.
> I should get a dash cam. Thanks for the input guys.


Try using it int a combative person in a vehicle. Note what I said above. Shooting prongs will be ineffective, and stunning then closes what little distance you had, and you risk them taking it and using it on you.

One of the top rules for selfie defense is get or mantain in distance. Gaps can be closed very quickly and you don't want to get caught in a bad place(look up the 21 ft rule in regards to self defense)


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## Mr. T (Jun 27, 2015)

texasm203 said:


> I can, and do, carry a firearm in my vehicle. I haven't gotten pepper spray/gel yet, but I intend to. I do not like only having a lethal option. That being said, I have pulled my firearm out before. Not driving while for Uber, but when I found myself in a "sketchy" situation other jobs (used to work security in some bad parts of town). I learned a few things from the experiences, as well as some laws in working with police closely:
> 
> 1 - Make better choices to not be in those situations if possible. I didn't go looking for trouble, but you can kind of understand when it's close and you can decide to get out of there if possible.
> 2 - Brandishing a firearm in Texas and Iraq are 2 very different things. In Iraq, I had backup. In Texas, it's only me. That's scary, I don't care who you are.
> ...


Pretty spot on from what I can see. Also brings up another reason az gun laws are better. "Technically" brandishing is legal here.


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## Mr. T (Jun 27, 2015)

Probably one of the dumbest comments on this whole thread.

-someone who is 6'4" 270lbs


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## thomas1234 (Oct 21, 2015)

Mr. T said:


> Probably one of the dumbest comments on this whole thread.
> 
> -someone who is 6'4" 270lbs


His post was removed And my reply to his trolling. What a jerk.

Thanks everyone for weighing in. Sorry about the horrible title to the thread. I just wanted something catchy that brought up a real issue.
I know your statically going to get into an wreck before dealing with a lunatic. It just seems like a lot of people are arming themselves after that video went viral (you know the one). And like desert driver was saying, they shouldn't be. A lot of the drivers are untrained and inexperienced with self defense. Obviously there are texasm203 drivers also, and this thread is better with input like his.
Thanks again for the productive comments.


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## Mr. T (Jun 27, 2015)

thomas1234 said:


> His post was removed And my reply to his trolling. What a jerk.
> 
> Thanks everyone for weighing in. Sorry about the horrible title to the thread. I just wanted something catchy that brought up a real issue.
> I know your statically going to get into an wreck before dealing with a lunatic. It just seems like a lot of people are arming themselves after that video went viral (you know the one). And like desert driver was saying, they shouldn't be. A lot of the drivers are untrained and inexperienced with self defense. Obviously there are texasm203 drivers also, and this thread is better with input like his.
> Thanks again for the productive comments.


I personally carry all the time. Turn on the news, look at how messed up this world is.

Personally I will preach to have some sort of self defense option, whether it be OC, tazer, or a gun. I have my op opinions on which are better than other, but ultimately it's up to the individual person what they want.

As far as training that will again fall on each person.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

texasm203 said:


> If you think by being an Uber driver you are in any more danger than in your regular, everyday life, you need to stay home under your rock.


Not getting into a gun debate here but how can you seriously think someone is not in more danger driving a cab (oh, sorry UBER) than in their regular everyday life?

What is your regular everyday life? The only one I've ever had that I think was more dangerous was convenience store clerk. Uber may be safer to drive than a taxi--time will tell--but it's definitely riskier than many professions.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Mr. T said:


> I personally carry all the time. Turn on the news, look at how messed up this world is.
> 
> Personally I will preach to have some sort of self defense option, whether it be OC, tazer, or a gun. I have my op opinions on which are better than other, but ultimately it's up to the individual person what they want.
> 
> As far as training that will again fall on each person.


Don't watch the news!


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## thomas1234 (Oct 21, 2015)

I think that people summoning you to them. And then you being confined within a vehicle with a total stranger is inheritly dangerous. 
I agree that it is a personal choice to arm yourself, I just think that people who arm themselves without any sort of training or experience are more likely to do unnecessary harm.
I wish uber had a discount at a self defense class place or something. It would be nice to see people not be so scared. Have you read other threads on this same topic? When a bunch of idiots start talking, it always leads to "I would shoot first, deal with everything g else after." There are very few times that shooting or mace is the only option, and people don't seem to get that. 

I guess I come from a world wherecord everyone is trained and experienced in stuff like this and it is a shock to see how many rock eaters are driving out there.. that is all.


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## texasm203 (Oct 27, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> Not getting into a gun debate here but how can you seriously think someone is not in more danger driving a cab (oh, sorry UBER) than in their regular everyday life?
> 
> What is your regular everyday life? The only one I've ever had that I think was more dangerous was convenience store clerk. Uber may be safer to drive than a taxi--time will tell--but it's definitely riskier than many professions.


The point of that was saying there are crazy people out there, no matter what. Odds are, you aren't going to run into one that gets violent. There are thousands (or more) of Uber drivers on the road everyday. The actual percentage that have been assaulted are low in comparison. Probably the same as, if not lower than, people who have been in violent crimes just walking down the street having nothing to do with Uber. I don't know, I didn't look up the statistics, but that's something I may do later. But, as Desert Driver was saying, if you feel like you need to arm yourself specifically because you are working as an Uber driver, you may want to rethink your choice of profession. If you are that worried, you will be jumpy, and are likely to deploy whatever means of defense you have when it is not appropriate. Even if it's just pepper spray, not a good thing. You pepper spray, taze, shoot, club, bite, scratch, spit on, or throw your shoe at the wrong person because you're jumpy when they reach in their jacket for their wallet to pull out their phone, then you will accelerate the ideas that Uber is not safe, and you will likely go to jail for assault. Hope that clears up what I was saying.


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## texasm203 (Oct 27, 2015)

thomas1234 said:


> .... it is a shock to see how many rock eaters are driving out there.. that is all.


I'm at work man... can't be making me laugh that loud reading a web forum or I'll be a full time Uber driver soon!


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## nooneyouknowof (Sep 28, 2015)




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## thomas1234 (Oct 21, 2015)

I think he handled the situation ok until he got out and followed the passenger. It sucks that he victimized himself and went on air saying how "not safe" he feels. honestly, who hasn't been smacked around a little in their life? He should have called the Whaaambulence, not the news; he won the fight.

thanks for posting the video, I hadn't seen it yet.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

William1964 said:


> I shouldn't have to live in a country where I need to feel like I have to carry a knife gun pepper spray. Nunchucks


You are welcome to Move to Australia! No manufactured fear here!


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

http://mobile.news.com.au/lifestyle...letely-shock-you/story-fnu2q5nu-1227596692169

What we see as madness


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## dpv (Oct 12, 2015)

I carry mace and a hunting knife with me when driving.


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## Tim In Cleveland (Jul 28, 2014)

It's silly to think whole countries exist where you wouldn't ever need a gun or other form of protection. Please, it's a world-wide phenomenon. I don't buy the argument about it being dangerous to draw close to use it. Why would you use it unless they are hitting you? Space is already violated by the time you need it. Yes, it's nice to spray pepper from the front seat but then you have to clean that up. Once you touch someone with the tazer, they can't take it from you as they are incapacitated and they'll surely leave when you stop.


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## motoapco (Sep 4, 2015)

I Carry pepper foam and ASP fully certified in both 
Had a incident last night not with a PAX but a rent a cop im working on getting charges filed and he licence revoked 
how would you guys have handled this ?
and im not the first Uber this has happened to with him 

long story short security guard ran up while I was trying to drop some PAX off at a popular burger place that stays open late he grabbed my side electric sliding door and starts shaking the whole van while yelling move now while PAX are trying to exit he's going to report me in broken english when I turned tell him not touch the van he put his hand on his firearm which is assault and he refused to tell me his name or who he worked for and just kept yelling i never left the drivers seat 

PAX and the vehicle behind me were telling him to chill out and go away


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## dpv (Oct 12, 2015)

The rent a cop sounds like a fruit cake with just the nuts. What was the rent a cop doing there at your van in the first place?


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## motoapco (Sep 4, 2015)

was yelling i that i cant stop there to do a drop off 
they had a separate lane for the drive through so i was not blocking things 
the local UBER FB page a few other drivers have had issues with him too


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## dpv (Oct 12, 2015)

I hope I never have to face that same issue. Some of these rent a cops around here just leave us alone. These dudes take their jobs way to seriously, especially if they're not armed.


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## motoapco (Sep 4, 2015)

he needs a serious adjustment


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## jrboy (Sep 14, 2015)

what if pax has a gun? and you just have a tazer. uber does not do background checks on pax only on drivers. you're on you're own out there. be safe.


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## August1 (Oct 3, 2015)

thomas1234 said:


> Get a tazer. It's safer for everyone involved.
> 
> Jesus people, stop telling people to carry pepper spray. It splashes everywhere and makes you just as unless as the person you are spraying.
> 
> ...


I carry pepper spray and I always will. So far I've just had to uncap it and hold it. I keep it in the door handle right next to me for easy access and no one could see it. I work through the night and I've encountered creepy people. You can't trust anyone in the world.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

PO


Desert Driver said:


> Good comments all. Thank you for that post. I'm going to go out on a limb here and surmise that the majority of persons who CC probably don't know what they're doing and should not be doing CC. You, on the other hand, are apparently highly trained and competent with your firearm. I'm also going to guess that there are certain members of the CC population who quietly harbor a "looking for trouble" mentality and may even go so far as to place themselves in "target rich environments." Those are the blokes we need to be leary of.


POST # 24/Desert Driver: Point of Order!
Boston Actor Dennis: ..............."Leary"
Squirrelly PAX ? Reason-2-B : "Leery"

Is there anything else, grammatically
speaking, where I can be of service?

Bison: Laughing with...not at.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

Mr. T said:


> Tazers would be terrible ineffective in a combined space like a car.
> 
> 1- to close to shoot it and have it effectively employ
> 
> ...


POST # 14/@Mr T: I am with You, Bro!
G-21
"Gets the Job Done!"


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## D Town (Apr 8, 2015)

I'm not going to read back through all this. Likely its a lot of nonsense and rhetoric. Here is all you need to know: 

1. You should protect yourself. Know how to and be ready to at all times. 
2. Know the laws regarding self defense in your area.
3. Be trained in whatever method of defense you plan to use.
4. Have a plan for any likely event that might occur.
5. Be prepared for your plan to fail and always have a way to escape or at least create distance between you and the danger. 

How you choose to protect yourself is your business. If you want to use nothing more than your charm and mental judo go for it. If you want to use a handgun, a shot gun, and/or pepper spray then go for it - as long as those are legal in your area of course. Its none of my or anyone else's business to choose for someone else how they defend their lives, their families, or their property. Don't like guns? That's nice, don't use one. And don't belittle or suggest that those who do choose to use them are some how at fault if their assaulted. That's a jackass response. Conversely if you advocate carrying a gun and someone else doesn't feel comfortable with doing so that is their right too. 

As long as someone isn't spreading propaganda and bull-crap I could care less what they want to use to defend themselves.


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