Totally Paranoid Question: Creative Security Solutions?

[trennod]

Hey Morgan you chasing an idea for your own personal security, or a business idea

Maybe some good old fashioned pepper spray.

 

[MorganF]

For my own personal security!!!!

That said: if there's a way for a lot of us (us=good people in BA, whether immigrant or native-born) to come together to improve our own safety -- whether in a non-profit or for-profit context -- I would strongly support it!!! For example I don't see the community patrols as a for profit thing at all.

I'm not optimistic on strategies like pepper spray because I think that, once I'm in a situation like that--it's over before it starts and I've lost (I'm not responding to a gun with a pepper spray!). So my strategies focus on prevention...

I'm seriously looking for non-obvious things, big or small, alone or as a group, that we can each or all do to lessen the chance of crime around us!

morgan

 

[arlean]

MorganF, I see where you are going. You are trying to do a good thing and asking for input. I have thought of that about our building but my spanish is not good enough yet to have real converations but I'm working on it. Apparently from one or two posts others have thought of it too--those who have tried to institute neighborhood watch-type things. I just don't have any ideas, though I agree with you. I'm pretty security-oriented, having grown up in Miami. I also have friends in Uruguay who share your thoughts, but they don't live in high rise apartment buildings. But Uruguay is a lot more law-abiding than Argentina. I'm not sure the reason. It's kind of a puzzle. Maybe because, as big as Montevideo is, it is a small town compared to BA.

 

[Iznogud]

1, Body armor is restricted material. Considered offensive rather than defensive measures and harder to get than obtaining a gun AND a CCW permit.

2. Fake or working CCTV is often ignored by the criminals. They simply do not care. They work one area for a few days and migrate to another or stay put and become regular customers of the closest PD. It is an expensive disuasive measure only for lightest type of oportunistic thief, not the dedicated ones you fear. More of a a placebo that might encourage the criminals to either go for a softer target or tell them there's something worth protecting.

3. All kinds of legal effects but mainly raises the question of whom can you trust and how far. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

 

[solerboy]

1.)" They say it's what Obama wore under his suit at his inauguration." You accidentally touched on something else here.The problem is visibility.If you live in a large expat crowd you can be targeted more easily. Blending in and becoming grey might be a better solution. Those shirts only protect your torso not your head or your legs and you could still sustain life threatening injuries.

Dont they make bullet proof underwear too, to keep the important bits safe

 

[el_expatriado]

Want some practical advice? Go join the Tiro Federal's classes for beginners and learn to fire a handgun. After you are comfortable, buy a .22 pistol. You'll need to get permission from RENAR, which is the agency that regulates handguns here in Argentina. As long as you have a job, a DNI, you're not mentally unbalanced you can get a gun.

I know some of you experienced shooters are going to tell me that .22 pistols don't have much stopping power for personal defense, but my opinion is that a .22 that hits its target from a beginner is much better than a .38 or .45 that misses. Of course, after you are comfortable firing a handgun, I recommend moving up to a higher caliber pistol for defense. But you will find that your .22 is still the most fun to shoot and of course is more accurate.

 

[Iznogud]

A hit with a .22 beats a miss with a ,45, every time.

The fact remains that a gun is a last resort and then you must have it with you, timely deployable and not hiding somewhere in your home were it is almost unaccessible.

There are more practical practices and measures to make you, yours and your environment a hardened target less welcoming to small thievery.

Mental readiness, awareness of your surroundings, being able to detect what/whom doesn't belong in the picture or it's out of place, sensing the mood of a place or situation are the common elements that should prevent you from walking into trouble.

There a bunch of excercises, practices and tactics you can easily develop into habits. Some you can learn and teach to/play with others as games.

Plenty to go about.

Am a big fun of guns, actualy did a few courses at a reputable academy in the US 10 years ago up to CCW pistol instructor course.I could teach you how to shoot a firearm and all the following stuff up to defensive shooting BUT that is not what you need. That takes years of practice and preparedness. If you're simply going to buy a gun and learn to shoot it only to keep it somewhere at home that ain't going to be of much use and is likely to become an additional BIG problem when SHTF. Shooting targets and shooting another human being under stress ain't samo-samo.

Do yourself a favor and research preventive measures. Both passive and active ones.
A guns is a last resort and then you must have it with you, timely deployable and not hiding somewhere in your home were it is almost unaccessible.

 

[HenryNisental]

I am in the process of printing a book proposing to increase (i.e. liberalize) the carrying of personal firearms. The title will be "LA PORTACION OCULTA", and it is written in Spanish, of course. It is the ONLY way you can protet yourself. However, this goverment is clearly against this policy.

 

[BASailor]

I am in the process of printing a book proposing to increase (i.e. liberalize) the carrying of personal firearms. The title will be "LA PORTACION OCULTA", and it is written in Spanish, of course. It is the ONLY way you can protet yourself. However, this goverment is clearly against this policy.

Of course, and it may just be the only measure of this government I support.
The more firearms you have on the streets, the more chances for tragedies. No doubt.
I ask you what happens when a criminal breaks into a home and he finds a gun in the house. You know the answer, most people know the answer.
You got robbed anyway, and the criminal, if he didn't kill you, well you helped him to get another gun for free...

 

[riosd]

I've got a solution for you: Feel free to go on a place (or country) you feel safe. I'm sorry if I'm rude but I think you may feel safer in a place like London where they have cameras everywhere, or The States where you can buy easily as many guns as you want.

Just keep in mind it does not mean the place is safer because of the cameras, guns and not even Obama's bullet proof t-shirts from Colombia. A place is safer when the people use their brains to think about smarter solutions than buy this kind of stuff and use "weapons" like the culture and the education to understand we don't need to kill and disrespect the other's rights.

I'm sorry if my English is not so clear, but I hope I made myself clear and you understand my point.