Visible Display of Defense for Bikers?
I’m wondering if it might encourage people to not hassle cyclists if we carried any/all of the following in jersey pockets:
*cellphone—this item has a distinctive outline and some models
have an antenna which could be carried sticking out—a fake
cellphone might have equal deterrent effect (tho real thing would help in real emergency)
*clipback jackknife of aggressive one-handed variety—you can buy
these in a hefty size and carry them with the black clip and outline
showing outwardly. These are very common pocket tools and defense
items nowadays. Seeing the clip would perhaps make a deterrent.
Bigger is likely better (5″ probably biggest convenient size, but
check local law.)
*mace cartridge—this is somewhat distinctive outline but is also
effective as active defense
*fake waterpistol—load it with ammonia water for bad dogs (and boys?)
or carry empty. Quite an outline! I wonder what its effect would be!
Would cops tend to stop?
*real pistol—deterrent outline and active effect, with ‘concealed’ permit.
for those against firearms, note that at least Iver Johnson was an
early maker of both firearms and bicycles and that at least one other
outfit made a ‘cyclist’s pistol’—for defense against beast and marauder,
according to the old ad copy I saw. This was in the olden days, but how
is today different, really?
Just some thoughts on ‘visible defense outlines’—-think they’d have any
good effect?
