From: ichudov@algebra.com (Igor Chudov @ home)
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 14:31:38 +0800
To: sandfort@crl.com (Sandy Sandfort)
Subject: Re: Responding to Pre-dawn Unannounced Ninja Raids
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SUN.3.91.960718172621.11135B-100000@crl12.crl.com>
Message-ID: <199607190227.VAA24586@manifold.algebra.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text


Sandy Sandfort wrote:
> 
> > If you had a metal door, you would have enough time to wake up
> > and assess the situation.
> 
> This is good advice though.  Ironically, the only person I know
> with such a door is an ex-cop.  Who should know better?

That was the essense of my letter. The problem of Tim's approach is that 
he has no time to react to a situation. The intruders will kill him 
faster than he will be able to shoot.

Also, do not forget that if you sleep at night, your eyes will not be
used to bright light. Thus, an intruder with a bright flashlight would
be able to make you almost blind (and yes, you can keep the flashlight
away from your body).

I of course have no idea about Tim's accommodations, but in my apartment
it takes about one second to break into my door if you have a heavy axe.
Then three seconds after you break into the door you are in my bedroom and
can shoot at me. Would a gun under my pillow help? I don't think so.

Now if I had a good door, I would have tim to wake up, cock the gun, 
maybe call for help, and so on. Quite a different situation.

Re: peaceful people in your house. Did you ever have bad dreams?  Did
you ever have guests in your house? Imagine that you have a guest who at
4am woke up and went to the bathroom. Then you see a bad dream how you
are being robbed, see the guy in the dark, forget that he is your guest,
and shoot him. Not very pretty, huh?

Again, if your house was well protected, you would not be so alert
and would allow yourself some time to wake up and think.

If you do not believe me, refer to the rec.guns FAQ. It has all
been discussed there.

And really, I do not get why anyone wants to argue over this point: if
you are concerned about ninjas, extraterrestials, robbers or whoever
breaking into your house, PROTECT YOUR F^&*($G HOUSE. Then you can get
a gun, blaster, grenade launcher or whatever, but none of the above will
save you if you have only 4 seconds warning.

I am not asking Tim to get rid of his gun -- I am merely suggesting
how to _improve_ security.

	- Igor.