Laser self defense?

[Nanolaser]

A laser for self defence in a stealth package is the answer.

1. The ipod
2. The briefcase
3. The mobile phone
4, And so on,...

I have talk about this on the mi6forums.co.uk some years ago.

 

[krasnichuk]

I actually saw a short video on a laser weapon/distraction device on future weapons. It's on youtube you can find it here : YouTube - Future Weapons - Directed Energy
it starts around the 5 minute mark in the video.

 

[xStatiCa]

For any close up attacks I would think a laser would be rather useless. For far away attacks with a gun I would think a laser would also be useless. As soon as you raise something up to point at them they are going to pull the trigger thinking you are going to shoot them with something. If a cop sees a laser light they are going to think you are going to shoot a gun which was already mentioned.

I have no doubt that if you blind someone they are going to try and sue the crap out of you regardless what laws there are. This would especially be true if the laser defense was very effective and no harm was done to you. They might say you pulled the laser on them first.

My main concern though would be if it was in an area with other people around and you accidentally blind someone not attacking you on accident. What if there is an innocent person/window/mirror/etc that just happens to be around the attacker. Either a refraction or a direct laser to their eyes could blind them. With a bullet there is only one or a few trajectories. With a laser everywhere you wave that thing could cause damage to someone's eyes if it is very powerful.

For that last reason alone I would never think of using a laser for self defense.

With that said though... put me in that situation where I think my life is at stake and if a laser is all I had I can not say for sure I would not use it.

 

[Laserbran]

That would depend also on what country and what state you are in....here in the US what constitutes self-defense and how much force is allowed to be used varies. States with very liberal weapons regulations like Texas you probably could blind someone in self-defense (even if permanently) and face no repercussions.

But in some states burglars have been injured while breaking into homes and they have sued the homeowner for compensation - and won! Hard to believe..... In some places you probably could be sued, and lose, if you blinded someone in self defense. But whether or not you'd face criminal charges would depend on so many variables it's impossible to say.

Mostly it's about "reasonable" force.....if someone punches you, you have the right to punch them back, but you don't have the right to then go on and kill that person. That would be unreasonable force. Someone who's going at you with a deadly weapon and you blind them with a laser, I'd think that would be very reasonable, especially if that's the only thing you had on you that could be used as a weapon.

In NY state you would 100% be charged and sued if you used a laser in self defense. Intruders in your home also have right of way. Before force can be used your lawyer must prove the intruder was armed and there was no way for you to escape and even then you will undoubtedly be charged with manslaughter. In other rational states where law abiding citizens are valued above criminals it is more laxed. Now using a laser in defense would regardless of laws not be the most effective and the criminal might see or think it's attached to a gun and shoot you regardless. In NY a drug addict can not be held accountable for a crime, even murder, they will only be sent to rehab. I work in addiction recovery, this is not hearsay. And yes people have been sued successfully for hurting an intruder or fighting off an attacker. A woman who shot an intruder in the head after her and her children had retreated to the attic was charged with excessive force and manslaughter...if she had blinded them permanently she would have been sued for millions by said attacker. Criminals have right of way in my state.

 

[ArcticDude]

In NY state you would 100% be charged and sued if you used a laser in self defense. Intruders in your home also have right of way. Before force can be used your lawyer must prove the intruder was armed and there was no way for you to escape and even then you will undoubtedly be charged with manslaughter. In other rational states where law abiding citizens are valued above criminals it is more laxed. Now using a laser in defense would regardless of laws not be the most effective and the criminal might see or think it's attached to a gun and shoot you regardless. In NY a drug addict can not be held accountable for a crime, even murder, they will only be sent to rehab. I work in addiction recovery, this is not hearsay. And yes people have been sued successfully for hurting an intruder or fighting off an attacker. A woman who shot an intruder in the head after her and her children had retreated to the attic was charged with excessive force and manslaughter...if she had blinded them permanently she would have been sued for millions by said attacker. Criminals have right of way in my state.

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Thread is 9 years old

 

[Laserbran]

this post from another topic got me wondering about it.....what are the laws in the US with using high powered lasers as a defensive weapon.....seeing as i may blind a person i'm not sure if it would be legal like pepper spray is.

Do not use them for self defense. Pointing out objects in the sky like with a telescope is also dangerous( ie cops called by local airport which happened to me). The cops showed up at our astronomy club because a pilot in a commercial plane saw us pointing a laser up. Like everything these days one person ruins it for everyone. Keep laser use indoors in private. Plenty of fun optical things you can do too, like laser cones (Google it) defraction gratings (star caps), engraving in wood etc. Also cnc cutter and engravers but those require separate attached cooled lasers not handhelds which have short duty cycles.

 

[ArcticDude]

Do not use them for self defense. Pointing out objects in the sky like with a telescope is also dangerous( ie cops called by local airport which happened to me). The cops showed up at our astronomy club because a pilot in a commercial plane saw us pointing a laser up. Like everything these days one person ruins it for everyone. Keep laser use indoors in private. Plenty of fun optical things you can do too, like laser cones (Google it) defraction gratings (star caps), engraving in wood etc. Also cnc cutter and engravers but those require separate attached cooled lasers not handhelds which have short duty cycles.

Stop necroposting!