Legality of laser for self-defense/deterrent?

[InfinitusEquitas]

I was pissed at my neighbor's friend who sped up and down our private road despite complaints. One night after he blew by my house I hit his side mirror w/my 100mw greenie from 100 yds or so and my neighbor said that the guy had to sit there for 30 seconds or so before he could see well enough to drive. So I suppose any advantage is better than none and if someone was in your face a couple passes across the eyes might provide an opportunity to skedaddle on outta there...

That is an unbelievably DUMB thing to do.

Yes, what he did is wrong, but what you did is even worse! He can file assault charges against you now.

Install speedbumps, call the cops, sue the guy. DON'T SHINE A LASER AT HIM.

 

[chah]

In my view, carrying a gun has disadvantages that laser pointers don't. For example, accidentally shooting yourself, or someone else. There are more than 1000 accidental gun-related deaths a year. Of course, you'll call the guys who do it "idiots" but it is an inherent risk of walking around with a gun in your pants. In addition you have to live with less-accidental cases where people lose their tempers or becoming emotionally out of control and use their gun in situations that don't justify it. You'll also end up with more cases like Travyon Martin's if more people walk around armed.

I've been thinking about this and I'm in favour of carrying a laser pointer around as non-lethal self-defense rather than a gun.

The recent Aurora shootings case and ensuing gun-control debate comes to mind. I hear the pro-gun side saying "If there was a legal gun-carrying citizen in that theatre, he could take down the gun-man before so much carnage could have happened". But I think that's the realm of Hollywood rather than reality. Incapacitating a single moving kevlar-coated target in a dark theatre is not something I think most gun-owners could achieve. The chances of hitting someone who wasn't the gun-man is higher. In addition, imagine there are 4 or 5 gun-carrying citizens and they all pull out their guns and start shooting at the "gun-man" in the dark. What kind of carnage would ensue? You can't tell who's the gun-man and who's the "law-abiding citizen". You'll also end up with a blood-bath and a field day for the lawyers.

In addition having a large portion of the populace walking around carrying guns, as previously mentioned, you're going to end up with more accidental and hi-emotion gun-case related injuries and deaths.

However, imagine that instead of having 4 or 5 people carrying guns, that they carry non-lethal laser-pointers as self-defense instead. The gun man would be targetted in the face by 4 or 5 lasers which could much more easliy be done in the low-light (compared with guns) with no serious risk to by-standers. I think he would have been incapacitated rather quickly without extra loss-of life and without the extra risk or dangers that guns pose. His kevlar wouldn't have helped him at all either.

 

[sneaton]

here in indianapolis a man was trying to rob a store with a gun...one of the employees had his carry permit and shot/killed the bad guy....no one else was harmed....i think in the movie case anybody with a gun could have saved the lives of lots of people....if he came in and started getting shot at he might have turned and ran

 

[Laserbran]

Let me preface this by saying I'm not some idiot kid with a high-powered laser shooting airplanes and generally being a dumbass. I use proper safety precautions and am aware of and observe regulations regarding the use of laser equipment.

A while back I was out for a walk at night and a large, aggressive dog started advancing towards me. Having nothing to defend myself save a pocket knife and my 1 watt 445nm, I de-focused the laser until the dot was several feet wide and fired it at the dog once it was a clear threat, causing it to spook and run away.

My question is whether or not using a laser in this manner against either a person or animal is legal, assuming that the laser is de-focused enough to cause no damage. I live in an area with lots of bred-for-aggression pit bulls and a few possible drug dealers, but I don't want take a life or lose my own in the event of a confrontation.

I am aware of the illegality of using lasers to MAIM, and the illegality of simply shining a laser at someone, but in a self-defense scenario, is the use of a laser in the previously-mentioned way legal?

I live in Texas, if that's any help. It seems to me that if you're allowed to shoot someone in self-defense, it would be legal to cause temporary discomfort via light.

Edit: I found some other threads talking about this, but my question is slightly different; I have no intention of causing long-term harm, and as such, I think this question is different enough to warrant a thread. Also, please don't think I'm one of the irresponsible kids thinking "durr, imma blast him wif MAH LAZAR AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!1!"

If this thread is in any way a violation of the rules, let me know and I'll remove it immediately.

Check local and state laws, I'm in ny for example where even in your house if an intruder comes in you must prove that one, they were armed, two you had no way to escape(ie back door or window) and even then you can get charged with manslaughter which is ridiculous. A scenario I hope never happens to me or mine. But when out of the house you will most likely get charged with manslaughter if you use lethal force regardless of scenerio, NY is run by criminals. When it comes to this scenerio, I 100%guarantee that if you permanently blind an attacker you will be charged with it and sued (here in ny) regardless of scenerio. Criminals have right of way in my state. If an attacker for example blames their actions on addiction, even murder, they will simply be sent to rehab. I work in addiction recovery this is not hearsay. I have high powered lasers but would never even carry them on my person due to the threat of charges or having them taken away. Now that being said police have been using defracted lasers and high powered flashlights for years with good effect. In Texas I'm really unsure. Call a police station and ask or write to them.

 

[Encap]

Stop necroposting it is very frowned upon on LPF.

This thread has been dead since 2012 --7 years

 

[Laserbran]

Stop necroposting it is very frowned upon on LPF.

This thread has been dead since 2012 --7 years

Is this topic not still relevent? Sorry to offend anyone...

 

[steve001]

Ok

Is this topic not still relevent? Sorry to offend anyone...

Necroposting is ok if you add something relevant and new info that has not been previously stated in some way. Your post does not. Hence the stop necroposting replies.

 

[Laserbran]

Apologies

Ok

Necroposting is ok if you add something relevant and new info that has not been previously stated in some way. Your post does not. Hence the stop necroposting replies.

Apologies to this forum, I will keep posts for 1 year or newer. I've been a member of numerous other forums including political ones and have never once offended anyone or been booted but I guess laser hobbyists are really sensitive. But for real, sincere apologies friend, I just want to chat about lasers.