Are expandable/extendable batons illegal?
 

I'm in CA. Anyone know if they're illegal here?

Thought I was going to get chased by a pitbull while riding my bicycle this weekend. Scared the crap out of me. Somehow, I don't think squirting it with my water bottle trick would've stopped him from chewing off my calf. He came barreling towards me out of nowhere as I rode uphill past his property. There must have been an electronic gate there because he never came out. Of course, I didn't know he wasn't going to come out. I never pedaled so fast in my life.

Next time that happens I want to be more prepared. A baton across a dog's face would stop it. That's as a last resort, of course.

No.. :)

Expandable Baton Laws

I read that but couldn't understand it. Talk about your run-on sentences!

From an order form..
California Sale Restrictions

Damn.

This is why I have a .32 or a .380 with me while riding

The wording I would use is yes, you can buy them here.

In all seriousness, who cares if it's legal, carry the damn thing if you want to. As long as you don't look like a thug, meth-head or otherwise ask for trouble the cops won't care a bit. You've got a plausible story with the dog thing, tell it if you get questioned and you'll be fine.

This assumes you don't have a record and don't come off as a douche :

I agree, i dont care if it's legal either.

Pepper spray would probably work better though.

Or a P7... ;)

I have been told by a cop friend that pepper spray will work on some dogs but not others...FWIW.

won't work on cajun dogs.

lol

I'm going to buy a 32" baton.

I'm a great believer in batons (after a handgun) for defensive use. However, not on a dog. Using a stick on a dog will only make him more aggresive. A better choice would be to throw stones (or coins at him).

WTF? You have got to be kidding me, are you guys even allowed to take deep breaths on odd numbered days out there? I guess there is a reason they put CA so far away from the east coast. :rolleyes:

It's not just Cali Rick...:rolleyes:

Well true, but yanno.

Instead of the baton get a bicycle pump. It mounts with clips to your bike frame. Works the same as the baton and your legal.

Or spray them

Cabela's -- Self Defense Pepper Spray

Weird. On the bottom of my screen there is an ad for the ASP Baton. Anyway, the problem I can see with the spray the wind might blow the aerosol towards me. I've never used a spray. Does it shoot out a concentrated, focused stream of stuff or is it diffused for up-close defensive use?

I just got rid of my mini-pump and have gone all CO2. Makes the bike all aerodynamic.

Yep, P7 definitely wins the "what to use" competition hands down. :D

There are different spray nozzles for pepper spray. depends what you get.

What ad you see depends on the topic of the thread.

It shoots out in a concentrated stream.

Used mine once, a bear decided to see if I was eatable while I was up in a tree stand. He got up about 6-7 feet up the trunk of the tree and I squirted him in the face. He let go with his front paws to wipe at his eyes and fell backwards to the ground. Then stumbled off into the bush wiping at his eyes as he went.

I've used pepper spray several times on people. It works great. (Some are supposedly immune).

Everyone i've ever sprayed with it has lost their will to fight immediately.

UDAP Bear Deterrent Pepper Spray

Bear spray works great for dogs I have seen it used a couple times on aggressive dogs on trails in the area. The older lady hikers won't bat an eye hosing down an aggressive dog out hiking.

The stuff I carry shoots a "cone".

Nor should they.

I like the stream foam sprays the best. Preferably the ones that are mixed with CS/CN/OC. That way if they're immune to one of the chem compounds, you still have two other agents at work to incapacitate them.

Never spray pepper spray up wind unless absolutely necessary.

IF i had an ASP, i would have it on the bookcase by my front door. first line of defense if a "j-witness" decides to get fresh with me. i have tapped my leg gently with one...ouch. it hurts.

i would never have on in my car.

You ca use wasp and hornet spray as well. It has an effective spray range of 15 to 20 feet.

Dave

i joke that my sister invented pepper spray.

i have been maced 3x in my life. once by my sis's homemade version. dropped me on my butt. i was 10. then twice again, by my sister. once with my dad's policeman (was it?) mace, and the final time with some stuff for dogs. mailman version. i hit the deck, blubbering all three times.

that cop stuff, came from a cylinder that spray axially. my mom drove me to the hospital screaming. i kicked and scratched the doc, while they tried to pry my eyes open. people wonder why i keep arms distance from sis, mentally and physically.

I always carry a squirt gun with ammonia cleaner in it. Works quite well and no permanent harm to the dog.

maybe-so, are you kidding me? i can just see you in yir bike shorts riding down the road, dog takes chase. you fumble around trying to get the baton out and extended as dog draws you in. you try to swing at said dog and it all goes bad from there. perched atop a bike is not a spot to be swinging a club from

they already make them for cyclist...they are called frame pumps
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1268435951.jpg
and the old classic silca with a steel head...carried one of these on my road bike for years.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1268436103.jpg
otherwise you can carry a can of "HALT"

but i have never needed more than one swing with a pump toward the offender.

lol, you are right. With my luck, it would probably get caught up in the spokes.

I met your sister. She is hot!

Bike pump- Good concept, but no weight. No inertia. "Bad dog" will be followed closely by - "Hello, Doctor".

Another angle to use is carb cleaner. Will drop anyone/anything on their a$$, right now. Also very legal :)


Just a thought - not as much for on the bike, but in questionable areas in the car.

I agree, spray is the best thing for you.

re extendable batons - if you put a small ball head on it, then it becomes a monopod for your camera...

might i suggest; SAFETY GLASSES!

Some of the gangbangers in LA reportedly carry old fashioned metal bicycle peddles as a substitute for brass knuckles, not illegal apparently. Same reason they carry long bladed screwdrivers.

I guess there is also the old school metal D-cell Maglite option too. On occasion I also see people walking around with (single) golf clubs and I don't think they are doing any golfing.

Silca pump will break if you swing it. the body is plastic, so what it has a metal head. I have had a ton of those both chrome and painted one to match the bike. CAmpy head or silca, the body will break like a tooth pick. Halt, my butt. I have spray dogs that came at me on my bike. It did not do a thing to it. Those bastard know how to time you and they run at you at an angle. The go for the ankle. Ask me how I know. Worst thing is at stop lights because you have no where to go.

If you're going baton, an ASP with a diamond tip is definitely the way to go.

I had one of those for several years, but lost it somewhere a few years ago. I suspect i returned it to a dealer in a repo. Whoops.

Anyway- ASP batons seriously kick ass.

I've always used a 4 or 5 cell D maglite for repoing. Highly visible/intimidating and extremely useful as both a weapon and a light.