"This Is a Quiet Neighborhood and Nothing Like This Ever Happens Here"

[Nosferatu]

Having grown up in East Oakland, EVERY neighborhood has been a quiet neighborhood since then!

Now that I'm a seasoned redneck, my gun has been used to ward off gangs of coyotes much more than it was used against gangs of humans back in the day.

I had a couple dumbbubblegums break into my house Christmas Eve back when I lived in San Jose. One learned what the business end of an AR barrel looked like while another learned what an A2 stock to the bridge of his beak felt like. Called the cops, they wouldn't send anyone, just took a 'statement' over the phone. That was late '90s. Probably don't have anyone to even answer the phone these days.

 

[Ragnar]

On the topic of home invasions, one was recently foiled near my brother's house. Cop happened to be parked nearby and saw a team of 5 pull up in a blacked out SUV wearing masks and try to kick in the door on a house up for sale. 1 stayed behind the wheel, 4 went up to the door. Cop drew down and they ran off.

No idea what happened after that, but point is (a) it happened in a really nice area (houses are $1 million +), and (b) 5 assailants in total. Good luck facing that with a 6-shooter or a 10-round semi-auto.

True. This is when you need some form of warning system with like minded neighbors. That or a horde of attack dogs and a mini-gun!

 

[bradsteen]

True. This is when you need some form of warning system with like minded neighbors. That or a horde of attack dogs and a mini-gun!

I'll take the attack dogs and minigun. Both are gonna be more reliable than my neighbors.

 

[Howard1955]

Intimidation is key.

 

[Camelfilter]

Intimidation is key.

Such is a thing (tiny dogs can be in packs with giant dogs). Had first hand experience with such on a bike camping trip overseas. Had just crossed into Turkey & pulled off for a rest break. Was sitting smoking & hydrating & heard some yips. Soon after a few small dogs were coming up the hill I was setting on. Watched them, then a few larger dogs, then some VERY LARGE dogs.

Tossed what minimal I had unpacked into an open bag, hopped on & went down the other side of the hill I had gone up to rest, then back onto pavement, which was an massive down grade. Thankfully. Had crossed into Turkey in Burgas province Bulgaria.

Unlikely would have been a positive outcome had I not paid attention & also didn't have an out.

Dog packs are no joke when afoot/on bike. Lost one of my nine lives in Tibet to a massive pack of feral Mastiffs....

 

[coop44]

Wiener dogs are much more fun as alarm system. No batteries required.
Btw I wonder if the O.P. gets paid for plugging products.

 

[SUPER X]

I know a lot of places allow illegals to get DL's now, but deer can too? You would think their hooves might make it difficult to grip the steering wheel, but what do I know(?)

Deer drive better than the people ive encountered the last 3 or so years .

 

[doughnutguy82]

You often hear that "quiet neighborhood" bit from shocked neighbors when interviewed by newscasters after some sort of bad incident. It seems like every place must be quiet and nothing ever happens, . . . that is, until it does.

I just discovered my neighborhood is no exception. My wife & I also live in a quiet neighborhood. Twelve years here and nothing has happened. There's even the comfort of having a recently a retired deputy living up the street from our place, and our two nearest neighbors are also firearm owners in a gray man-sort of way. Our own place is tucked away in a patch of woods at the end of a tenth-mile-long gravel lane. Secluded. Wanting to keep it that way, we have a "private drive - no entry" sign near the pavement, and a "no trespassing" sign midway to the house. Quiet. Nothing ever happens here. Until tonight when it did happen here, sort of. Let's just call it an unannounced drill, complete with adrenaline for realism. Here's how it played out:

It was midnight and my wife & I were downstairs watching a TV program when I heard a driveway alert signal from our "early warning" sensor. About 20 seconds later, our "by the house right now" sensor was sounding off. At that point, I was headed up the stairs while pulling at the LCP2 in my sweatpants pocket. No sounds of door kicking or breaking glass yet, and believe me I was listening really, really hard. The DeSantis SuperFly holster released my LCP2 as intended, but the flimsy sweatpants pocket snagged it. I got a mild wedgie from pulling at it, but never mind that now. The ShotLock combo worked like a charm, and with a loaded Maverick 88 in-hand I was already feeling somewhat better. A slight opening beside the window blind let me see that the motion-sensing breezeway lights were on, apparently triggered by the vehicle I could now see reversing in front of the garage. Thankfully, PIR motion alarms focused on the front & side windows and doors remained silent. I heard "by the house" sound off again as the vehicle left the yard, and "early warning" signaled that it kept heading back toward pavement.

I have no firm idea of what that was all about, but midnight and ignoring prominent warning signs make me strongly suspect a prowl. As for the good and the bad take-away from this drill:

Foremost, prior mental rehearsal of actions to take in such circumstances let me get moving without even pondering WTF.
Next, realization that the cost of those two Mighty Mule magnetic driveway alert kits was money well-spent.
Lots of credit to the motion-sensing breezeway lights that probably prompted a quick departure, whatever their plans may have been.
All the fooling around to set up those cheapo Harbor Freight PIR motion alarms was also not wasted; their silence was both significant and reassuring.
No SuperFly-in-sweatpants anymore; there are better ways to keep a gun handy while watching TV.
Feeling around for the little dome light in front of my ShotLock wasted seconds. An always-on LED night light would be better.
The opening beside the window blind served OK tonight, but I think video cameras are in our future.
My wife & I have pre-planned "what to do", but further discussion and actually rehearsing the plan could be beneficial.
Install a telephone in the downstairs bathroom, because that's where she immediately went - urgently - in spite of our pre-planning.

I live in the Northwest neighborhood on Vancouver and its nicely quiet. however, i know it wont always be that way. thankfully im as ready as i can be for any potential issues that may come around. I would like some cameras and gate motion sensors at some point soon.

 

[Longwalkhome]

Seattle robbery using a taser on the victim. Nice neighborhood.

 

[willy1]

You seem quiet safety conscious, which is a good thing.
With just the two of you it might not be as critical, but one thing we always did as a family (5 kids in the home) was have designated "safe" locations in each room of the home. Not just "safe" from intruders, but also so everyone would know where in the home each person would be in the event a firearm discharge became necessary. "Safe" meaning... also safe from friendly fire.
We also designated rooms by number so that calling one of the kids names, they might respond "1, 1" (without broadcasting to an intruder exactly where they were located)... and to me, meaning... he is in his room in the back of his walk in closet corner.
That also allowed us to direct the kids where to go by simply calling their name with the designated room and location to go to... again... without broadcasting that information to an intruder.
As they got older and in possession of their own firearms... some of those locations turned into covered lanes. IE., My son may not be at "1,1", but at "1, ready"... meaning he was in his room behind the jam with his firearm and covering the hallway and corner leading to the front door. He could call his sisters name to ensure she was at "2,1"... in her safe spot in her room and out of the line of fire he was covering... since their doors faced each other at opposite ends of the hallway.

It might seem a little over the top, but the more people in the home the more beneficial it is to be able to communication quickly and clearly. Of course, we've always been one of "those families". With stranger passwords and alert words. IE., If any of the kids ever address me as "Papa"... no matter what their demeanor or what they say after... that's the alert that they are in a bad situation or under duress.

In the case where you wife didn't go where your preplanning had dictated she go, some type of system like that might be helpful to be able to quickly ask and confirm exactly where she is.... without directing would be bad actors to her location... and ensuring you don't send one flying in her direction thinking she's actually where she was "supposed" to go.

Just an idea that may or may not be right for everyone...

I have a small screamen menney dog that go,es off if the wind blows to hard?When some one does come in the yard i caint even live him out?Some women think here" cute?