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What should you do if you're blinded...

DreQo

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Soo I actually just had a bad dream about this, so I thought I'd post the question. It's been discussed on this forum before that while constitutionally speaking, a blind person should be free to decide whether or not he could responsibly carry a handgun, it would seem rather dangerous and risky for a person who can't see to try and use a firearm. But what if you get blinded temporarily by an attacker?

I think it's safe to say that 99.9% of us on here carry a firearm for the purpose of self defense. Now we talk about being comfortable shooting with your weak hand, and reloading with one hand, because you may not always have use of both hands, but I've never seen anyone really talk about what to do if you lose your sight temporarily.

So here's the scenario: You're in an area with no one else around. Give yourself a reason for not being able to just run away screaming (your baby is in the car, your leg is in a cast, whatever). A man jumps out, tells you he's going to kill you and take your money and pulls a weapon (aka theres NO question that this guy is going to ruin your night). As you're stepping back and drawing your weapon, he blinds you (at night w/ a surefire, salt or sand in the eyes, OC spray, whatever). What do you do?

The only thing I could possibly think of is start shooting in his direction and pray....which to me sounds like a realllly crappy option. Anyone else have a better idea? I'm assuming LEOs are trained at least somewhat on what to do if they get hit with their own OC...right?
 

Fallguy

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Very interesting question...and a very possible situation.

I tend to think I would do the same as you. If you have already drawn, if he didn't know you had a weapon before, he does now. You can NOT let him get that weapon fromyou. Again if no one is around as you say, I would have to shoot in his last know direction. Or in the more likely situation he has come close enough to you to hear or is contact with you, you would be able to aim a little better I think.
 

longwatch

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Definitely a tough situation. I think its one you can train to deal with, judging by the LEO pepper spray training I've seen. Hard to say if sand in the eyes would be better or worse to deal with. I would think your best defense is to assume a strong defensive posture, possibly drawing your weapon. A key thing is to retain your weapon, so depending on a few factors such as opposition strength, your strength, how you've trained to retain your gun, and how good your retention holster is.

I think drawing a knife might be a good defense too. I think in this situation it could be more effective at contact distances, and act as a deterent to the criminal from getting into contact range.
 

DreQo

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Dude, you just confused Brad Pitt for Johny Depp....wtf?! I actually mentioned that movie in the "should blind people carry guns?" thread, lol.

So longwatch, you mentioned a knife. I was thinking that as a possible option...pulling the knife and just start swinging. I usually keep a knife accessible from my weak hand, so I could see retaining my sidearm with my strong hand and swinging with my weak...but still that leaves a whole lot up to chance lol.
 

openryan

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nofoa wrote:
When your blind you suddenly become a ninja. Remember that movie "Once upon a time in Mexico" When brad pitt has both his eyes gouged out, and he's still able to kill like 4 guys. See totally fact!

Or how about that 60 year old blind dude, for real shot an intruder.

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/blind-man-shoots-intruder/2862114378



Ninja's... they are all around us.
Anyone else notice that he said he bought his gun (singular) 20-30 years ago, then at the end of the story they say that his gun is now in police custody... way to tell the rest of the neighborhood he is fair game now...
 

Springfield45

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Very good idea longwatch, I've always carried a knife on my weak side (a Cold-Steel Recon 1 tanto. ) right beside the Surefire E2D Defender, From My past millitary training, we've trained to use a knife in a SIMULATED situation of temporary blindness, especially in very close to contact distances. Now, a real-life situation as we all know,
will always vary from any simulation we've had, but, If i were to be put in the situation described by the OP, I would prolly re-holster my weapon (if already drawn) for higher retention purposes, and as you suggested, take a strong defensive, arm with my knife, Rely on my remaining senses, and iflict as much damage as i possibly
could with the knife until Regaining enough sight to re-draw my pistol, if necessary.




Just my ideas .... There is many way one could handle this situation, naturally, it's dependant on what force one feels is needed in his unique situation. Say, after he blinded you, OC spray, sand whatever, he noticed you had a weapon and decided to run, I would most likely remain on the defensive until I could visually be certain the threat was non exsistant. Maybe that would make me look like an Idiot to any later passerbys, but it would surely make me feel as in-control of the situation as i could be ........ Anybody else?

~~ John
 

Citizen

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I'll just plan on wearing goggles from now on. I'm sure Tomahawk can dig up something fashionable for me. :)
 

longwatch

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DreQo wrote:
Dude, you just confused Brad Pitt for Johny Depp....wtf?! I actually mentioned that movie in the "should blind people carry guns?" thread, lol.

So longwatch, you mentioned a knife. I was thinking that as a possible option...pulling the knife and just start swinging. I usually keep a knife accessible from my weak hand, so I could see retaining my sidearm with my strong hand and swinging with my weak...but still that leaves a whole lot up to chance lol.
Well yeah the whole premise is that you are blind, you are already way behind the power curve. In such a situation as in any defensive encounter, the average gun carrier is not going to rise to the occassion. You default to your basic training. Have any of us trained to fight blind? Then there is a good chance you won't win. But you can go down fighting. See Kobayashi Maru Scenario.
 

imperialism2024

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I'm not convinced that any armed response is justified. Blind people certainly can effectively use weapons, but that's because they've had time to adjust to the situation, and the brain is wired up a bit differently to compensate for the loss. Being blinding instantly, a normally visual person will have much less of a frame of reference. Even with a knife, there's no knowing what one's going to hit. I think one is pretty much just screwed in that situation.

Which brings up situational awareness...
 

unrequited

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there's always the ending to Bloodsport with Jean Claude Van Damme...

But honestly longwatch has it straight, if you get to that point, you're pretty much screwed. Do what you can even if it's the last thing you do.
 

Springfield45

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Unfortunately, Imperialism, one can't let him/her self think like that, ie: OK, I'm screwed here ... there is nothing I can do now. NO WAY .. you can do sometihng .... even if your attempts are fruitless, you still faught back .... IE:, someone mentioned that, now that you are blind, the BG has moved into contact distance,(wich is a highly probable situation,considering the circumstance) there is ALOT that you can do, despite being blinded, Now that this has become a phisical attack, and the BG is on top of you, really, sight isn't a HUGE loss at that point anyways, use your other senses...
ie; He's seen your gun, that's what he's interested in, while using your strong hand to retain your pistol, an edged weapon attack to the ribs, abdomen, neck if possible, might be a good opportunity, surely not as effective as 200gr of lead, but I'd have to think that 5 inches of steel repetedly slid into someone's ribs/thigh is going to take "some" fight out of them .... IMHO

Now, Firing my weapon blindly, That I have to agree with you on, That isn't such a good Idea .... the bullet DOES have to go somewhere and according to Murphy's law, will most likely stirke an innocent maybe we missed something when we did have our sight, a house behind the perps last known location, something to that effect ... I don't think firing blindly would be a good idea.... now, into the air, or ground to attract attention, maybe assitance, that might be a winning idea ...But Firing Blindly at the BG ... I'd have to disagree.



~~John
 

imperialism2024

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Springfield45 wrote:
Unfortunately, Imperialism, one can't let him/her self think like that, ie: OK, I'm screwed here ... there is nothing I can do now. NO WAY .. you can do sometihng .... even if your attempts are fruitless, you still faught back .... IE:, someone mentioned that, now that you are blind, the BG has moved into contact distance,(wich is a highly probable situation,considering the circumstance) there is ALOT that you can do, despite being blinded, Now that this has become a phisical attack, and the BG is on top of you, really, sight isn't a HUGE loss at that point anyways, use your other senses...
ie; He's seen your gun, that's what he's interested in, while using your strong hand to retain your pistol, an edged weapon attack to the ribs, abdomen, neck if possible, might be a good opportunity, surely not as effective as 200gr of lead, but I'd have to think that 5 inches of steel repetedly slid into someone's ribs is going to take "some" fight out of them .... IMHO

Now, Firing my weapon blindly, That I have to agree with you on, That iisn't such a good Idea .... the bullet DOES have to go somewhere ... but maybe we missed something when we did have our sight, a house behind the perps last known, something to that effect ... I don't think firing blindly would be a good idea.... now, into the air, ground to attract attention, maybe assitance, that might be a winning idea ...



~~John
Er, I think I may have been a little less than coherent at 3AM. I agree with you, and a bladed weapon wouldn't be inappropriate to use in the situation. Blindly (no pun intended) slashing I don't feel is a good tactic, and that's what I believe I was thinking when posting originally :)
 

sv_libertarian

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Hmmm.... all very interesting posts, and I have been mulling this one, and a related one in my head. I wear glasses, and with them off, everything gets fuzzy at about three to four feet. I can still see things, just not clearly. Without them at night, I still feel comfortable using my handgun, as I have a perfectly lined up field of fire on the boat.

If a BG blinds me with a blast of pepper spray or similar, there will be pain as well, I am thinking that the best bet would be to holster the gun, and draw a knife (I have a CRKT M-16 Tanto) and slash outwards while issuing verbal commands to back down.

Hopefully with one hand occupied with a knife, and a holstered handgun, one can get their cell phone out and call 911...
 

nofoa

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DreQo wrote:
Dude, you just confused Brad Pitt for Johny Depp....wtf?! I actually mentioned that movie in the "should blind people carry guns?" thread, lol.

So longwatch, you mentioned a knife. I was thinking that as a possible option...pulling the knife and just start swinging. I usually keep a knife accessible from my weak hand, so I could see retaining my sidearm with my strong hand and swinging with my weak...but still that leaves a whole lot up to chance lol.
Shame on me for skimming the thread. That's twice now i've made useless posts.
 

Citizen

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I've got it!!!

Why didn't I think of this earlier?

This is the perfect situation for the legitimate use for a suicide vest!! :)

If I'm going, I'm taking him with me!

Egads! That's it! Why rig just an ordinary jihadi suicide vest? No, sir! Go for top of the line! Claymores! They're curved and will fit nicely on my athletic pecs! :) (Beautiful single womenare welcome to take particular note of that last sentence.)

Oh, drat. Suicide is illegal.

(Joke, everybody.)
 
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