Nothing

I know, I know... I'm gonna get flamed... but honestly, I would LOVE to create a security device on the car that shoots out a fine mist of tear gas inside the vehicle if the alarm is triggered and someone is trying to steal the car or anything in it. Yeah, I know, the thief would sue me... but I don't care, I would argue my case in court... s/he had no f*cking right to be in my car, and s/he got what s/he deserved.

Anyone else ever fantasize about this? It's got to be the ultimate security device.

N.

Dave679

They might well sue you, but I doubt they'd win. You're entitled to use non-lethal force to defend property. At least in most states.

People worry so much about criminals suing for clear acts of self- and property-defense, but the truth is that they rarely sue, and even more rarely prevail. They only tend to prevail (after appeals have had a chance to correct for wacky juries) where the defendant has used much more force than was reasonable (shooting someone who is stealing your car stereo - the guy may be a complete b@stard, but you can't give him the death penalty for stealing <$500 worth of electronics), or where there was mistaken identity/intent (person was asking for spare change, not mugging you; turning off your headlights for you, not stealing the car).

I'd be much more worried about false alarms covering the inside of your car with sticky, noxious, staining chemicals. One false positive, and you'd have to redo the interior. Think about how many false car alarms there are!

That said, I've absolutely fantasized about the same thing. And about mounting a rat trap behind the car stereo so that someone taking it out would get their fingers broken.

Blue Rat

Clifford Alarm used to have an option on their systems called a "pain generator." When the alarm activated, high intensity speakers inside the car put out a high decibal siren that was impossible to endure.

Not a bad idea, but what if it malfunctioned and activated while driving at say 100 or so?

Nothing

I don't know that tear gas would ruin the interior... I guess it would have to be tested out...

...does anyone here have any "unorthodox" security systems in their cars? I remember reading about one system that would shut the car down after it exceeded 10 mph if the proper code wasn't entered to turn of the vehicle (or something like that)... sounded good, but I guess there were some accidents.

N.

tulene

the leg-chopper is used in south africa for the rampant carjackings. sprint loaded big metal arm flat thing swings out and wacks the guy in the ankle, breaking bones. very effective apparently.

yeah the possiblity of malfunction on the wrong person ie owner/passenger negates many of these ideas. . . .

FriscoZR

I worked with a guy once and he told me when he lived out in CA, he had problems with people breaking into his Alfa Spyder and stealing the stereo. Beign a ME, he decided he would install a theft deterant. So, he soft soldered razor blades to the case of the next stereo and installed it. Not to long after this, he finds the stereo on his floorboard covered in blood. He then said - he felt good he had his revenge. Later that week this car was beaten to death with baseball bats. Moral - you can't win. After that he just didn't install a stereo while he lived there. Can't steal what's not there.

Strife350z

iTrader: (4)

Interesting thread :P

i've always thought about running current through the car when the alarm gets set (e.g. from a taser) and then clearcoating the body... so any a$$hole who decides to key your car gets shocked/incapacitated

i actually drew up plans for it in an engineering shop class i took as a senior way back in high school... if you think about it, there'd be no chance of accidental electrocutions because of the thick clear-coat (wouldn't get penetrated unless someone was deliberately trying to ruin your finish - which means he/she deserves the shock anyway) and the fact that it only gets armed when the alarm is set.

the only problem with this idea i could think of, was that it probably cost more to spray the car in thick clear coat every few years (from weathering) than to repaint any damage from getting keyed

oh well.. that's why i dropped the idea back in high school

Z04

iTrader: (15)

http://www.stickdeath.com/autothft.html

http://www.stickdeath.com/2002auto.html

http://www.stickdeath.com/2003auto.html

MadMax76

Wouldn't it be easier to disable the engine with all the electronics included?

DruDragzOn

That's a great idea!

Dave679

I don't know about tear/CS gas, but I know that pepper spray is dependent on capsaicin (sp?), which is an oil. I don't think you want an oil, even a clear, vegetable-based one, sprayed around the inside of your car.

AndyB

The liability issue is trickier than some people think.

Sure, pepper spray is non-toxic in MOST cases. If the guy stealing the car has asthma or a weak heart of something it could conceivably kill him.

Now you have to sit and face a jury who knows your home built security system killed a guy. Not a seat I would want to sit in.

I know this scenario is a LONG shot, but you never know.

I also happen to agree that having the pepper capcasin oil in the car would suck. The cleaning to get rid of the smell and oil would probably cost more than the deductable if it was just stolen.

I understand where you are coming from. I have had the same thoughts. (particularly after my car was broken in to once). After I cooled off and really thought about it, I decided it wasn't worth it.

If possible, it might be better to find a system to buy. At least if something goes wrong you can pass the buck to the vendor of the device. "Well they said their 'car taser' was non-lethal!"

R.J._Vancouver

Don`t do it. The pepper spray would take forever to get out of your interior.
When I was a training paramedic, we had a woman that was attacked and beat up by a man that first pepper sprayed her.
We tried to treat her in the ambulance, but the spray was blinding everyone. When we got her to the hospital, we could not even treat her in the emergency room. She had to be treated outside.
The ambulance had to be taken out of service and completely cleaned out. The Z interior is about a quarter the size of our ambulance interior.

CelticPride2

There's also another hardcore security device that's popular down there. When the carjacker approaches your vehicle, you just hit an emergency switch on the dash, and a small flamethrower under the doorsill blasts a a fireball at the carjacker. You'd never get away with a device like that here, but with all the carjackings they have in RSA, it's a common item.

ares

iTrader: (2)

Id go with a massive siren. an airhorn would be ideal, under the dash. alarm goes off, that bad buy blows. 140decibals in that car. yeah....

could use a high pitch siren too, that would be painful. wont kill anyone, might make their ears bleed if they didnt run away.

never heard of an alarm going off when the car is on, thats a pretty easy failsafe to put in. if the impossible happened though, not TOO detrimental.

L_M_NT

There is another device that is made and its like the club and you hook it up to your steering wheel and lock it in place and set it and if you dont deactivate it with a remote and someone toches the steering wheel your get 100,000 volts sent through them.....Doesnt kill them....100% legal have it on my car. Didnt cost more than $500 with shipping

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

I have 2 interior piezo sirens, they are loud~!

perucho

How about hidding a midget in the trunk with a baseball bat? I'm sure you can find one of those cheap.

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

uhh, care to post pics, or a video?

Right!

jesseenglish

Pepper spray and CS gas are two different animals entirely. CS gas comes in a solid form and when heated it changes to it's gaseous form. It does leave a smell, but I guess depending on how big of a dose, it shouldn't be too hard to clean out because it will end up as a VERY fine powder when it settles.

Pepper spray however would be horrible for your interior. You'd never get it out.