You get in your vehicle to go to the store. Far away you see an individual in your neighborhood that does not look kosher and decide to check it out. The suspect goes into an area that you can’t drive in and you make the decision to follow on foot at what you think is a safe distance…but it turns out not to be. Mayhem happens.
This is just speculation on my part, but last night I was wondering if things would have turned out different if Zimmerman had a good Tac Light with him. From the crime scene photos I have seen, the area was poorly illuminated (Understandable, nobody wants a million candlepower sodium light shinning through their bedroom window) and possibly Zimmerman got too close to Martin because he simply could not see ahead enough.
I have been carrying a Surefire 6P everyday for 7 years and I think about 2 years ago I upgraded from the 60 lumens incandescent bulb that came with it to a Cree LED with an output of 140 lumens or something in that area. With both outputs, I had some encounters with less desirable members of society yet not violent enough to go to other measures and the use of the light came in very handy: If they can’t see you, they can’t hit you. Hit them in the eyes with the light as you move…Light und Move, Ja?
Also, if you have a light, you can illuminate dark corners or spots where somebody can be hiding taking advantage of the darkness. Criminals like roaches, do not have the light shined upon them. Whatever can give you the advantage of distance, will help you avoid bleeding and possible visits to the ER or the rooms below the hospital.
More and more states are considering what used to be Less-Than-Lethal weapons (tasers and pepper sprays) as Lethal weapons and their usage may get you an assault with a deadly weapon charge (Check your local listings) so their effectiveness in de-escalating a situation without having to go drastic is legally denied and you still can get your butt kicked. Light so far are not categorized as weapons if you use them as illuminating tool to check their condition of their retinas. I am not a fan of the striking/defensive bezel (front with teeth) that some lights have because some prosecutor or judge may consider it an offensive weapon rather than a defensive one. Plus I hear they are murder on clothing, specially the pockets.
Do buy yourself a good light from a recognized brand. Don’t go the cheap route and get that 3-pack combo that can be found on the cashier’s bin at the Home Depot as they will fail you the moment you need them the most. Surefire, Streamlight, Fenix and Inova are some of the brands that professionals use because the will withstand abuse and keep working. And do buy GOOD batteries that are intended for flashlight use only. many of those light use 123A lithium batteries designed for that use. Do not go the Kodak or Radio Shack way because those are designed for cameras that have a completely different type of usage plus they die faster and cost several times more. I use the Surefire Batteries and love them. Keep spares handy as they will give you about 2 warnings and then go bye-bye. The 12-pack is about $24 in the interwebs shopping places for tacticool peoples.
And, of course: The more lumens, the better! The farther you can see at night or in dark places, the much better (I love my writing composition today) and if you can scorch the eyebrows of a possible bad guy at 30 yards, you are doing it right.
Get your good light & carry it every day.
The instant I heard the prosecutor mention the 2 flashlights in the opening, it did occur to me that Zimmerman had possibly made a tactical error by not having one in hand and turned on.
I carry one when jogging at night. I believe that aside from their ability to blind an attacker if need be, turning one on to light the ground as you approach or are approached conveys a sense of authority and preparedness that keeps things civil. A lot of them also have a strobe mode, which makes things very interesting…
Excellent insight. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to shine that in his eyes, Officer” will be better received than “I didn’t mean to muzzle his nose”.
Light and RUN AWAY, ja!
Streamlight PT 1L (110 Lumens) or PT 2L (180 Lm) for EDC, including the office.
Streamlight PT HL (600 Lm – you can count them in Strobe Mode 🙂 for places where more effective means of self defence are restricted.
BTW for those who poo-poo CR123s, I carry those for the same reason I don’t carry a Hi-Point. No troll intended.
I did a cost comparison. Good CR123s are CHEAPER than AAs, AAAs, etc.
Gotta look at the shelf life and total power. After three years, you’ll simply spend less money on good CR123s than if you try and run batteries suitable for your cymbal-clashing pink bunny toy.
A second fr Fenix flashlights, I have about 5, love them all. Also, investing in a top notch set of rechargeable is the way to go for daily/weekly use lights, AA or 123.
Ironically enough, in my neighborhood, if someone doesn’t look kosher they literally won’t look kosher. Ahh, the subtle joys of living in the Orthodox Jewish ghetto.
I’m only half-joking… My neighborhood is a 50/45/5% mix of observant Jews, African American families, and “Everybody Else.” Which makes it very easy to spot someone who doesn’t belong.
I’ve been using a 3-D Mag with NmH rechargeables and 2-cell Xenon bulbs for years, both on-duty and off. Yeah, there are better, but I’m a follower of the KISS philosophy. Tried and true, reliable, versatile, and goddamn bulletproof. If you can get a skull to dent or bend one of those, you’re my new hero! The rechargeables make the light better, they’re featherlight in comparison to alkalines and cheaper than constantly buying batteries. And if I lose it, I’m not out a sack of doubloons and 6 camels, the entire rig costs less than fifty bucks.