Not So Pretty in Pink

Pinterest (for those not quite up to speed on such things) is a virtual bulletin board where you can share and store ideas for style, design, and things to make or buy. I use it to save and share patterns and fun things stumbled across on the Internet. I have even made a few of the things I have "pinned" from others' boards.

Recently on Pinterest I saw a pink pepper spray gun. I repinned to my board thinking two things. First, if I have to carry pepper spray (which I don't) that would be a fun way to carry it. And second, wouldn't it be a challenge for police responding to my call for help to distinguish who was the victim and who was the criminal while I am aiming it at my would be assailant.

In virtually minutes hundreds of people "repinned" my photo to their boards thereby sharing it with their followers. Obviously it is a popular item for some reason.

The company selling it has had over 2,000 people pin it to their boards. Pinterest is the greatest free marketing ploy going today on the Internet, but that is entirely different conversation.

This particular pepper spray canister shoots up to 20 feet and the trigger also activates an LED light to ensure you hit the target and sells for $42.00.

The same comment appeared hundreds and hundreds of times, "How cute". Cute until I am arrested or in ER for getting it in my own eyes.

The real thing, also pictured here, is not that different at a glance. A glance would be all the time the police would have to distinguish real from fake I would think. Just to be sure I wasn't over reacting (no, never, not me!) I sent the picture to the San Mateo Police Department for their take on things. 

Sergeant Dave Norris was kind enough to share some valuable information.

First he reminds us that prevention is the best protection and that taking action ourselves can be risky indeed. I am guessing that will hold true even when totally accessorized in pink with matching pepper spray. I have never had a criminal stop and comment on my style before, say, robbing me.

Sargeant Norris writes "Those carrying or using a weapon like the one you pictured should be VERY AWARE of the fact that the  "Mace" Pepper Gun about which you are asking looks like a firearm and would produce a response from police appropriate to that level of force. In other words, if we were responding to this call, we would treat it with all the caution and threat-level of a “person with a gun” call, until we could confirm otherwise. This means that our guns will likely be drawn. ... SMPD’s primary objective is to preserve public safety – use of an object that looks like a firearm can create confusion instead of clarity under circumstances where officers must make split-second decisions."

If I were the type to say I told you so , well, you know the end of the sentence.

In addition, using pepper spray is only legal under specific conditions. California penal Code 12400 - 12460 states "Pepper spray may only be used in situations involving imminent physical threats or fear of bodily harm and may NOT be used to prevent theft or in situations of verbal abuse".

There are quite a few conversations on the subject, on the Internet, ranging from it looks like a toy putting children at risk to a slew of pink weapon, real or pepper spray, fans. 

Personally, pink was never my color, gun or otherwise. 

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