Do strobe lights work to defend yourself?

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wopachop

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Asking in this forum because the best advice i can find so far comes from youtube videos of guys who mount lights under their guns. 

Im looking to buy 2 flashlights and found myself dismissing some models because they lack strobe. 

Will focus on the first flashlight. 

1. My mom walks her dog and the biggest threat is coyotes. She is not strong enough to use the flashlight as a striking weapon. But do you think a strobe light would work even during the day? I realize the most likely situation is the dog gets taken before my mom could even pull the flashlight out and remember what sequence of buttons to hit for strobe. But again i found myself dismissing some nice flashlights all because they lack strobe. (currently leaning towards the olight lineup) 

 
Strobe light are to distract and gain a time advantage... disorient and attack. That is all they are good for. Unless you train with them, it will likely distract you as well. If your mom can't defend against the coyotes, she should likely not be walking the dog...they can be vicious when they get hungry. Short of a  golf club, and someone that can swing it, or a gun...it's taking too big a risk. 

 
Annoying as fuch setting for an everyday light.  

If you had to shine it at an intruder or animal, you'd likely be too stressed and have too luttle time to click it just right to use.

Only time I've actually seen it used was Christchurch, NZ.  Even then, pointless. 

 
Realbadlarry said:
If your mom can't defend against the coyotes, she should likely not be walking the dog...they can be vicious when they get hungry.
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Shes 70 something and plays tennis weekly. Hell if i had to guess she could probably kick your ass. I picture an old guy sitting in a chair. 

 
wopachop said:
Shes 70 something and plays tennis weekly. Hell if i had to guess she could probably kick your ass. I picture an old guy sitting in a chair. 
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WTF is up with that?  YOU come on here and say your worried about your mom walking her dogs around coyotes and I try to offer you help so she doesn't get hurt and you wanna attack me?   I'm 6'2" and 285lbs... I can take care of myself... But hey, Good luck with your mom.  

 
wopachop said:
Shes 70 something and plays tennis weekly. Hell if i had to guess she could probably kick your ass. I picture an old guy sitting in a chair. 
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If that's true, I doubt a strobe light is really going to help her. Just get her a telescoping baton and call it a day.

I've played with strobe lights in front of my dogs and they didn't seem to be the least bit scared of them.

 
If she has that good if a swing buy her a paddle with a good size length handle. Hope she doesn’t have to use it. 
 

 
Don't know....but the salesmen talk about how disorienting it is at night.

I've lost track of how many folks I've chased in the dark.  It just makes em run faster when you flip your flashlight back and forth...same thing in my mind.

Pepper Spray...unless you are in CA, then it is illegal as can be.

Bear Spray....you can get it at Cabelas, Sportsman's Warehouse, and etc....see above

Contact Tazer...supposedly dogs hate it.

 
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wopachop said:
Asking in this forum because the best advice i can find so far comes from youtube videos of guys who mount lights under their guns. 

Im looking to buy 2 flashlights and found myself dismissing some models because they lack strobe. 

Will focus on the first flashlight. 

1. My mom walks her dog and the biggest threat is coyotes. She is not strong enough to use the flashlight as a striking weapon. But do you think a strobe light would work even during the day? I realize the most likely situation is the dog gets taken before my mom could even pull the flashlight out and remember what sequence of buttons to hit for strobe. But again i found myself dismissing some nice flashlights all because they lack strobe. (currently leaning towards the olight lineup) 
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Short answer is no.  During the day a light is useless except as a blunt weapon.  At night a light is useful you to see and to "stun" someone with the light, either full on or strobe.  This is only a short duration too.  Best way to see what it does is to go into a dark room and have someone shine the light in your eyes and see how long it takes you to recover.  

I would have her go with the pepper spray option.  There are many options out there, even some that will spray a stream at a good distance.

 
My mom is like 5'4" and weighs maybe 105 and is almost 80. She lives right up against the desert and has had Coyotes and Bobcats in her backyard trying to take her little dog's ( She has 4). So far they almost got one but she has more encounters then she wants me to know.  Anytime the dogs go into her backyard she always goes with them.  Early morning she carries a flashlight so she can see if anything is out there in the dark but if there is all she does is go full little badger on them.  She raises her arms and screams at them, most time they jump over the fence right away. She had one bobcat think about it for a second so she picked up a rock and threw it at the cat. It turned and ran. 90% of the wild animals out there want zero to do with a human, When I walk my dogs I am more worried when I see a dog off leash then I would if I saw a Coyote.

 
MWB said:
My mom is like 5'4" and weighs maybe 105 and is almost 80. She lives right up against the desert and has had Coyotes and Bobcats in her backyard trying to take her little dog's ( She has 4). So far they almost got one but she has more encounters then she wants me to know.  Anytime the dogs go into her backyard she always goes with them.  Early morning she carries a flashlight so she can see if anything is out there in the dark but if there is all she does is go full little badger on them.  She raises her arms and screams at them, most time they jump over the fence right away. She had one bobcat think about it for a second so she picked up a rock and threw it at the cat. It turned and ran. 90% of the wild animals out there want zero to do with a human, When I walk my dogs I am more worried when I see a dog off leash then I would if I saw a Coyote.
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We have crazy aggressive coyotes in Norco since we're right on the river bed. I carry when we're out just in case. When they're bold enough to hit the road or come try to get the horses, they've lost their fear of man. But, in 99% of the cases ou mentioned, I have to agree... when they're roaming in the dark they're still weary of man.

 
Our friend had them follow her like 10ft behind up on Vandermolen during the day...... the 4 iron made them stay back another 20 ft...they are smart....and vicious. 

 
Orange_R said:
We have crazy aggressive coyotes in Norco since we're right on the river bed. I carry when we're out just in case. When they're bold enough to hit the road or come try to get the horses, they've lost their fear of man. But, in 99% of the cases ou mentioned, I have to agree... when they're roaming in the dark they're still weary of man.
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Dude the coyotes in norco are on another level, I did a job there a few weeks ago, unloading my machine a good hour after the sun is up, saw 3 of them just cruising down the street, no fear of me whatsoever. Probably 20 feet away from me, I turned towards them, they stopped and looked at me like "what the eff are you going to do?" 😂

 
Looney Duner said:
Dude the coyotes in norco are on another level, I did a job there a few weeks ago, unloading my machine a good hour after the sun is up, saw 3 of them just cruising down the street, no fear of me whatsoever. Probably 20 feet away from me, I turned towards them, they stopped and looked at me like "what the eff are you going to do?" 😂
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and you didn't stop by for a beer? wtf lol

 
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