Yes, pepper spay or a tazer? So you want any idiot wandering about with those do you? If you can have them legally, so can Mr Mugger, which makes it twice as bad as it is now. Great plan!
Whats obvious, is that few of you have ever met a mugger, so lets dispel a few myths.
1. Muggers are not brave. If you are 6'11, and built like a Russian shot putter, then the average 15 year old mugger who thinks he's jack the lad and the best thing to the female sex since the Karma Sutra, is not going to make himself look like a bigger berk by risking having his face re arranged.
2. Who said, "A Mugger looking to get into photography"? A mugger wants your goodies to either spend, so your cash and or credit card is most important, or sell to spend. Your camera, to use is of little interest. Besides, if he's caught with it, once he's gone through the standard, "You can't do this cause the guidelines say so" (oh, all of a sudden, if your cameras nicked you do want people stopped and asked about their kit?), a quick property index check, he's nicked. While thats no exactly a deterrent, it does limit earning potential, ie can't mug others while in the bin!
3. Equally silly idea that a mugger is going to go through your memory card looking for clues as to who you are. Further compounded by the use of the word 'intelligent' in the same sentence. Meanwhile, back on Earth, please read point 1 and 2.
4. Muggings are not an everyday occurrence in every street. Stay in busy public areas and your fine. But, go to Stockwell, and set your kit up, and frankly, you're asking for trouble. There's plenty of information on areas that really are not a good idea to go to, and of course, there's this little known thing called, common sense.
5. If your 3 foot tall, and fall over in a slight breeze, take someone with you. Muggers are, as I said, cowards, they only play when they will win, or wont get hurt trying.
6. Lastly, if you are going to crown someone who does try and mug you, don't come on here bragging about what you're planning. Also, think it through before you're in a position where you might have too. Why? For a start, because hit someone in that situation, and it goes wrong, you miss, or they just don't feel it (trust me they often don't) then all you will have done is make them very angry, which will hurt you, a lot. Secondly, if you do cause them serious harm, then with the CPS these days being more interested in prosecuting Police Officers or ordinary MOP's, than those that need it, will want to see a lot of evidence that you really did use the minimum force that was reasonable to prevent loss of your property or to protect your life. If you haven't got that, and you say the wrong things, don't be surprised to end up gripping the bar at your local Magistrates/Crown Court.
