Taser

From time to time we see people ask for an opinion on what would happen if a person with a pacemaker were to get tasered. While the following may not answer that question directly, it does say to me that I never want to find out what may happen.

Before someone asks, I have no idea if this is true or not. It was given to me as actually happening.

Pocket Taser Stun Gun

A guy who purchased his lovely wife a pocket Taser for their anniversary sent this:

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie.

What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser. The effects of the taser were supposed to be short lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety....??

WAY TOO COOL! Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button AND pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. AWESOME!!!

Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave.

Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad! With only two triple-A batteries, right?

There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong? So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and taser in another.

The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries. All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5' long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and (loaded with two little triple-A batteries) thinking to myself, 'no possible way!'

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best...? I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as to say, ' don't do it stupid,' reasoning that a one second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad. I decided to give myself a one second burst just for heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and . . . HOLY MOTHER OF GOD! WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION FOUND!!!

I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, and then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, important body parts nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs?

The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room.

Note: If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a taser, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one second burst when you zap your self! You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor. A three second burst would be considered conservative?

THE PAIN WAS UNBELIEVABLE!!!

A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. The recliner was upside down and about 8 feet or so from where it originally was my triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. I had no control over the drooling. Apparently I defecated on myself, but was too numb to know for sure and my sense of smell was gone.; I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head which I believe came from my hair. I'm still looking for the important body parts and I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return!!

P.S. My wife loved the gift, and now regularly threatens me with it! If you think Education is difficult, try being stupid!


9 Comments

Thanks...

by dward - 2008-07-04 02:07:03

I haven't read something that made me laugh so hard in a looong time. I had tears in my eyes.

The use of Tasers is a very serious issue. I live in the same city as "the Polish Immigrant's mother and fly though the Vancouver Airport often, so it's BIG news around these parts. Use of Tasers by police is under close scrutiny right now... thankfully.

But this story was hilarious... thanks for posting!

lol

by jessie - 2008-07-04 02:07:17

never mind pacemakers! i am concerned here if one of us had alzheimers and became combative and had to involve police that they just might taser some old person. think about it. in canada the poor polish male immigrant coming into vancouver airport and not understanding a word of english and the rcmp police tasered him and he died. he was only 34. so hi hope never for me. jessie

Curiosity killed the ...

by ElectricFrank - 2008-07-04 10:07:12

You just experienced what is know in electrical safety as the non-let go current. The same thing can happen when a person touches a live circuit with the palm of the hands. The electric current causes muscles to contract resutling in involuntary grasping of the circuit. There is no way to let go until the muscles fatigue or the person dies.
One thing to keep in mind, Smitty, is that you have an ICD available. Teach your cat to zap you if your heart stops.
And one last thing. It isn't the voltage but rather the current that produces the effect on the body.
The only advantage of the 100,000 volts over 1000 volts is that it will penetrate clothing. On a bare leg 200 volt would have done the job just as well.
Since your wife loves it don't you think she should experience it too?

frank

Frank

by SMITTY - 2008-07-04 11:07:25

Now Frank, I know I'm not too swift, but you don't really think I'm dumb enough to try that on myself, do you? And if I ever touched my wife with a taser, well there would be soft talking, slow walking and sad singing the next day.

I will admit in my much younger days, I would grab a live spark plug wire and then touch the person standing the closest to me. If that person happened to be a female the unexpected could and sometimes did happen. I stopped that when I noticed that if I was working under the hood of my car I never had anyone to talk to anymore. I was avoided as if I had a plague.

In case you are wondering, I never touched my wife while holding a live spark plug wire before or after we were married. It was pure self preservation. You see she had five brothers, four of which were big enough to go bear hunting with a switch.

Oh for the good old days again. Why gas was only 10 cents a gallon then. Of course I was working for 50 cents an hour, so I guess everything evens out one way or the other.

Smitty
.

Taser

by SMITTY - 2008-07-04 11:07:46

Thank you Bella and CathrynB, but I can plead "not guilty" this time. I'll admit I did edit the story a little but that was to clean up the language.

And Cathryn, when Dot read that she immediately said " I want one of those." I may start shopping next week, but I'm sure it will take me at least a couple of years to find the right one.

Smitty

Smitty

by ElectricFrank - 2008-07-07 01:07:29

You bring back memories. I used to check the spark on my 38 Ford by grabbing the plug wire. I could tell which plug was carboned up.
By the way here in the Mojave Desert of Calif the humidity is so low (11% today) that just walking across the carpet generates enough voltage to jump an inch or more. I figure if my heart stops I'll use my remaining energy to shuffle across the carpet and defib myself. The rule of thumb we used to use in the TV business was 10,000 volts per inch.

frank

Taser Humor

by ccmoore - 2008-07-07 11:07:34

It comes as no shock that Smitty posted this story on the FOURTH OF JULY, great date for the sparks and fireworks.

The story is very funny and thanks for the laughs. What was funny to me; was the visual image that was conjured up in my mind.

Although, I think that you should have tased the cat. Just kidding cat lovers, same you emails for something important.

I think that the site should rename “JOKES” TO “JOKES AND HUMOR” and this story should get posted there so that it doesn’t get lost in the masses.

Later,
Charlie

Pre ventricular syndrome.

by SMITTY - 2008-07-09 07:07:51

Hey Tom,

I find nothing on Pre ventricular syndrome. While that does not mean there is no such thing, I did find plenty on PVC, (Premature Ventricular Beat). I am very familiar with PVCs as I've lived with it for at least 35 years.

The following are excerpts from an article on the subject of PVC:

PVC is an abnormal beat that originates from the lower chambers of the heart or ventricles. They are very frequent in people and many times are benign. There are several reasons why a person can have PVCs. Most frequently, these are caused by a small nest of cells within the ventricles that fire off at their own rate. Heart muscle is unique in the body in that it is the only muscle that can spontaneously contract. Usually the muscle tissue in the upper part of the heart has a faster rate than the tissue in the lower part of the heart and so it beats first.

PVC can be a sign of something wrong with the heart muscle or chemicals in the blood. If heart muscle doesn't receive enough blood flow it can become more irritable and prone to causing PVCs. This can be seen in patients with narrowed coronary arteries. If a ventricle becomes enlarged it can also be more likely to develop PVCs. If a patient has had surgery and a cut has been made in the ventricle the scar that forms can be a source of PVCs.


Treatment of PVCs depend on the cause. Many times in children it is not necessary to do anything, as these cause no harm. However, a patient becoming dizzy with frequent PVCs (runs) would warrant medical treatment. A commonly used medical treatment for PVCs are the beta blockers of which there several.

There are some patients that can have potentially lethal runs of PVCs (ventricular Tachycardia) and these patients can be treated by placing an internal defibrillator.

I suggest htat you talk to your doctor and then let us know what he has to say.

Good luck,

PS: As for sending a personal message to a member, log in and go to the index on the left side of the home page. Click on Private Message and follow the on screen instructions. S.
Smitty

PVS

by TSA - 2008-07-09 12:07:08

Smitty,
I had a question off of the taser subject and was not sure how to post to you. It is about PVs - I think it is called pre ventricular syndrome?
Tom

You know you're wired when...

You prefer rechargeable batteries.

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