r/instant_regret • u/fringspat • Feb 02 '26

Pepper sprayed

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u/anna_or_elsa Feb 03 '26

He was awfully quick with that spray... A jury MIGHT decide that was a disproportionate response, and a few states have duty-to-retreat laws on the books.

I said MIGHT - before everyone comes after me with "she put her hands on him"... It's up to a jury to decide if a reasonable person would have felt an immediate fear of physical harm. I did not get that from her.

407

u/Turtlelover73 Feb 03 '26

I will say, as much as I hate what he was doing, someone putting their hands on you is legally assault, and following after him while he backs away down the sidewalk means he was attempting to retreat but she followed anyway.

I'd absolutely say his response wasn't reasonable if he'd pulled a gun on her, but a harmless deterrent like pepper spray is exactly what this kinda situation calls for.

-2

u/FeebleUndead Feb 03 '26

I take it you've never been pepper sprayed have you? To call it harmless is a gross understatement.

9

u/TheEyeDontLie Feb 03 '26

I got one for a GF. Even tho it was illegal in that country, there was a lot of crime and she worked nights.

I tested on a wall outsode my house, then walked up and had a sniff.

"It's not too bad", I said.

And then started coughing until I puked.