Popular Consumer Version Of Taser Is Selling Like Electrified Hotcakes
We are clearly a nation that treasures the concept of safety, because Taser International, Inc. reported a 150% increase in sales from last year that's due almost entirely to its redesigned consumer model, which now looks more like an electric shaver instead of a gun and comes in pink, blue, silver, or black. The company plans to start airing an infomercial later this year, so look for that on those late nights in December when all the Christmas programming has got you down.
Taser International also reported that it had six product liability suits dismissed this past quarter, and in all has had 58 wrongful death or injury suits dropped.
"Taser profits surge on sales of consumer model" [AZCentral.com]
(Image: Taser)
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam malesuada commodo erat et molestie. Duis pellentesque aliquam bibendum. Suspendisse venenatis lobortis eleifend. Mauris id est sed lectus convallis aliquam.
Post a comment
Comments:
@Dragontologist:
That's deceptive, though. The chair might use 2000-3000 volts, but that's totally irrelevant since _amps_ are what kills you.
ordered mine in April.
got it in October.
can't wait to scream out TASER TASER TASER DEPLOY!!!
just like in this video:
I'm going to get one and the first person I see wearing a "Don't taze me bro" tee shirt is getting 50,000 volts right in the neck.
you americans and your fear of each other... I see a lot of people asking some little old granny for the time and getting shocked because she's so afraid to go out in public in the states that she actually had to get one of these things. Seriously, we don't have this obsession with arming ourselves up in canada and we get along just fine. sure bad stuff happens, but that's life...
Thanks but no thanks. I'll keep my concealed carry permit and my revolver.
And before flaming... Keep in mind that in most states CC permits require classes and background checks. Tasers don't.
My grandparents came from Canada but I am embarrassed to admit it because Canadians are such elitist twits. The sad thing is that Canadians have NO reason to feel elite. The only thing Canada has contributed to Western civilization over the past 200 years is Drywall and really expensive bacon.
So sales were spurred by a more stylish model?
Maybe they should make Hello Kitty versions. That'd get more people interested in tasing others.
@vaxman: then please explain to me why millions of Canadians are crawling over each other to try and get into this country.
@liquisoft: it's a much smaller and compact model... the other one was almost 3x as large and incredibly bulky.
@lawnmowerdeth I'm more comfortable with you, a stranger I know not, having your CC than I am with most people I do know being able to purchase a taser. Ugh, especially my brother. He owes me for so much childhood trauma... *sigh*
Anyway, that being said, the infomercial is going to be funny as hell.
This storyline will only get better when criminals start taking them from people and turning them on the owners.
@Consumer-X: elitist attitude, or just the fact that i can walk down my streets without fear of being shot or tasered now. The only reason so many weapons are created is fear, fear of invasion, fear of terrorists (where were the wmd's again???), fear of that guy, he looks shady, fear of going to the atm cause some black punk is gonna stab me for my money (And yes, I watch enough american tv to know that this is valid, your media paints such a lovely picture for outsiders). I can walk where ever i want in my city, province, any other city in this country and I don't feel that fear. Everyone I talk to knows the fear I'm talking about and we just don't have it here like you do there. That's all I'm getting at. Don't put more weapons into the hands of uneducated people. (uneducated in that they don't know how to properly assess a situation and shoot first then find out that there was no need for it...)
@Crazytree: it's because for years your dollar has been worth more, but now that Bush destroyed your economy, we get the last laugh on that one, we're all comin home.
canadaissomuchbetterokwegetit
that's a pretty spiffy hot pink model right there. i like all my personal defense implements to express my personality. my brass knuckles, for example, are lined with pink fur.
How about carrying something that is actually useful, such as a firearm? Most states issue concealed carry permits. See
to find out if you can be licensed to carry a firearm concealed in your state.
Additionally, many states allow it's citizens to open carry a firearm. See
Awww. Isn't the pink taser cute? Will 10% be given to breast cancer research? /snark
I would think a fire extinguisher would be more useful in a pinch than a taser.
It is slightly heavier to lug around though.
You know that "civilians" (non-police) can't buy these in Michigan? Or stun guns, either, because "they're too dangerous for non-professionals to use". We can, however, buy shotguns (with no waiting period) as soon as you turn 16.
@stevemis: Not all states, sadly. I'm interested to see news on Taser getting a 50-state legal version to market. I know it's been in the works for a while.
Currently California makes it almost impossible to legally carry any of the 3 most effective self-defense items: concealed firearms, tasers, collapsable batons.
@Shaggy: Ya Michigan is wack. You can't even buy pepper spray unless it's under a certain percentage of pepper. Lame!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Sian: Yep I can attest to that. I am former Military and Law Enforcement, but I still can't get a CC permit. Which just means that I have to resort to having it out in the open on the pasenger floorboard of my car. I have to declare it when I get pulled over but other than that no hassles.
@Consumer-X: Yeah I think they should taser that assmonkey again just to teach him a lesson. Don't be a douche and you wont have to get tased.
@Nemesis_Enforcer: Then why isn't king douche, I mean your president getting tasered. Buddy had a point and he was shut up for pointing it out.
This just seems like an awful idea across the board.
We are clearly a nation that treasures the concept of safety
More like a nation terrified of its own shadow. Fear sells!
@vaxman: Oh I wish he would get a more than tasered. How about a short drop with a rope around his neck?
@CaliforniaCajun: Yep sensationalism is 90% of the news. Fear is the best weapon our govt. has.
@Nemesis_Enforcer:
"Don't be a douche and you wont have to get tased."
Pretty subjective. Who decides what's worthy of getting torture-I mean tasered? Tasers aren't for punishment - they're for an almost last resort before firearms. Douche.
Tasers are still safer than guns. Less chance to kill someone. Or if it somehow finds it's way in wrong hands (ex. kids), it's less dangerous.
So for personal safety, I'm all for non-lethal tasers (well, most of the time) stuff.
@esqdork:
That's why my husband says I'm not "allowed" to have a handgun.
Also because I'd probably shoot people for sport.
But, yeah, I can't wait* to see the rash of newstories about people getting tased by their own blinged out tasers. ON THE OTHER HAND: new niche market for taser bling!
*can wait.
Who exactly is the target market for these things? Yuppies with a penchant for violence? Ter'rist fighting soccer moms?
I looked at the Taser website and these things go for about $350. You can get a run-of-the-mill 9mm handgun for less than half that...and their batteries never run low.
Taser is the gun for people afraid of guns. But I am sure as folks pick these up, never having fired a "test round" from it and completely unaware of what will happen when the trigger is pulled. Whats best is the proclaiming that it is a "small non-gun design". Reinforcing the fears of the gun scared crowd.
Besides, what do you do when there are multiple attackers? Use the optional laser pointer to make them think you are really packing?
I'll stick with my Colt .45 and CCW thak you very much.
@vaxman: Oh, please, good Canadian, show us the errors of our ways!
Good grief, Canadian condescention wears so thin so quickly. *zap*
What's next?
Handing these tasers out to teachers to keep those obnoxious pre-schoolers in line? What a pathetic society we've become.
@Crazytree: what the hell are you talking about? there are barely millions of canadians in the whole country, and they sure are not crawling to get here except in your delusions.
@stevemis: why? certainly not because i am afraid of anything? are you afraid of things? i mean i use to be as a small child, no actually I have never been afraid of anything. guess there are a few brave left in the home of the brave?
@mconfoy: "@chili_dog: why? does it make you feel like a man? " That's a sad point of view to hold, considering the right to bear arms is in the Constitution and all. Nobody cares if you hate Bush. If you don't want a gun don't carry one.
@DrGirlfriend: Pink fur-lined brass knucks... Now that is awesome. Where might a person find some so I may get a pair for my girlfriend? She would so love them.
Wake me up when they have four different Hogwart's versions. And I suppose (now), a pink one for a certain suspiciously stylish headmaster. Or, purple?
90% of the people with these would probably get them knocked out of their hand and their arm broken if they try to use it. Most people don't know how to handle themselves in a confrontation and think it works like on TV.
@lawnmowerdeth: I agree with you, I won't be getting rid of my CCW permit anytime soon either. But I could see a tazer replacing the can of OC Spray in the center console of my car. It's nice to have an option somewhere between a punch and three rounds center mass...and wind can't blow the taser darts back in my face.:)
@trai_dep: Then you'll LOVE the Hello Kitty .45 that's out there right now. :)
On the 2nd Amendment: The left wants to destroy the 2nd Amendment, the right wants to destroy the 1st. Eliminating those rights that you personally don't use increases the chances of losing the ones that you do.
On the Canadians (ala Consumer-x): Never, never, underestimate the value of a top-notch BLT to world civilization.
On conceal carry: Unfortunately in some states the conceal carry requirements are an onerous burden on the normal citizen. In New Mexico the required training is annual and comes with a $500-$1000 price tag each year. No problem with the training, I just can't afford that annual cost. Which, for New Mexico, is really silly as it's perfectly legal to open carry a firearm without any licensing or fees.
For me: I think that the most interesting aspect is how sales jumped when the units started looking like phasers.
@vaxman: Dear Vaxman, maybe you should get away from the TV once in awhile and actually take a trip to the US to see how we really live. BTW from your response I can see that you are not an elitist... not!
@vaxman: Wow, just wow. You "watch enough american tv to know that this is valid" [sic]?
Is anyone naive enough to think that the American media represents what things are actually like in America? Even I laugh when I watch the evening news: Coming up at 6, what is in your home, killing you right now?! And what does it mean for the weekend weather forecast?
Please. It's bad enough when I travel to Asia and people have delusional ideas about Americans from the media. I would hope someone from such a Western and truly enlightened country as Canada would know better.
@Dragontologist: gotta put another vote in for amps being the killer. Portable defibs run on battery packs, given that they are portable the battery can't be much more than a twelve volt, they mess with amps to get more real power.
I still like the 950,000 volt stun guys you can buy with no problem. To compare, the electric chair uses about 2000-3000 volts, in 15 to 30 second blasts.
[budk.com]
[en.wikipedia.org]