Security system commercials

[Integraholic]

Are these things designed to lull people into a false sense of security? I mean come on. I just saw a Brinks commercial where a girls ex boyfriend breaks down the door while she's standing 5 feet away. The alarm goes off and she yells, "GET OUT!" And the guy leaves. Brinks calls and she answers her phone keeping her back to the door. Why on earth would someone who just broke into your house specifically to come after you run away knowing the cops are minutes away? Does anyone else consider this false advertising?

 

[ATF Consumer]

I agree, those commercials make me laugh.
To me, the alarm is good for notifying you that someone has broken your secure boundary and you should grab your home defense weapon, ready to defend your home and family.
The alarm is also good to scare off intruders while you are away and hopefully the police will arrive shortly after they are called.
To only have the alarm as a means of security without a means to protect yourself is like trying to clap with one hand.

 

[Archbishop]

While I agree that these commercials are not realistic. Don't beat the alarms up too bad they do have their purposes. First and for most, if monitored, they call the police while you're busy defending the fort. Second assuming that you're not home they should hopefully lessen the theft to your home. If a thief breaks into a home with no security he/she has all the time in the world to look around and take the good stuff and or as much as they want. If an alarm goes off best case is you scare them off, worst case is their time is limited to take what they can and get out.
Now add to this discussion non security perks, if you're like me, your alarm includes a temp sensor in your unfinished basement that will alert you if it gets cold enough to freeze pipes. Our alarm also includes fire protection with smoke and heat detectors. We also enjoy door access that is part of the system. wave your key fob over the door and it opens. Neighbor needs to get into the garage while you're away? No problem, just get on the internet and open the door remotely . (And yes, internet access is protected behind pass words and a VPN connection.)

 

[tharlow514]

My wife always laughs at me because I roll my eyes anytime one of these commercials comes on. Alarms do have a purpose but the commercials are misleading and could be dangerous to those who think they can depend on alarms alone. They should run one where the girl runs upstairs to her safe room, locks the door, grabs her home defense piece and then calls 911.

 

[ezdubbin97]

I LOVE those commercials. My 3 year old watches them and makes me rewind them so she can see the "weirdo" knock down the front door. I told her if that ever was to happen, run away from the door and let daddy take care of the weirdo

 

[hookedonjeep]

While electronic alarm systems have their pro's and con's, they are limited in thier overall ability to "protect" you and your loved ones. IF you are home, and IF the perp actually had no real intent on doing you harm.... then you are Aces. However, IF the perp is a determined, deranged person, intent on doing you harm, then the alarm noises will only serve to muffle your screams. Not only that, but if the power is out, and the phone lines are out - the system is REALLY limited in that it will only continue to function half-arsed until the backup power supply is drained (provided that it is equipped with one). Applicable tests of this will include: Utility outage due to weather constraints (could be out for up to two weeks - maybe even more), tampering with the system a little at a time (would you really notice something wrong if you didn't test it daily?); and of course - if SHTF, and services are no longer available. IMHO, if you are really that concerned about the safety of your home and belongings....... buy yourself a HUGE dog, and never let him get full when you feed him. THAT way, he will get really excited about getting to take out the idiot ex-boyfriend that kicks in the door in broad daylight!
Another plus - if worse comes to worse - you can eat the dog*. The bigger the dog, the better - imagine trying to feed a family of four with a Chihuahua or Rat-Terrier!

*NOTE* I am not advocating the comsumption of man's best friend as a regular practice - although 1 billion Chinese swear by it - I am simply stating that should there be no OTHER readily available source of nourishment for my wife and kids - well, I love them more that the dog - so guess who is going to win that fight.....

 

[Archbishop]

While electronic alarm systems have their pro's and con's, they are limited in thier overall ability to "protect" you and your loved ones. IF you are home, and IF the perp actually had no real intent on doing you harm.... then you are Aces. However, IF the perp is a determined, deranged person, intent on doing you harm, then the alarm noises will only serve to muffle your screams. Not only that, but if the power is out, and the phone lines are out - the system is REALLY limited in that it will only continue to function half-arsed until the backup power supply is drained (provided that it is equipped with one). Applicable tests of this will include: Utility outage due to weather constraints (could be out for up to two weeks - maybe even more), tampering with the system a little at a time (would you really notice something wrong if you didn't test it daily?); and of course - if SHTF, and services are no longer available. IMHO, if you are really that concerned about the safety of your home and belongings....... buy yourself a HUGE dog, and never let him get full when you feed him. THAT way, he will get really excited about getting to take out the idiot ex-boyfriend that kicks in the door in broad daylight!
Another plus - if worse comes to worse - you can eat the dog*. The bigger the dog, the better - imagine trying to feed a family of four with a Chihuahua or Rat-Terrier!

*NOTE* I am not advocating the comsumption of man's best friend as a regular practice - although 1 billion Chinese swear by it - I am simply stating that should there be no OTHER readily available source of nourishment for my wife and kids - well, I love them more that the dog - so guess who is going to win that fight.....

All points taken, but to add to this. I don't know of any modern alarms that don't have back up power and most if not all modern alarms test data transmissions daily or weekly. And I completely agree Dogs are also an excellent choice. (But they can't call 911 for you.)

 

[Integraholic]

I do believe these systems have their place and need. I just dont like how their ads portray them to be the only line of defense you need against an intruder.

 

[IDCC]

I would love to see a ad from one of the guns companies based on these commercials where the lady draws a pistol and drops the intruder.

 

[Wabatuckian]

Inevitable:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3HlbgYQLE0]YouTube - Hilarious gun commercial[/ame]

Josh <><

 

[cableguy]

Too Cool! Love it!

 

[r6vr6]

Brinks is racist - have you noticed all the bad guys are white? What if they were all black what kind of flak would they get for that. Just something I noticed and thought was kinda funny.

 

[tedbower]

pretty sure their attorneys advised them to use white guys.

 

[SC_Shooter]

I agree that the commercials are pretty much a joke.

Realistically, the alarm will simply alert you that someone just popped open the door to your basement in the middle of the night instead of you having to find out when the floor outside your bedroom creaks at 2am. It will theoretically chase someone out who is counting on stealth or surprise to accomplish their objective (either to take your property or to harm you), but the idea that it will "protect" you and your family is a fantasy for the sheeple.

I for one am all for ANYTHING that gives me more advanced warning of a threat entering my home and particularly like the idea that my home alarm is monitored so I get a call if there is an alarm when I'm not there and also the keypad flashes an alarm code at the door. In a 'clever BG' situation where the BG cut the phone line and jammed the cellular backup prior to entering the house, I'd still know as soon as I opened the door that someone had been in the house and may still be there.

The commercials are like watching bad acting in a B-grade movie, but I'm all for a good alarm system in the house. Even when the siren goes off and the BG thinks the police are on the way (if monitored, they usually will be), it won't stop them from breaking in. To me it's like putting a deadbolt on the door. It won't stop a determined theif...it'll just make the neighbor's house without a deadbolt a little more appealing than yours. BG's tend to like the path of least resistance.

 

[No Time to Shoot]

Anyone else refuse to put the alarm sign up in their front yard? I gave mine away. I don't want them to know they need to cut the phone lines before entering my house. It does have it's uses but I use it for a warning that someone decided to pay us a visit. The 100 pound dog is there to meet them as they enter. The hollow points are there to keep them from hurting the dog.

 

[Archbishop]

I do believe these systems have their place and need. I just dont like how their ads portray them to be the only line of defense you need against an intruder.

Exactly right!

 

[Hornett]

Josh, you beat me to it.

 

[Bill of Rights]

...The hollow points are there to keep them from hurting the dog.

That earned you a rep!

Blessings,
Bill

 

[Phil502]

A usual the ad men came up with a bs commercial that is supposed to get you in the gut, a women and child in danger and Brinks will save them, yea right.

 

[rambone]

I have laughed so many times at that commercial. Its so bogus.