SAN ANTONIO – Pepper spray is about as common as self-defense weapons get. It's carried by everyone from police officers to grandmas.
But a new company in San Antonio contends most people don't know how to use it properly.
"Before police can get to you in an emergency, there's a critical window there when you'll be expected to defend yourself," said Chuck Bradley, cofounder of the Tactical Safety Institute.
His company is designed to help people help themselves, giving them the tools necessary to defend themselves.
In a recent class, Bradley gave students the basics on pepper spray, describing what it is, and how it works.
Then it was off to the gym for some hands-on instruction.
Instructors, all with law enforcement backgrounds, walked people through the steps.
First, they said, be loud. Secondly, aim at the eyes, and then spray away.
Cofounder Chris Patten said learning how to protect yourself is essential, and at the very least, can't hurt.
Patten said people taking the class will feel more secure and confident.
"You'll notice a lot of these people, when they walk away from this course, their whole posture is going to change," he said.
But before they finish the class, they were put through a test. Students had to walk down a darkened hallway and react to instructors who tried to rob them.
Most students passed with flying colors.
"To see the light bulb come on and that confidence level grow in their face, that's what it's all about," said Chuck Bradley.
Another common self-defense weapon is a stun gun. They can knock people out pretty quickly, but if you ask instructors at the TSI, they'll tell you that they'd choose pepper spray almost every time.
They said that's because you don't need to get as close to your attacker before you can defend yourself.