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Do-It-Yourself Protection. In an attempt to obey the law and also stay alive, many people are turning to weapons that are guaranteed to repel attack yet not inflict lasting injury. Most popular are cylindrical Penguns, which shoot a jet of tear gas and are legal in most states (with the notable exceptions of California, New York and Illinois). Where tear gas is barred, pocket-size aerosol sprays that discharge a temporarily eye-stinging chemical are usually allowed. Fittingly, girls who work nights in the Wonderful World of Chemistry at the World's Fair all pack such protection. Another gimmick: a walking stick that conceals a cattle prod delivering 4,000 volts.
Reassuring as such weaponry may be to a worried public's peace of mind, most police officials are increasingly nervous that the trend toward do-it-yourself protection may lead trigger-happy matrons to mass mayhem. The best advice, claims a top Baltimore cop, is still: "learn to run." The question is, can nervous citizens run fast enough—or far enough?