TASERs: A Big Tip for Wait Staff

Waiting tables is a rite of passage for many young people. Most waiters and waitresses agree that waiting tables is an ideal part-time job for young people; it teaches patience, self-control and endurance while providing instant gratification in the form of tips. Other appealing qualities of a career as a waiter or waitress are numerous to servers of all ages: the job can take the place of a safe and contained social outlet, it can be a fun opportunity to make a lot of cash that can be pocketed immediately, and it’s definitely a way to make the most of evening hours after school or a day job. Who would guess that waiters and waitresses are employees in a field that some consider has the highest chance of dealing with physical or sexual assault?

The positive aspects of waiting tables are, unexpectedly, exactly what invites danger. Waiters and waitresses, upon leaving their restaurants, bars and cafes, are often out on the streets at late hours with a tempting bundle of dollar bills on their persons. Most restaurants close late, and waiters and waitresses typically have responsibilities that keep them at work even later. Closing out checks and adjusting credit card charges while cleaning up one’s station can take longer than one thinks. Whether the restaurant is in a strip mall or on a crowded street corner, it’s likely that waiters and waitresses still need to walk in isolated darkness to their vehicles or bus stops once the restaurant closes up for the night.

The moments after the servers in a bar or restaurant leave can be the most dangerous for waiters and waitresses. Some cases have been documented that involve a customer discreetly keeping an eye on a particular individual with the intention of pouncing as soon as this person is in a vulnerable position. Other assailants know to hover near restaurants and bars at certain times when the waiters and waitresses are leaving work. Whether an attack has been planned by a calculating attacker or not, some sort of protection appears necessary in these frightening situations.

The thought of carrying a weapon may be intimidating for some waiters and waitresses, but, carrying some sort of protective device, like a TASER, could keep a waiter or waitress safe from assailants. It may be easy to think about carrying weapons, but the reality of using deathly force on another human being is certainly frightening, and this is where TASERs come into the picture. TASERs are a unique self-defense device because its effect on an attacker is temporary; the non-lethal charges delivered by TASERs do not cause any permanent damage. In fact, some TASERs are specially designed for women and are considered very easy to use, once the owner has gone through the proper steps to be trained in the use of a TASER. TASERs fit easily into a purse or backpack, and many TASERs do not resemble guns or come in awkward packages that draw unwanted attention from fellow waiters and waitresses. At the end of a shift, the TASER can be easily removed from its safe storage area and kept in one’s hand while walking home, to the car or to the bus stop.