OK, I sometimes try to write short stories as a hobby, and I have set up a situation in which an attempted bank robbery goes awry and the cops and SWAT team show up. The robber tries to take the protag hostage and use her as a human shield while making demands of the police, but unbeknownst to the robber, the protag has (pepper spray/a stun gun/a taser) and manages to incapacitate the robber. So my questions are:
Would using a taser or stun gun on someone who is in physical contact with you result in your getting shocked into a blubbering mass as well?
Would the taser/stun gun be far less effective if the robber had on, say, a thick long-sleeved shirt on underneath something like a heavy canvas jacket?
Given that (1) or (2) might be true, would pepper spray be the most realistic method of the three at temporarily disabling the robber?
Yes. I’ve seen footage of cops wrestling with a suspect at the moment that the suspect was tased by another officer; the wrestling cop got zapped too.
This reminds me of a demonstration that I participated in a high school physics class. The teacher had a machine for generating static electricity. Half the class formed a chain attached to one electrode, and the other half of the class formed a second chain attached to the second electrode. The machine was turned on, creating a high-voltage potential between the two human chains. The individuals at the end of each chain reached toward each other, and when their fingers got within a certain distance, a big ol’ spark jumped between them, and all of us felt a violent jolt and screamed simultaneously.
I think the voltage produced by the taser device is pretty high, capable of arcing across a pretty big gap. Heavy canvas, being extremely porous, would be inadequate.
In my place of employment, we have electrical workers who are specifically trained to deal with high-voltage systems (480+ VAC). Before opening a cabinet containing such high voltage, they have to put on a bunch of protective equipment. One of the items is a pair of thick rubber gloves; before donning these gloves, they are inspected for pinhole damage, because even a tiny hole can allow a path for high voltage to arc to the wearer’s hand. Bottom line? If you want to protect someone from a taser, they will need to wear a heavy rubber suit that is free of any tears or punctures in the vicinity of the taser probes.
The only other protection would be a garment that prevents the barbed tips of the electrode-darts from hooking in, allowing them to fall harmlessly to the floor. Not knowing much about those darts (other than that they do have a barbed tip), I’m at a loss to suggest what would reliably deflect them, other than maybe chain mail.
I would not suggest using pepper spray on an assailant who is presently in possession of a loaded firearm; he will still be able to pull the trigger, and if you’re anywhere nearby, you stand a good chance of getting hit. Even assuming (1) and/or (2) are true, I’d still suggest the taser. You may get zapped, but so will the perp, if you can aim for a location on his body that isn’t protected (neck, hands, face, etc.). Incapacitation is immediate and total, and they will be reeling in pain for a short time after the shocks end; this could provide adequate time for the police to move in and gain control.