Guns

[RickO]

The right to choose is the key here. Let's not impose our own personal choices... whatever they may be.... on others.

Rick

[randco]

Originally Posted by RickO

The right to choose is the key here. Let's not impose our own personal choices... whatever they may be.... on others.

Rick

I agree that "the right to choose is the key here." But, how can we have a discussion without discussing our own personal choices? We all have opinions. Does an opinion suggest that any of us are trying to "impose our own personal choices... whatever they may be.... on others?"

[Route 66]

Posting your own thoughts or personal preferences is not a problem.

A problem arises when one member starts making comments about another members preferences.

Everyone is free to state their own position without making snide remarks or wisecracks about those who disagree.

Originally Posted by randco

I agree that "the right to choose is the key here." But, how can we have a discussion without discussing our own personal choices? We all have opinions. Does an opinion suggest that any of us are trying to "impose our own personal choices... whatever they may be.... on others?"

[RickO]

Yeah... what he said!

Rick

[Francesca]

Originally Posted by Route 66

A problem arises when one member starts making comments about another members preferences.

Everyone is free to state their own position without making snide remarks or wisecracks about those who disagree.

I hope nothing I've said will be taken that way...
If it has, my apologies to anyone I've offended.

My request for details about others' experiences is an honest question.
I travel alone a lot, and I've often been told that I should carry a gun for protection.
I don't because it's difficult for me to imagine a circumstance in which I'd be willing or able to use one.
Hearing from others the details of situations in which they actually found themselves compelled to do so would be most helpful to me in evaluating my decision not to carry.

Francesca

[stepside454]

A couple things made me start carrying, I've worked on soda machines with bullet holes. I've worked on machines while gun fire wa going off nearby. Ive had 2 attemted carjackings.
I was told a story by a customer about his sister & her family who were traveling, had car trouble. A car pulls up to offer help, the family was forced to drive to a house where dad was beat senseless infront of his wife & kids, than wife & preteen daughter violantly raped while dad was forced to watch. When they finished they left them all for dead.
Mom was dead, preteen daughter later comited suicide, toddler son ended ip with other family. Dad has been in & out of depression, alcoholism, lost everything.

[abqandy]

Yes, I carry. Not too long ago a couple in NM was murdered in their RV by some escaped prisoners. The trailer was was burned to the ground with their bodies in it and they stole the tow vehicle. Perhaps if they had a weapon they would still be alive?

[Chuck 1935]

I carry lots of tools to fix most anything that crops up. Tool to fix the door and tools to fix whatever pushes their way through that door. So far I had to fix neither and doubt I ever will !!

[Rdh605]

He kicked in our back door. It wasn't anyone I knew and his intent was robbery. He was armed with a knife, had I not had a firearm then things could have went another direction very quickly. Usually just the site of an armed homeowner is enough to stop the situation, and for that I am glad.

Not everyone is going to agree on this subject, and that will never change.

[chasfm11]

Originally Posted by Francesca

I hope nothing I've said will be taken that way...
If it has, my apologies to anyone I've offended.

My request for details about others' experiences is an honest question.
I travel alone a lot, and I've often been told that I should carry a gun for protection.
I don't because it's difficult for me to imagine a circumstance in which I'd be willing or able to use one.
Hearing from others the details of situations in which they actually found themselves compelled to do so would be most helpful to me in evaluating my decision not to carry.

Francesca

We had an experience at a Flying J truck stop in MS last year. To explain it, I have to provide some context.

One of the techniques used by criminals is often labeled "the interview". To close the distance with their victim without raising suspection, they ask for directions or want to borrow a lighter for cigarette, etc., trying to start up a conversation. A man who murdered two Christian musicians in cold blood here in the Dallas area did this. Usually, the motive is robbery. When they with within a couple of feet, knives or guns appear quickly from pockets where they had their hands concealed.

Secondly, most criminals are cowards. They are looking for easy victims. An old guy in a MH might quality. A big RV can suggest "money" to them, too.

Two men pulled into RV island lane beside us. One started for the air hose, making a pretext of looking at one of his tires while the driver got out and immediately tried to start up a conversation with me. It was a warm day but both of them had on hooded sweatshirts and the one approaching me had both hands in the pockets of his.

As he approached, I opened the zipper on the side of the fanny pack that I was wearing (the pouch area was in front of me) and I slipped my hand into the right side of it. He was watching my hands that same as I was watching his hands. When my hand stayed in the side of the fanny pack, he looked and me and I was staring right back at him. He suddenly remembered something in his car and went back to it. Fortune smiled and my pump kicked off, indicating our tank was full. I quickly put the nozzle back. I noticed the other guy had gone around the back of our toad, and was coming up alongside our MH watching me as I put the fuel nozzle back. I quickly got back inside, started the engine and moved us away from RV Island. Both of them watched us pull away. They didn't attempt to put gas in their car and never tried to put air in the tire that was being examined.

I had to go inside to get my receipt. I kept an eye on them. They mulled around another minute or two and then drove away.

In the last 12 months, there have been several broad daylight robberies in Wal-Mart parking lots in our area where the thieves waited until a woman came out with a full cart of groceries and started to load them into her car. Then they pulled up behind her car, blocking her exit and partially shielding their approach to her and the gun they had just showed her. In one case, they grabbed a woman's purse while she was walking and dragged her behind their car when she couldn't get it off her shoulder fast enough for them.

There are several critical elements if one elects to defend oneself.
1. You must be able to recognize a potential threat. First, you must look around - always. Second, you must be able to isolate on things that seem unusual or out of context (like a hoodie on a hot day).
2. You must be prepared to use whatever you have. It must be available, you need to have practiced with it and you probably have to deploy it quickly. All of the Wal-Mart parking lot robberies I referenced took less than 15 seconds from start to finish. A bear spray can under the front seat of a car would have not helped in any of those situations.

There is no question that one must have the willingness to defend oneself. A book "Strong on Defense" by Sanford Strong outlines why being willing is a good idea. This book actually deals with no gun situations. Once you decide that you want to, there are a variety of options available help you gain the ability.

One of the first things that most criminals do is to say "I'm not going to hurt you." Nothing is further from the true. What they want are willing victims. In fact, one of the easiest ways to not be a victim is to not appear vulnerable. I've adapted the mindset that I'm not going to be a victim. Experts say that having that mindset will often send bad people looking for a softer target.

[dagray]

Originally Posted by 1ciderdog

Dagray (Post 59)
I have to say from personal experience that not all NY cops are against carrying concealed. In July near the Empire State Building I was questioned by one of the NYC Uniformed Officers and showed my Identification Card and my H.R. 218 permit. No problem, nada, zip! He was more interested in hearing war stories about my former agency. Could it have been just because of my good looks? NOWAY!!! I don't know how or if it works for other than for me, a retired fed.
Safe Travels
Bob

When I have done my 218 qualification the joke has been in the past if you go to New York City you can be the test case if they accept the 218 permit. I believe they have by now. It is not usually the rank and file policeman that have a problem with legally carrying a gun. It is the politically motivated Chiefs and Sheriff's that claim they don't want people carrying guns. At least that is my perception here in California.

I was also told the last time I qualified that hollow points were good in all states.

[Francesca]

Originally Posted by Rdh605

He kicked in our back door. It wasn't anyone I knew and his intent was robbery. He was armed with a knife, had I not had a firearm then things could have went another direction very quickly. Usually just the site of an armed homeowner is enough to stop the situation, and for that I am glad.

Not everyone is going to agree on this subject, and that will never change.

Originally Posted by chasfm11

We had an experience at a Flying J truck stop in MS last year. To explain it, I have to provide some context.

Thanks for sharing the details of your actual experiences, guys.

Francesca

[DrScott]

I have a firearm to learn with. I do not yet feel 'good enough' emotionally to deal with the after-effects of using it to carry or keep with us. I firmly believe that it should only come out if I am ready (emotionally and physically) to use it. Right now I am not. I will not advertise when I am ready. I just will be.

Francesca, If you cannot imagine yourself using a firearm for defense you are right in not having one.

For those who say therre is something wrong with people who live in 'condition yellow' I would suggest taking a personal safety course--many are offered by police departments. Your best defense is an awareness of your surroundings BEFORE a problem starts. If you don't look you won't see until the issue is at hand. The classes I have been to and DW has been to are not firearms classes. They are mostly awareness training. NOTHING wrong, IMO, with those who are aware of their surroundings. They are the ones that don't need to use their training because the situation rarely develops. $0.02

As far as a deterrent. I am not aware of any statistics on how many folks were 'saved' by the sound of a slide or a pump. I've heard it said that the best security system is the sound of a 12ga pump. I believe it.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Francesca

But what happened that made it necessary to draw the gun?
It's really hard to judge whether one ought to carry a gun without details of these situations...

Francesca

No one else was there, other than the two "gentlemen" and myself. I felt threatened enough to show that I was armed. No one else needs to "judge" what I did or how I responded.