Are you always armed?

[wyntrout]

Thankfully I live in a state that apparently is more safe than most.....I don't need to always be armed. I carry if going into an area that warrants it, otherwise common sense helps a lot.

That's starting to sound like not buying insurance until you're going to need it. Stuff happens and if you're going where you might need a gun... why?? What about the common sense??

Jus' sayin'.

Wynn

[LaP]

Always armed...yup.

I've heard comparisons to driving without a spare tire or keeping a fire extiguisher handy.
People have stated that they only carry when going into a dangerous situation. As Clint Smith has said, if I knew I'm going to a gunfight I'd just stay at home.

Having lived in New York most of my life, I have read about too many home invasions. My daughter lost two highschool classmates to a murdering homeinvader. A life-lesson was learned thru tragedy.

[wyntrout]

Clint's quote is what I was thinking, too.

Wynn

[Vanzpp]

I'm always armed except whenever I have to go to the doctor's office or an airport.

[jeepster09]

That's starting to sound like not buying insurance until you're going to need it. Stuff happens and if you're going where you might need a gun... why?? What about the common sense??

Jus' sayin'.

Wynn

Do you buy MOTORCYCLE insurance when going out on a boat? Why carry a gun in a totally known safe area? COMMON SENSE is staying out of known problem areas, COMMON SENSE is steering clear of confrontation and trusting your instincts. COMMON SENSE is walking on other side of street when you see a situation that may not look good.
There is a big difference from downtown PHOENIX, HOUSTON, ATLANTA and BLOOMINGTON Minnesota. The first 3 I would want to be armed, the last one you can even walk at night [staying alert helps no matter where you are aka COMMON SENSE].
Another thing that makes me chuckle is posts that say you need to carry multiple spare magazines with like 30 or so extra rounds! Holy cow! After about 3 rounds are fired in MOST areas you will be swarmed by LEO's [not all....MOST]. :59:

[wyntrout]

I had a boat... bought towing insurance as well as regular. If you know nothing about maritime law or the cost of a tow, you would be in for a big shock should you ever need a tow. And if you know nothing of salvage laws or liability in towing, that could be a be shock, too.
I've traveled quite a bit, having spent 20 years in the Air Force, and I have no desire to do any more because the world has changed and I feel safer when I can protect myself... immediately... when seconds count, and "help" is minutes away.
Whenever I leave the house I'm armed. It sure makes sense to have protection and not need it, instead of only having regret, should you need it and not have it.
I live in a "safe" neighborhood and I can see a police car sitting in front of a house in any direction and almost every street in the area... indeed, there's one across the street and one behind my house in the park where there's a resident cop.
I still see people walking through the area that could be casing the area and I could get jumped by a rabid raccoon any time I step out the door. I see them all of the time and have talked to them in the dark thinking they were some of the local cats that parade around our house 24/7.
I don't abdicate my self defense to anyone else... especially when police response, IF you have the time to call for help, would be at best minutes away.
If you want to count on others, who aren't present, to come to your defense or deter criminal activity in your vicinity, that's your right, and I hope that continues to work for you, but I want to control my safety and leave as little as possible to chance. To ME, that's common sense... to prepare for the unexpected and be ready to act, rather than taking a chance that things will always go as you wish... without problems. In the military, we train and train for the worst, so that normal ops are a piece of cake, but we're prepared for any emergency through repetitious training.



Wynn

[CJB]

I buy insureance bucause nothing is predictable. I cant always drive on safe roads or just avoid other traffic. Precisely because criminal intent is one of preying on a victem..... I remain armed. The next stranger at walmart could be some jackwagon off his meds and the next to make the evening news. I want to make the news too.... As a survivor!

[TucsonMTB]

I'm in Mr. Jeepster09's camp. Yeah, I am almost always armed because I drop a PM40 in my pocket in the morning and forget about it. But, since we live on the polite side of Tucson (Oro Valley) it's not necessary.

It's a little bit like that hundred dollar bill you fold up and stuff in your wallet with the credit cards. It's nice to have just in case . . . but, not really needed.

It's a good feeling having a .40 S&W delivery device in my pocket, but I certainly don't feel uncomfortable without it. If I need a police officer, all I have to do is exceed the speed limit by about three miles per hour. Any of you fortunate enough to have visited Oro Valley know what I mean.

[Bill K]

Do you buy MOTORCYCLE insurance when going out on a boat? Why carry a gun in a totally known safe area? COMMON SENSE is staying out of known problem areas, COMMON SENSE is steering clear of confrontation and trusting your instincts. COMMON SENSE is walking on other side of street when you see a situation that may not look good.
There is a big difference from downtown PHOENIX, HOUSTON, ATLANTA and BLOOMINGTON Minnesota. The first 3 I would want to be armed, the last one you can even walk at night [staying alert helps no matter where you are aka COMMON SENSE].
Another thing that makes me chuckle is posts that say you need to carry multiple spare magazines with like 30 or so extra rounds! Holy cow! After about 3 rounds are fired in MOST areas you will be swarmed by LEO's [not all....MOST]. :59:

The one time I had to use my gun, to stop from being stabbed, it was in one of the best neighborhoods in the city and during broad daylight @ ~ 12:50 PM. The "probability" of a confrontation had to be very small.

I understand your position but in evaluating "risk" you need/must/should not only consider the probability of something happening but also the potential negative consequences should that something happen.

I respect your position. Most of my family, friends and neighbor's do not even own a single firearm much less think about carrying for SD purposes.

Respectfully,
Bill K.

[Bawanna]

I think alot of the decision to be armed all the time is influenced by your actions.
If you see a pack of dirt bags beating up a little old lady or raping a young girl are you going to defend them or cross the street avoid a confrontation, not video it so you dont get beat up by cops, maybe call 911 and report a disturbance.

I'd say the vast majority now days will cross the street. A guy could die on the side walk and lay there for days with people walking around him anymore, nobody wants to get involved.

I'm a get involved guy. If the police are involved or things are being taken care of I'm gone, but bad guys doing harm or even vandalizing property will have me involved. In the vandalizing scenario I'll probably just be watching till the cavalry shows up but a rape or a beat down I'll be right in there.

If I see officers in what looks like a questionable situation I'll often times park back aways and just watch to make sure things are ok.

Chivalry ain't dead and any damsel in distress has no fear when Bawanna is around.

Little stuff like a car broke down on the freeway, it's best to let the police handle it but if it's really hot or cold I'll sometimes stop. I know I can't do much being a derelict but by stopping myself maybe a dirtbag with ill intent may drive on by. Course the person broke down could be bait to trap you with ill intent. It's a scarey world.

[wyntrout]

It's like fishing or hunting... you go where the prey live. Criminals sometimes choose to go where there are easy pickings... wealthier areas where there's complacency... and "no crime". It happens all of the time.

And one reload is like a spare tire, or I guess you don't believe in those, either.

Magazines fail or can be inadvertantly dropped from the gun... or, you might have needed to use "covering" or distracting fire to get to safety. After all, it's not like the range where you stand upright and take your time shooting at a paper target. It's much better to have too much ammo, than not enough.

I'm not an optimist, nor entirely a pessimist, but I know I can't always depend on things going my way. I DID spend a little time in the Cub Scouts and learned it was better to "be prepared". Being prepared is not that hard and the very LEAST I can do for myself and my friends & family. I want to be an asset, not a liability, if anything happens.

Wynn

[jeepster09]

I think alot of the decision to be armed all the time is influenced by your actions.
If you see a pack of dirt bags beating up a little old lady or raping a young girl are you going to defend them or cross the street avoid a confrontation, not video it so you dont get beat up by cops, maybe call 911 and report a disturbance.

I'd say the vast majority now days will cross the street. A guy could die on the side walk and lay there for days with people walking around him anymore, nobody wants to get involved.

I'm a get involved guy. If the police are involved or things are being taken care of I'm gone, but bad guys doing harm or even vandalizing property will have me involved. In the vandalizing scenario I'll probably just be watching till the cavalry shows up but a rape or a beat down I'll be right in there.

If I see officers in what looks like a questionable situation I'll often times park back aways and just watch to make sure things are ok.

Chivalry ain't dead and any damsel in distress has no fear when Bawanna is around.

Little stuff like a car broke down on the freeway, it's best to let the police handle it but if it's really hot or cold I'll sometimes stop. I know I can't do much being a derelict but by stopping myself maybe a dirtbag with ill intent may drive on by. Course the person broke down could be bait to trap you with ill intent. It's a scarey world.

Sadly there was a day I would not hesitate to intervene......WE NOW HAVE TO MANY BAD ATTORNEYS that have made me think twice about jumping in.....I don't know if I would? or would not? intervene with my firearm. In today's sad world, you most likely would lose everything defending your actions in a court case for intervening.
Now......if we could get rid of the bad lawyers and judges......the choice would be clear and easy.:4:

[jeepster09]

It's like fishing or hunting... you go where the prey live. Criminals sometimes choose to go where there are easy pickings... wealthier areas where there's complacency... and "no crime". It happens all of the time.

And one reload is like a spare tire, or I guess you don't believe in those, either.

Magazines fail or can be inadvertantly dropped from the gun... or, you might have needed to use "covering" or distracting fire to get to safety. After all, it's not like the range where you stand upright and take your time shooting at a paper target. It's much better to have too much ammo, than not enough.

I'm not an optimist, nor entirely a pessimist, but I know I can't always depend on things going my way. I DID spend a little time in the Cub Scouts and learned it was better to "be prepared". Being prepared is not that hard and the very LEAST I can do for myself and my friends & family. I want to be an asset, not a liability, if anything happens.

Wynn

There still are areas that are mostly crime free......Florida is not one of them. Carrying a spare tire is COMMON SENSE, carying four spare tires so all your flats COULD be changed is not. I also spent time as a LEO in a big city, I know how to be prepared.

[wyntrout]

With these single-stack Kahrs, one spare extended mag is enough. I don't carry a spare around the house, but most of my guns are "ready to use"... no kids or friends who visit with kids.

We have a lot of views that we share here and it's great that we can. I like that we can express our feelings freely, as adults here, and I'm not calling anybody names or saying they are wrong because we have different views on things. I spend too much time here, but not as much as I'd like. I have to pretend I'm doing "productive stuff" around the house, though it's obvious to my wife... or anyone else, that I don't do much.
Pulling someone's chain or poking them a bit can be fun, but not intended to put anyone down. Some of us enjoy this more than others.

Take care, and may the "force" be with you! \\// "Live long and prosper"!

Wynn

[Michael W.]

And just to bring some closure to this thread.......I 'splained my situation to the wife
and she sent me off to Kohl's with a handful of coupons. Just got home
with a couple of new pairs of "Big Boy Pants" to handle my "around the house"
EDC, which for now is my awesome little P380.

Michael-