Do You Feel Sale?

chivalryder

I live 20 minutes from OP.....i walk through the park in the middle of night by myself and don't even think about it. Love my town (Waterloo)

This is interesting to read because the Tri-City (Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge) has some of the highest crime rate in Ontario...

As for all the other posts: This is some very interesting reading. A lot of different, civilized opinions.

I myself would never want to have a concealed gun. Sure, you never bring a knife to a gun fight, but if you bring a gun to a gun fight, shots are more likely to be fired than if you're unarmed. I do realize that random shootings do happen, but they are few and far between. You're more likely to be struck by lightening than finding yourself in that situation.

However, I may purchase a firearm or two at some point in my life. Why? I might want to sail around the world. When you're alone, on a boat, in neutral waters or in a very unpopulated part of the world, there are still pirates. I would wish to enver use it on someone, but I have read several stories of people scaring away some pirates by doing some target practice on floating objects whenever they saw a suspicious boat following them.

That and a zombie apocalypse.

chivalryder

I feel less safe on the road, driving my car, with everyone texting and driving...than I do going to the movies...shopping.

This, too, is my opinion. It's the leading reason why I've dropped road cycling and have abandoned the idea of riding a motorcycle on the street.

Contrarian

The only time more guns is the answer is when the question is "How can we make things even worse?".

manderson27

Live in a small village in the UK and yes I feel safe, I feel very very safe in my village.

I am more aware of the dangers when out in a city at night where I might encounter aggressive drunken men who try it on. So I take sensible precautions and stay alert.

I am not afraid that the person next to me is armed with a gun though, but reading through these posts I would be very afraid in the USA that everyone around me is carrying guns/knives/mace/screwdrivers etc etc.

For example if I upset someone over here I may get a lot of abuse, I may even get a punch in the face, worst case they could pull a knife on me, but the likelyhood that the person I have annoyed will pull a gun and shoot me in the head is remote. Not saying it is not possible but the odds are against it.

Without a gun in the mix I stand a better chance of surving an aggressive encounter.

It is all a question of odds. More people with guns = more people dying from gunshot wounds.

SuperSexyDork

I live in Lexington Park, MD. It's 5 minutes away from a Naval Air Station and in what people would call the most dangerous part of St. Mary's county... but to be honest, I feel pretty safe.

I feel as though a lot of people are paranoid. We're more worried about some random stranger attacking us than the people we know. But, don't statistics show that most violence is perpetrated by acquaintances?

I would (and have) go for walks at night alone but normally bring my black lab with me. No one has ever approached me. I've been hit on by people in passing vehicles more than a few times. I've had to deal with drunk homeless people and prostitutes when I worked as a fast food manager downtown... but seriously though, we have a habit of stereotyping people like that as being violent that I think in unfair and untrue.

chivalryder

Live in a small village in the UK and yes I feel safe, I feel very very safe in my village.

I am more aware of the dangers when out in a city at night where I might encounter aggressive drunken men who try it on. So I take sensible precautions and stay alert.

I am not afraid that the person next to me is armed with a gun though, but reading through these posts I would be very afraid in the USA that everyone around me is carrying guns/knives/mace/screwdrivers etc etc.

For example if I upset someone over here I may get a lot of abuse, I may even get a punch in the face, worst case they could pull a knife on me, but the likelyhood that the person I have annoyed will pull a gun and shoot me in the head is remote. Not saying it is not possible but the odds are against it.

Without a gun in the mix I stand a better chance of surving an aggressive encounter.

It is all a question of odds. More people with guns = more people dying from gunshot wounds.

If an Irish guy gets into a fight, out of respect, he would go to the hospital with the guy he knocked out to make sure he was ok.

I don't really agree with the whole "guns don't kill people. People kill people" thing as argument that having more guns out there makes the world a little safer.

Even the most level-headed person can make a bad decision or do something without thinking about it clearly. in a moment of extreme pressure with high levels of adrenaline, s/he could do something that person wouldn't normally do - like shoot someone else. I've been around long enough to realize that **** happens, and it's a lot easier to shoot someone to death then it is to stab/maul/beat them to death. Especially if it's accidental.

Doodlewhopper

And to all the armed people...who carry /conceal...all the training in the world wont make you ready that tme when you get jumped....

Class and real life don't even compare in training.

Youre misinformed. Texas CHL classes cover situational awareness, conflict resolution & de-escalation tactics. You greatly lessen the chances of getting jumped if you avoid certain situations. The classes are 10 hours minimum and stress "just because you can doesnt mean you should". Dont touch the gun until all else fails.

Real life situations can be bridged through situational awareness and range practice. Range practice develops muscle memory.

Statistics show crime reduction in states that have legislated gun carry law.

Consider the cities that have strict gun control, Detroit, Chicago, New York, Washington DC with those that have carry laws.

One other thing the CHL classes teach. When you pull your weapon, a crime has been committed, either by him, or by you....and if you shoot, your life changes forever ....and even if you are innocent, the situation is probably gonna cost you a lot of money.

clarkeje1

Yes and no. I live in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. I live in the suburbs and my street is nice and quiet. My boyfriend and I walk our dog sometimes late at night or early in the morning with no trouble. I work in a bad part of town (Over the rhine) and I've never had any problems and I work until 9pm but I always have a coworker with me. However I don't feel safe because of hearing about all of these shootings and things, I get anxious and paranoid. I am very scared that someone could kill me with a gun, knife or whatever but I really can't do anything about it. People are getting shot in school, at the movies etc ... no where is safe really. Especially since I work with clients who have mental issues, alcohol and drug addiction, and criminal charges. BUT there really isn't anything I can do, I have to go out in the work sometimes so I risk getting killed. I risk getting hit by a drunk driver, I risk getting shot at the grocery store, oh well. You need to live life, you can't just hide in a cave all the time. What can you really do?

alliejoberry

I live in Milford, CT. I feel reasonably safe most of the time. I live in a suburban neighborhood. We don't always lock the door during the day, but we lock and bolt it at night.

I took a women's self-defense course a couple of years ago, but I would never walk anywhere past sundown by myself, or go to a secluded place by myself.

I'm lucky I live in a place where I feel safe, but anything can happen anywhere. "Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best."

pudadough

Live in a small village in the UK and yes I feel safe, I feel very very safe in my village.

I am more aware of the dangers when out in a city at night where I might encounter aggressive drunken men who try it on. So I take sensible precautions and stay alert.

I am not afraid that the person next to me is armed with a gun though, but reading through these posts I would be very afraid in the USA that everyone around me is carrying guns/knives/mace/screwdrivers etc etc.

For example if I upset someone over here I may get a lot of abuse, I may even get a punch in the face, worst case they could pull a knife on me, but the likelyhood that the person I have annoyed will pull a gun and shoot me in the head is remote. Not saying it is not possible but the odds are against it.

Without a gun in the mix I stand a better chance of surving an aggressive encounter.

It is all a question of odds. More people with guns = more people dying from gunshot wounds.

I understand what you're saying, but the reality is that well-adjusted people are not going to resort to using guns even in a heated argument. And the flip side of that is that many people who WOULD do such a thing obtain their guns illegally anyway, so laws do nothing to prevent them. The mall shooter in Oregon, for example, used a stolen gun.

But then, I live in Texas where people who pull a gun out in anger are forced to first consider the prospect that there are probably 20 other people in the same room who would use a gun to stop them...and so they think twice. It's like the principle of Mutually Assured Destruction played out on a very small scale.

Doodlewhopper

Live in a small village in the UK and yes I feel safe, I feel very very safe in my village.

I am more aware of the dangers when out in a city at night where I might encounter aggressive drunken men who try it on. So I take sensible precautions and stay alert.

I am not afraid that the person next to me is armed with a gun though, but reading through these posts I would be very afraid in the USA that everyone around me is carrying guns/knives/mace/screwdrivers etc etc.

For example if I upset someone over here I may get a lot of abuse, I may even get a punch in the face, worst case they could pull a knife on me, but the likelyhood that the person I have annoyed will pull a gun and shoot me in the head is remote. Not saying it is not possible but the odds are against it.

Without a gun in the mix I stand a better chance of surving an aggressive encounter.

It is all a question of odds. More people with guns = more people dying from gunshot wounds.

If an Irish guy gets into a fight, out of respect, he would go to the hospital with the guy he knocked out to make sure he was ok.

I don't really agree with the whole "guns don't kill people. People kill people" thing as argument that having more guns out there makes the world a little safer.

Even the most level-headed person can make a bad decision or do something without thinking about it clearly. in a moment of extreme pressure with high levels of adrenaline, s/he could do something that person wouldn't normally do - like shoot someone else. I've been around long enough to realize that **** happens, and it's a lot easier to shoot someone to death then it is to stab/maul/beat them to death. Especially if it's accidental.

Here are a few facts regarding Texas CHL holders:

<<<DPS typically releases the data for two years at a time. Here are some examples of what the data show for the most recent calendar year - 2011:

In 2011, there were 518,625 active CHLs, but only 120 total convictions.

Overall - The general population over age 21 is over 15 times as likely to commit any offense listed by DPS as are CHLs

Assault - The general population over age 21 is over 26 times as likely to commit an assault as are CHLs

Burglary - The general population over age 21 is almost 100 times as likely to commit a burglary as are CHLs

Terroristic threat - The general population over age 21 is over 20times as likely to commit a terroristic threat as are CHLs

Prohibited Weapons - The general population over age 21 are almost 30 times as likely to be convicted of possessing prohibited as are CHLs>>>
http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=17975

Not anyone is allowed to possess a weapon in Texas. Strict screening includes past mental, criminal and arrest records.

AmyFett

I grew up in the town over from where this happened. Honestly, are we ever truly safe? Anything can happen at any given time at any given place. Plus, there's a lot of downfalls to homeschooling you have to think of too. You're denying your children of the social aspect. Things like this don't happen often. I'm sure people not affected directly will calm down in a few weeks. It's sad and tragic, but what you have to realize is to be thankful for what you have and your time with your loved ones. Sucks it takes something like this to make that side of people show.

_VoV

I live in a rural town in CT, less than an hour's drive away from where the shooting happened today. Newtown is very close to Cheshire, CT where Dr. William Petit's family was murdered. It's a nice little town. I refuse to live in fear because events like this are random. I do live in the boonies and I did homeschool my children for academic reasons, not overall safety. Contrary to many people's perceptions, many homeschoolers go out a lot of time. Who's to say whether something like this could have happened at a homeschooler gym & swim at a YMCA, for example?

_VoV

Plus, there's a lot of downfalls to homeschooling you have to think of too. You're denying your children of the social aspect.

Your opinion.

keith0373

Live in a small village in the UK and yes I feel safe, I feel very very safe in my village.

I am more aware of the dangers when out in a city at night where I might encounter aggressive drunken men who try it on. So I take sensible precautions and stay alert.

I am not afraid that the person next to me is armed with a gun though, but reading through these posts I would be very afraid in the USA that everyone around me is carrying guns/knives/mace/screwdrivers etc etc.

For example if I upset someone over here I may get a lot of abuse, I may even get a punch in the face, worst case they could pull a knife on me, but the likelyhood that the person I have annoyed will pull a gun and shoot me in the head is remote. Not saying it is not possible but the odds are against it.

Without a gun in the mix I stand a better chance of surving an aggressive encounter.

It is all a question of odds. More people with guns = more people dying from gunshot wounds.

I understand what you're saying, but the reality is that well-adjusted people are not going to resort to using guns even in a heated argument. And the flip side of that is that many people who WOULD do such a thing obtain their guns illegally anyway, so laws do nothing to prevent them. The mall shooter in Oregon, for example, used a stolen gun.

But then, I live in Texas where people who pull a gun out in anger are forced to first consider the prospect that there are probably 20 other people in the same room who would use a gun to stop them...and so they think twice. It's like the principle of Mutually Assured Destruction played out on a very small scale.

This^^^

And the British have had a problem with our guns for 200+ years.. First because we turned them on them, then because they had to call twice for us to bring more and pull them out of a fire. They aren't fond of either scenario. They are fond of taking people's guns however.

“Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest.” - Mahatma Gandhi, in Gandhi, An Autobiography, p. 446

EmilyJackCO

I live in Thornton, Colorado, US - not too far from the Aurora theatre that saw such violence in July. I had friends that were there. My grandma lives kitty-corner from the shooter's apartment and was evacuated for several days.

I feel completely safe, not only at home, but out and about and at 2 and 3am. I am on my own all the time, and I have nothing to fear. It helps that I'm pretty bada$$ with blunt objects and have several stashed in strategic locations in my home, but for reasons long past - I'm just used to them now. And if I'm not home? I'm fast, and adrenaline trumps asthma every time.

I spent 70% of my life in fear, I refuse to do so ever again.

pudadough

Plus, there's a lot of downfalls to homeschooling you have to think of too. You're denying your children of the social aspect.

Your opinion.

Yes, just one opinion. And I'm a public school teacher. Homeschooling can be wonderful given the correct approach. I hate to see it dismissed outright.

muchmoretolove

i live in the uk, hertfordshire, just on the outskirts of london to be specific. and i feel sooo safe and secure, i've lived here all my life, all the inhabitants here love the place and even visitors will say that you just couldn't find a better place to live; i want to remain here for the rest of my life and am so grateful to God for letting me be here! : )

_VoV

Plus, there's a lot of downfalls to homeschooling you have to think of too. You're denying your children of the social aspect.

Your opinion.

Yes, just one opinion. And I'm a public school teacher. Homeschooling can be wonderful given the correct approach. I hate to see it dismissed outright.

Thank you. Yes, and public schooling can be wonderful, too. Each family is unique and must decide what is the best fit for their individual children.

malery06

Well I grew up in the slums of south central L.A in California, although I was never afraid its a place that is defenetely not safe, I'm talking crime scenes ATLEAST once a week. When I met my husband we move to the suburbs, and now that we have kids I would never consider moving back over there 1 because of the crimes, 2 because the schools are s*** full of gang bangers and drugs.
I still go back to my home sweet home and still not afraid, what ever happens happens, its inevitable. No place is safe. The best you can do is move somewhere where atleast there's a lower crime rate, that what me and my husband did and started our family in the suburbs.