WEAPONS

I can only say that those who don't take a moment to think about their own personal safety EVERYTIME they leave their house are living in blissful ignorance. Ask most first-time victims.... they too at one point never thought anything could happen to them. Or you could just bury your head in the sand and hope no one walks by and kicks you in the *kitten*!

Being prepared eliminates the fear.

I'm sorry, but I just can't understand people who don't take the time to NOT BE A VICTIM. Carry on.

Because if I worried about everything that could happen to me I'd never leave the house. Chances of being accosted are 1 in 300. Chances of being injured in an auto accident are 1 in 40, dieing 1 in 80. Yet, very few people are afraid of driving and it's the most dangerous thing we do.

I can see where some people would feel more comfortable with something to defend themselves. My biggest threats while running and biking are traffic. That's why I wear a road vest, and sometimes a head lamp. But don't think people who don't take any weapons are ignorant.

Ummmm... did I say anything about weapons? Nope. You can be prepared and NOT need a weapon.

I take my dog, he's a 65lb pit bull mix lol he's a sweet heart but strangers don't know that and he will protect me if threatened.

I live in a small fairly quiet town that use to be pretty safe..but a girl was just sexually assaulted a few weeks ago at one of the tracks i walk at, granite it was 9pm and i don't know what she was doing jogging alone at night but still..I always take my dog with me. Plus it keeps him in great shape as well

This is a mad thread! The fact that you have to actually consider carrying a weapon to go outside scares me so much America!

Carrying any kind of "weapon" (gun/knife/mace) is illegal here. And for good reason. We don't need them and I'm glad for that!

UK sometimes!

LOL exactly what I'm thinking. A lot of people (esp in America) are huge supporters of mace and guns etc...but if you can buy them, so can the bloody attacker! That's why they're illegal in some countries/states. It's for YOUR safety, it's not that your government don't want you prepared (something people were complaining about earlier on the thread).

I live in Scotland anyway, most people here learn how to fight/escape attack by the age of like 14 anyway :L at least the chavs are good for something, even if it is unwanted survival training while you try to get away from them!

Ummm... none!!!

Where on earth do you live?

This is exactly what I was going to post!

This is an interesting thread, and a very important one. For anyone to ignore their own personal safety (whether inside their own home or outside it "in public") is beyond me. And for anyone to think "it won't happen to me" is only fooling themselves. I used to think that. I knew I didn't live in a perfect world, or a perfect State, or a perfect neighborhood. I've seen crime mapping for my area, and had a good idea of where more crimes happen than other areas. And I've seen or read the news for the local area I live in, so I knew that there were robberies, murders, attacks, etc EVERY DAY. But I never thought it could happen to me...

... until one evening back in 2008. Long story short, and leaving out how or why I got "into" firearms, I came home one day from work and pulled up in my driveway. It was the Monday before Thanksgiving, at 5:45pm. I was standing at my passenger door getting my bags out of my van when I felt a hard object jammed into my left ribs and a voice behind me demanding me to not move and give him my money. After a brief "conversation" which gave me enough time to quietly draw my weapon, I turned and shot my "attacker" in the chest. There were actually TWO guys behind me, trying to rob me in my own driveway! I only needed to fire one shot because when my hollow point hit the closest guy in the chest, their attempted robbery was over. I'll leave out any other details as they're not important.

So as you can probably figure out from my avatar, and my story, I carry a firearm every day. If I go outside, I have a gun with me. Here in Delaware it is lawful to open carry a firearm, and no license/permit is needed. This right is reinforced by our own State Constitution. I carry a gun for MY protection, and the protection of MY family. Period. Sure, there are other reasons (political, educational, etc) but protection is the #1 reason. And while most people would say I'm paranoid, I tell them that being prepared saved my life a few years ago. I truly believe that I would have been dead in my driveway had I not been carrying protection that evening. And with my (at the time) fiancee coming home soon after me, even later at night, I'm glad it was me in that driveway at that time and not her. I tell people that crime can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time, for any reason. Will you be prepared or be a victim?

Sorry for the long-winded post so far. I digress.....

Now, as far as running goes, I've been running on a treadmill inside for this C25k thing, so safety while running hasn't come up for me yet. BUT, I'll be running outside in a week or two, and can you guess if I'll be armed while outside? You bet. I plan on running with my firearm, regardless of which neighborhood I'm in, what time I'm running, etc. You can't choose when you'll be safe or when someone will attack you, so it's best to be prepared at all times.

As for firearms and running, you had better have a very good holster system to keep your gun from bouncing around, working its way out of your holster, etc. A good belt AND holster should work as a system, together. Also, if it's open carry or concealed carry will be a slightly different system.

Whether it's concealed carry or open carry make sure you are following the law!! Every State is different. And if you cross State borders be sure you're not breaking the law in one (or all) af them! And often times, carrying on your person AND in your car are much different laws.

If you can't or don't want to carry a gun with you, what are the other options?

Stun gun: still bulky (most are larger than regular guns), and are still regulated according to the State you live in. In Delaware, you can carry a stun gun in Kent or sussex Counties, but NOT in New Castle County. Go figure. So, do your research!

Collpasible baton: Also regulated, but can be effective like a baseball bat (only smaller).

Knife: much smaller, easy to conceal. Check the laws on these, too. Blade length, assisted opening, open vs concealed are regulated as well. Know the laws for where you'll be running! I carry a knife on my "weak" side in case someone goes for my gun on my strong side. I carry a knife that I can open with one hand (it has a thumb hole) in case my other hand is "busy" retaining my gun.

Mace and chemical spray: Also regulated by law in some places, so do your research again. Also, as someone else has stated, it can "backfire" on you, rendering YOU (and maybe your attacker) incapacitated.

Fists, feet, etc: If you're knowledgeable in martial arts, self defense, boxing, etc. This might help you, but not against an attacker who has a gun.

Every day items: Now, THIS is the brilliant part of weapons. These items can be effective deadly weapons, but they're normal items and are NOT regulated by law. Keys on a keychain can gouge eyes, keys on a long keychain of some kind can be used as a swinging weight, your Walkman or a stone/rock can be like a club, credit cards can cut, a broken CD is sharp like a knife, and a pen (ballpoint is best) can be a stabbing weapon. I carry a "uni Super Ink" pen. I have the cap opened up on the other end of the pen, like I'm ready to write with it. But the tip of it is sturdy and can definitely do major damage if jabbed into the right places. Did you know you can make someone deaf and blind in 3 seconds with a pen?

The most important weapon, of course, is your BRAIN. Any weapon will be useless if someone surprises you. Situational awareness is key. Scan ahead of where you're running. Could someone be hiding behind that tree? Around the corner of that building? Is someone behind you? How long have they been following you? Keep your mp3 player volume low so you can hear things around you. Run in well-lit areas, during the day if you can, with a group (not by yourself), etc. Bring a cell phone along just in case.

This is not to make anyone paranoid, but to hopefully make people aware that they alone are responsible for their own safety. It's been proven in the courts that the police are not there to protect you. They're there to clean up after something happens, and to (hopefully) find the criminal(s) involved and bring them to justice.

We're responsible for ourselves. Period. It's up to you to decide if you want to carry a weapon or not, if you want to take a self defense class or not, if you bring your dog along with you or not, if you feel safe or not. But no one chooses when to be attacked - that's the attacker's decision.

Staye safe out there everyone. Stay alert. Be prepared. Stay alive.

Wow Dave! Thats nuts....see where I live.....the laws work against the innocent.......the government spends more time and tax payer money harassing law abiding gun owners than concentrating on the criminals....long gun registry etc.

Also recently, man and his SO got home late at night and there was an intruder in his house. He ended up stabbing the intruder.. as they a got in an altercation..and he got charged in the court of law....and the intruder was NOT charged. Figure that one out.

These stories happen here way too often.....you can't protect yourself here...without the risk that you will be punished and the attacker will be set free.

Don't get me wrong I love Canada and am happy to be here....but some of the laws need to get looked at.....cuz they are not right

Have you ever noticed that in those States and Countries where gun laws are so overbearing (or just plain stupid), or guns are outlawed totally, the crime rates are HIGH? But where everyday citizens are allowed to arm themselves in their own homes, or in public, the crime rates are lower? Hmmmm, go figure.

And have you noticed that no matter how many laws and restrictions the government puts on law-abiding gun owners, the criminals STILL IGNORE THE LAWS and get and use guns?? Duh.

Know guns, no crime
No guns, know crime.

.....you can't protect yourself here...without the risk that you will be punished and the attacker will be set free.

It's better to be judged by 12 than carried by six....

Very well written, Dave. Finally a few posts I can agree with.

Thank you. Can you tell I'm a huge proponent to the 2nd Amendment, carry for self defense, gun owners, etc?

Open carry is perfectly legal in GA as well, though I usually leave my shirt untucked to keep from offending the more sensitive types.

I'm not sure what you mean by leaving your shirt untucked? You mean so it covers your gun so the "sensitive" types can't see it? In Delaware, if I cover ANY part of my gun with a shirt, jacket, etc and I do not have my CCDW License, I'm breaking the law. To "open carry" means it is completely free from concealment. So, it must be in the "open" totally. Tucked in shirt, or shirt/jacket tucked BEHIND the holster, is mandatory without a License to conceal.

Also, as for those "sensitive" types, I've learned to not worry about the comfort of others. That might sound harsh or insensitive, but guess what? I don't care. If they feel threatened or uncomfortable that I'm carrying a gun, they are free to leave, or call the cops, or whatever. Their "comfort level" does not trump my Constitutional right to protect myself and my family. Are they afraid of guns? Maybe. But that's not my problem. My own safety is MY problem.

The sooner people realize that a gun is just a tool, and that what they read/see/hear on the news about guns "just going off" and hurting people is a bunch of anti-gun BS, the sooner everyone will be better off. Cops carry guns all the time. Are people afraid of cops? Who do people call when they want "help"? The police. And aren't the police armed with guns? Yup. There's a reason for that, too. Protection.

A gun levels the "playing field" to where a 300 pound street thug is evenly-matched against the little 100 pound lady he wants to mug. Or the elderly couple is evenly matched against the group of young home invaders that just broke through the front door.

Also, a gun can be a great deterrent to crime. I know that there are at least two incidents where some people looked hell-bent to come over to my wife and me, but they saw that I was carrying and they turned around and did a 180 and changed their plans. Most store owners welcome my business inside their stores. Restaurants don't want me to leave, especially later at night. LOL.

I haven't read thru all the responses ---

With that said ---

I'm a firm believer in women able to defend themselves, and being trained to shoot and shoot well.

I carry a S&W Bodyguard .380. I don't have many curves but it's easy enough to conceal depending on the holster. I use a bellyband (similar to Underwraps by Galco) under a tShirt.

Please remember to take a pepper spray (or doggie biscuit) for those damn dogs that don't stay on their property.

Make sure you know the laws of your state, and I highly recommend reading the legalities in case you actually would need to defend yourself. "In the Gravest Extreme" by Massad Ayoob and also look into Paxton Quigley's book.

I haven't read thru all the responses ---

With that said ---

I'm a firm believer in women able to defend themselves, and being trained to shoot and shoot well.

I carry a S&W Bodyguard .380. I don't have many curves but it's easy enough to conceal depending on the holster. I use a bellyband (similar to Underwraps by Galco) under a tShirt.




I need to move where you live....I have S&W M&P that I'm only allowed to take the the gun range and have to have an authorization to transport. If I get caught with it anywhere else....to jail I go!

I need to move where you live....I have S&W M&P that I'm only allowed to take the the gun range and have to have an authorization to transport. If I get caught with it anywhere else....to jail I go!

Wow! That's no fun. I bet you live in a high-crime area. The areas with the toughest firearm laws and make it difficult for law-abiding citizens to carry, often have the highest crime rates. Come on out to PA!

I'd rather be in jail and alive than... well.... I'd carry concealed illegally if I had to.

I need to move where you live....I have S&W M&P that I'm only allowed to take the the gun range and have to have an authorization to transport. If I get caught with it anywhere else....to jail I go!

Wow! That's no fun. I bet you live in a high-crime area. The areas with the toughest firearm laws and make it difficult for law-abiding citizens to carry, often have the highest crime rates. Come on out to PA!

I'd rather be in jail and alive than... well.... I'd carry concealed illegally if I had to.

It has nothing to do with high crime area....its just Canada......Every place has its bad pockets...but these rules apply to the whole country!! I personally think that if everyone can carry the crime rate wouldn't be so high...cuz they'd be afraid to attack anyone for fear that the innocent could shoot back..

My dog, my hands, my feet. ROUNDHOUSE TO THE HEAD!!!!

Wow. I can't relate to the need/desire to carry a weapon, I can only assume that it's a cultural thing, that attitude just doesn't exist where I live.

In my part of the world people don't own/carry guns and the crime rate is low. Which suits me fine, I'm not moving anywhere, especially to the US!!!