*Serious subject* - Protection while walk/jog/running in you
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I could point you to all kinds of research that proves an armed populace is safer than an unarmed one - even for those who choose not to be armed. The majority of US has had ever-increasing levels of freedom for self-defense and concealed carry permits for the last 20 years and violent crime has gone down apace. At the same time, US states which have resisted the trend to allow legal citizens to arm themselves have seen crime increase. The UK and Australia also saw upsurges in violence when they disarmed law-abiding citizens. Occupied-home invasions are almost unknown here because criminals don't want to get shot either.You people are scary. I'm glad it's illegal to carry guns, knives (as weapons) and pepper spray here.0 -
Oh, and to all those who think they are safe because "weapons" are illegal where you live: all that means is that only the criminals are armed. If some scumbag is out looking to rape you and cut your throat, he sure as hell doesn't give a damn about the illegal knife he's carrying.
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I'm not a fan of guns period --- but I do carry a mace/noise thingie.
Another great thing is to get a RoadID --- unless you carry your wallet with all your other stuff.
You never know when you're going to faint, trip, get hit by a car. I always wear my RoadID too.
I personally would not want to walk or run around my neighborhood if I knew everyone was packing a gun. Yuck. That's why I go to a gym where they are banned.0 -
Good topic and I agree. Theres alot of crazy things happening out there. I go with a partner, eithr my daughter in law or my husband, and us girls take pepper spray. Rather be safe..then sorry0
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I'm not a fan of guns period --- but I do carry a mace/noise thingie.
Another great thing is to get a RoadID --- unless you carry your wallet with all your other stuff.
You never know when you're going to faint, trip, get hit by a car. I always wear my RoadID too.
I personally would not want to walk or run around my neighborhood if I knew everyone was packing a gun. Yuck. That's why I go to a gym where they are banned.
I used to go to a gym where guns were banned too. Oh, except for the gun in my duffle bag of course. But I was probably the only guy in the place who had a gun in his duffle bag. Or was I?0 -
I'm not a fan of guns period --- but I do carry a mace/noise thingie.
Another great thing is to get a RoadID --- unless you carry your wallet with all your other stuff.
You never know when you're going to faint, trip, get hit by a car. I always wear my RoadID too.
I personally would not want to walk or run around my neighborhood if I knew everyone was packing a gun. Yuck. That's why I go to a gym where they are banned.
Respectfully, do you really think criminals care about guns being banned anywhere? Just so you know, you probably pass lots of people every day who carry guns concealed. You need not worry about the law-abiding citizen who carries a gun, you need to worry about the guy who has no regard for the law or you. Be safe, be alert.
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Carrying a gun without knowing how to use it quickly and effectively is a nice recipe for your attacker grabbing it and shooting you with it instead of the other way around. As a gun-owner, I do not recommend ANYONE pickup a firearm without proper training in gun maintenance, usage, storage, safety, and the law. If you pull a gun on someone, you had better be able and willing to use it with lethal force.
Also, anyone considering carrying a firearm should know the laws in your state about concealed weapons. Carrying a firearm onto a state or county park is a felony in many states as is carrying one within certain distance of government buildings, public schools, etc. which may lie along your running trail. Carrying them into the national parks without a permit is also a felony. 20 national parks do not allow loaded firearms at all (also a felony if you get caught). Nearly every state also requires you to have a concealed weapons permit to carry a firearm underneath in a non-visible way. These permits require you to complete classes in proper gun safety and the laws in your state.
For those of you who don't want to take the time to learn how to properly use a firearm, take a self-defense class instead and carry pepper spray.
I'm all for women (and men too) being prepared to defend themselves, but just don't be stupid about it and do something that could cost you your freedom, enormous amounts of money, or your life.
EDIT: Wikipedia has an outstanding articles about current gun laws by state for those of you who are interested in reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_the_United_States_(by_state)0 -
I'm glad you brought this up - it really is a good topic. The last thing you want while trying to live a long and healthy life is for it to be cut short while you're doing so!! Deterrance is always good, so even something like a whistle or pepper spray to keep the guy away works 95% of the time. Someone else said it but I have a couple big dogs and I'm usually out running/walking with them... they generaly keep people away - friendly people too! :P But I may also start carrying a knife or some type of spray. Thanks again!0
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You people are scary. I'm glad it's illegal to carry guns, knives (as weapons) and pepper spray here.
Wow! Thanks for being judgmental against people who simply want to never be victims. I'm sorry your country denies your the simple right of owning a weapon and being allowed to protect yourself against bad guys. I wish you all the best.
Not so much judgmental as cultural differences - something that seems like the norm in some parts of the world is gobsmacking in other parts. It's what makes international forums interesting!
I'm getting used to these weapons conversations on MFP now but it is still amazing to me that regular people talk so casually about carrying weapons for self protection, that is just not heard of where I live.
This isn't a criticism, just an observation and request for understanding that what seems normal to some of you is simply astounding to many of us.0 -
Moving is always an option. There is always something you can do, you might not want to do it and it might be hard, but you can always pick up your stuff and move.
And no, the original post was about bringing protection along with you, not about safety. The post isn't about wearing bright reflective clothing, carrying pepper spray (mace is illegal FYI mostly), having a phone on you, running with your dogs, being aware of your surroundings...it was solely about bringing a weapon with you.
I'm not a gun advocate, and I'm not naive. And I don't appreciate those implications at all. I run a lot, I'm smart and when it's dark I run in well-lit areas with no music and look over my shoulder often. I just don't believe in guns. I'm a realist, but I don't believe that I (or anyone else) should have to carry a gun. And as a somewhat serious runner, I would not be running in an area where I felt that unsafe. I would rather run on a treadmill, drive 30 minutes to a safe area or not run at all.
Really moving is always an option? How much money do you make that you can go around buying a new house when you feel the need.
As far as looking over you shoulder, try being pulled into a car with a bunch of young teens beat the crap out of and then raped, all the while running in a place you fill safe. Look over you shoulder all you want it wont stop that from happening, trust me I know.
People are abducted, killed and raped in places they feel safe all the time.
As far as the OP original statement I believe she is trying to make people aware of things around them and to be safe and to protect them selves in a safe manner that are aware and trained in.0 -
Moving is always an option. There is always something you can do, you might not want to do it and it might be hard, but you can always pick up your stuff and move.
And no, the original post was about bringing protection along with you, not about safety. The post isn't about wearing bright reflective clothing, carrying pepper spray (mace is illegal FYI mostly), having a phone on you, running with your dogs, being aware of your surroundings...it was solely about bringing a weapon with you.
I'm not a gun advocate, and I'm not naive. And I don't appreciate those implications at all. I run a lot, I'm smart and when it's dark I run in well-lit areas with no music and look over my shoulder often. I just don't believe in guns. I'm a realist, but I don't believe that I (or anyone else) should have to carry a gun. And as a somewhat serious runner, I would not be running in an area where I felt that unsafe. I would rather run on a treadmill, drive 30 minutes to a safe area or not run at all.
Really moving is always an option? How much money do you make that you can go around buying a new house when you feel the need.
As far as looking over you shoulder, try being pulled into a car with a bunch of young teens beat the crap out of and then raped, all the while running in a place you feel safe. Look over you shoulder all you want it wont stop that from happening, trust me I know.
People are abducted, killed and raped in places they feel safe all the time.
As far as the OP original statement I believe she is trying to make people aware of things around them and to be safe and to protect them selves in a safe manner that are aware and trained in.0 -
I'm not a fan of guns period --- but I do carry a mace/noise thingie.
Another great thing is to get a RoadID --- unless you carry your wallet with all your other stuff.
You never know when you're going to faint, trip, get hit by a car. I always wear my RoadID too.
I personally would not want to walk or run around my neighborhood if I knew everyone was packing a gun. Yuck. That's why I go to a gym where they are banned.
Respectfully, do you really think criminals care about guns being banned anywhere? Just so you know, you probably pass lots of people every day who carry guns concealed. You need not worry about the law-abiding citizen who carries a gun, you need to worry about the guy who has no regard for the law or you. Be safe, be alert.
You also need to worry about the dumbass who gets road rage or pissed off if you cut in front of their bike when they had a bad day. People are scary. I've actually seen someone get out of their car in a traffic jam and walk up and smash someones window. Law abiding citizens who know how to use guns are just as likely to rage and someone without one.0 -
Oh, and to all those who think they are safe because "weapons" are illegal where you live: all that means is that only the criminals are armed. If some scumbag is out looking to rape you and cut your throat, he sure as hell doesn't give a damn about the illegal knife he's carrying.
we never said we were more safe, just not every country has the same mindset the usa has on weapons. so for us to choose alterier protection is much more common sence then to strap a gun to our thy, knowing i live in the middle of know where in a town of 7000 people im pretty happy with the protection i have0 -
That doesn't happen though. CCW permit holders are - by definition - one of the most law-abiding groups of people. If they weren't they couldn't qualify for the permit. Statistic prove that it is extraordinarily rare that a CCW permit is revoked for cause.I'm not a fan of guns period --- but I do carry a mace/noise thingie.
Another great thing is to get a RoadID --- unless you carry your wallet with all your other stuff.
You never know when you're going to faint, trip, get hit by a car. I always wear my RoadID too.
I personally would not want to walk or run around my neighborhood if I knew everyone was packing a gun. Yuck. That's why I go to a gym where they are banned.
Respectfully, do you really think criminals care about guns being banned anywhere? Just so you know, you probably pass lots of people every day who carry guns concealed. You need not worry about the law-abiding citizen who carries a gun, you need to worry about the guy who has no regard for the law or you. Be safe, be alert.
You also need to worry about the dumbass who gets road rage or pissed off if you cut in front of their bike when they had a bad day. People are scary. I've actually seen someone get out of their car in a traffic jam and walk up and smash someones window. Law abiding citizens who know how to use guns are just as likely to rage and someone without one.
I did my Bachelor's thesis on this subject, and I could bore you all to death with statistics, but I don't think this is the venue for that. You can either trust me, or look up the info yourself if you care enough. It's all out there. Start with googling John Lott if you're interested.0 -
I live in a state with bears, moutain lions and other large wild game so I often carry my bear spray. I have an awesome small can that fits and straps around my hand. I have not heard of anyone being attacked while running/walking the trails here but I did hear about a gal being attacked while camping with her two small children. She used the only thing nearby to protect herself and her children...wasp spray. It didn't cause long-term damage but the man said he'd never attempt an assault again during his court hearing. The point is that people must learn to protect themselves no matter by what means. So for people to say you're attempting to promote others in carrying guns/weapons, I'd have to say I have children that I would like to go home to after I jog so by all means carry whatever you feel confident using as long as it is legal and safely done.0
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I'm not a fan of guns period --- but I do carry a mace/noise thingie.
Another great thing is to get a RoadID --- unless you carry your wallet with all your other stuff.
You never know when you're going to faint, trip, get hit by a car. I always wear my RoadID too.
I personally would not want to walk or run around my neighborhood if I knew everyone was packing a gun. Yuck. That's why I go to a gym where they are banned.
Respectfully, do you really think criminals care about guns being banned anywhere? Just so you know, you probably pass lots of people every day who carry guns concealed. You need not worry about the law-abiding citizen who carries a gun, you need to worry about the guy who has no regard for the law or you. Be safe, be alert.
You also need to worry about the dumbass who gets road rage or pissed off if you cut in front of their bike when they had a bad day. People are scary. I've actually seen someone get out of their car in a traffic jam and walk up and smash someones window. Law abiding citizens who know how to use guns are just as likely to rage and someone without one.
If he used his weapon illegally, or committed an act of violence, then he is no longer defined as a "law-abiding citizen", he then becomes the "bad guy". Law-abiding citizens are not the ones you need to worry about.0 -
I could point you to all kinds of research that proves an armed populace is safer than an unarmed one - even for those who choose not to be armed. The majority of US has had ever-increasing levels of freedom for self-defense and concealed carry permits for the last 20 years and violent crime has gone down apace. At the same time, US states which have resisted the trend to allow legal citizens to arm themselves have seen crime increase. The UK and Australia also saw upsurges in violence when they disarmed law-abiding citizens. Occupied-home invasions are almost unknown here because criminals don't want to get shot either.
Could you post some of your links to this research? Causation based, not correlation, please.0 -
I think most people are missing the point that carrying a gun or other weapon is not going to be an option for most of us, though. Personally, I would never carry something that could be used against me. Guns, knives, batons, even pepper spray. If I'm attacked, I'm not expecting it obviously, but the attacker is. How easy is it to get a weapon from the hands of someone who's shocked, scared and surprised?
There are so many ways to greatly lessen the likelihood of attacks:
Run with a partner.
Run during daylight if at all possible.
At night, run only in well-lit, populated areas.
Vary your routine and path from day to day.
Take your mobile with you.
Carry a rape horn or whistle.
Let someone else know when you are leaving and when you should be back.
Stay aware of your surroundings and don't wear headphones that drown out surrounding noise.
Don't be afraid to make noise if you feel someone is a threat. Don't worry about embarrassing yourself or the other person if there are doubts--it's way better to be embarrassed than to end up attacked. If someone starts approaching you and you don't feel safe in any way, start shouting stuff like, "Stay away from me. Stop it! Get away!" Basically anything to draw attention to the situation.
If for some horrible reason you are attacked, the best defense is to scream like a banshee. Scream your head off. Kick and punch like a mofo and AS SOON as you can, run like hell to get away. I've taken self-defense courses and this is the basis, really. It's about saving your own life and getting somewhere safe, not making the other person pay.
Honestly, if I were as nervous and scared about running outside as some on this thread, I would invest in a gym or a treadmill. A treadmill costs about as much as a gun. I don't think the stress of working out outside in fear would be worth it to me. But, to each his own.
I can't really judge other people who choose to carry guns or other weapons, I just wouldn't do that. And yes, I'm saying that as someone who has been violently attacked in the past, so please don't try to tell me that my view would change. Nothing's going to prevent every possible attack; I just think non-weapon ways of lessening the chances are a safer option.0 -
You have to consider correlation because there can be no control in social sciences historical statics. I can show you that CCW permits have gone up and that violent crime rates have gone down, but I can't prove that the permits caused crime to go down because we can't go back in time and know what would have happened without the increased CCW permits. The best I can do, rigorously, is prove that crime does NOT go up as weapons ownership and concealed carry increased as the naysayers often predict. There is also the fact that states like California and New York which have not relaxed their gun laws have not enjoyed as much decrease in crime as states like Florida which pioneered the current round of shall-issue permit laws.
I could point you to all kinds of research that proves an armed populace is safer than an unarmed one - even for those who choose not to be armed. The majority of US has had ever-increasing levels of freedom for self-defense and concealed carry permits for the last 20 years and violent crime has gone down apace. At the same time, US states which have resisted the trend to allow legal citizens to arm themselves have seen crime increase. The UK and Australia also saw upsurges in violence when they disarmed law-abiding citizens. Occupied-home invasions are almost unknown here because criminals don't want to get shot either.
Could you post some of your links to this research? Causation based, not correlation, please.
It's been about 5 years since my thesis, so I don't have a bunch of links handy. Forgive my posting wikipedia and the lack of primary sources, but you can start here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_Guns,_Less_Crime
http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?id=206&issue=007
http://www.nraila.org/issues/factsheets/read.aspx?ID=780 -
Honestly, if I were as nervous and scared about running outside as some on this thread, I would invest in a gym or a treadmill. A treadmill costs about as much as a gun. I don't think the stress of working out outside in fear would be worth it to me. But, to each his own.
I was totally behind you with this response until you mentioned that people who choose to plan ahead or carry a weapon are living in fear. That is the biggest bull**** "anti-gun" argument out there. I carry a spare tire in my truck, not because live in fear of getting a flat tire, but so I DON'T have a to fear getting a flat tire. Being prepared helps remove the fears. Altering your life to the point you avoid certain areas or run while looking over your shoulder is living in fear.
Again, your brain is the best defense against being a victim. Stop badgering people who choose to use several means of protection. If you don't like it, don't worry about it. I'm no threat to you if I carry a gun.0 -
I didn't take mer's comment that way. I think it's easy to be defensive about this, though, because we so often hear the guns=fear comment. The problem is the very significant disconnect in the mindset of the two sides of this issue. We see carrying a gun like carrying a flashlight or a spare tire. It's just another tool with a particular use that you keep around in case you need it. Many people, though, see guns as a "nuclear option" a VERY big deal with a lot of emotional baggage attached. IME, it's usually people without much (if any) experience with guns who have that viewpoint. It's hard to talk across that big a gap in perceptions.
I was totally behind you with this response until you mentioned that people who choose to plan ahead or carry a weapon are "living in fear". That is the biggest bull**** "anti-gun" argument out there. I carry a spare tire in my truck, not because live in fear of getting a flat tire, but so I DON'T have a to fear getting a flat tire. Being prepared helps remove the fears. Altering your life to the point you avoid certain areas or run while looking over your shoulder is living in fear.
Again, your brain is the best defense against being a victim. Stop badgering people who choose to use several means of protection. If you don't like it, don't worry about it. I'm no threat to you if I carry a gun.0 -
One more comment on the fear angle, then I'm going to bed...
Several people have said things about avoiding places where they thought they might be in danger. No kidding! We do that, too. Just because you choose to carry a weapon doesn't mean you go wading into trouble like Wyatt Earp. It means you are prepared to increase your options if the worst happens and all your other plans fail you. It gives you another choice if somebody attempts to victimize you other than hide/flee/plea.
I carried every day for many years, but I had let my permit lapse for the last several years because I currently live in a very safe place and because my wife, frankly, wasn't crazy about the idea. An incident at the Wisconsin state fair this summer changed my mind and caused me to renew my permit and begin carrying again. Several dozen people - regular families with kids - were attacked and beaten while leaving the fair by flash-mob type gangs of kids. People were getting pulled out of cars, knocked down, beaten, robbed for no predictable reason. These folks were just finishing their day at the fair in a safe neighborhood, in a safe city, in a well-lit public place with security and police all around. (The mob was large enough to overwhelm security.) Nobody could have predicted what happened, and nobody was prepared for it. That incident reminded me that sometimes bad things happen to good people no matter what they do or what common-sense preparations they take to avoid them. Would I have shot in that situation? No, probably not, as I don't think it would have been necessary. Random teens beating up people for fun aren't going to choose the guy escorting his family to their car with a gun drawn and a laser site sweeping around. They're going to go for obviously defenseless targets.0 -
I was totally behind you with this response until you mentioned that people who choose to plan ahead or carry a weapon are living in fear. That is the biggest bull**** "anti-gun" argument out there. I carry a spare tire in my truck, not because live in fear of getting a flat tire, but so I DON'T have a to fear getting a flat tire. Being prepared helps remove the fears. Altering your life to the point you avoid certain areas or run while looking over your shoulder is living in fear.
Again, your brain is the best defense against being a victim. Stop badgering people who choose to use several means of protection. If you don't like it, don't worry about it. I'm no threat to you if I carry a gun.
Wow. Okay.
If I came off as badgering I apologize. That was certainly not my intention. I totally agree that being prepared helps remove the fear of something, but I think there's quite a difference between a spare tire and a handgun. I think we probably just disagree over what "fear" means. Obviously, fear is very different from person to person. For me (and this is just me), when I choose to run during the day versus at night, that's being cautious, not fearful. But for another person, being cautious could very well mean carrying a gun.
I also think that this issue varies greatly from men to women. Although obviously there are women here who are very confident with firearms, I'm not one of them. Fact is, women are the ones most likely to be attacked, and those attackers are most likely to be men. Size and strength already put me at a disadvantage. Since I'm not comfortable with a gun, add on to that the surprise of an attack, and it's going to be pretty easy for someone to take a gun from me and use it against me. That's just how it is. My view as a female runner is going to be different from one's view as a male runner.
And this may surprise you, but I'm not anti-gun. I actually own three guns (a pistol and two rifles). I've taken a firearm & hunter safety courses, a self defense course specifically for women with firearms, and have been to the shooting range many times. I still don't feel comfortable with a gun. That's just me. So I make the choice to protect myself through non-weapon ways, like I listed before. Every person has the right to feel safe and secure, and if you live in America and carrying a gun gives you that feeling, than that is your right. I have no beef with that.
My post was just to provide some non-weapon safety options for women who are like me. People should always be concerned about safety, and I just wanted to put out there some other safety options that don't involve guns.0 -
You have to consider correlation because there can be no control in social sciences historical statics. I can show you that CCW permits have gone up and that violent crime rates have gone down, but I can't prove that the permits caused crime to go down because we can't go back in time and know what would have happened without the increased CCW permits. The best I can do, rigorously, is prove that crime does NOT go up as weapons ownership and concealed carry increased as the naysayers often predict. There is also the fact that states like California and New York which have not relaxed their gun laws have not enjoyed as much decrease in crime as states like Florida which pioneered the current round of shall-issue permit laws.
It's been about 5 years since my thesis, so I don't have a bunch of links handy. Forgive my posting wikipedia and the lack of primary sources, but you can start here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_Guns,_Less_Crime
http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?id=206&issue=007
http://www.nraila.org/issues/factsheets/read.aspx?ID=78
Thanks for these; I will check them out.
I know there are many theories floating about as to why crime has decreased in the US since the 1970s, and CCW permits may very well be one of them. But difficult to prove, as you said. I wonder if any researchers have tried to specifically control for all variables except gun ownership? I will have to do some research! It's an interesting (and controversial!) topic.0 -
By the way it's supposed to say "in your neighborhood" but I ran out of room...
:noway: ***DISCLAIMER***!!!!!!! :noway:
PLEASE!!! If you are one of those people who feel so confident enough to w/j/r (walk/jog/run) in your neighborhood or around where you live WITHOUT any sort of personal protection, DO NOT POST SO HERE. It's not because I don't want to hear your side of the story, or I'm a big meany booger head. It's because whether you believe it or not, there's predators who could have access to these boards and could seek out those of us who are unprepared to defend ourselves. SO FOR YOUR SAFETY, if your comment would be along those lines, feel free to keep it to yourself.
Now...
With that being said, I am a firm believer in protection and self-defense. I have studied self-defense and I have used it in at least one situation. (He ended up with a broken nose and two black eyes.) When I go w/j/r, I generally have 1 to 3 weapons on me at any given time. My favorite is my trusty 26" ASP (for... ahem... "whacking away at loose dogs" - something my cop husband has drilled into my head in case another cop should see me and question me for carrying something... questionable) and I have two knives as backups. I don't always have all 3, but at least 2 keep me comfortable. I have also been told I am getting something for Christmas that comes in a small package and makes loud pops, yay for me!
The point of this is: if you are going to be putting yourself out there, regardless of the time of day, you need to have some sense of self-preservation and bring along a friend who whacks, zaps, cuts, and/or bangs and you need to have the proper training and certification/licensing to carry those friends. I'm not preaching, but I just read an article about a guy charged with 15 murders who lived 5 miles from my neighborhood. Linkage: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Security-guard-called-predator-charged-in-2227974.php
I wanted to put this thread out there not only as a warning to those who might be naive enough to go without, but also to get ideas and input from others about defense items we love or love to hate. I'm just soooooooo looking forward to my Christmas present.
Happy cardio-ing.
Im like super happy that u have touched on this subject.... i too carry all kinds of stuff .. like rat tail combs and things of that nature... but ur so right when u say that u must be safe while trying to get fit... im with u all the way on this one sis....0 -
Interesting topic. Bumping to read later.0
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By the way it's supposed to say "in your neighborhood" but I ran out of room...
:noway: ***DISCLAIMER***!!!!!!! :noway:
PLEASE!!! If you are one of those people who feel so confident enough to w/j/r (walk/jog/run) in your neighborhood or around where you live WITHOUT any sort of personal protection, DO NOT POST SO HERE. It's not because I don't want to hear your side of the story, or I'm a big meany booger head. It's because whether you believe it or not, there's predators who could have access to these boards and could seek out those of us who are unprepared to defend ourselves. SO FOR YOUR SAFETY, if your comment would be along those lines, feel free to keep it to yourself.
Now...
With that being said, I am a firm believer in protection and self-defense. I have studied self-defense and I have used it in at least one situation. (He ended up with a broken nose and two black eyes.) When I go w/j/r, I generally have 1 to 3 weapons on me at any given time. My favorite is my trusty 26" ASP (for... ahem... "whacking away at loose dogs" - something my cop husband has drilled into my head in case another cop should see me and question me for carrying something... questionable) and I have two knives as backups. I don't always have all 3, but at least 2 keep me comfortable. I have also been told I am getting something for Christmas that comes in a small package and makes loud pops, yay for me!
The point of this is: if you are going to be putting yourself out there, regardless of the time of day, you need to have some sense of self-preservation and bring along a friend who whacks, zaps, cuts, and/or bangs and you need to have the proper training and certification/licensing to carry those friends. I'm not preaching, but I just read an article about a guy charged with 15 murders who lived 5 miles from my neighborhood. Linkage: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Security-guard-called-predator-charged-in-2227974.php
I wanted to put this thread out there not only as a warning to those who might be naive enough to go without, but also to get ideas and input from others about defense items we love or love to hate. I'm just soooooooo looking forward to my Christmas present.
Happy cardio-ing.
I think this is a rather serious topic and one that should be addressed, but I'd like to see more non-weapon choices posted on here. I understand that you don't want people who carry no protection to post here, but what about those that aren't legally allowed to carry anything? This is an international forum and there are plenty of people on here who live in countries where even a small knife is illegal to carry.
The only protection I carry is my key, but I try to follow advice like what mer posted. Unfortunately, I have to run at night because sunset is 4:30pm here! I feel rather safe running outside, otherwise I would join a gym, but I don't think it hurts to be prepared because you really do just never know.
Does anyone have any advice above and beyond what mer said?
The only thing I could think to add was to steer clear of anywhere someone might be hiding. I run in the middle of the street unless there is a car coming, so that if anyone does try to lunge for me, I have time to see them coming.0 -
I go out on my own through downtown San Jose Costa Rica without any weapons, although they are very easy to get except for guns there. I have been given *kitten* for walking alone at night. I am very aware of my surroundings when I am out, especially if I am not familiar with the neighborhood. I would never consider going for a run armed to the teeth.0
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I know that this reply is a bit late, but my friend just showed me the topic. (noob to mfp, sorry!)
Personally, I'm ok with using whatever means necessary to make sure I get home to my family every night. Yes, I run with several backups with me. I jog with my son in a stroller, so it's super easy to carry my anti-dog mace (roaming dogs in the neighborhood have attacked before), my phone, and my last resort weapon. Due to unsavory neighbor activity, I feel that is necessary.
However, the very first class I took for self-defense is more of a self-preservation class. They teach women (sorry, guys) how to get away. I took it during college, and it was the best class I have ever taken.
http://www.rad-systems.com/
It's a class that teaches you how to get away from the creepers. They do use a coup baton (small hitting stick - no more than 8-12 inches long) but that is the ONLY weapon that they teach you to use. Makes a great key chain, too. I highly recommend it to all women out there. It's most often taught by the local police department, but the website has a class locator.
Take the class!! 0 -
I'm a big, rather imposing-looking guy. I've travelled through some of the more dangerous parts of the world and gotten through alright. I learned at a young age to try not to stand out, to not wear things that make me look like a target, and to keep alert in dangerous situations. I'm also trained in a number of different martial arts.
I carry a sun tetsu with me just about everywhere I go. It's a samurai version of brass knuckles that looks a lot like a pen with a hoop attached to it. I can carry it with me with my luggage without concern and it won't get confiscated if I get patted down going into a club. You can also do some pretty nasty damage with it if you're trained to use it.
That being said, I understand the potential consequences of what I'm doing. If someone tries to mug me with a knife, I can defend myself pretty well with a sun tetsu, I'd put my chances at probably 75/25. If they've got a gun I have pretty fast hands, I figure I have about a 50/50 shot of disarming them before they shoot me. Problem is, if they have friends, my chances of survival drop drastically. At the end of the day, I have to determine if it's worth it to me because I know what's at stake. That's not even taking into account the fact that if some young punk tries to mug me and I maim or kill him in the process of defending myself, I could potentially face jail time depending on how things go in court.
Would I recommend that someone carry a weapon on them? It depends on the person. I can emphatically say though that I STRONGLY recommend that anyone planning to carry weapons carefully consider the possible consequences of doing so. That way if and when something happens, they've already thought things through and have made a decision with a clear head rather than in the heat of the moment.0
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