*Serious subject* - Protection while walk/jog/running in you

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.

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 sorry

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.

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!

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.

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'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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.