Do you carry protection when running?

If I lived in the US, or any of the rougher parts of the UK, I'd undoubtedly carry something that was purely defensive.

Question: do you think that the entire US is dangerous?

Due to the larger wild animals and to relaxed firearms laws, yes. I wouldn't feel safe, personally.

Re animals - Size doesn't matter that much? Some of the most deadly animals in the world are about the size of a quarter (spiders). Animals are also generally fearful of humans, so the biggest danger most often comes from a large one deciding to walk into oncoming traffic and causing an accident. For the rest of the time, it's about not being stupid - if you know where the den is, don't go near it; don't leave out food (and if there is food around and they've found it, don't get between it and them); etc. (And yes, I lived in an area where black bears raided trash cans like raccoons if you left food scraps in them.)

As for the gun law thing, laws don't matter to people looking to do harm to others. There are also laws against assault, rape, and murder, as well as from carrying weapons onto school grounds and other "posted" areas. If those laws were actually useful in protecting people, there wouldn't be school shootings, assaults, murders, or rapes to begin with.

Additionally, here's an interesting article on the violent crime rates of the US vs the UK - http://wheelgun.blogspot.com/2007/01/crime-in-uk-versus-crime-in-us.html . In a nutshell, London has more violent crimes than New York City. Also, of note, violent crimes have been dropping across the board in the US since the late 90s, and gun laws, overall, haven't really changed (in fact, on the federal level, the "assualt rifles ban" expired a few years ago).

Regardless of the popularity of John Wayne and Chuck Norris in American culture, the United States is not some Wild West where everyone carries guns and settles disputes with 20 paces at high noon. We actually are a civilized society over here.

Another person who's read into what I've said in the completely wrong way, assumed I'm stereotyping based on Wild West movies and ignored what I've actually said.

Being in the UK and not in a neighbourhood common for dog-walking, or in a city with rabid foxes, I'm not at risk from ANY wild animals - except maybe a stray deer. My point is that if I lived in an area WITH large wild animals, things I could defend myself against if they came at me, I would aim to.

Additionally, as everyone seems to have ignored, I did say 'or in a rougher part of the UK'. I'm not saying 'OMG everyone kills everyone else in America, and the UK is totally safe!!!'.

Always bring a condom! LOL. Actually, I run with my (big) dogs, so they are my protection!

Given that your stated fear of the US is on our lax gun laws and wild animals, and that you also stated that you meant that the entire country is more dangerous than some of the safer parts of the UK, it's kind of hard to read it any other way than "I've seen on the TV that the US has wolves and cougers and bears, so that must be how the entire country is and everyone's in daily peril for their lives for one reason or another." The John Wayne reference was in regard to the fact that the media likes to misrepresent a lot of things and that people (yes, even other Americans) seem to think that such fiction is actually what the more gun-toting areas are like. Ironically, one of the country's most dangerous cities (DC) is a gun-free zone.

I got stopped by some unsavoury types once, and pretended to be a COMPLETE and UTTER psychopath...it scared the living bejeeezus out of them. I am looking forward to doing that again, but equally, hope I never have to.