Originally Posted by EvilV
... This is a thread more about urban paranoia than bikes, and is more than a little out of the normal character of the forum.
"Urban paranoia" is discussed all the time in the Commuting subforum.
As for guns, those who wanted to steal the bike would find it much easier to shoot the rider down than would the rider to return their fire. I'm not sure a small wheeled bicycle makes a terribly stable fire platform.
During a disaster, esp. something like Katrina, I did not perceive a folding bike would have been that useful. And here in earthquake country, I can see one being moderately useful provided the roads are not somehow trashed and thrashed with potholes and debris.
As to the gun thing, even if one were to witness a bike jacking and a beating as Wav claimed, I also note he did not indicate he did anything about it either. Would a gun have made a difference? Well, if the guy stopped beating the kid, and came after him calling his bluff, it would seem - apart from "good looks and boyish charm" - he'd only have two options: shoot or run. Maybe a warning shot would stop the guy. Then again, maybe not. In any case, I wouldn't use my folding bike as a shooting platform either. Might scratch the powdercoat.