This is squarely false. Gang initiation violence is one big player wherein 1) the motive is not robbery and 2) carrying a weapon for self defense can save you a trip to the ER.

[QUOTE=myrridin;14699376]It also reduces your options. [QUOTE]

So the net effect here is that is has...no effect at all? So much of this entire thread is making very little sense.

[QUOTE=jfowler85;14703065][QUOTE=myrridin;14699376]It also reduces your options.
Nope, not what was said. Carrying adds options, while at the same time it removes other options. In general its benefits outweighs the negatives. For instance, one of the options it removes it the ability to act provoctively without reducing one's ability to defend oneself if nescessary...

Someone, not carrying, can let their testosterone talk for them. Someone who is carrying, is required to avoid such if they want to avoid loss of freedom or property.

Gang shootouts are places where you're better off running as far away as possible, than interfering and drawing a gun. No gang member will shoot you, a petty bystander, for no reason. Only accidentaly (and guns can't stop other bullets).

My decidion for now is not to carry. Especially not on a bicycle. I won't kill anyone while over reacting in fear. I also won't be able to shoot if someone tries to shoot/stab/beat me to death. But I don't see the latter case likely from the way I live, where I go and what I do. Not really.

Interesting thing: I've played amateur football with some cops. None of them carry off duty. Zero. Makes one think...

And yet the inner cities (where gangs predominate) in the U.S. are routinely subject to bystanders who were accidentally shot. And of course there are those gangs that require their members to commit murders of innocent bystanders for initiation or promotion.

And of course the most relevant are those innocents whose only crime is to try to make their neighborhoods better by identifying the criminals when asked by police...

P.S. In many jurisdictions in the U.S. police are required to be armed, even when off duty...

And it's turned into a pro/con gun debate, which belongs in P&R.

This thread is now closed.