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I have a combination flashlight/stun-gun that I carry if I'm out alone after dark. I can carry it in my hand in ready position without raising suspicion since it looks, and works, like an ordinary LED flashlight, and a simple push of a button delivers thousands of volts. I have a concealed carry permit, but it's not always practical to be "packing". One thing a lot of people keep handy (as in...on their nightstand) is wasp/hornet spray. It's cheaper than bear spray, it comes in a big can, and is very cheap. It shoots a spray up to 20" feet with pretty good accuracy and will blind your attacker for a good long while, maybe permanently. It's a bit clunky to carry around a big can of wasp spray, so the stun-gun or a pocket pepper spray might be more your speed.
One tip I got from a security expert (Gavin De Becker...read his book "The Gift of Fear"), who spoke to us at work, was to carry a cheap wallet or a money clip with a few ones and a ten or twenty on the outside. If you are accosted by a robber, show them the money/wallet, throw it away from you, and when they go for it, RUN the other way and towards a lighted, populated area. The best advice is to never let "manners" or being polite trump your natural instincts. If a situation FEELS hinky, get out of there and forget about being polite or "nice".
The Gift of Fear is pretty good. I also strongly recommend "Facing Violence, Preparing for The Unexpected," by Rory Miller. The latter book gives an excellent breakdown of the types of people and situations that could lead to trouble, and gives advice on how best to respond to each.
One tip I got from a security expert (Gavin De Becker...read his book "The Gift of Fear"), who spoke to us at work, was to carry a cheap wallet or a money clip with a few ones and a ten or twenty on the outside. If you are accosted by a robber, show them the money/wallet, throw it away from you, and when they go for it, RUN the other way and towards a lighted, populated area.
Growing up in NYC, I learned to carry my cash loose, separately from my wallet with credit cards and id's. The idea is to throw and scatter the bills and coins on the ground before you run. I still carry my cash that way.
Why wouldn't you have it? I can't think of anyplace where you'd likely need it more than a bar. Technically people are only supposed to open carry in bars here, but I've never heard of any problems. When you carry concealed no one knows but you.
Coming out of a gym? Who goes to gyms? I know the answer: the brainless, to exercise in front of glass windows. They're good candidates for Darwin Awards.
Legally, one isn't allowed to drink and carry. So, most of law abiding citizens would leave their firearms home when they venture into a bar. Besides, even brandishing a firearm in a bar after consuming a beer would very likely put you behind bars. Chances would be that one might be better off fighting (and losing a fight) with his bare hands, rather than avoiding the fight by brandishing a firearm (not mentioning even firing a shot).
There are plenty of places where you aren't legally allowed to carry. Most people would prefer to leave their firearms away when visiting those places (fortunately or not). That's when a hand-to-hand combat skills could be of help.
I spent the last 35 years among Hells Angels, Outlaws and Bikers, with them I have no problems, its the scum living in welfare housing that are unpredictable I have to watch out for, not many around here thankfully but there is one family recently moved into the area I am keeping my eyes on!!!
A judo self defense class will help you with assessment for example checking the back seat of your car before getting in and show you moves to get out of common holds like stomping on a foot or kicking a knee backwards as hard as you can, gouging eyes so you don't feel completely helpless if entrapped.
I like the wasp spray for multiple attackers as you can hit several of them at a distance but it's not always feasible to carry. They do make an air horn that will fit in a pocket that puts out the same blast of sound as a boat air horn does, sort of a mini boat horn, that could startle an attacker and alert others. There are phone apps that simulate police sirens. Not sure if they would stop the determined.
Thanks. I think pepper spray is the best bet for me - for one it's legal in California where I live.
The only legal tasers here are the handheld ones, not the ones that shoot out wires. The crackling noise might scare some people away, but having to physically touch it to the attacker sort of defeats the purpose for me.
We have tough gun laws, but I'm also not comfortable with the additional training and responsibility.
I consider the use of a gun as the last resort. I am an older guy and I have been around firearms all my life. I have never had to fire a weapon but in a few situations I have shown a would be attacker that I had one and was willing to use it. The result was always their retreat.
I am not much of an obvious physical threat to anyone now because I need a cane to walk and I couldn't run away from a fight in any circumstance. In the past ten years several young punks have mistaken me for easy prey. They got a quick education is just how much damage a cane can inflict when used as a weapon. I give old medicine bottles filled with Cayenne Pepper to Women friends of mine for self defense. Two of them have used the Pepper and their husbands think it might have saved them from Rape or worse.
Growing up in NYC, I learned to carry my cash loose, separately from my wallet with credit cards and id's. The idea is to throw and scatter the bills and coins on the ground before you run. I still carry my cash that way.
I tried that in DC. The guy stuck his pistol into my right kidney and pulled the trigger.
Fortunately he had a cheap .32 cal FIE that jammed. He cussed the gun out, then scooped up the money.
I have known people who attract bad things, and I have known people who live their entire lives without it.
For some people, whatever they do, there are gangs, drugs and violence all around them.
Someone else can live in the same city, and they will never see any gangs at all.
As I see it, this is kind of like how some people go from one abusive-relationship to another, over and over. We want to blame the abusers, but how does this person go into a room filled with people and manage to pick the one person that will be abusive to them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by IamReady2Move
... it often helps that people are generally not threatened by my presence. People get relaxed, they are nice to me and are easy to deal with.
I don't drink alcohol and live a boring middle class, middle aged old fogey life. I don't cut people off in traffic and I'm polite to people. Even if I disagree with you, I'd rather hear your point of view than argue. In public, I do what most people do - I watch my surroundings and notice who is around me. In case of conflict, my first thought is how to defuse, deescalate and get out of there.
Clearly you are the type of person who keeps your head down, focuses on what your doing, and you will never draw the bad stuff toward yourself.
Having made it this far through life, middle-aged so I assume 50% of the way through your lifetime journey. I say don't worry about it.
You folks may know Sam Harris, well-known atheist. Did you know he was a gun rights supporter?
What does being an atheist have to do with supporting gun rights?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Happy in Wyoming
Why wouldn't you have it? I can't think of anyplace where you'd likely need it more than a bar. Technically people are only supposed to open carry in bars here, but I've never heard of any problems. When you carry concealed no one knows but you.
I tend to not go to bars where I think I might be likely to need a gun.
I was once contacted about providing security for a particular bar, the owner was insistent that I be armed. When I asked why, he said because I would need it. Nope, don't *need* to get into that situation. I turned down the job.
On another occasion, a fellow I knew invited me to accompany him to a bar (that I was unfamiliar with). At first, I was willing to go...until he said "Make sure you bring your gun, you'll need to have it there." My response was that, if I need to have a gun to go there, then I don't need to be going there.
Booze + rowdy people + guns = trouble I don't need and prefer to avoid if possible.
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Who goes to gyms? 
