Poll: Have you ever carried a weapon for self defense ?

[MrBirdy]

I just carry a knife, ussually when I'm out late or I'm clubbing. I only use it for self-defence though... I don't use to to attack someone... obviously

 

[bazookabob]

I usually carry a four inch butterfly knife with me, but I also live in a college town where I'm forced to walk to and from campus at night for classes.

 

[AdjectiveAnimal]

I carry around a Buck most of the time but that's more because it's a good tool than protection.

 

[LetheanLilith]

before I moved I used to go nightcreeping a lot, and since it's not a great idea for teenage girls to be wandering around on the streets at night I'd typically find something in my basement to carry along. Never really "weapons" since I don't have any (been meaning to buy a rapier but I always spend my savings on video games first), but things like a crowbar or kitchen knife. In january I didn't carry anything since I had my boyfriend, who typically had 4+ different knives on him and spent most of our walks setting various things on fire...

 

[Gooble]

It's insane how many of you consider carrying weapons as a part of routine! I'm not saying don't do it or there's not a need for it, but it's seems crazy that you do feel there's a need for it.

I've never been in a fight, don't really live in a bad area and if I did carry a weapon round with me I'd probably be arrested. This has admittedly changed, but I think in most situations people wouldn't actually want to hurt me, just take my stuff, which I'm happy enough with, I don't often carry much cash with me, I only have a debit card which I'd immediately cancel and my phone, which isn't that valuable.

I would however like to keep a gun at home, just in case of severe emergencies, like rioting/looting/general breakdown of civil order.

 

[arc101]

Carried a sharpened switch blade after a guy in my neighborhood was stabbed to death in plain sight...

 

[Lord George]

A few times when I've got to parties in badish areas but nothing more then a small penknife or a sharpened key just so I could fiststab someone in the face if I needed too. Apart from that I don't carry weapons as I don't need to.

 

[Zombie_Fish]

It's illegal to carry certain weapons on you in public in Britain, so I don't.

 

[Time Travelling Toaster]

Nope I've never been in trouble with anyone that I though I would need a weapon to deal with, and never felt the need to use one. And this is not a bad area as long as you can keep your cool and not snap at people over nothing.

 

[RicoADF]

No, and yes I am an American (shock)

Finally, someone with some sence. Sure a weapon allows you to defend youself, but it can also escalate the issue from a simple runin to a death. I've never had the need or know anyone with the need to carry a weapon. If you do there is obviously something wrong.
Having said that, living in South Sydney (Australia), we don't have people running around with guns, so the danger really isnt there anyway.

 

[Zeke the Freak]

Im usually roaming the streets at night (I find it a nice way to just think and relax) and I usually didnt carry a weapon around until about 6 months ago when I got mugged (they only got my credit card, cell phone and 3 2 liters of coke I just got from the store). now, since I always wear a trench coat any ways, I never go out at night without a machete. Not so much to kill but to scare the living hell outta people.

EDIT: But in home defence I have a 12 gauge shotgun in the safe and one of these- http://budk.com/cold-steel-brooklyn-smasher-/p/31%20CS92BS/c/6116/ - in my bedroom.

 

[S.H.A.R.P.]

I feel sorry for everyone who feels the need to carry weapons around. Either having such a dangerous life would suck, being paranoid would suck, or being a (concealed) psychopath would suck. If you think its cool or whatever, you are a psychopath in my humble opinion. I have never carried around a weapon. I may have consciously put a cigarette lighter in my fist once in a while, but I carry those around anyway and not for that reason.

Violence solves nothing. Except in games.

It't not that our lives are dangerous or we are paranoid but that we looked at the options and decided the option to defend ourselves(though lethal force) is a good thing. Is having a fire extinguisher or first aid kit in your car/boat/motorcycle due to paranoia? After all chances are very slim you will ever need them. Likewise with firearms yeah there is only a one in 1000 chance I'd ever have to use it this year but I want that option. Rather than being at the mercies of a theif/mugger/etc.


That line"violence solves nothing" is fine and dandy sounding but tell that to the couple that was carjacked raped and killed in my town.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Channon_Christian_and_Christopher_Newsom

Yeah the capacity for violence sure wouldn't of helped them. Thank God he(chris) didn't have a gun otherwise who knows what the criminals might have done.

Where I come from, having a fire extinguisher is a healthy precaution, you fight fire by smothering it. Carrying a weapon around with the intent to kill somebody, even if it is for self defence, is fighting fire with fire. I do not consider killing a good thing. Yes I do think there are some exceptions. But I hate it to hurt a fellow human being, let alone take a human live myself, regardless of the misdeeds that person has done (perhaps some extreme exceptions here too).

While you say it is not because of living a dangerous life, I think it actually is. You once made the choice, where for some reason you looked at the option to defend yourself through with lethal force if necessary, as you said. Something prompted you to make that action. That something, and there is no shame in it, is fear.
Perhaps if I was somehow forced to make the same decision, I would come to the same conclusion as you. But I am twenty-two now, and have already made up a good deal of my own personality. I don't think that I will ever make the same choice as you.

But we live in two different worlds, with a different history and culture. I took a quick look at crime rates in our cities (Knoxville, Tennessee, about 180.000 inhabitants; The Hague (the Netherlands), about 475.000 inhabitants). In your town, 9.9 murders, and 1250 burglaries per 100.000 people. In my place there were 4.2 murders, and 775 burglaries per 100.000 people. This is a pretty significant difference of course. I'm not sure we can compare our situations, because statistically you have about two times more right to be afraid than me.

 

[RicoADF]

interesting, could you tell me South Sydney's crime rate?

 

[El Poncho]

I don't carry any weapons when I go out I guess I put to much faith in the community not to try attack me with weapons.

 

[Zeke the Freak]

I dont see why every one's so squimish about hurting a man that just tried to rob/kill you. He decided that he wasnt so nervous to threaten/attack you, he isnt inoccent. The filth that dwells in ally ways just to harm another human being and take their things because they're too god damn lazy to work for their own doesnt deserve any ones pity. They're just pollutents in the gene pool that needs so badly to be cleansed. If another guy trys to rob/attack me, sees my weapon and still decides to proceed, I will take NO mercy on the pathetic excuse for a human. For he made the choice to put his life in danger to cause harm, and thus I will validate that danger.

EDIT: though I will try my best not to kill the guy. I'm not that heartless.

 

[Nukey]

once and a while i will carry around a pocket knife or a spray can of deodorant, once i carried a katana but that was at a yard sale because i didn't want anything stolen

is that more of a threat kind of thing or if some one took something you would literally slaughter them with a katana?

more of threat, and a conversation starter.

 

[hungoverbear]

I have the ability to control pigeons with my mind... so let me ask you this, Do YOU think I need anything else?
Why are there the same amount of votes for "Always" as "Never"? Whats that about? Some seriously paranoid people out there, I mean the only thing you are ever going to need those weapons for will be other people like yourself attacking you... or maybe a dragon, but they dont exist so stop being ridiculous.

It's always for me because it's just a habit. I put on pants every day without thinking about it and it isn't because I'm paranoid about people seeing my Superman boxer shorts. I don't even think about it, I put on pants, shirt, IWB holster, SpringfieldXD, slip the knife sheath for the SEAL knife on my belt under my shirt, hand the HideAway knife around my neck then head out the door.

As I said above, which is the philosophy held by the vast majority of martialists, it isn't because we go out afraid of the world or expecting trouble, it's there in the off-chance something may happen. The folks at VA-Tech would have loved to have me in their class when that nutjob burst in, they thought it could never happen to them, but it did.

1 in a million still has a 1 in it. I'm ready for the 1 but know that the other 999,999 is what will most likely happen.

Its just not in my nature to hurt people, I dont really care for being stabbed up but I cant imagine anyone making the conscious decision to do so as I am never armed... what would be the point? Also, I live in Britain. Fire Arms are illegal and I can probably get away unscathed from a knife attack, I have lived 19 years here in some pretty rough areas and never been mugged or attacked... I must be lucky or something.

I don't like it either, but when push comes to shove, survival is the top priority. I won't charge into a battle when I can get away, but I won't get caught in that situation where I can't escape or where I could stop a lunatic from doing something the pieces of paper our legislative bodies generate never stop. Bullets go through paper, no law protects anyone, only those that who wouldn't do that sort of thing in the first place.

I'm a non-interventionist, right libertarian. My political philosophy is "I leave you alone, you leave me alone". Still, I recognize that there are those out there who simply chose to not leave me alone and, instead of living life as a victim of others, I'll hit back and hit back with the biggest thing I have with me at the time.

You can't face down thugs and villains with nice words and appealing to their good sides, they don't have them. They're bad people for a reason and appealing to their civility or pointing at a law is outright pointless to this class of individual.

I grew up in East Los Angeles, which is not exactly a nice place either. I've got the street smarts and know enough about criminal behavior to outright avoid it. It all falls down to motive, opportunity and desire. I can't do anything about the motive, but I can impact the other two. Opportunity by avoiding certain places at certain times (or just certain places) and making myself an undesirable target, both by being armed and other things like not flashing signs of wealth.

Paranoia? Nah, I don't go around afraid. I'm comfortable and for the most part don't think about anything horrible happening and enjoy life. These skills and thinking patterns are just ingrained into me from an early age. Minimize your exposure to crime, minimize your appeal to criminals and maximize your ability to keep yourself safe.

Ultimately, my personal safety trumps everything else. I will kill if I have to, I will maim if I have to and I won't lose any sleep over it if I do. It is something that may be necessary to ensure I can continue my life in the same capacity as before the altercation.

Not everything can be solved by diplomacy. I will paraphrase America's 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, "Walk softly but carry a big gun."

My goal is to go to my grave without having to pull a weapon in anger, I've already managed 28 years and am still going strong.

I vote LaughingTarget as the Chief Badass on this site. serously dude thumbs up to you.

as for me, When i worked late nights as a bouncer i carried an OC pepper spray gun, not for use in the bar, but for the off chance that someone decides it would be a good idea to jump me after work. now i just carry a good old fashion switch blade.

 

[hungoverbear]

I live in Las Vegas, 4th most dangerous city in the US. And as I said I have personal experiance.

Vegas is harsh, i dont even go down to the strip without a knife, i usually go with others, but im the biggest guy usually, so people assume i would take the attacker down

I used to live on D Street. It just wasn't safe to be outside after dark there.

Wow, is Vegas really that bad??? cause for a while ive wanted to work there as a paramedic...