Dawn wrote:
I didn't finish my errands and went home, I felt naked without my gun! On top of that my cell phone battery went dead.
Be safe out there.
Dawn
Dawn brings up some good points: If you don't feel comfortable, GTF out of there RIGHT away!! If you aren't comfortable withOUT your gun, go home and get it. MOST important point!!! NEVER carry without a live cellphone with a charged battery!! If you only have one battery, go out and buy another so you can swap at a moment's notice. These days, a cellphone battery doesn't cost any more than a box of overpriced ammo from Molehill Mountain. The point here is that if TSHTF, YOUR ability to call 911 before some nutjob or wounded perp is CRITICAL to your defense if it comes to that. 911 calls are recorded, and make good evidence if you are the FIRST caller. In addition, pretty much all cellphones these days have cameras in them, and one picture is worth 1,000 words, even if you aren't directly involved. Incriminating pictures make disgusting scumbags cop a plea and waddle back to prison without a trial.
Personal anecdote #1: I was bummed about something at work, and my life was out of whack in general, and one day I went to Byerly's near Sun Ray and didn't feel like carrying for the first time in momths. I get back in my car, hit the radio, and THAT was the day that the St. Paul cop got shot and killed on the East side of St. Paul, with a general manhunt still being in effect for the area I was in. What are the chances that I wouldn't want to carry for the first time in a year on the same day that a cop got killed in the same area??
Personal anecdote #2: I was new to carrying, and felt very self conscious, and I go into Cub in the Sun Ray Center to get some groceries. I'm petrified of some soccer mom figuring out I have a gun, and walk around feeling very uncomfortable and paranoid. A few months later, on a sunny September Sunday afternoon, a mother, father, two children ages 4 and 6, plus a baby in the cart enter THAT particular Cub store. Unbekonownst to them, a pedophile has followed them into the store, and is stalking them. He waits until the mom and dad go around the end of an aisle for a second, and walks up and sexually fondles the baby in the cart while the 4 and 6 yar old kids are WATCHING. He then runs out of the store, and was never caught. If he had really wanted to, he might have been able to grab the baby and make it out the door. After that, I told my conscience to STFU about carrying in "non-threatening family" situations, because there ARE NO non-threatening family situations.
Personal anecdote #3: Being able to relax and not feel afraid in public. Took the wife to a nice restaurant in Yuptown (Hennepin-Lake area) about two or three days after there had been a purse robbery of a woman within two blocks, accompanied by her son and another person, and after the woman gave up her purse peacefully, the scumbags shot and killed the son with a shot to the head ANYWAY. When you carry a gun full time, there ate two parallel universes from an emotional and defense standpoint. One is those have no clue what could happen to them, and the other is those that are well armed and prepared to deal with it. The former, on an overwhelming statistical basis, scream out "I can't belive this is happening to me" while it IS happening to them, and the latter do respond with the legally allowed response to the threat of death or great bodily harm with their handgun.
So, from my perspective at least, getting shot after complying with the demands of some street scumbags is not a possibility and you do not need to worry about it. THAT fact produces a significant difference in your quality of life and your comfort level. When you're well armed and alert, you are no longer a potential victim. It's an absolutely HUGE emotional difference, and you can live your life with minimal fear or paranoia.
