In Reply To:
In Reply To:
Ever shot anyone's dog while on a ride?
Ever been held up while on a ride?
We get it, you don't like guns and don't feel anyone should ever carry one unless they have already been the victim of a violent crime.
The one thing in common that ever victim of every crime says is "I never thought it would happen to me."
Those people that choose to carry while riding most likely feel it is better to have one and not need it, than need it and not have it.
In 40 years I have never been in a car accident, been killed, had my house burn down, or been disable on the job and unable to work, yet I still have car, life, homeowners and disability insurance.
For folks that carry, it isn't the odds, its the stakes...
No, I was seriously asking an honest question based on what actually happens in the real world. Is shooting someone's dog a better alternative than pepper spraying it? Maybe it is, I don't often ride in an area with aggressive dogs so I don't even carry pepper spray.
Are there parts of the USA where cyclists are often held up at gunpoint while riding? Is this something that happens? This one seems a bit weird to me as most gun-toting cyclists are afraid of random redneck bottle-throwers, not thugs stopping them and trying to steal their cannondales or whatever.
Is firing off a few shots at a rapidly disappearing pickup truck a good response to having a beer bottle winged at your head? Wouldn't that time be better spent taking down the plate number and then calling the cops?
It just doesn't seem like a pistol is really a useful tool for a cyclist in any situation. Maybe the dog one does apply, please educate me if this is the case.