A Little Self Protection

[Lyric]

I don't carry any designated weapons, but I always have things that would serve the purpose if needed. I've had considerable martial arts training and would suggest all ladies here take at least a self defense course sometime. However, I've never even come close to needing to do any such thing because I'm super careful about when and where I go out. For instance, I'm not a nightlife person at all. Most of my outings are on weekdays. I rarely go downtown and pretty much never to "shady" areas of town. I know it's boring, but I think it's a small price to pay.

Lyric

[Cristi]

Though I live in a state where concealed carry is perfectly legal, I don't see any advantage to carrying 'lethal force' when I can't imagine a situation where just pepper spray would be enough.

If you spray somebody, the worst that can happen in some questioning from the police. If you shoot and kill somebody and the courts don't agree that it was justified, then you may be looking at the rest of your life in prison. That is NOT a risk I want to take when non-lethal alternatives are readily available.

Two Christmases ago, I bought my wife a small pepper spray (about the size of a large magic marker pen) since she spends a lot of time walking/hiking on her own. At the same time, I bought one for myself to keep in my purse. If I'm out for a longer walk dressed, I'll move it from my purse to my jacket pocket so it is handy... 'just in case'.

[HannahF6]

Well, I have a dispenser of sarcasm that is pretty lethal. I'd not consider anything else.

Hannah

[PetiteDuality]

I have a license and I carry something between my boobs. Nobody can even see it and it is NOT a knife. Of course I jogg, I ride my bike, and I am outside a lot. Guys are very predictable and have a number of times tried to pick me up. Hence the reason for carrying.

Can't you just say "no thanks!"...

I thought that carrying posts were not allowed any longer in this forum

[Lorileah]

I don;t know where you all are going out at but if you are that concerned I would quit going there. Most the time the "protection" will be in a difficult place to get when trouble hits and if you use it indiscriminately (you really will have to prove threat when you are arrested for assault) you will be arrested also. Proving threat is difficult in spite of recent headlines.

Also NICE way to TRY and get around the FAC rules

[Rachel Renee]

Also NICE way to TRY and get around the FAC rules

It certainly wasn't my intention to circumvent any forum rules. If I did, hopefully a moderator will let me know.

I understand the common sense approach of "if it's dangerous, don't go there", but I'd like to site an example. About six years ago, my girlfriend was out walking the dog in our nice, suburban neighborhood at around 10 am on New Year's Day. Three men pull up to her and pull a gun, demanding everything she had, including the dog. Well, the dog wanted no part of this and lunged at the attackers, biting the one with the gun. They took off. Now, my GF never carried and sort of countermeasures, jogged the same streets regularly, by herself, and if she hadn't had our little pit bull wannabe with her, well she didn't like to think about what could have gone down.

All I'm saying is that a desire to be safe, anywhere, is not indicative of a lack of common sense. When we are out, we may seem like easy targets to some. I don't want to be a statistic. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and input.

I'll show myself out.