How many of you carry a gun as part of your cycling equipment?

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Wrong. You seem to forget that the person who is robbing you, assaulting you, or entering your place of residence under cover of dark will probably be carrying one. Its ok though, you can pray for your life, Ill fight for mine.
I can't believe this thread still lives...... The gun issue w/bikes is so far removed from reality that I can't believe I am even responding. I have been involved with cycling many years. I have never known anyone to carry while riding.
I do have a friend out west who cannot ride his MTB on his favorite trails in the spring for fear of confrontations with grizzlys who just woke up and are somewhat protective. Common sense tells a person never to wake up a grizzly, never argue with a grizzly, or even for that matter, never invite a grizzly into your home.
My friend has thought of carrying a gun for protection in that case, but in discussions about it, I really doubt if a gun could be gotten to quick enough. Grizzlys are fast. That's also another thing you never do to a grizzly. You never wound him. They get upset.

People in other countries get the impression that the USA is a gun toting shoot out. Most people go an entire lifetime without witnessing any gun activity of any kind. It is not a part of everyday life. Exceptions to that is maybe in crime ridden urban areas.
The gun/murder rate in this country is a little mis-leading. The majority of those murders would happen anyway with other killing devices.
We have tough laws in this country. Sure they are broken, but they do help.

People in other countries get the impression that the USA is a gun toting shoot out. Most people go an entire lifetime without witnessing any gun activity of any kind. It is not a part of everyday life. Most people go their entire lives without having an auto accident. Yet, they still wear a seatbelt. Heck, most cyclists go their entire riding life, and never fall on their head. Yet they wear a helmet.

exactly,

the day i start carrying a gun in my kit bag is the day i start taking oysters with my ice-cream.

the issue about 'if you dont carry a gun you wont get shot' is a valid one...if guns are readily available to the general public then the crims will easily find a away to get hold of them, its that simple...

you can ignore this point or you can deal with it...

if you have the right to bear arms, the criminals will also bear arms.

to stop crims arming themselves with guns you have to remove thier access to them, that means taking them off the street altogether. If guns can only be issued by the police or law enforcement agencies then i would bet that gun crime would drop dramatically.

if criminals are not getting access to guns then there would be no need to arms the general public.



The gun issue w/bikes is so far removed from reality

excuse me...

but what planet are you on....?

your 'dumb and dumber' logic is embarassing...


Most people go their entire lives without having an auto accident. Yet, they still wear a seatbelt. Heck, most cyclists go their entire riding life, and never fall on their head. Yet they wear a helmet.

I live and ride in the Los Angeles area and have NEVER even considered carrying a gun. The idea that the whole world is out there waiting to mug you and infringe on your god given rights is absolute paranoia. The cold war was the exact same thing on a bigger scale...there's someone out there just waiting to kill me. I need to get a bigger weapon than they have, then I will be safe. This is a viscious (or viscous) cycle of fear. Gee, isn't life just great and you feel so much comfort, with those steel bars in your windows, razor wire fencing around your yard. Security gate at the driveway, Glock under the seat of your Hummer, Cell phone strapped to your belt with 911 on speed dial, and a goddam hand cannon under your pillow. Yeah, those terrorists won't get me tonight, by golly.


Yeah, I know a gun is a tool, just like a can opener. Guns don't kill people...etc. It really is fun to go target shooting and I go from time to time. It's the culture of paranoia that kills me. Isn't there a better way to go about with life?

I know there are such things as bad neighborhoods, and if you don't like your surroundings, then move. It does not help anything to go strapping your gun to your bike and being a bad-ass, just gives fuel to the fire of the "them or us" mentality.

Most people go their entire lives without having an auto accident. Yet, they still wear a seatbelt. Heck, most cyclists go their entire riding life, and never fall on their head. Yet they wear a helmet.
Seatbelts and Helmets rarely are used as lethal weapons in a fit of paranoia.

Seatbelts and Helmets rarely are used as lethal weapons in a fit of paranoia.
And most people at least once in their lives are involved in an auto accident. I am not a anti-gun individual, as I used them hunting birds for 30 years. I taught govenment mandated gun safety. I have never thought of them as a protection device in my life. But the paranoia of certain gun owning individuals bother me. I think the paranoia is more directed at criminal behavior then at international terrorism as stated in an earlier thread. And I disagree that if you do not like the neighborhood , you have the option to move. The reason for living in crime filled neighborhoods is lack of funds. Sometimes moving is not an option.
And the gun/murder rate in the US is not a realiable source to base a philosophy on gun control. In most of those cases, the murders would occur anyway without the use of firearms. Matter of fact, my sister worked in a ER in a crime filled neighborhood back in the day. When a wounded individual would come in, the hope was that he was shot instead of stabbed. He had a higher chance of survival if he made it as far as the hospitol alive with a gunshot wound then a stabbing. And I know that certain bullets make a much larger hole, but that ammunition is rarely used in a shooting. But even with that reasoning , to justify guns as protection is not enough.

What is occurring here in the states is this...... The anti-gun people want all guns restricted and/or banned. And I feel this way. For about 30 years I used guns as a hobby, the same as I use my bike. I do not feel my right to use a gun should be denied because of the bad behavior of criminals. I would go as far and say this.."Many of the gun shot individuals were doing something that they should not be in the first place. Society may be better off without them." This is not to say all gun shot individuals deserve the fate of being shot. In my town, the last 3 people shot were in the act of committing a felony.
The higher murder rate in America is because of the high rate of crime in certain aspects of our society that most of the civilized world do not have to deal with. In America we have large rural areas where guns play a utilitarian function other then protection.
I think bicycles should be banned. I have never personally known anyone to die of a gunshot wound. I have 3 friends that have died on a bicycle. 2 were hit by cars, [both faults of the cyclist] and one died of a heart attack when he was directed by his doctor to get in better shape before attempting a 50 mile ride on a 95 degree day.
So next time you see a cyclist, you see a man that may be involved in a future felony. Call the police.
Of course, even though the part about the 3 friends is true, I don;t think cycling should be banned.
The deaths in this country by firearms points to a more realistic and deeper problem we have in this country then ownership of firearms. But again, the radicals on both sides of the issue distort it until it does not resemble anything like the original problem.

Wrong. You seem to forget that the person who is robbing you, assaulting you, or entering your place of residence under cover of dark will probably be carrying one. Its ok though, you can pray for your life, Ill fight for mine.

Not if all guns were banned - they wouldn't be carrying.

Oh I forgot to add that murders commited with knives have gone up in Australia but I guess thats okay with you Stevebaby as long as guns weren't used eh?

Gun deaths have gone down in Australia according to Australian statistics.

Are you suggesting cyclists carry knives that they can throw at aberrant motorists? :rolleyes:

Try looking at sites that aren't sponsored by the gun lobby for you "facts" and figures. You could do with a dose of realism.

Gun deaths have gone down in Australia according to Australian statistics.

Are you suggesting cyclists carry knives that they can throw at aberrant motorists? :rolleyes:

Try looking at sites that aren't sponsored by the gun lobby for you "facts" and figures. You could do with a dose of realism. I'll tell you what, if America ever woke up and had a dose of realism, there would not be a Democrat or a Republican politician safe.
The difference between Europe and America where guns are concerned is the fact that in many areas of America hunting is a ritual. This ritual is a activity enjoyed more by the average guy then just the rich. I may be wrong, but in Europe isn't hunting only reserved for the wealthy citizens? If we were to enact a law that would ban guns , over 99.9 % of the affected individuals are the ones that use their guns for sporting purposes and not for criminal behavior. Nothing in America would change as far as the murder rate, but the law-abiding sportsman would be punished by the criminals.
I think many on this forum see America different then it is. They see America through the eyes of the media and the TV/Movie world. That world is as foreign to us Americans as it is to you Europeans. I see this violent world potrayed in movies and I wonder ......"What the F.....!"

i carried an ak 47 around once, use to slow me down in the races but funnily enough i always use to win :p

you would think this would be obvious, some people just dont get it....

Not if all guns were banned - they wouldn't be carrying.

wolffie, youre a good guy and you see the point i am about to make...

Europe was formed when people had to hunt, during prehistoric times...

USA was formed when people hunted for pleasure....i.e. for red indian scalps...

and they USA say it is a necessity to have a gun and they have the right to bear arms?

get with the programme...


The difference between Europe and America where guns are concerned is the fact that in many areas of America hunting is a ritual.

you would think this would be obvious, some people just dont get it....

"But ya see, they could have a gun when they'r raping/muggin'..............."

And if me aunt had balls, she'd be mi uncle.

:D :D :D

muggers are born with guns it seems, we cant stop them from gettin them...

so we must shoot them in order to stop them from shootin us....momma...



"But ya see, they could have a gun when they'r raping/muggin'..............."

And if me aunt had balls, she'd be mi uncle.

basically Lim

someone came up with the nugget 'inamimate object dont kill people'

if that were the case why doesent the US let Iran or N. Korea get access to nuclear power?

i have never known nulcear technology kill anyone....not unless a human pulled the trigger?


"But ya see, they could have a gun when they'r raping/muggin'..............."

And if me aunt had balls, she'd be mi uncle.

I do not have one but riding by myself as a female, there were a few times on isolated moutain roads where I might have felt safer with one. I often carry pepper spray in my jersey pocket. It is light and might help. When people throw soda, beer cans or bottles at me, out of their cars, there sure were times when I might have dreamed of having a .35.:)



Just wondering how many of you carry a gun as part of your cycling equipment? Here in Arizona we can legally carry open and concealed (concealed with permit).

For long distance touring and bicycle camping... I think I'd feel safer carrying my .45 semi-auto pistol (concealed so it doesn't freak people out).

Anyone else carry while biking?

JW

Most people go their entire lives without having an auto accident. Yet, they still wear a seatbelt. Heck, most cyclists go their entire riding life, and never fall on their head. Yet they wear a helmet.

So did you want to make a point? :)

I do not have one but riding by myself as a female, there were a few times on isolated moutain roads where I might have felt safer with one. I often carry pepper spray in my jersey pocket. It is light and might help. When people throw soda, beer cans or bottles at me, out of their cars, there sure were times when I might have dreamed of having a .35.:)What would you do with the gun,if you had one,and someone threw a beer can at you?
You have made a really good argument for not allowing people to carry guns.

What would you do with the gun,if you had one,and someone threw a beer can at you?...Exactly. No point in carrying it if you are not prepared to use it. If you are prepared to use it, what is the cut-off point warranting escalation to lethal weapon usage? In most courts, I doubt if throwing a beer can at someone would result in a death sentence.
If the policing in the United States is so ineffective that people feel a need to pack a piece in order to protect themselves, why not fix the policing?