[FlamingCobra]

Western Blvd is not a happy place, I got a lot of people trying to sell me crack when I walked to the convenience store across from Wolf Village.  I always liked the housing on the other side of Hillsborough, had more 'college-town' feel to it.

But the crime thing is regrettably normal... common sense is king, pretty much what red said. I would avoid Western alone after the sun went down.  The water thing's kinda yuck, I remember we were without power for about 2 days because of a squirrel.

-_- are you serious?

[sigtau]

I've thought about getting a concealed-carry permit and just keeping a handgun locked in the glovebox of my car.  I don't do any sort of illegal substance and I know the university doesn't search people's vehicles without a good reason.  I may or may not get a concealed-carry permit in North Carolina (because I have family up there, and therefore a North Carolina residency address) because both Georgia (where the uni is) and South Carolina (where I currently reside) both recognize NC concealed-carry permits.

Also, **** the "no weapons" rule, I'm going to carry a small (2.5-3 inches/6.35-7.62 cm) pocketknife with me everywhere no matter what.  I use it for utility purposes, and it's not like I wouldn't like to have a last resort in case someone attacks little ol' sigtau.

Fun fact: My town has a higher murder/robbery/assault rate (1 in 17 chance of being victimized) vs. my university's town (1 in 23).

[FIZ]

-_- are you serious?

Bout what?  Maybe was a little dramatic in the post, but I walked a lot while going to school, maybe 2-5 miles a day depending on where I was residing, didn't like taking the bus, even when I lived off campus (did take a car at night though when living off campus).  Never had any real trouble or feel in danger.   After 5 years of hoofing it you're bound to have a weird tale or two to share.

[Thaeris]

I've thought about getting a concealed-carry permit and just keeping a handgun locked in the glovebox of my car.  I don't do any sort of illegal substance and I know the university doesn't search people's vehicles without a good reason.  I may or may not get a concealed-carry permit in North Carolina (because I have family up there, and therefore a North Carolina residency address) because both Georgia (where the uni is) and South Carolina (where I currently reside) both recognize NC concealed-carry permits.

Also, **** the "no weapons" rule, I'm going to carry a small (2.5-3 inches/6.35-7.62 cm) pocketknife with me everywhere no matter what.  I use it for utility purposes, and it's not like I wouldn't like to have a last resort in case someone attacks little ol' sigtau.

Fun fact: My town has a higher murder/robbery/assault rate (1 in 17 chance of being victimized) vs. my university's town (1 in 23).

I do not understand the fear of knives. Most people are not psychotic killers, and a pocket knife is a tool. I've had one in my pocket since leaving high school.

[BlueFlames]

Pocket knives aren't usually prohibited by campus weapon policies.  At UTK, large kitchen knives, just shy of meat cleavers, were permissible under the policy.

Restrictions on blades are usually targetted towards those that are not useful as anything other than weapons, i.e. swords.  And before you ask whether or not that kind of restriction is necessary or useful, yes, a UTK student was expelled and banned from campus, a year prior to me starting there, for brandishing a sword.  You wouldn't think that would happen among a population of ostensibly intelligent adults, in an academic environment, but it's kind of nice to have that ban in place, so that when the idiot with a four-foot longsword shows up to a basketball game, there's a policy by which he can be removed from campus and returned to his native habitat of Crazytown.

[Scotty]

Concealed Carry is idiotic.  The idea of carrying a weapon is to scare off the run of the mill mugger or robber who sees you have a gun and now knows not to **** with you.  Concealing your weapons is inviting a robber to come rob you, just so you cap shoot him.  The only possible reason you would want to carry a concealed weapon is to use it.  You gain none of the benefits of carrying a weapon openly and all of the risks of carrying no weapon at all.

And then on top of it, you engage a robber or mugger with a gun you probably don't know how to use well enough to guarantee that you don't hit some innocent bystander, or get it taken away and used against you so that you're now on the wrong end of a gun.

Concealed carry is nothing but negatives.  The idea of a self defense weapon is not to kill.  The idea of a self defense weapon is to scare away.

[LordPomposity]

You wouldn't think that would happen among a population of ostensibly intelligent adults, in an academic environment

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahaha

[BloodEagle]

You wouldn't think that would happen among a population of ostensibly intelligent adults, in an academic environment

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahaha

This.

I don't know where you went to college, but my experience was absolutely nothing like that.

[BlueFlames]

Psst.  Look up what "ostensibly" means. 

[BloodEagle]

I don't need to. :/

My experience showed me that most (all but a dozen, maybe, including faculty) of the people attending my college were complete dumbasses of the highest order, in appearance and in actuality.  And I'm not exaggerating this.

[Klaustrophobia]

Concealed Carry is idiotic.  The idea of carrying a weapon is to scare off the run of the mill mugger or robber who sees you have a gun and now knows not to **** with you.  Concealing your weapons is inviting a robber to come rob you, just so you cap shoot him.  The only possible reason you would want to carry a concealed weapon is to use it.  You gain none of the benefits of carrying a weapon openly and all of the risks of carrying no weapon at all.

And then on top of it, you engage a robber or mugger with a gun you probably don't know how to use well enough to guarantee that you don't hit some innocent bystander, or get it taken away and used against you so that you're now on the wrong end of a gun.

Concealed carry is nothing but negatives.  The idea of a self defense weapon is not to kill.  The idea of a self defense weapon is to scare away.

..................

just.... no.

concealed carry is about having the means to defend yourself while not freaking people out by brandishing a gun.  and why is it always the assumption of carrying opponents that carriers have no idea how to use them? 

[Scotty]

I assume that because if you're actually using it you're doing it wrong and just going to get somebody hurt that doesn't need to be.
 
EDIT:  In this day and age, carrying a weapon in public is either a political statement or a deterrent.  If the deterrent doesn't work, you should not be actually using the weapon, you should be trying to escape or evade your attacker, not attacking right back.  Basic civilian self-defense.

[jr2]

That would sort of depend on your attacker's goals.  If they want your money?  Give it to them.  If they want to harm you?  Threaten harm back and they will most likely back down if they consider the threat high enough.  If they are drugged out / crazy in the head / determined to eliminate anyone who could be a witness to what they did / tried to do?  Lethal force.

People forget, the reason lethal weapons are a deterrent is that the antagonist knows that you are prepared to use whatever means necessary to defend yourself / others / your property.  People that aren't willing to follow through with that threat are actually probably doing more harm than good... if you aren't willing to use the weapon, don't raise the stakes with it.  You'll just aggravate the situation and now, if the threat doesn't make the attacker back down, they will be more likely to harm / kill you and others.

Besides, if you follow some simple rules and know how to use your weapon (I would kind of hope so, it would be like having a car only for use in emergencies where you can't wait for an ambulance and never bothering to learn how to drive until you needed it otherwise).

1. Treat every weapon as if it were loaded (aka a gun is always loaded)
2. Never point a weapon at anything you do not intend (are not willing) to shoot
3. Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to fire.  (Watching action movies can get aggravating after learning this one.)
4. Keep your weapon on safe until you intend to fire.

Those are the four weapons safety rules they teach in USMC boot camp.  (Easy to remember: Treat, Never, Keep, Keep)  Add this one in and you're golden:

5. Know your target and what lies behind it.

[Klaustrophobia]

(in response to scotty)

that kind of mindset completely invalidates the deterrent aspect.  "he has a weapon, but he's not going to use it, he's going to try to run" is not likely to scare off any criminals.  if it does, great.  but it's NOT the only reason to carry a weapon for self defense.  self defense is the reason to carry for self defense.  if i have to hurt someone who is attacking me, that's not on me.  i understand and respect your personal position on the subject, and your deciding on that course of action should the situation arise, but taking away everyone else's right to defend themselves if they choose is just asinine.

[NGTM-1R]

I assume that because if you're actually using it you're doing it wrong and just going to get somebody hurt that doesn't need to be.

Then you are in favor of banning weapons, not allowing them to be carried, and have no place pretending otherwise.

[Scotty]

Deterrance is still a valid reason for carrying a weapon.  Intimidation will always be a factor to the common crook.  If you look tougher than you're worth, the common crook will not try to rob you.

Those that are not deterred are not the common crooks.  They are either desperate, uncommonly stupid, or legitimately don't care.  Against this type of criminal, readying or firing your weapon is an escalation that is almost universally not in your best interests.  Your life is worth more than your wallet, every single time.  Your life is worth more than your car keys, every single time.  Deliberately pulling a weapon on an armed robber isn't self-defense, it's idiocy.

Against those kind of criminal that will shoot without the escalation, the weapon exists as a last resort.  This kind of criminal will not tell you to stick 'em up in the cliche sense.  This robber will start shooting anyway.  This is the only scenario in which returning fire can reasonably be a proportionate response.  Furthermore, if you find yourself in this situation, you are probably doing it wrong.  This kind of criminal does not walk along a crowded mid-day street looking for a mark.  This kind of criminal preys on those isolated from help and in a secluded place when no one is around.  Common sense, avoid those places.

Concealed carry offers none of the advantages of deterrance.  Concealed carry deters no one.  Concealed carry offers no advantages over open carry other than that you can surprise your opponent with return fire.  If you are returning fire, you have either handled the situation incorrectly, or the situation was headed there anyway and the concealed part offers exactly zero benefit over open carry.

Don't put words in my mouth.  I very explicitly support open carry.  I very explicitly do not support concealed carry, because the benefits gained are minimal and the risks taken are disproportionate.

[The E]

obEuropean: You are all crazy.

[MP-Ryan]

obEuropean: You are all crazy.

Trust me, they look just as nuts from the north side of their national borders too (this coming from a licensed firearms user).

[swashmebuckle]

If only there were a public hotline that let us call in drone/bunker busting/tactical thermonuclear strikes on potential muggers none of this would be a problem and people would have to respect my iPhone

[NGTM-1R]

Don't put words in my mouth.

I'm not. I'm simply following your idea of "if you have it you should never use it" to its logical conclusion. You propose that random guy #97 will carry a weapon and then never ever use it when faced with the situation for which (for whatever reason you think they're carrying) they are carrying. This idea says things about the psychology and behavior of humans that are demonstrably false. (For whatever reason in most case we will pull the weapon on the mugger and try to use it if they don't back off. It's a fact.)

You're ultimately proposing a ban, via the instance on no use. But you haven't considered your position as it relates to actual human behavior very well, so you haven't reached that point in the evolution of your thought process yet.