Carry all the time?

[vito]

Since I have been licensed to carry I find that I was carrying "most" of the time. I didn't carry in the house, and if I had to run out for a quick trip to the supermarket or gas station I didn't always stop to get my carry gun. But despite living in a "good" part of town, I have become more and more aware of just how much crime is taking place all around me. I get a daily email from Crimemapping.com and whereas I used to go days and days without any report of any crime within the two mile radius of my home, I never now go a day without an email. Home burglaries and car break ins seem to be happening more and more often. Now I carry all the time. Even if I just step outside to bring the trash out, or let the dog do her businesses, or check the mail or whatever, at least a j-frame with +p ammo is in my pocket. Even first thing in the morning, when I let the dog out and I'm in my pajamas, I stop long enough to get a gun out of the GunVault by my bedside before I unlock the front door. Maybe I'm getting paranoid, maybe I am just more conscious that as I age I become a seemingly easy target for thugs who just see an old guy with a gimpy gait, but going from "mostly" carry to "always" carry has given me a bit more peace of mind.

 

[Axis II]

I used to carry 8-10hrs a day at work and it got old really quick so i didn't carry much outside of work. Heck I even let my license expire for about 1.5yrs. What made me start carrying more was the rise in crime. Every morning you watch the news someone was robbed, shot, etc. In Cleveland there was a group of guys with guns robbing banks weekly, car jacking's where they would rear end you and when you got out to look at the damage one of them would steal your car and leave you stranded. Just recently they shot a teenage girl working at a subway restaurant while robbing her.

I now carry anytime I'm away from the house. It seems this day and age some people have no respect for a fellow humans life and i value my life therefore i want to protect myself god forbid that day ever come.

 

[hdwhit]

I'm old. I'm handicapped. I hardly ever carry.

If I can't take out the trash or walk my dog without feeling to need to be armed, I'm going to move to a different neighborhood. If you walk out to get the newspaper and find an unarmed man trying to break into your car, are you going to shoot him?

What does Illinois law say about that? Can you use deadly force to defend property?

How have the police and prosecutors in your area handled similar situations in the past?

If you don't know, you might want to research it or rethink when you carry because your "peace of mind" not to mention your life as you know it could be in grestest danger from your use of your gun.

 

[herrwalther]

I have gone a bit in the other direction. I don't always carry a firearm on my property. Mowing the lawn, taking out trash, or letting the dogs do their business in the yard. For these I have a knife in my pocket and maybe some pepper spray, but not always a firearm. I used to be armed all the time in the house, but rarely am now. If I had something a little smaller to carry for short tasks this would likely change.

 

[stoky]

“As long as I’m wearing my trousers, I have my back pocket. And as long as I have my back pocket, I have something in it."
-- Inspector Lestrade

 

[Lo8080]

I carry everywhere legal to do so. Its impossible to watch the news without a story of a violent crime either across the nation or locally. I don't think its paranoia but as the OP pointed out, more aware of surroundings. Though I do have a strong faith in my creator and god I also believe you can't be a sheep in world of wolves.

 

[ontarget]

If I am dressed I am carrying. No different than my pocket knife. Get dressed put items in pockets and pistol in holster
At night same pistol is less than 10 feet away.

 

[BillTell]

I carry most of the time. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. That being said, I don't carry at home. I do have loaded weapons stashed here and there, so they're easily accessible. I want to get a magnetic plate to mount under the couch in the living room to hold a .38 in case I needed to grab it quick. If I go out, I feel naked without a firearm. There is pure evil out there, but also many stupid people. Many crimes are taking place in shopping malls, but our mall clearly states "no weapons". As a licensed firearms owner, I'd still rather have it and be "tried by 12 rather than carried by 6".

 

[.308 Norma]

That being said, I don't carry at home. I do have loaded weapons stashed here and there, so they're easily accessible.

Yeah, I don't carry in my home either. But we live out of town, and we have a very noisy dog with good ears that yells at every little sound he doesn't recognize. We also have good neighbors and we look out for one another. Some people might even call us "nosy." Even with all that though, we too have loaded guns within reach in most of our rooms. But we don't even have young grandkids anymore - my 65 year old wife is usually the youngest person in our house.
I do carry at home when I'm outside working, particularly when I'm out on the back part of the property. I also carry when I hike down to Marsh Creek (about 2 miles) and back for exercise. But even though I tell myself the reason I carry on my hikes is because I'm afraid of the large, overly protective farm dogs around here, the real reason is because it just doesn't seem natural to be hiking around out in the country without a handgun at 5:00 o'clock on my right hip. I've had one there whenever I was out in the hills since I was 16 years old. And that was a long time ago.

 

[Mark 40]

When I leave the house I carry, except when I go to work because we are prohibited from carrying. Just don't like leaving my EDC in the car.
I make stops on the way home here and there so I should resolve to bring my EDC and find comfort in properly securing it in the car.

 

[Cannibul]

I always carry unless I'm headed to a prohibited place like the VA Hospital.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

In the last 10 or 12 years I may have been more than an arms reach from a gun for a total of an hour or so.

 

[hdwhit]

BillTell wrote:
As a licensed firearms owner, I'd still rather have it and be "tried by 12 rather than carried by 6".

The reality is "tried by 12 and then tried by another 6 rather than carried by 6"

It sounds good.
Until you're the one on trial.

• You fatally shoot someone who in front of a crowd of witnesses announced he was going to kill you, drew his gun and fired at you (and fortunately missed).
• You are arrested.
• You are interrogated by the police for hours on end.
• You get to be the guest of the county for three days until your family can arrange an attorney, get bail set and then posted.
• You are fortunate that you and your friends can raise the $500,000 for your bail because you can't afford to pay the 10% fee for a bail bondsman.
• You get fired from your job because your notareity in the media isn't good for the reputation of the firm so you no longer have a paycheck coming in even though the criminal defense attorney wants a $15,000 retainer.
• Now that you're unemployed, welcome to Obamacare.
• Your kids get bullied at school because their father is a "killer".
• Three months later you are fortunate that the grand jury declines to indict you.
• You are spared the cost and demands of a criminal trial.
• Your wife starts taking antidepressants.
• Four months later, your criminal defense attorney sends you a check for $1,212; the unspent portion of your retainer.
• As soon as you learn you will not be criminally prosecuted, a process server gives you notice that you are being sued for $10 million by the family of your assailant for his wrongful death.
• Your civil defense attorney also wants a $15,000 retainer.
• With the criminal case now resolved, you are able to find work again - at 2/3 the salary you had been making.
• You attend - and pay for - depositions.
• You interview - and pay for - expert witnesses.
• You commission - and pay for - a forensic reconstruction of the "crime scene".
• The trial lasts two weeks.
• You haven't been in your new job long enough to have earned leave, so you miss getting paid for two weeks.
• You find out your daughter has started drinking to cope with the stress.
• Your son can't get his driver's license because nobody has had time to teach him.
• The jury fortunately finds in your favor.
• The family of your assailant appeals.
• You pay for the costs of appealing your defense of a case you "won".
• A year later your attorney calls to tell you the hearing has been scheduled.
• Another couple of days off work - this time you've been working long enough to have leave so you spend your "vacation" in court.
• Two months later the appellate court finds in your favor.
• The attorney fees and experts have cost $85,000.
• On an installment plan, you will have them paid off by the time you are 63.
• You figure you will then be able to save up enough money to retire when you are 72.

You spend the rest of your life (at least up to this point) reassessing whether or not you should have fired or just run away (the law in that particular state did not require the person retreat first).

I may have missed a detail here or there because I mercifully didn't live this, I just had to help the guy who did live this make bail. And the decision to carry and the decision to use the gun is just too serious in my book for the "I'd rather..." bravado.

 

[Deanimator]

I'm old. I'm handicapped. I hardly ever carry.

That's like saying, "I have poor vision. I hardly ever wear glasses."

If I can't take out the trash or walk my dog without feeling to need to be armed, I'm going to move to a different neighborhood.

Will that neighborhood have a forcefield to keep out criminals?

This one didn't: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire,_Connecticut,_home_invasion_murders

What are you going to do when there's no place left to run?

Police "protection" of individuals is a fairy tale.

Protect YOURSELF or don't get protected AT ALL. Anybody who tells you different is a liar.

 

[Deanimator]

The reality is "tried by 12 and then tried by another 6 rather than carried by 6"

It sounds good.

It's sound a lot better than an obituary... your own.

 

[azrocks]

We also have good neighbors and we look out for one another. Some people might even call us "nosy."

Wish we had nosy neighbors. Despite all the houses in our area being on small lots - practically on top of each other - our neighbors are like ghosts. The vast majority have absolutely no desire whatsoever to get to know each other. This attitude is in stark contrast to the old-timers who still live in the area, but they're dying out quick, and the newer generation who are buying their homes up would rather argue with strangers on Facebook than take the time to get to know the people who live 30' from them. It's pathetic.

 

[paulsj]

The reality is "tried by 12 and then tried by another 6 rather than carried by 6"

It sounds good.
Until you're the one on trial.

• You fatally shoot someone who in front of a crowd of witnesses announced he was going to kill you, drew his gun and fired at you (and fortunately missed).
• You are arrested.
• You are interrogated by the police for hours on end.
• You get to be the guest of the county for three days until your family can arrange an attorney, get bail set and then posted.
• You are fortunate that you and your friends can raise the $500,000 for your bail because you can't afford to pay the 10% fee for a bail bondsman.
• You get fired from your job because your notareity in the media isn't good for the reputation of the firm so you no longer have a paycheck coming in even though the criminal defense attorney wants a $15,000 retainer.
• Now that you're unemployed, welcome to Obamacare.
• Your kids get bullied at school because their father is a "killer".
• Three months later you are fortunate that the grand jury declines to indict you.
• You are spared the cost and demands of a criminal trial.
• Your wife starts taking antidepressants.
• Four months later, your criminal defense attorney sends you a check for $1,212; the unspent portion of your retainer.
• As soon as you learn you will not be criminally prosecuted, a process server gives you notice that you are being sued for $10 million by the family of your assailant for his wrongful death.
• Your civil defense attorney also wants a $15,000 retainer.
• With the criminal case now resolved, you are able to find work again - at 2/3 the salary you had been making.
• You attend - and pay for - depositions.
• You interview - and pay for - expert witnesses.
• You commission - and pay for - a forensic reconstruction of the "crime scene".
• The trial lasts two weeks.
• You haven't been in your new job long enough to have earned leave, so you miss getting paid for two weeks.
• You find out your daughter has started drinking to cope with the stress.
• Your son can't get his driver's license because nobody has had time to teach him.
• The jury fortunately finds in your favor.
• The family of your assailant appeals.
• You pay for the costs of appealing your defense of a case you "won".
• A year later your attorney calls to tell you the hearing has been scheduled.
• Another couple of days off work - this time you've been working long enough to have leave so you spend your "vacation" in court.
• Two months later the appellate court finds in your favor.
• The attorney fees and experts have cost $85,000.
• On an installment plan, you will have them paid off by the time you are 63.
• You figure you will then be able to save up enough money to retire when you are 72.

You spend the rest of your life (at least up to this point) reassessing whether or not you should have fired or just run away (the law in that particular state did not require the person retreat first).

I may have missed a detail here or there because I mercifully didn't live this, I just had to help the guy who did live this make bail. And the decision to carry and the decision to use the gun is just too serious in my book for the "I'd rather..." bravado.

I would say for most it would be far better to invest in stun gun and or pepper spray. I stopped carring a weapon as there are just too many downsides.

 

[Deanimator]

I would say for most it would be far better to invest in stun gun and or pepper spray.

.
How does pepper spray work against somebody with a firearm?

I stopped carring a weapon as there are just too many downsides.

For whom? A violent assailant?

 

[Bwana_1]

I would say for most it would be far better to invest in stun gun and or pepper spray. I stopped carring a weapon as there are just too many downsides.

What ??? !!! Good luck with that philosophy.

 

[Girodin]

I would say for most it would be far better to invest in stun gun and or pepper spray. I stopped carring (sic) a weapon as there are just too many downsides.

Whether someone wants to carry a weapon or not is their prerogative. I'm guessing you have extremely limited experience with "stun gun" and "pepper spray" though. I honestly cannot tell you how many cases I have seen when they had no effect whatsoever on a suspect. I have seen multiple cases where pepper spray adversely affected an officer and have spoken to officers that have opined that based on their experience they are not inclined to use OC spray in many situations. Choose whatever makes you happy, however, before advocating what most people would be "far better" to have I hope you understand the limitations what you are advocating for.

 

[chicharrones]

I carry everywhere legal to do so.

If I am dressed I am carrying. No different than my pocket knife. Get dressed put items in pockets and pistol in holster.

+1 here.

It's normal for me. I don't have to think where my carry gun is because it is with me.

 

[chicharrones]

You spend the rest of your life (at least up to this point) reassessing whether or not you should have fired or just run away (the law in that particular state did not require the person retreat first).

This was not in Texas? Which state then?

 

[ontarget]

In MI, I believe our law protects the lawful shooter from civil action if they are not guilty of a criminal action. I am not a lawyer but that is my understanding. Your State may be different.

 

[.308 Norma]

Wish we had nosy neighbors. Despite all the houses in our area being on small lots - practically on top of each other - our neighbors are like ghosts. The vast majority have absolutely no desire whatsoever to get to know each other. This attitude is in stark contrast to the old-timers who still live in the area, but they're dying out quick, and the newer generation who are buying their homes up would rather argue with strangers on Facebook than take the time to get to know the people who live 30' from them. It's pathetic.

I've seen that, and you're right - it is pathetic. Not too many years after my wife and I married, her parents moved into a mobile home court in San Diego. They spent the last 40 years of their lives not even knowing the names of the people right across the street.
My wife and I consider ourselves very lucky/blessed living where we do. It's even legal and perfectly safe for us to shoot off our rear deck here. But we usually don't because it disturbs the neighbors, just like it disturbs us when one of them do it. Not that we're afraid when we here a gunshot around here, it's just that our Cocker Spaniel goes nuts! We've given up trying to sleep in on Saturday mornings during duck and goose season because of the shotguns popping off over on the river, or down by Marsh Creek. And get this - my wife named our gun-shy Cocker Spaniel "Ruger" for crying out loud!

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

We live rural so at home only occasionally carry.

When I leave the house it's pretty much all the time.