Do CCW Permit Holders Take More Risks?

[MisterMike]

I ride motorcycles and always wear a helmet. It seems to me like the prudent thing. However, the overall level of fatalities among helmet-wearing and non-helmet-wearing motorcyclists is remarkably similar (depending, of course, on whose statistics you believe).

I've had discussions with folks who don't wear helmets about this topic, and occasionally the concept of risk compensation is brought up. Risk compensation is a theory occasionally discussed by sociologists and safety gurus to explain statistics like this--the basic idea is that the wearing of helmets or other safety gear causes bikers to feel more invincible, thus taking greater risks in their riding behavior. Overall, the benefits of enhanced safety gear end up being balanced by the greater risks that people take because they feel safer.

Does this apply to CCW? Do you take risks you otherwise might not take--like walking the dog late at night--because you have a weapon available? Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

 

[Claude Clay]

personally, fewer risks taken

fewer risks because i am situationally aware i can avoid what may appear to be a threatening set of circumstances. if unable to avoid, i may still be able to defuse because by not being perceived as a 'unaware victim' by the 'bad' ones-- they probably will interact with me in a less direct manor.
if all fails and they still want at me, than gun or no gun ,i have been marked by 'them'. and we are back to a perceived difference that is trumped by reality.

good question cause as an instructor i stress that the gun is there for you in the most extreme of circumstances. but know that extreme can be an instant-on kind of thing and prepare yourself [train] accordingly. and since no one can train for everything; train flexibility into what training you are doing.

 

[Glockman17366]

Fewer risks and more law abiding...

I'd also guess we're older (30's and above) on the average.

 

[CoRoMo]

I don't go headlong into dangerous situations just because I have a gun with me, but the other way around. I avoid all kinds of stuff because I have a loaded firearm with me.

 

[Carl]

I could see maybe a few new young CCW holders who're still in that "I have to show off and show I'm an Alpha) mindset might do something like that.

 

[CajunBass]

I didn't go in harms way before I started to carry. I don't go in harms way now.

 

[Yo Mama]

When I got my CCW, I laid very low. Last thing I want is to get into a situation that I'm blamed for and have my rights taken away.

I'll avoid at any cost, untill I can't.

 

[jackstinson]

I know that I take fewer risks, due to the added responsibility.
I have no illusions that a firearm in my waistband makes me invincible.

 

[Tirod]

I take Mas Ayoob's view - what you might have done before was then: now, armed, think twice about where you go. Don't be the problem, be part of the solution. Don't add to the available selection pool of targets, as best you can.

Actively seeking to enter an area you know to be a risk just because you think you're better prepared doesn't make sense if you can modify your choice and avoid it if possible. At 3am, I don't cruise Main Street, visit parking lots of known drug sales, or even traverse certain neighborhoods just because I can. Dodging gunfire in known locations for the thrill is for nonlicensed carriers and the arresting officers.

Be the grey man.

 

[grimjaw]

I would say I'm a little more risk averse now that I carry, unless you factor in what I eat.

jm

 

[ZO6Vettever]

Don't want no trouble, no road rage no trouble of any kind. PERIOD!

 

[Hungry Seagull]

I have been in dangerous situations where a .45 would have been a equalizer but since DOT did not allow weapons that go bang (Knock on wood) it came down to the KBar or Buck Special. Sometimes wit and a few smokes (Either Menthol or 100's depending on profiling of the aggressor) and a few dollars would minimize the problem and defuse it.

Companies told everyone, preaching about risk management etc until and yet the outside people who live near the bad areas where you deliver vital loads create the risk.

Finally, the ultimate risk management was to move on to other cargoes where delivery are into secure areas without any external locals creating risk. Medicines and Government loads come to mind. No trouble at all.

I dont expect back then to be actively seeking out danger and I dont expect to start seeking out danger now. Age marches on exacting a price and as long as you watch your weight, diet and eat/hydrate well you will be a rather alert person who wont faint/heart attack at the first sign of danger.

The best risk management for me as a CCW is not to go downtown at night past sundown. There is nothing down there worth the trip except one specific installation for the spouse should she need to go. And even then.... I would have to disarm and secure the firearm prior to entry.

We have been lucky all these years. But feel that harm will come to us one day as it does to others on a regular basis and it's a good time to exercise 2A rights and take measures to take care of us. No one else will do it; Not in a timely manner anyway. LEO's are two minutes or less away and a weapon can make the difference at 800-1200 fps depending on which one used.

Road rage is not my problem, every time I run into a road rager I am running down tatics and somewhat unconventional driving depending on availible traction and horses. I dont do the road rage game and wont take it from anyone else. Ive had plenty of that while driving and they can go on thier way.

We used to commute to work on the interstate in the morning and see dozens of road ragers late to work at 90+ and go ballistic when they are forced to stop or slow down for grandma fearing for thier jobs.

We solved the road raging by choosing a quiet state road where we are virtually alone for the entire commute to work. It's like 15 minutes longer to get to work but, if no one else is around? No road raging right?

Until everyone else got wise to that one quiet road that was just as good as the interstate lol.

 

[bensdad]

Anecdotal evidence has almost no value here. You'd have to compare some pretty strange groups, and account for some tough and strange variables, to get any sort of answer. Even then, folks would either agree or disagree with your conclusion/data.

I suppose an anonymous survey could yield some results, but it can't be completely anonymous when you need a pool of permit holders to begin with. Also, surveys generally only tell us what folks want to tell us. Case and point - read this thread. Nobody has said (or likely will say) "Yeah, I really like to push the safety envelope now that I'm packin'!" Even those who do it recongnize their behavior as socially maladaptive. They ain't gonna own up.

 

[bonedust]

maybe, maybe not. it depends on what your carry matra sounds like. for instance:

3 guys with knives are robbing someone. if was not armed, id steer clear and yell for help. if im armed i would most certainly draw and attempt to defuse the situation.

...so, depending on you mindset, yes you could be a bigger risk taker.

 

[D-Day]

I'm 21 and stay aware as I ever was. I didn't hesitate to go where I did before when I just carried a knife...definitely comes down to a mindset. Well, except for places that bar me from entering armed, anyway.

Since I got my license, I haven't seen a movie at the local mall in almost a year, simply because they're posted. I've been too lazy to disarm, so...not a lot of motivation to go to the theatre.

 

[wyocarp]

It goes both ways. I don't hike in Yellowstone, because I can't carry. I do hike near and around there only because I can.

I try harder to avoid silly confrontations with people when I carry and I avoid places I can't legally carry in. But, I have no problems being out late at night walking, traveling, or whatever.

So, it cuts both ways for me.

 

[FlyinBryan]

when i first got mine i was very aware, albiet, a little paranoid.

to be honest, now i actually forget im wearing it most of the time, and go and do exactly like i did before i ever got my texas chL.

i have never been a confrontational person, at least as an adult.

would i walk down a dark ally now that i wouldnt before, no.

you might say in a confrontation, i would try moreso now to avoid it because i dont want to shoot anyone, and i damn sure dont want to get shot with my own pistol.

 

[Gamera]

What a great topic! Do CCW permit holders take more risks? Maybe. Should we? No. What's that quote about "the best gunfighter is the one who doesn't get into any gunfights" or something like that.

 

[runrabbitrun]

Do CCW Permit Holders Take More Risks?

Hopefully most don't and by what I'm seeing here, they don't.

The may however, have the risk of weapons confiscation,
in the event martial law is imposed.

Anyone remember what happened to citizens
in the New Orleans area after that terrible flooding?

If memory serves me corret.
The military was confiscating weapons from people who decided to stay
(or had no choice) and defend their property.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I did not change my habits. If you have a CCW permit, you should continue your law abiding life just as you did before. You DO NOT need to bunker down in your house worrying about exposing yourself to any risk where you might have to use your weapon.

Case in point: Last week, my wife and I went to "Phantom of the Opera" at the Buell Theater in downtown Denver. As usual, I was armed. To fill some time before the will call box opened, we walked up to the 16th St. Mall and back to the theater. During that time, we were asked for money three times. Would I do the same thing at 3:00 am? Probably not, but at 6:30 pm, it was a perfectly reasonable activity to be doing.

 

[Kind of Blued]

Very good topic and question. Personally, my answer is a bit complicated.

Carrying a gun, at the beginning, helped me develop situational awareness. This is something that I will use and further develop for the rest of my life regardless of the issue of carrying a gun.

To be honest, I really enjoy carrying a gun. Period. Not because of machismo or blood lust; I'm sure I'd puke, wet myself, and sob like a baby if I ever had to shoot somebody in self-defense. I simply enjoy the freedom that I have allowing me to be responsible for my own safety if I so choose.

As far as taking more risks, I'll occasionally go for an evening "open carry walk" around my neighborhood just to get some exercise for my body as well as my rights. I could carry concealed, but I choose not to. Even after all of these nights, the thing I still think about most frequently is about American military history. I think about our veterans, my grandfathers, specific dates and battles, and I marvel at the level of freedom which I am granted thanks to our veterans. I still get a little "giddy" just being able to have such freedom, which is to say, it brings a smile to my face.

I live in the suburbs where a car driving too fast and making too much noise might warrant a 911 call. Am I taking a risk? Not really. Am I needlessly flaunting my rights? Yes, but I'm also granted the ability to exercise that right without a specific articulable "need", so I do as I please.

In regard to "bad parts of town", I don't stick around. I've developed my conflict de-escalation skills as well as my skills of avoiding conflict altogether. When at a stop light in a bad part of town, the windows are up, the doors are locked, and I constantly check all directions via my mirrors. This mindset applies to any situation, not just the car. I try not to be a target, try to make myself unavailable should someone still decide to target me, will try to get away if it gets that far, etc. As a last resort, if the individual insists that I make a life-or-death decision, they're going to be answered quite rudely.

In summary, do I take more risks? No. I likely take fewer.

Am I more aware of the risks that I have to take? Yes.

Most importantly, exercising this freedom allows me to decide which risks are worth fighting for. I will not allow a criminal to kill me while I go about my everyday life, harming no one, and simply trying to develop a better life for myself and my loved ones.

 

[SpecialKalltheway]

when I'm carrying no, when I am not carrying yes. I must be part lemming because I just like hucking myself off cliffs

 

[jad0110]

An armed society is a polite society.

Personally, I am more careful/aware when I'm carrying, as I REALLY rather not have to use my gun at all.

 

[Big Mike]

Same, possibly fewer risks. Different sensitivities/awarenesses are used when not carrying/carrying. Always looking out for risks thought...

 

[SquirrelNuts]

Fewer risks.