Peace love and firearms!
Hey now, I'm one of those "god damb smelly naked hippies". Proud of it too. And I'm not stoned out of my gourd either (anyone who is drunk or stoned around weapons deserves to be shot by their own weapon, and probably will be, given enough time). Furthermore, I'm not naked nearly enough of the time as far as that goes. However, I'm not so hippy that I wouldn't defend myself with deadly force, on a moments notice, should the situation warrant it. Most of my hippy friends don't understand my guns. I just tell them to shut the hell up about it, if they don't like it. After all, being a hippy is all about peace love and understanding isn't it? LOL
I believe in peace, but I don't think we will ever see world peace in our lifetime. But I'm not a niaeve hippy either. I realize that most peace throughout history has been won at the end of a sword, or the projectiles that come out of the ends of guns. And (God forbid) if psychos ever break down your door, a lecture about violence won't save your a$$, but a gun might.
On to the topic matter at hand though...I think I would rather open carry, than not carry at all. As for being in the way of a BG in a robbery....Don't walk around in situation white. You have already said that you try to be a lert, thats very good. Try to avoid dangerous places, and for heavens sake use your noggin. I'm 39, and I have been in all kinds of hellholes all around the globe, and I have yet to be in the middle of a bank robbery, or any other kind of situation where I have ever even NEEDED to worry about the BG seeing me as a target. (Serving my country in Somalia excluded.) Your most potent weapon is your brain. Use it!