I don’t carry a gun anymore.

[medmo]

I was trying to figure out why the DNA sequence for Methionine-Isoleucine is tiresome and verging on obsessive. Then I Googled ATGATT and found All the gear all the time…

I'm familiar with this acronym used for motorcycle riding which I'm a firm follower of all the time. Too many painful experiences. Always helmet, gloves, jacket and boots. This is the first for me to see it used for CCW.

[BCG]

You're no hepcat.

Hepcat? Is that a new model from Springfield Armory?

[breakingtime91]

Great post.

I would never forgive myself if I could have protected my family but was unprepared.

We did a lock down drill today at my school. I teach on the other side of the school than my 6 year old son. There isn't anything I wouldn't give for a pistol in that situation if it was real. That's why any chance I get to carry legally, the ramifications of carrying at work are too high as the primary bread winner, I carry. Regardless, that's my boy and I'm going, pistol or not. But I damn well will wish I had one Instead of a pokie object and my grit.

[paherne]

I recently spent two weeks in the Republic of Ireland to attend a family wedding. Obviously, I was unarmed from the time I left my door to get in the Uber until I got out of the Uber on the ride back from SFO. I was completely comfortable not carrying a gun, even though I was in some rather dodgy areas of Dublin during one part of the trip. All of my cousins from Ireland and the UK could not understand why I carry a gun. Some even questioned why I owned guns at all. The contrast between the two environments was stark. The simple answer is that we no longer have a functioning society in the US, at least the part I live in. I live in a decent neighborhood, with $1.5 million homes, and while I was away, my neighbor across the street had his catalytic converter stolen. He heard his car alarm go off, grabbed a gun and ran outside to see the suspects driving off. He's a currently employed police officer. The suspects in this case were surprised a week later in another town close by by a homeowner with a BB gun, so they promptly shot up his house. My former patrol team caught one group of them after a pursuit into the jurisdiction I retired from. The locals have been involved in several pursuits and crashes with other crews. Most have been armed. There are multiple jump out crews working the Bay Area that hop out and jack normal, decent human beings and sometimes murder them. It isn't just happening in "bad" neighborhoods and the old recommendation to avoid going stupid places with stupid people and doing stupid things and you will avoid having to get in a gunfight is simply not true in most of the SF Bay Area. So, while heart disease, cancer and the diabeetus are more likely to get me, statistically, I'm not going to stand with my hands in my pockets while my loved ones get victimized.

I wish I lived in a place where there was rule of law and respect for societal norms. In Ireland, my 19 year old son went out drinking with his cousins. One of the cousins had a dispute with another young man that lead to fisticuffs and a bloody nose. The matter was settled and no curb-stomping, nor head kicks resulted, just a good 'ol fashioned fist fight. My son remarked that it would be hard to imagine that happening in the US.

I'm not going to criticize anyone for their personal choices regarding CCW. My choices, due to circumstance and location, do not allow me the luxury of going unarmed and that is unfortunate.

[breakingtime91]

I recently spent two weeks in the Republic of Ireland to attend a family wedding. Obviously, I was unarmed from the time I left my door to get in the Uber until I got out of the Uber on the ride back from SFO. I was completely comfortable not carrying a gun, even though I was in some rather dodgy areas of Dublin during one part of the trip. All of my cousins from Ireland and the UK could not understand why I carry a gun. Some even questioned why I owned guns at all. The contrast between the two environments was stark. The simple answer is that we no longer have a functioning society in the US, at least the part I live in. I live in a decent neighborhood, with $1.5 million homes, and while I was away, my neighbor across the street had his catalytic converter stolen. He heard his car alarm go off, grabbed a gun and ran outside to see the suspects driving off. He's a currently employed police officer. The suspects in this case were surprised a week later in another town close by by a homeowner with a BB gun, so they promptly shot up his house. My former patrol team caught one group of them after a pursuit into the jurisdiction I retired from. The locals have been involved in several pursuits and crashes with other crews. Most have been armed. There are multiple jump out crews working the Bay Area that hop out and jack normal, decent human beings and sometimes murder them. It isn't just happening in "bad" neighborhoods and the old recommendation to avoid going stupid places with stupid people and doing stupid things and you will avoid having to get in a gunfight is simply not true in most of the SF Bay Area. So, while heart disease, cancer and the diabeetus are more likely to get me, statistically, I'm not going to stand with my hands in my pockets while my loved ones get victimized.

I wish I lived in a place where there was rule of law and respect for societal norms. In Ireland, my 19 year old son went out drinking with his cousins. One of the cousins had a dispute with another young man that lead to fisticuffs and a bloody nose. The matter was settled and no curb-stomping, nor head kicks resulted, just a good 'ol fashioned fist fight. My son remarked that it would be hard to imagine that happening in the US.

I'm not going to criticize anyone for their personal choices regarding CCW. My choices, due to circumstance and location, do not allow me the luxury of going unarmed and that is unfortunate.

Doesn't the UK have a rampant culture of stabbings, brutal bludgeoning, and acid attacks?

[medmo]

I recently spent two weeks in the Republic of Ireland to attend a family wedding. Obviously, I was unarmed from the time I left my door to get in the Uber until I got out of the Uber on the ride back from SFO. I was completely comfortable not carrying a gun, even though I was in some rather dodgy areas of Dublin during one part of the trip. All of my cousins from Ireland and the UK could not understand why I carry a gun. Some even questioned why I owned guns at all. The contrast between the two environments was stark. The simple answer is that we no longer have a functioning society in the US, at least the part I live in. I live in a decent neighborhood, with $1.5 million homes, and while I was away, my neighbor across the street had his catalytic converter stolen. He heard his car alarm go off, grabbed a gun and ran outside to see the suspects driving off. He's a currently employed police officer. The suspects in this case were surprised a week later in another town close by by a homeowner with a BB gun, so they promptly shot up his house. My former patrol team caught one group of them after a pursuit into the jurisdiction I retired from. The locals have been involved in several pursuits and crashes with other crews. Most have been armed. There are multiple jump out crews working the Bay Area that hop out and jack normal, decent human beings and sometimes murder them. It isn't just happening in "bad" neighborhoods and the old recommendation to avoid going stupid places with stupid people and doing stupid things and you will avoid having to get in a gunfight is simply not true in most of the SF Bay Area. So, while heart disease, cancer and the diabeetus are more likely to get me, statistically, I'm not going to stand with my hands in my pockets while my loved ones get victimized.

I wish I lived in a place where there was rule of law and respect for societal norms. In Ireland, my 19 year old son went out drinking with his cousins. One of the cousins had a dispute with another young man that lead to fisticuffs and a bloody nose. The matter was settled and no curb-stomping, nor head kicks resulted, just a good 'ol fashioned fist fight. My son remarked that it would be hard to imagine that happening in the US.

I'm not going to criticize anyone for their personal choices regarding CCW. My choices, due to circumstance and location, do not allow me the luxury of going unarmed and that is unfortunate.

Very interesting considering my lineage. Plenty of my folks emigrated from Western Ireland to the USA because of their “believed ownership” of firearms by the brown shirts and Brit authority. God Bless the Republic.

[Le Français]

The simple answer is that we no longer have a functioning society in the US, at least the part I live in.

The SF Bay Area doesn’t qualify as a functioning society? Do you ever wonder how many other people who pay $1.5+ million to live there would agree with that assessment? How about immigrants from the developing world?

I spent some time in SF recently, had a lovely time and hadn’t a hint of an issue with crime. I suspect that is by far the most common experience for visitors and residents, despite the doom and gloom. There are issues, especially with property crime, and the PD staffing problems are real. But to make it sound like everyone is getting robbed and murdered is needlessly alarmist.

[paherne]

The SF Bay Area doesn’t qualify as a functioning society? Do you ever wonder how many other people who pay $1.5+ million to live there would agree with that assessment? How about immigrants from the developing world?

I spent some time in SF recently, had a lovely time and hadn’t a hint of an issue with crime. I suspect that is by far the most common experience for visitors and residents, despite the doom and gloom. There are issues, especially with property crime, and the PD staffing problems are real. But to make it sound like everyone is getting robbed and murdered is needlessly alarmist.

I grew up here. I've worked in LE since 1990 until I retired last year. Cops I know that never carried off-duty because they live in the "safe" suburbs have been hitting me up to check out my different models of Glocks because they now want to carry. Everyone is not getting robbed, nor murdered, but the odds of that happening in "good" areas have increased exponentially. There was more violent crime in the late 80's and early 90's crack/gang wars, but it was confined to certain neighborhoods where most folks didn't go.

In the last few years, about 30% of my neighbors, for various reasons, have decided that the SF Bay Area is not the place for them and moved away. The crime is definitely part of that decision.

[Joe in PNG]

As someone who's spent a majority of the past decade in places where guns are basically outlawed, I'm comfortable not carrying a gun, but I also understand that it does seriously limit my self defense options should something bad happen.

And in some societies where firearms are highly restricted, very often you find that the stupid place/ times window is considerably larger.

[DocGKR]

As usual, paherne is definitely correct.

The level of violence currently occurring each day in the SF Bay Area is astonishing. We are seeing violent trauma victims daily at the hospital, at rates higher than anytime since the late 80's; and as paherne notes, these assaults are now happening to "normal" folks doing non-risky activities, in what were formerly considered "safe" areas, during daylight hours.