When to carry, and when not to carry

[Bubba613]

Sadly the discussion deteriorates into the typical "it happened once, it could happen any time" mode of gun discussion. Fortunately most people don't apply this reasoning to the rest of their lives. Otherwise everyone would go around with a flak vest and construction helmet.

FWIW, banks in TN are not legally off limits unless posted, like any other business.

 

[CoRoMo]

So it appears that the OP is willing to bet his life, and I suppose the lives of his dearest companions, on whatever statistics he's decided to cling to. However, he also admits that violence can, and does occur in most all places at one time or another. There is only one conclusion; that is a ridiculous way to operate. Vector assumes a lot... too much in fact.

I'm headed home now. The statistics surrounding my driving record are clear: there's no reason for me to expect to be in a collision on my drive. But I'm not stupid. I'm going to wear my seat belt.

Walk about helplessly unarmed if you choose. Not me, I'm going to take an ounce of prevention.

 

[hso]

Some are invested in the argument more than debate.

Is life risk free? No, no one here would argue that.

Do all activities have the same risk? No, no one here would argue that either.

Is it possible to establish if a given activity has a greater risk than another? Possibly, if we understand that establishing risk is the relationship between to probability or frequency of occurrence of a hazard and the severity of exposure to the hazard.

My wife spent some years making home health calls on patients. The hospital assessed the risk of making those calls after 11 am in a particular block of addresses as high enough to be unacceptable to schedule visits after 11 am in that area. Before 10 they assessed the risk as moderate and between 07 and 09 they assessed it as low. The basis of the risk assessment was that violent crime in that area was linked to the time of day. At no time of the day did they assess the risk as very low or nonexistent in that area. Matter of fact they never assessed the risk as nonexistent even for calls on gated suburban neighborhoods because they considered there to always be a potential for someone to think the staff had medications with them (even though they never did).

Is life free of risk at all times? No. Are there activities that subject us to greater risk? Certainly. Are there activities that subject us to less risk than at other times? Obviously if some activities carry greater risk than others.

What if we combine activities? We have to if we do more than one thing all the time at only one place. Our lives are a whole series of activities that have their individual risks associated with them. The combination of all those risks sets an overall risk to our lives. Living in that neighborhood the hospital forbad the home health staff to enter after 11 am carried a lot greater overall risk than the home health staff that only were there before 11. If you limit your individual risks consciously then you can limit the total risk, but you have to remember that you need to be accurate in your assessment of risk and rigorous in avoiding those risks.

Can you avoid risk of violent crime all the time for all places for all activities? Since our lives are a whole series of activities at different places and times you should not look at each in isolation because you don't spend all your time doing just one thing in just one place.

 

[Bubba613]

So it appears that the OP is willing to bet his life, and I suppose the lives of his dearest companions, on whatever statistics he's decided to cling to. However, he also admits that violence can, and does occur in most all places at one time or another. There is only one conclusion; that is a ridiculous way to operate. Vector assumes a lot... too much in fact.

And shockingly most people go through life never carrying a gun even a single day and never have a problem. So I would say the OP's bet is well founded. But in any case it is his decision, much as yours is your decision.

 

[Art Eatman]

Opinionatin' ain't discussionatin'. Pretty much pointless to continue this thread.