A question or two for those who carry firearms on them when riding

[Joe T.]

Well I'm guessing ( if He doesn't have personal experience ) ... He probably watches FOX news ..... JMHO .... Mike

Hey, BlueBaby, I resemble those remarks!!!



Joe T.

[UtahPete]

I wish more trained teachers carried.

Is that a 'no' then?

[EdMat]

While riding my Spyder the answer would be NO.

[pegasus1300]

While moving my Mom up from New Orleans to Utah many years ago I stayed in a very cheap motel in Gallup New Mexico. About 2:00am I heard the door rattle in the room. As the door started to open I cocked the hammer on the old .44 and wonder of wonders the sound made the door shut very fast. I got up relocked the door and moved the chair in front of it. Slept just fine the rest of the night. I have a Utah carry permit but almost never carry, but I am glad I had something that night. I prefer to avoid confrontations and mostly stay away from those unsafe areas. Tho they are spreading I think most areas are safe and most people are nice and kind. I have been traveling by motorcycle for nearly 60 years and have only met one grumpy campground manager in all that time. He later came and asked for a favor so made friends with him. I do not have LEO or military training and try to avoid bad situations. I wish me luck on being able to continue in that hope. So Pete I guess the answer is No I don't.

[EdMat]

I do not have LEO or military training and try to avoid bad situations. .

I wonder how many have avoided going somewhere simply because they were carrying? Not talking about where prohibited by law.

[Knizar]

Is anyone carrying low on the hip with an open holster and a leg tie? If so, how many notches on the pistol grip?
Just for future reference only! Bill

[Davgill2002]

Is anyone carrying low on the hip with an open holster and a leg tie? If so, how many notches on the pistol grip?
Just for future reference only! Bill

No, no, & no.

[rjinaz86323]

......and mostly stay away from those unsafe areas......

Yeah, like movie theaters, churches, cafeterias. No place is immune to some disturbed person going off.

[pegasus1300]

Actually I go to all of those places and still feel safe.

[UtahPete]

Yeah, like movie theaters, churches, cafeterias. No place is immune to some disturbed person going off.

You ride your Spyder in those places?

[UtahPete]

So far, the responses seem to indicate that those who do carry while riding have no rational reason for doing so. No personal threatening experiences where a carried weapon was a factor in ensuring a favorable outcome for the rider, it seems.

[SLICE]

I wonder how many have avoided going somewhere simply because they were carrying? Not talking about where prohibited by law.

Can you give an example, I carry everywhere, signage be dammed as it's just a suggestion, if a mall or restaurant asked me to leave I leave, If I have business in a court or police station/post office ECT the firearm get locked up in a lock box in the car.

[ARtraveler]

Another interesting discussion.

I used to own a couple "mean" guns (one, a 45.70 caliber rifle). Both were never used the whole time I was in AK. When I moved I sent both to my brother as a gift. He bought me a replacement for one, which I shot one time just to try it out. Since then it has been cleaned and put away. Bullets stored in a different place. I guess I am saying, I am not depending on a gun to save me in a bad situation.

In all my life, I have never carried while riding a car or m/c. At this point, I have never felt that threatened. I will leave the "save the situation" heros to do their thing when they are needed. I know they are out there. Watching a lot of "reality" cop shows, it seems that everyone is packing heat these days.

When a bad situation happens, I just want to get out of harms way and avoid the gunfight. It's usually the inexperienced who are the ones who get hurt. The bad guys seem to be the winners most of the time.

You have my .02 worth.

Keep it real and the thread stays open.

[milryder]

Always carry on car/truck road trips with my spouse, or solo, as we travel in in some isolated places in the SW (isn't any unplanned stop on a road isolated"?) My concern is a flat tire or other problems when the wrong people may stop to "help". Felons often need cash, a car or worse. I would surrender car or cash but nothing else. I understand many folks don't carry but I couldn't leave ourselves w/o protection, a plan B, in such situations. Former military and many firearm classes. Don't carry w/o meaningful training.

[2dogs]

I believe you are referring here to what's called "situational awareness." It appears you may have it and that's good because there seem to be many more people who don't have it than those who do. Just about all the bad guys have it. My guess is that 80+% of the public doesn't even know what it means. I feel that most (not all) two and three wheel riders have it because they become inherently accustomed to recognizing and avoiding hazardous situations daily. Always be aware of your surroundings and stay safe.

[UtahPete]

Always carry on car/truck road trips with my spouse, or solo, as we travel in in some isolated places in the SW (isn't any unplanned stop on a road isolated"?) My concern is a flat tire or other problems when the wrong people may stop to "help". Felons often need cash, a car or worse. I would surrender car or cash but nothing else. I understand many folks don't carry but I couldn't leave ourselves w/o protection, a plan B, in such situations. Former military and many firearm classes. Don't carry w/o meaningful training.

My wife and I have traveled and camped extensively in remote areas of the southwest and northwest and continue to do so. Both my Scamp travel trailer and and Lees-ure Lite camping trailer are set up with solar so we can camp off-grid, which is our preference to using busy noisy campgrounds. We feel the greatest threats to personal safety are the weather and predatory animals (e.g. bears), so we use common sense (I hope) and situational awareness to manage those risks.

We've been in some gnarly situations, equipment wise but so far never stranded (breakdown). We have run out of fuel on occasion, including on our Spyder in the middle of nowhere, Wyoming. Always been bailed out by a trucker or fellow traveler and sometimes made a friend or two. In all the time (20+ years) we've lived and traveled out here, I've never heard of travelers being assaulted on the road by bad guys with guns. There have been 2 occasions where campers have been assaulted by lunatics with guns or knives, but there have been far more instances of campers being killed by wildlife, falls, drownings, hypothermia, heat-stroke, thirst and lightning strikes.

We have never thought our risks traveling in the remote parts of our beautiful country could be mitigated by carrying a firearm. I'm former military with combat experience; I hope we never get to the point in America where I feel the need to be heavily armed for protection while traveling.

[UtahPete]

I do have some irrational fears of some places, probably based on nothing more than youthful impressions that have stuck with me. Those include the jungles of Africa and South America, which came from stories about the Mau Mau uprising and missionaries being killed by cannibals. Also, Chicago and New York City where gangs staked their turf claims (West Side Story).

But when it comes to travel on America's roads, the furthest thing from my mind is the risk of personal assault requiring the use of lethal self-defense.

I'm aware that I'm not typical, but I'm just wondering where this fear of bad guys with guns on America's highways and byways comes from. America has long been known as one of the safest places on earth, I believe.

[pbokie59]

Quick question, do you wear a helmet because you enjoy wearing it or is it just in case it is required if you have an accident? Carrying a gun is the same, never plan on using it, but would rather be safe than sorry. Most people that have a gun will not hesitate helping someone in need.
If you are taking about driving down the road and shooting that is crazy, but we all stop to admire views, get gas...and unfortunately on a motorcycle you are more vulnerable than in a enclosed vehicle.

[2dogs]

I'm aware that I'm not typical, but I'm just wondering where this fear of bad guys with guns on America's highways and byways comes from. America has long been known as one of the safest places on earth, I believe.

I’ll try to keep this short as possible. Back in the early 80’s on a m/c touring vacation my wife & I stopped at a campground just off the interstate south of the grand canyon. We were tent camping & it was just after daylight the next morning when I was awakened by two sirens moving at mach3 heading for the south rim area. I got up & was walking back to our tent after taking a short shower when I heard the whap whap sound of a chopper. I could see a helicopter on the deck flying right over the top of a car both coming my way. The car started to turn into our campground & the chopper pilot landed on the dirt driveway blocking the car’s path. The vehicle turned away & headed for the interstate with the chopper right over the top of him & away they went. The FBI had located one of their 10 most wanted who’d commandeered a motorhome along with hostages the day before & they’d cornered him at the south rim. A shootout followed & the bad won guy & got away in a car & was trying to get other hostages. A copper pilot jumped in the game & likely saved my ass from becoming a hostage. So you never never know………..

[UtahPete]

Quick question, do you wear a helmet because you enjoy wearing it or is it just in case it is required if you have an accident? Carrying a gun is the same, never plan on using it, but would rather be safe than sorry. Most people that have a gun will not hesitate helping someone in need.
If you are taking about driving down the road and shooting that is crazy, but we all stop to admire views, get gas...and unfortunately on a motorcycle you are more vulnerable than in a enclosed vehicle.

Statistically speaking, the chances of injuring an unprotected head while riding a motorcycle are probably thousands of times greater than encountering an unknown gunman out to get you. Even in America.

Head injury can result from any type of impact, not just hitting the pavement. I wear a helmet because every respectable authority on the subject recommends it. Also, personal experience; when still a novice, riding a Honda 450, I skid on an oil patch when exiting the freeway and high-sided off the bike. Broke my elbow but skull was protected by my helmet.

[Cobwebs]

Is anyone carrying low on the hip with an open holster and a leg tie? If so, how many notches on the pistol grip?
Just for future reference only! Bill

Thats me.I'm on wanted posters all over the country.I ride around bad neighbourhoods looking for stray pitbulls.

[jchadwi]

All this discussion about carrying a firearm got me thinking about my analogy with fire extinguishers. If folks knew that I had eight fire extinguishers, they might think I have an irrational fear of fire. However, it is quite the opposite. Also, I am not too concerned about being injured while riding my Spyder, but I wear ATGATT... and conceal carry.

[mandytuning]

I suppose so, but only if you have reason to believe you run a very real risk of encountering strangers on your trip who want to harm you.

But, why do you believe that? That's where the 'rationale' aspect comes in.

Have you ever been in a church? Walmart? Gas stations? They all have cases of mass shootings. Is not about where you go, is about where criminals target innocent people.

[linguine]

April fooled a few in here...

[Joe T.]

OK, let's cut to the chase. The OP had a semi serios question, in my opinion. But, like most of his posts he is just trolling.

However, this is a serious subject. But the OP wants to limit the conversation to just when you have ridden you ride and stopped for gas, food, etc. The truth is you drive/ride/walk to get somewhere. At the destination ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. Most areas with people are soft targets. So, maybe you should carry all the time. Me, like 99% of the folks on this board AIN'T TELLIN'!! It isn't anyone's business.

So, I'll end this with a video from a Church which is about 10 miles from where I grew up. A soft target. Innocent people got killed.

THANKFULLY, AT LEAST ONE DECENT HUMAN BEING WAS CARRYING - and knew how to handle his weapon.

Watch the video:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/parishione...ry?id=67982047

Peace Brother and Sisters,
Joe T.