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Kitsune · 02-09-2007, 09:22 AM

I no longer carry, I should note, and it wasn't very difficult for me to come to that decision.

The original reasons I had for applying for my permit included living in a high crime area, traveling through one, traveling very long distances along back roads alone, and threats of violence against me from someone who became unstable.

The solutions to these were simple: I moved to a better neighborhood, I now avoid driving through the areas of town that I don't consider safe, I have a roadside service card that ensures I'm not stranded in the event of a breakdown, and the unstable individual problem managed to take care of itself.

I simply couldn't bear the weight of making a quick decision that would end someone's life. I wasn't trained to make instantaneous judgments like that and in seeing the mistakes professionals often make in the confusion of a situation, I couldn't take that responsibility with no training at all.

I also wasn't willing to take my chances with the law. After reading the example cases provided in Florida Firearms Law, Use & Ownership and their outcomes, I concluded that there was more chance of my life getting ruined by me being in the wrong place at the wrong time while packing a gun than a gun saving me from a dangerous situation. I made a huge mistake by even opening my glove box when the guy that wanted my car came knocking -- I'm lucky that incident didn't land me in jail. I also now travel to a university campus daily, I travel near elementary schools constantly, and there is no time during the day where I'm not near a school bus stop. Even my employer has a rule stating I will be terminated for simply having a gun in my car in their parking lot, a power the state has no control over.

The risks to me, by far, greatly exceed the incredibly slim chance of providing a benefit.

02-09-2007, 09:22 AM	#33
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	I no longer carry, I should note, and it wasn't very difficult for me to come to that decision. The original reasons I had for applying for my permit included living in a high crime area, traveling through one, traveling very long distances along back roads alone, and threats of violence against me from someone who became unstable. The solutions to these were simple: I moved to a better neighborhood, I now avoid driving through the areas of town that I don't consider safe, I have a roadside service card that ensures I'm not stranded in the event of a breakdown, and the unstable individual problem managed to take care of itself. I simply couldn't bear the weight of making a quick decision that would end someone's life. I wasn't trained to make instantaneous judgments like that and in seeing the mistakes professionals often make in the confusion of a situation, I couldn't take that responsibility with no training at all. I also wasn't willing to take my chances with the law. After reading the example cases provided in Florida Firearms Law, Use & Ownership and their outcomes, I concluded that there was more chance of my life getting ruined by me being in the wrong place at the wrong time while packing a gun than a gun saving me from a dangerous situation. I made a huge mistake by even opening my glove box when the guy that wanted my car came knocking -- I'm lucky that incident didn't land me in jail. I also now travel to a university campus daily, I travel near elementary schools constantly, and there is no time during the day where I'm not near a school bus stop. Even my employer has a rule stating I will be terminated for simply having a gun in my car in their parking lot, a power the state has no control over. The risks to me, by far, greatly exceed the incredibly slim chance of providing a benefit.