Another assault on the Met Branch Trail

[PotomacCyclist]

There are assaults on trails in states with less restrictive gun laws too.

[skins_brew]

@PotomacCyclist 99148 wrote:

There are assaults on trails in states with less restrictive gun laws too.

There are, but at least people in those states have the option of self defense.

[ronwalf]

@skins_brew 99151 wrote:

There are, but at least people in those states have the option of self defense.

But… these are knock-down assaults, with little warning or chance to draw. Clearly, we need to escalate:
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Vespa_militare2.JPG/1280px-Vespa_militare2.JPG[/img]

[Crickey7]

Even if DC become a shall-issue state, the geographic limitations would still apply. You can’t carry into government buildings and a host of other buildings, and you couldn’t ride through major parts of downtown on the streets. And if DC became a shall-issue state, most private office buildings would also restrict it. Not that I’d really want to carry a weapon anyway, between the weight and the need to secure it all the time. Finally, I’m not sure you’d really have time to access it with most of these attacks. The assailants usually try to use the element of surprise. I’ve ridden here in DC for nearly 30 years, through some rough neighborhoods when the City in general was more dangerous than it is now. I always felt the advantage I had was the ability to boogie away quickly from a potential threat before anything bad could happen, rather than staying to confront it.

[Orestes Munn]

Packing heat on the bike is one of several old fantasies of mine, which have paled in the harsh light and ebbing hormones of age.

[MRH5028]

Just to provide an example of how a similar assault went down in a state where you can carry (PA) read this article: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/weird/Thun-Trail-Shooting-Juveniles-Cyclist-138097778.html

That being said I think the answer to the assaults lies more on the enforcement and patrol side of the debate, rather than the concealed carry side.

[skins_brew]

@ronwalf 99152 wrote:

But… these are knock-down assaults, with little warning or chance to draw. Clearly, we need to escalate:
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Vespa_militare2.JPG/1280px-Vespa_militare2.JPG[/img]

Might be over 49cc so it might not be allowed on the trail.

If i get knocked off my bike though, having “it” could still me a difference.

Like I said, let people start carrying in DC and the thugs will seriously give more consideration to who they want to mess with.

[skins_brew]

@Crickey7 99155 wrote:

Even if DC become a shall-issue state, the geographic limitations would still apply. You can’t carry into government buildings and a host of other buildings, and you couldn’t ride through major parts of downtown on the streets. And if DC became a shall-issue state, most private office buildings would also restrict it. Not that I’d really want to carry a weapon anyway, between the weight and the need to secure it all the time. Finally, I’m not sure you’d really have time to access it with most of these attacks. The assailants usually try to use the element of surprise. I’ve ridden here in DC for nearly 30 years, through some rough neighborhoods when the City in general was more dangerous than it is now. I always felt the advantage I had was the ability to boogie away quickly from a potential threat before anything bad could happen, rather than staying to confront it.

I think you would actually be OK in most parts of DC. Federal buildings would be a no-go though. The legality of carrying on parkland is dependent on the gun laws of the jurisdiction where the park is located, so the mall, monuments, etc. would all be fair game. They are fair game right now if you have a DC permit.

Ideally, DC would go shall issue and federal offices would have lockers in the lobby where you could store your weapon. A guy can dream right?

[vern]

@skins_brew 99127 wrote:

If DC would just start issuing CCW permits, the problem would correct itself….

No, it wouldn’t, and there’s not really any objective evidence to demonstrate this.

[dbb]

Just wait till the “all powerful bicycle lobby” starts pressuring the firearms industry for weight-weenie firearms! :confused:

Might be some industry clash of the titans!

[ShawnoftheDread]

@dbb 99164 wrote:

Just wait till the “all powerful bicycle lobby” starts pressuring the firearms industry for weight-weenie firearms! :confused:

Might be some industry clash of the titans!

Nope. The gun industry gladly serves niche markets.
http://pinkhandguns.com

[Raymo853]

@vern 99161 wrote:

No, it wouldn’t, and there’s not really any objective evidence to demonstrate this.

Taking mixed martial arts courses for a year or two will result in you being much safer than any firearm, mace, tazer, etc. Espically if you listen to the first lesson regarding conflict, mugging, etc,…. run.

[skins_brew]

@Raymo853 99194 wrote:

Taking mixed martial arts courses for a year or two will result in you being much safer than any firearm, mace, tazer, etc. Espically if you listen to the first lesson regarding conflict, mugging, etc,…. run.

I will stick with my Glock.

[hozn]

It sure is comforting to know that in this great country we can always fall back on shooting people if we run out of other ideas for solving our problems.

Ah, ‘murica.

[GB]

@hozn 99201 wrote:

It sure is comforting to know that in this great country we can always fall back on shooting people if we run out of other ideas for solving our problems.

Ah, ‘murica.

Fall back? This is ‘murica, shooting is hardly the fall back option, seems to be the go to solution.

But this is not about bikes so hopefully Raymo853 will dislike the entire thread soon and we can move on.

[Author]

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