hmmm, I live in New York state, where officials get just a wee bit touchy if you do that (though in this part of NY, gun racks in the back of pickups are de-rigueur)
Yep, there I was, in 1987, sitting in the back of the empty Moab diner at 2:00 in the morning eating biscuits and gravy after driving about 80 miles from the park for my days off, when three dusty odorous cowboys walked in with actual spurs on their heels and actual pistols on their belts. They nodded, I nodded, and I filed it away so I could post about it here.
Gee, I should tell that story more often.
Seriously, having had training in self defense and having worn a weapon on a duty belt to go with my flat hat and uniform, I decided long ago not to own or carry a firearm once I left law enforcement.
If you are trained in self defense and firearms handling, and
if you refresh your training a couple of times a year, and
if you're able to walk around with your antennae up all the time, and
if you are certain that nobody else can get to your gun (kids, unstable friends, thieves), then it's worth carrying one if you have the cojones. If not, it's just as likely that your gun will be used against you, because 1) you won't get your defenses up quickly enough to whip the thing out and use it, and/or 2) you're a good guy and will hesitate before shooting, and the bad guy knows that. I feel much better about my ability to stomp on an instep or strike upward with my palm to a guy's nose than to use a weapon. And despite my inability to run distance, I sprint really well.
I don't walk around in fear, but I try to stay aware at all times of the people around me. I enjoy noticing the variety of people I see on the street or in a store, and noticing things also tells me way ahead of time if someone seems suspicious, at which point I raise my antennae. The best defense is staying away from trouble spots, not appearing to be vulnerable (stand up straight, walk and move purposefully), being willing to look someone in the eye like IceHeeler did, and knowing your escape routes--into the middle of the street or an open business, up to the nearest streetlight, or up a hill (always better to have the 'upper' hand in a fight).
IceHeeler, I had the distinct image of any animal that makes itself seem bigger by standing tall, puffing out its fur, or whatever, when I read your story. One of the first things I learned about dogs is that one way to deal with a mean one is to stand up real tall, put one hand on your hip, point the other straight out over the dog and shout in a low gruff voice, "go home!" Not that they understand what you're saying, but that pose and vocalization has intimidated many a mean beast. Sometimes you need to do this for a while as they slink away and snarl at you, but it works. That's what you did with those bozos, and it worked.
