Roger, I'm not a paranoia type person but I do believe in "crimes of opportunity". I think for the career criminal, they will get you anywhere, but for others it's spur of the moment because the opportunity presented itself.
Jack
And Jack, after re-reading my post, I realized it appeared I was picking on your post... and I hadn't intended that, and I apologize as it appeared so. Knowing you as well as I do, I would never imply that you are paranoid or unreasonably concerned by all this 'cause I know you aren't.
My point was just that sometimes, without a specific threat visible, many folks are more alarmed by their perceptions of their surroundings than may be necessary.
Again, Jack... my apology.
Roger
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The guy that killed a bunch of hikers (Gary Hilton) camped illeagle in our county. (Macon county NC). He was camped at Camp Branch on Wayah mountain a place that my wife and I like to take the dogs and walk an old logging road. The local game warden made him leave he said he carried a billy stick in his back pocket. Hilton later dumped one of his victims in Macon county after he cut his head off. We also have our concealed carry permits and I carry a small 45 auto. We growed up camping out in the woods and never felt we were in danger. But times have changed and we must change our behavior to match. When we hike or camp now we also are packing.
I can't ever remember a time where we've camped and felt threatened. We do boondock but have never seen anything even remotely concerning other than big bear tracks a few times, and once a cougars tracks when we got up one morning that were not there the night before.
I suspect I'm the one who scares the other campers.
Barry
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Again just my imput, Nice to see the Men and Women who choose to keep their firearms at hand to protect themselves and thier family and the public if needed. Regardless of where the family and I go, camping,krogers,or to the mall I am hopefully aware and ready to one up a thug. As far as the mag-light goes trade it in for a good zenon light(surefire) and a pocket knife(benchmade) and you will be better off if you are not ready to bear a firearm. Robert
the point I'm trying to make here is:
1 in every 11 Americans are incarcerated.
the #1 sector in the building industry is correctional facilities.
where do you think all this crime happens?
Your statistics are off by quite a bit. It's about 1 in 100 for the rate of incarceration in the US (higher for certain minority groups). It's nowhere near 1 in 11. This comes straight from the front page of the Washington Post last Friday.
Prison construction is no longer leading the building industry. That was true in the 90s but not now. In FY 2002 the construction budget for the Federal Bureau of Prisons was slashed to nearly nothing as prison constructions funds were reappropriated to homeland security. The BOP had the largest construction budget in the country. At one point they had 24 facilities across the US under construction at the same time. Now it's only a couple.
Things happen very quickly no matter how secure you feel. Before my retirement I parked in a lot near the Greyhound bus station. I pulled into my spot and opened my door to get out of the truck and as soon as I did a gentleman stepped between me and my open door. He then pulled up his shirt and said "I just want to show you I ain't carrying." I looked him straight in the eyes and said "but I am" I think he is still running. The rest of the story is that I worked in a Federal Office and could not carry but he didn't know that. He had figured out the blind spots and would approach from the side as soon as a door opened. I worry what thugs will try to do to more passive individuals.
Your statistics are off by quite a bit. It's about 1 in 100 for the rate of incarceration in the US (higher for certain minority groups). It's nowhere near 1 in 11. This comes straight from the front page of the Washington Post last Friday.
Prison construction is no longer leading the building industry. That was true in the 90s but not now. In FY 2002 the construction budget for the Federal Bureau of Prisons was slashed to nearly nothing as prison constructions funds were reappropriated to homeland security. The BOP had the largest construction budget in the country. At one point they had 24 facilities across the US under construction at the same time. Now it's only a couple.
thanks for the correction... i suffer from chronic exaggeration and hyperbole.. comes from years of watching the main stream media, and listening to algore
It seems one's perception of 'personal safety' or the lack of it is directly influenced by one's normal everyday environment. Yesterday one coked-up freak nearly ran me off the road while ignoring a large YIELD sign (maybe he was just insane and off his meds..) and as I pulled up into my not-so-bad neighborhood I got to witness a quick dope deal by my neighborhood junkie (one of three who appear to be users not dealers, but sometimes the dealers come to them...and leave very quickly). Anyway, my point is that if you are fortunate enough to live in an area with very low crime and very civilized social interaction please resist the temptation to judge those of us who are not so fortunate and our occasional "heightened awareness" of our surroundings. One man's paranoia is another man's realism.... have a nice day!
I don't perceive parking at Walmarts or rest stops to be boondocking.
There wouldn't be bad guys ( or good guys ) where I boondock, because
it is out in the boondocks. Also, I usually camp with quite a few freinds, and there is strength in numbers.
There are actually TWO recurring themes in this thread: 1) the degree of perceived threat from others while camping, and 2) how those who feel the most threatened are "packing heat". What I would like is a response to the following question:
Among those who don't feel safe without a gun while camping, who has actually displayed and/or pointed a firearm (loaded or not) at another person in self-defense while camping? Feel free to briefly describe the circumstances if you feel you were justified.
-Jerry
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