This afternoon, I walked to the store to get some stuff. I live in a down town area that has more than it’s share of homeless, drug addicts and dealer, conmen and plain crazy people. They camp, shoot up, use the bathroom, pan handle, rob and deal drugs right out in the open. As I stepped out of my condo I asked myself this question:
While carrying a concealed firearm, what is the absolute main thing that I was really, genuinely worried about at that moment?
I came to this conclusion, I was worried that I would be put in a position where I would have to decide rather to reach for Kim or retreat.
Once I got to the store my thought was, If the wrong person sees my EDC they will make a scene that could be rather uncomfortable. I guess I feel a bit safer in the store for some reason.
So, as you step out your door with your EDC in tow, what are you worrying about?
I worry that I would have to use my gun. That is why I always highlight and focus on situational awareness. If I avoid, de-escalate or escape from a bad situation I will not have to react to a life-threatening situation. Only IF I have no other choice to defend my life from a threat will I ever consider using my gun.
No worries here, either. Different type of neighborhood. Did my street life in Miami '78-'79, coke and Cuban tour, then SF '79-'80 panhandling and blood sales… good learning experience, but prefer a more rural lifestyle.
I don’t worry about much when I carrying. I’ve been pretty good so far at detecting and avoiding threats. Too bad insurance companies don’t compensate me for every bad situation I avoided.
Could I get taken by surprise one day, or find myself in a situation where I can’t escape? Sure, but those situations are pretty rare, so why worry about it? I’m more likely to do something stupid and get myself killed than I am to get caught in a cinematic-style hostage shoot-out. (The late great Norm MacDonald joked “Everyone is worried about getting attacked by a terrorist. You know what you should be worried about? Your heart!”)
You know what causes me more concern? When I find myself in a sketchy situation and realize I’m not carrying.
Your concern should be to make a potential assailant worry - when you’re outside your residence, expect some gorilla is sizing you up as an easy score - even when you’re at the grocery. Situations happen in seconds - listen to your gut.
I don’t know about worried, I just go into a heightened sense of awareness when I am out and about, According to a recent political commercial, OKC has a higher violent crime rate than NY and California. (Need to fact check), but just watching the news, violent crime is pretty much a daily thing now.
I am in Oregon. Salem to be exact. The Capital and a mini Portland. Sorry to here about Salt Lake City. I was under the impression that it was one of our finer cities.
Like others, I worry about the day that I might actually have to use my firearm. Defending my family is reactive. It’s the possible fallout from the aftermath that concerns me most. We all say we would be fine, but, you don’t know until it actually becomes a reality.
Did I remember to put the younger dog in its kennel (if nobody else is home to keep an eye on the chewing)
I rarely have any specific or particular worries or concerns relating directly to the firearm. I just have a general awareness of what’s around me, condition yellow with active checking this and that and thinking what to do if ___, but it’s not really any different than defensive driving while in a car, it’s just second nature after years and years, and specific worries are temporary, like, what’s that guy up to? Does that driver see me? Is she going to pull out in front of me? He’s getting close to that center line. Why is that guy just standing there watching? Then after a few seconds of observation or checking, it’s cleared, on we go.
Like @Nathan57 — pretty much the regular stuff: to-do list, car wreck, gas in the car, lunch, heart attack. The gun does not increase those worries; but it doesn’t reduce them, either. EDC does not induce worry in itself.
In terms of self-defense, I think about the jams I avoided or got myself out of when I was not carrying. That makes me glad to have a bit more depth at hand for problem solving — but I suppose I do worry a bit about whether I might go to that solution too soon. Or too late. Considering the what-if and what-has-worked is probably more useful than not thinking about it. If anybody has a better approach, I’m all ears.
Not worried, per se, just always aware of what might be around the bend! That includes the grocery store, not just on the streets!
Concerned that my wife, who uses a cane, will not be able to flee to cover, so I become the shield and the spear! Because I will never leave her side, if we’re going down, it’s with empty mags, of which I carry plenty!
This topic of extra mags and usage comes up quite a bit. I’ve seen people in restaurants literally run each other over while shooters are emptying their mags, rare, but not out of the question considering our sad state of affairs! With my car and my hips, no less than 121 rounds.
I’m worried I’ll run out of ammo, we really do have to consider there will be many, many more Brooklyn subway shooters, it’s the nature of the Brandon plan.
Extra mags, one in the chamber, wife by my side, USCCA card in wallet
no worries!