Why did you start carrying?

[Sandman]

I like stories so here we go. I'm posing a question as to what made you start carrying? It could be a simple as you believe everyone should be armed or as complex as you were attacked...I know some of the people's stories on here and would love to hear yours.

With that said, I started carrying after one event happened in my life. It happened when I was driving in Nashville. I was trying to exit off the interstate and didn't see a car in my blind spot. I swerved back in my lane and waved an apologetic wave. At the exit, the car blocks the road and 4 gang looking members jump out with bandanas covering their face and act like they are gonna shoot me...I got my permit the next week.

[Guest bkelm18]

Nothing happened to me specifically but I was living in a rough area in Norfolk, VA. This was about the same time as the famous double murder in Knoxville. After reading about it and some soul searching, I decided to start carrying. In VA you can carry openly without a permit. I did it a little but figured I'd be more comfortable concealed, so I applied for and got the license.

[JeffL]

I moved to Nashville.

[Guest NashvegasMatt]

personal security.. plain.... simple

[Trekbike]

At the exit, the car blocks the road and 4 gang looking members jump out with bandanas covering their face and act like they are gonna shoot me...

So what happened next?

[Raoul]

Meth lab

[LazyAce]

There are too many idiots running around loose. You never know what or who you are going to run into. You need to be prepared to take care of yourself as the police are not required to and can take several minutes to get to your aid.

[Guest Knightsr25]

The THIRD time I was assaulted in memphis,Tn. by a 14yo boy shoving a 38 snubnose in my ribs. He looked me straight in the eye and told me he could kill me with nothing more than a little time in juvey. As a business owner I was tired of it.

[sigrug17]

short story --- I lived in a place where I couldn't --- & now I'm here. Thank God!

[dats82]

I was living in Knoxville when the Christain/Newsom murders took place, and my house was less than a mile from the house where they held her. I realized that it could have just as easliy had been me and my girlfriend at the time. I had always planned to get my permit, but it was just one of those things that got put on the back burner. That event made me put my butt in gear and get it done. I realized that I would find it very hard to live with myself if I were faced with a similar situation, and I had not done everything in my power to protect myself and the ones I love. My heart breaks thinking about those two and the impact this must have had on their family. To this day, I will find myself laying in bed at night thinking about it from time to time.

[Guest Red5]

I grew up, married, had kids, and realized that the world is full on crazies.

[Sandman]

So what happened next?

They all got back in the car after pointing their guns at me while laughing. I called the cops with the tag number...never heard from the police.

[dou44]

what i have i want to keep,so no gang banger or dope head is going to get it easy . also you never know when a rag head will try something.

[Erik88]

my place of employment was robbed at gun point back in 09. I had always wanted to get a carry permit but didn't get serious about it until this happened.

Now I feel naked without a gun on me.

[Guest tnrider]

I grew up in North Nashville in the 50s & 60s. It was a pretty rough area back then, sort of the wrong side of the tracks. In my neighborhood, lots of fights and people getting beat up. Though we did not consider ourselves gangs, many kids hung together. Knives and nucks were not rare. As I got older I moved to Memphis and started a family. In better neighborhoods. Kids grew up, got a divorce, rented a house on Spotswood (East Orange Mound). Had my home robbed 2 times when I was not there. Guessing they might not care if I was home or not the next time I started carrying a gun. Having your house robbed is not just an at the time thing. It is a violation that stays with you, or did me anyway, a long time. Moved back to Nashville 10 years or so ago. Decided that if I was going to carry I should do it legally.

Growing up in Nashville as a teen I was attacked twice and also had a shotgun aimed point blank at me by a very angry man. I was fortunate enough to talk him out of shooting me. I guess now if he really wanted to shoot me in the first place I would not be writhing this now.

[Guest clownsdd]

My daddy did and taught me well. RIP Dad, I'm still doing you proud.

[Mike.357]

what i have i want to keep,so no gang banger or dope head is going to get it easy . also you never know when a rag head will try something.

what is a rag head?

[Guest rebeldrummer]

I grew up, married, had kids, and realized that the world is full on crazies.

+1 ..... When it was just me, I never thought about it. Now, I have a wife, a 4 yr old princess and one future hunting superstar on the way!!! The thought of ANYTHING happening to them scares me. I'll give life and limb for my family, period!

[Raoul]

what is a rag head?

Obviously this,

[Guest tngw1500se]

Started riding a motorcycle in the woods up at Royal Blue with my wife. Nothing happened, but Meth labs make you wonder if you're safe in the woods. After I started carrying, I figured out it would be a good idea to always carry so it's been on my hip since the permit came.

[Guest IrishGuy]

Self preservation...Carried just about everyday for the last ten years. I don't feel "normal" without it.....

[mav]

Nothing in particular. I was sitting at home bored one day and decdided that I wanted to buy a gun and go get my permit. I did, and the rest is hostory.

[Will Carry]

I got a concealed carry permit so I could buy pistols withour needing a permit. I started carrying after that because............I can.

[dralarms]

With some of the places I worked I carried (without a permit) for protection of myself, my wife and my son. Decided I was asking for trouble so I got my permit. That didn't help much (actually not at all) when I had to go to maryland and work for a week, didn't know the laws then and probally would not have mattered, It was still in the center console of the van. Thankfully I did not get stopped.

[Oh Shoot]

Sort of suddenly retired at 59 and began walking a lot, and not necessarily in the safest part of town (if there actually IS one). That and fact had kept a gun in car most of my life prompted me to go ahead and do things legally.

Also, They were getting closer.

- OS