Not at this time, but plan to buy some soon - used to carry it on my keychain, ran out and just didn't replace.

No, I never have. But my daughter actually had permission to carry a taser to work at her store in Tulsa (and she did) because member of a ring of shoplifters had made threats against her and another manager. I hated having her work there. Thank heaven she's somewhere else now!

No, I carry something much more effective than that when I think I might need to protect myself. Did you know that not all people are affected adversely by pepper spray?

Here in Texas we can get a concealed weapon permit. The weapon isn't pepper spray.

I have a concealed carry permit and pepper spray isn't the weapon of choice.

Linda

I have my concealed carry permit too and I prefer my Glock if I feel I need protection.

No. I sometimes carry a knife if I'm out after dark. I like to walk a lot, but only in daylight and in well-populated areas. I'm very careful where I park my car and I keep it locked.

Good grief....no.

I do, however carry in my purse, a small spray can of hairspray, a relatively heavy keychain and a cellphone. Although not for defense...all are potential defensive tools.

No. I never really go anywhere alone. DH always shops with me or one of the boys do. I try not to drive after dark as my night vision is terrible. I do carry my keys in a defensive manner at all times. If I still lived in California I think I would. But not here in my little town. At least not yet.

Trish in SC

I had to for work because I was alone in some scary areas of LA doing site surveys for new cell sites, but now I keep it on my bedside table, just in case. I live alone. Better safe than sorry

Way to go, Linda!!!

I don't carry pepper spray. I seldom go anywhere that I have to be very concerned....but at home, I try to keep a pistol within easy reach.

What???? Some of you are actually carrying guns? I cannot believe it. Not finding fault, just surprised.

I don't carry anything, but don't feel the need for protection.

When I lived in an apartment complex in CA, I carried pepper spray when I came home from work late at night. I disposed of it when I moved to Iowa. I have my dog to protect me at home.

Socks, you'd be surprised how many people have their conceal carry permit. I work for a realtor and of the 10 agents in the office, 8 of them have their permits. When I have to show rental property, you can bet I have my weapon. I don't go into the house with them but if THEY have a gun, they could MAKE me go in against my will. But I can guarantee it wouldn't end like they think.

And like Marilyn said, it's not just out and about that you need to be able to protect yourself, it's at home, too.

We live way out in the country and if I call the Sheriff for help, it's a minimum of 20 minutes before someone gets here and that's best case scenario. We need to be able to defend ourselves. You'd be surprised how many times people have driven all the way down our 1/3 mile long driveway to get back to our house "just to see what's back here", in their own words. Uh-huh. Just to see what's stealable, is probably more like it. Like the time 2 guys in an unmarked wrecker started hooking it up to Woody's pickup truck. He thwarted their attempt. I guess they though no one was home. SURPRISE! lol

And when I am home alone and a car or truck comes down here, my heart start to pound if I don't recognize the vehicle. It's so rare we get unannounced company that it's quite alarming. Consequently, we have protection hidden all over the place. I refuse to be a victim in my own home, or like Jen said, anywhere else for that matter. Knowing that you can protect yourself is a good feeling.

I carry pepper spray, when I out walking.
I have never had a need to use it, yet.

I also have a conceal and carry license. I work in a very bad part of Tulsa and live in a fairly remote area in the country. I would not hesitate to use it to save the life of me or my family. Like Flamingo I don't like to see strange vehicles comming up the drive and we have been broken into twice.

Melissa

Quote from Mary Ann: I don't carry anything, but don't feel the need for protection.

I feel the same way and don't carry anything either.

Ditto Mary Ann and Granlan. I trust my street smarts.

Yes, I have one small one in my purse and a larger one near our front door at home. Don't ever come a knockin' with a scary mask! LOL

I wouldn't carry or have them around if they hadn't been a gift to me though.

Jodi-

No, but dh has been talking about getting classes for the concealed carry permit.

I stood in line last spring for several hours with several other parents to get my child into a specific 4 yo program. Apparently, most of the other parents have their permits and carry guns on a regular basis. I learned to shoot a gun when I was a little kid so I have pretty good aim. I need to learn how to load, unload and other relevant things.

No...something heavier -what it 'disperses' can't be blown back into my face by the wind.
Suzi

Not anymore but when I lived in a major city I never walked the streets without my finger on the trigger of a can of pepper spray and I spent a lot of years in the city. Nothing ever happened to me but I never got jaded into thinking it wouldn't.

Pepper Spray is illegal in Canada.

No, I don't and have not ever carried anything. I am not sure I could trust myself to carry a gun, as I am afraid of them. Pepper spray, maybe, but knowing me, I would probably spray myself first. If they are going to get me, well than so be it.

I know that Moni has biked from coast to coast and would love to hear her take on this subject....Moni?

Trin

Add me to the pepper spray isn't effective enough group. I have carried when needed but never pepper spray.

Pepper spray isn't legal here, but I doubt it would even occur to me to carry it anyway. I've gotten myself out of a couple of jams. And I wouldn't want to have a weapon that I had to worry about having someone else turn against me.

nope...i try not to put myself where I'm gonna be sorry...amazingly I'm still in a pretty safe place...(knocking on some wood here)

Never have.

It scares me to think about all those guns out there -- so easy for them to be misused, even turned against the people carrying them. If I were carrying a concealed gun, it would be the easiest thing in the world for someone to jump me unawares, overpower me and take it away.

Not judging anyone either because it is your constitutional right to bare arms but I am glad I live in Canada. No pepper spray allowed here or concealed weapons. Like Monica hair spray is a good alternative. Unfortunately my office was located in an area frequented by prostitutes and johns and while waiting for the bus johns would come up to me. I called the police and the dispatcher told me while waiting for the bus I should carry the spring edition of Vogue magazine and a small can of aerosol hairspray. LOL She said if someone approached me to spray him in the face with hairspray then whack him with the magazine. LOLOL

Living in a border city the criminal element and their guns do make it across the border. I think the weapons of choice in this city are fists and knives, both deadly.

Someone once sprayed pepper spray as a joke in Tim Horton's and I had a terrible asthma attack and had to go to the ER.

Anne

It scares me to think about all those guns out there -- so easy for them to be misused, even turned against the people carrying them.

Doesn't happen. The peeps that would turn your own firearm against you are already packing their own. That's the plus of concealed carry...the element of surprise.The bad guy doesn't know you're carrying so why would he jump you to disarm you? It levels the playing field when the good guys pack.

Right to carry state have lower crime rates. Criminals are much less likely to car-jack, mug, rape or rob, if they are uncertain whether the victim might be armed. It works especially well where the law does not require one to retreat before using force to protect oneself.

No guns for me, thank goodness! I hopefully would never need one! I live in a pretty safe place. Scared to death of guns! Although my dad had many locked up.

kayjones....... Did you use it all? Or does it evaporate on it's own?

The last time I called the sheriff out, they took over an hour and a half to get here. I have no near neighbors and I am alone most of the time. Also have a long driveway and live in a secluded place. I feel like I live in a fairly safe area, but you can bet your butt if I had to protect myself, I wouldn't hesitate. I feel much safer knowing that people have concealed carry permits. I hope when I go somewhere, they are all around me. I don't have one, but I am all for them.

No, we carry guns. *wink*

We don't actually "carry" them---even though DH has a concealed weapons permit---but we keep them handy.

I just told DH the other day that I want a new pistol. When he told me how expensive they are these days, I decided I didn't need another one after all.

I only carry pepper spray to protect my two small dogs when I am walking them. I have had to use it once and it was very effective. I don't go out at night alone, or even much in the day time. We avoid the "bad side of town" whenever possible. However tonight we will be passing through to hubby's favorite restaurant for his birthday.
Dee in Michigan

In 1999 my daughter and I started out on a wonderful trek on our bicycles. Riding across Texas. My husband, a cop back then insisted we carry pepper spray, and got us Police Strength pepper spray.

Yup, we carried it. After the first day, it was somewhere in our panniers (bags that hook on bicycles). We joked, if someone gave us grief, we would have to ask them to hold it, cause we needed to hunt for our pepper spray. :)

Moni

Here is a link that might be useful: bicycle ride across Texas

I don't carry anything

You might live in a safe part of town, but there nothing to say they won't come into your area. After all, the better neighborhoods have the 'nice' stuff.
No, I don't have a gun, or a permit to carry one. I'd probably shoot myself in the foot.
Leslie

No, but years ago when I worked late nights at a night club I carried one on my key chain.

For you carriers of concealed guns: Have you had cause to draw and/or fire? What happened?

Who, besides you, has touched your gun? Do you own and use a gun lock? Where do you store your gun when not carrying it? For that matter, where do you carry it? (Bottom of your purse? LOL That's where mine would end up, I know.)

de lurking for this
no I have never felt the need
I am amazed at the number that carry/have guns

scary!

Chisue,
I carry my gun with lock on, either in my jeans pocket or in the waistband of a skirt. I have only had to draw and fire once, and that was to kill a coyote that had been hit by the truck in front of me and left to die on the roadside.
Only my husband has touched my gun, and since I clean it regularly, only my prints are on it. When I am not carrying it, the pistol with lock on is in a safe place.
It is a sad commentary on our society that I feel the need to carry a gun. I'd rather not, but I also don't want to end up being victimized. I also find that since we live in the country I feel safer from varmints (the four-footed kind) when I carry a gun.

I don't live in a state where it is "legal" to carry guns. I can say I don't carry a gun but I sometimes think I should and I do know of people who do. However, I would need to take a class and be way more comfortable with a gun before I'd carry one.

As for pepper spray, I don't have any right now but I have in the past.