Why did you decide to start carrying?

[Roadie]

Because I woke up.
For years I said I would never carry a gun, because if I felt that unsafe, I would move.. wow was I clueless...

Here is another reason I started carrying..

My granddaughter...

 

[Fastmover]

I never thought I'd have to carry until one fateful night. Staring down the barrel of a chrome 38 during a robbery and being shot at will make you want to sure you're able to return the favor.
Luckily the "homies" had terrible aim.

 

[CalebToNowhere]

All started when I was working at 30th and Keystone. Bad area. The night shift supervisor spent a few weeks in the hospital. A few thugs rolled a bike in front of his car. He thought he ran over a kid. When he got out, he was jumped and beaten to near death. All for the 5 bucks he had in his pocket. Didn't even take the car. This happened 10 years ago.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

I was actually thinking about this last night, why I started carrying... I tried to narrow it down to an actual reason.

I've always had an interest in firearms and handguns, they've just been interesting to me. I figured one day I'd probably buy one, just to keep around the house.

First: My girlfriend worked at a coffee shop in Greenwood that was open pretty late. At the time, there was an "under 21 dance club" in the same strip mall/area. At night, it brought a lot of really questionable people. I disliked how the owners of the coffee shop left her and another girl there alone to close the place up in a very poorly lit area. So, I told her... if the owners don't stick around or have a cop hang around, then I'm going to get a gun and stay there until you two leave.

Then, shortly after, I was driving to Starbucks (no surprises there), and some guy coming the opposite way wanted to make a red-light right turn prior to my green-light left turn. He thinks I cut him off, he followed me into the parking lot laying on his horn, and he got out of his car as I got out of mine. He followed me up to the door, marching toward me quickly, cursing at me and saying "You're about to have a problem, man!" He walked briskly up to me, then just turned away and called me a "jackass".

Granted, nothing happened there... but it made me think... I'm not a big buff guy, and I'm not sure I'm prepared to defend myself properly if some idiot were to start a fight with me. So, I bought my H&K USP40c, got my LTCH, and I've been carrying ever since.

 

[Gowest1995]

4 reasons: My wife and 2 kids, and because i don't want to cede my responsibility to protect them and myself to someone else.