bicycling?

[Seaman]

I respect traffic laws. Have ridden in big cities and never had a problem with motorists.

However I note about 85% of cyclists in my area totally ignore traffic laws: red lights, stop signs, yield signs, wrong way riding, etc: it is like they are riding in an alternate universe.

Yes I carry when I ride, not for the motorists, but for when I get off the bike and must conduct normal everyday activity. Ankle and waist carry are awkward and difficult on a bike, so go to shoulder holster or pocket carry.

Check your six.

[9ballbilly]

My son and I only mountain bike along trails so motorists are never a problem. However one of our favorite rides is a paved trail that runs along a river for several miles, another is packed gravel that parallels a canal system. Both of these locations have an established history of cyclists/walkers being robbed, assaulted, and in at least one instance raped. So whether we're riding these or more remote locations I always carry, no exceptions. My old S&W model 4006 .40cal autoloader in a fanny pack works best for me.
Stay safe and happy riding!

[Skans]

If I'm going on a really long bicycle ride (which I don't do much anymore), I would pack my J-22 in a small pouch under my seat with my tire repair kit. Fortunately, I've never had to use either. But, I stop to eat/drink at convenience stores, etc, not always in the great part of town.

[RC20]

Some years back, a police officer acquaintance of my family was out riding with his kid on the back of the bike.

Pitbull loose and vicious, he was able to draw, swing down and shoot the dog.

Not something you want to do, but a combo of the dog to close to evade and a threat regardless. Helps if you are a cop.

There have been at least two times I would have shot them if I had a gun.

[TXGunNut]

I love a rural ride and dogs are part of the fun. Most just want to go for a run so I play along and even egg them on a bit. A spontaneous sprint will do you both good. A dog senses fear and fear makes them nervous, often more aggressive. I have a small canister of pepper spray velcro'd in easy reach (for canine training, of course) and I've never had to spray a dog twice. There's also a snubby .38 in a fanny pack, if a dog ever takes me off my bike, it'll never happen again. I was a bike cop and had a bad roadie habit for awhile. Only dog that's taken me off my bike was a Yorkie, he insisted on "chasing" me from in front, was too quick for me to go around. I ran over and killed the little buggar. I put the chain back on my bike, tried to console his hysterical owner, and rode on. Sad day for this dog lover.

[briandg]

I'd do anything to make dogs stop biting my wife. She's been jumped many times, and 3 times, they drew blood. As said, they sense her nervousness, and dive in and bite. The last one was a jack russel, and I kicked him in the side so hard I think I may have broken ribs.

It was across the street from an elementary school, and chained so that it could go all the way across the sidewalk (wife was in the grass between street and sidewalk.) It took all of my willpower not to drag the owner out and beat him half to death for allowing that where grade school kids needed that sidewalk.

Seriously, that is just wrong. I wish I hadn't kicked the dog, and had broken the owner's nose instead. If I'd been armed, it would have taken every ounce of will to not shoot the thing.

[to.what.end]

I haven't read all the posts so the following points may have already been addressed.

The people that throw objects or insults aren't going to do anything more than that.

Riding with traffic has it's obvious risks (being "rubbed" or flat out hit). I know and accept this every time leave my driveway.

I've been in four situations where someone has actually gotten out of their car. Twice I've been able to look at the social dynamics of the situation and physical altercations were avoided. The other two times I had to apply self defense training that focused on defense against a weapon highly suggest this. http://nononsenseselfdefense.com/ is a great place to start, it is truly a fountain of useful, relative information. I personally wouldn't rely on a firearm for self defense while riding though. During one of the altercations a guy jumped out of the passenger seat and charged me with an axe handle. Had I pulled out a firearm (if I'd had the time to) he would have had time to do the same and where would that had left us? Check out that website and stick with pepper spray for the critters. I've definitely used mine more than once!

[amd6547]

Once, I was riding in the countryside outside Kent, Ohio when a car intentionally tried to sideswipe me....then they slowed down and started yelling about kicking my a@@...
There was a side road I swerved down...I rode about 50yds down the road while watching them back up and begin to tear down the unpaved gravel road.
That day, I had brought along a small 380 1911-style pistol to try out in the woods. I jumped off my bike and pulled it out, racking the slide...
The car stopped about 20yds away, reversed, and tore out of there fast.
Another time, a guy started harassing me in a mini van...he was yelling at me that bikes don't obey traffic rules....
I toyed with him for a while, jumping curbs, turning around, and laughing as he tried to wrestle the mini van around....
Eventually, I jumped off my bike....he pulled up and jumped out holding a length of thick steel cable a foot long with tape for a handle....as he came at me, I picked up my bike and held the chain ring in his face, which made him think twice about trying to hit me....
He took off. A police car showed up right after. I gave him a description of the guy, license number, and told him about the improvised cable-club.
The cop took off after him. Never heard if he was caught or not.
These two incidents took place twenty years apart. One in open country, one in the middle of a safe suburbia neighborhood.

[9mm1033]

Lots of stories here. To the OP I say this: do you feel a need and are you comfortable carrying a firearm while biking? It's a personal choice. You'll have to account for your actions. Everyone knows the same rules apply regarding deadly force whether you are riding a bike, driving a car or walking the streets. Were you in fear for your life? You and you alone will have to justify shooting a person. Plain and simple. Shooting a dog might be worse.

[kimbershot]

bikes and my 32 seecamp work for me

[briandg]

Lots of stories here. To the OP I say this: do you feel a need and are you comfortable carrying a firearm while biking? It's a personal choice. You'll have to account for your actions. Everyone knows the same rules apply regarding deadly force whether you are riding a bike, driving a car or walking the streets. Were you in fear for your life? You and you alone will have to justify shooting a person. Plain and simple. Shooting a dog might be worse.

Yes, I feel a need for everyone who bikes in traffic to have some sort of defensive weapon.

I recognize that it is practically useless. There have never been situations that I encounter that would have been helped by having a lethal weapon. After very carefully considering the entire situation, I stopped carrying. I think I said so in my first post. To anyone else who bikes, I suggest that if they are afraid to walk, and pedestrians are everywhere, there is a need for protection against one on one violence. Stopplng violent crazies in a car is another matter, and a firearm will not help. (as has been ably discussed in another thread.)

If I've started a discussion about and gotten some recognition passed on about how these psychos behave towards people on bikes, that's all I could ask for