How often do you take your gun when you ride?

I thought I would bring a discussion going on on Pinkbike over here for some Canadian perspective. The thread starts like this: "what's the best way to carry your gun while riding?" Turns out the OP, while riding in Oklahoma, was almost run off the road (purposefully) by what he described as a "redneck." The solution he was working on was some way to carry his gun on his waist so people wouldn't run him off the road.

This has turned into a general conversation on safety and guns in the US. Turns out, in Florida (and many other states I assume), you should assume that every single person is packing. For instance, your local bike shop in Florida would likely be armed as would all of the customers as per the descriptions of usual working order by the contributors.

I've ridden in the States up and down the west coast as well as Montana and Idaho. I didn't feel like I needed a gun in those places at the time, but maybe I did. I wonder how safe a person really should feel traveling to the US? I have foregone traveling to the US since Trump was elected but I have to say, the effect Trump has had on bringing to light particular perspectives of some Americans makes me think differently of the country. I looked up some stats and it turns out that the US is the only country in the world that has more guns than people. If you get down to it, the US seems like a relatively unsafe country to visit.

Anyone here feel unsafe riding without a gun in Canada, wish you could pack something? Anyone ride in the US and wish they could carry something? Anyone else changing their views on traveling to our southern neighbours?

*checks calendar to see if it's April 1st*

I have never felt unsafe riding without a gun here in BC and have absolutely no desire to ride with one. The one exception I might make was if I was doing a bike packing trip through known grizzly territory. Even at that one would need to be a fairly expert shot to hit a potentially fast moving target while under considerable duress. My guess is you'd probably have a better chance of success of defending yourself in learning how to use bear spray properly.

RAHrider, were you born in Canada?

Riding my road bike in rural Minn. I've wondered if handgun on my hip might garner me a little more passing space from the fuckwits roaring up and down the highway in their lifted 4x's.

I got banned from one roadie forum for needling the yanks about this. lol....mebbe' I should mosey over to PB.

The better question would be, does anybody own a gun, if so, would it be one your could carry while riding (handgun)? 

I would guess that maybe 25% of people in Canada own a gun, and of those people maybe 10% own a handgun. Most gun owners in Canada own long guns, which are a little tough to carry while riding.

A short service announcement about guns.

Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rR9IaXH1M0

Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9UFyNy-rw4

Anyone here feel unsafe riding without a gun in Canada, wish you could pack something?

No.

When used to be part of a road race team years back def had some run ins with pickup truck driving retards out in the Valley a few times. Especially Matsqui - Harrison rides for some reason. Don't miss those days in the saddle, way too much traffic in the lower mainland to enjoy a group ride these days so hung the road bike up a couple years back.

We are planning a gravel ride from Harrison to Pemberton this coming early summer. No way I'm doing it on a weekend with the drunken redneck crew partying and ripping around on the FSRs. Was sketchy just driving it on a weekend when we did a recon trip in the truck. Fucking idiots galore

I wish I could pack a nice big flask of tea and some delightful scones. What's a gun?

Posted by: TonyJ

A short service announcement about guns.

Part 1

Part 2

Those are priceless Tony, thanks for sharing.

ReductiMat, I was proudly born in Canada. Actually in the big smoke of Toronto. Used to teach in the inner city hich schools in Toronto and then Vancouver. Never needed a gun there and certainly never wanted one on trails anywhere in Canada.

Posted by: TonyJ

The better question would be, does anybody own a gun, if so, would it be one your could carry while riding (handgun)? 

I would guess that maybe 25% of people in Canada own a gun, and of those people maybe 10% own a handgun. Most gun owners in Canada own long guns, which are a little tough to carry while riding.

Handguns in Canada have strict guidelines. You have to take a restricted firearms course and get a licence from the RCMP. You're legally allowed to transport your handgun to a shooting range, directly there and back, no stops(groceries, liquor store, etc). They must be stored at home in a secured gun locker or/and trigger lock.

Long guns would be the only option to ride with, and I do believe that would be for the purpose of hunting.

Posted by: trumpstinyhands

I wish I could pack a nice big flask of tea and some delightful scones. What's a gun?

This is a thread I would follow! 

I'm back home in Vancouver in a week, warmth strategies and winter ride locations are real life concerns. 

Thermos in place of water bottle would be brilliant. Thermal bag of hot scones against back...

Oh and I never ride without my musket and sabre. Red coats could come back at any time.

~11 years ago I did a bike trip in a wildlife reserve in Botswana. The guide carried a big rifle on his back. It had to be big enough to kill an elephant. He let me hold the rifle and it was fucking heavy. This was the only time in my life I've ever touched a gun.

Americans love their guns, there is nothing new about that. There have been threads on MTBR about the best way to carry a gun on an mtb ride for as long as I can remember. However, I've never heard about anyone actually pulling out a gun on a ride. By far most of the riders I've met in the states have been extremely friendly. You probably have a much higher chance of getting hurt in a car accident than getting shot on a bike ride in the states.

Also, I like the tea and scones idea!

So let's say you're riding In MN or FL and some guy runs you off the road, then what? You gather your wits, plant your feet and take a shot at him now that he's like 300m down the road and your heart Is racing from riding and a near death experience? 

But maybe carrying the gun visibly on your left side would provide a good visual deterrent?

Ouch,

I know and understand all that, but thanks for the clarification.

I was putting that info out for our obviously uninformed US of A poster, who thought that guns were as common in Canada as the USA. Between our 2 posts, now I think the OP will understand why his question doesn't make any sense for Canadians.

EDIT. Sorry, thought you must be from the USA, but I guess I was wrong, just figured that all us Canadians sorta knew about our gun laws. I guess if you have never felt the need to try to purchase a handgun, you may not know what he actual laws about it are (clarified by Ouch).