I will be sleeping with a bat.

[tipptruck1]

Will iam moving to a differnt town for school. So grandma thinks I need to live in a run down place. I mean this place is run down. I have seen better huts in africa then this place. As soon as I steped in this place I felt uneasy. Now I know why. I saw some of the people that are living there. I have felt better going to the bad side of town at 2 am. So Iam hoping to find a friend that has a second room so I can split the rent at his house. Even with the dead bolt on I belive I could kick down the door. I never belived in protection for me. But if I had a a girl or kids I would pick up a gun. So for at least the next few weeks I will be sleeping with a bat in bed. If iam not out of there by the first of october I will start looking for a gun. And I never felt like I needed a gun for my self. I will try to check in from time to time and tell you guys iam still alive.

[=Matt 5.0=]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt! :-?

Moved to Tampa right out of high school. Took the Greyhound bus from Providence, RI to Tampa. After being on the road for almost 3 days, I get to the bus station in FLA, get a cab at 2am and the cab driver won't bring me to where I'm supposed to go. You see, I had this genious friend that moved down there a few weeks earlier to find us a place. Turns out he ended up in one of the worst ghettos in Tampa. Made me a stronger person that's for sure. Not to sound negative, but when you are the only two white kids in the entire neighborhood, you tend to get hassled alot by the locals....got robbed more than once, had bricks and chunks of cement thrown through the windows...(still have one to this day to remind me)  Good time, good times...

Good luck...

[tipptruck1]

Iam glad its not in the getto. I would be shot as soon as I steped out of my car. Its just in a bad part. Well as bad as a town of 3,000 people can have. iam just glad the police station is down the street. And iam never happy to see the police. Also I didn't tell you guys theres no stove in the place or microwave and I cant stand fast food. It looks like I will be buying a little grill and cooking a lot of burgers and hot dogs.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt! :-?

Moved to Tampa right out of high school. Took the Greyhound bus from Providence, RI to Tampa. After being on the road for almost 3 days, I get to the bus station in FLA, get a cab at 2am and the cab driver won't bring me to where I'm supposed to go. You see, I had this genious friend that moved down there a few weeks earlier to find us a place. Turns out he ended up in one of the worst ghettos in Tampa. Made me a stronger person that's for sure. Not to sound negative, but when you are the only two white kids in the entire neighborhood, you tend to get hassled alot by the locals....got robbed more than once, had bricks and chunks of cement thrown through the windows...(still have one to this day to remind me) Good time, good times...

Good luck...

I have a friend from Canada that plays golf at the University of Missouri Kansas City.  His freshman year he wanted to stay in the dorms, but the coach made arrangements for him and another teammate (from South Africa) to stay at a house that he rented out for them.  It just so happened to be in about one of the worst areas in Kansas City.  Just picture that for a second.  Two foreign white kids, both from fairly well off backgrounds, both golfers, both had never been to the U.S.,  thrown into the ghetto of Kansas City. :-?  And probably the worst thing about it is, he is one of those people that doesn't know a stranger.  Way too trustful of people in today's world.  He found that out very quickly :

[Panamoka_Bassin]

Iam glad its not in the getto. I would be shot as soon as I steped out of my car. Its just in a bad part. Well as bad as a town of 3,000 people can have. iam just glad the police station is down the street. And iam never happy to see the police. Also I didn't tell you guys theres no stove in the place or microwave and I cant stand fast food. It looks like I will be buying a little grill and cooking a lot of burgers and hot dogs.

Three words: George Foreman Grill!

[Captain Underpants]

Hey, at least you ain't in the south side of Chicago!

[Fisher of Men]

Hey Tipp,

Good to hear from you. I'm glad to hear that you are starting your school. On the food issue, I saw a microwave for $19.95 the other day at Wal-mart, and my wife and I used to cook alot in an electric skillet when we first got married (in college). We also cooked in a small toaster oven with lots of success. You can also find some nice small appliances/dishes/etc. at garage sales for really cheap if you look.

On the gun issue, be careful and consider these things:

1. If you are not familiar with handguns, you need to go to a concealed weapons class for training before you purchase one. I'm sorry to say, but a gun in the hand of an un-trained individual may prove dangerous. Also, I'm not sure about the laws there, but taking a course would prove to benefit you legally (especially if you ever had to use it in self-defense).

2. Research before you buy. Be sure to put plenty of research and thought into this before selecting a firearm. I'm sure there are lots of BR buddies who can help you in the process, as well as the concealed weapons instructor. I know there have already been several posts regarding purchasing handguns.

3. Buy from a reputable dealer, not off the street. Buying a used handgun can sometimes lead to trouble, especially if it is stolen. If you are buying a used firearm, make sure to check with local authorities regarding the serial number and track its history.

4. THINK about this decision. Will you ever have small children visiting your home? Will you be having parties at the house where your friends consume alcohol, etc.? Don't make a rash decision that you will regret in the future.

Don't get me wrong. I am not anti-gun and even own several firearms. I just want what's best for you. A good set of door locks/deadbolts might prove just as effective. Also consider "Beware of Dog" signs, motion lighting, etc. as preventative measures as well. Stay safe.

God bless,

Fisher<><

[Guest avid]

tip, no offense dude, but buying a gun is the LAST thing you want to do.

I slept with a bat a few times.

It's pretty cool once you get past that hanging upside down part  

[bassnleo]

A town of 3000 people, that's all???  :-X

[Guest the_muddy_man]

tip, no offense dude, but buying a gun is the LAST thing you want to do.

I slept with a bat a few times.

It's pretty cool once you get past that hanging upside down part

I am 100% with Avid on this one Tipp a couple of things i wish you would consider befroe you go out and get a firearm

!. You might be over reacting out of fear, the situation might not warrant it

2. If you pull it, you gotta be able to use it, and I mean deadly use it. If you can't your gonna wind up dead

NOW AS FOR A BED MATE PM me for her number  

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Being a resident of Florida you will actully be able to protect urself anywhere with a gun .dont matter where u are what time of day if u have a GUN and you feel ur life is in danger you have the right to shoot to kill,of course all this being if your not a felon or have a record.Im in Maryland and we cannot protect ourselfs with deadly force with a gun outside of our house and even if a person comes into our house .They have to attack us before we can defend ourself.On a diff note you are safer in IRAQ then most places in the USA  >

[Siebert Outdoors]

A town of 3k. Sounds like a nice relaxing place. ;D Just poking fun.

I agree with Fisher of Men. A gun might not be the best idea especially if you are not familiar with them. Take a training class.

I've been to east st louis, down town st louis and down town Detroi. and a few other elegant places. Yeah Detroit was an eye opener for me. I'm not talking the nice areas I'm talking DOWN TOWN. My bro, bro in law and sis in laws and I were walking about to a club that was suppose to be good. Well. Yeah I'm not getting into depth but it was as close to a full body cavity search as you can get without being one to go in. Lets just say we were in a place we shouldnt have been. Never had a problem though. I guess the thought was dont mess with those crazy redneck white guys I bet they can shoot straight.

[Fisher of Men]

Being a resident of Florida you will actully be able to protect urself anywhere with a gun .dont matter where u are what time of day if u have a GUN and you feel ur life is in danger you have the right to shoot to kill,of course all this being if your not a felon or have a record.Im in Maryland and we cannot protect ourselfs with deadly force with a gun outside of our house and even if a person comes into our house .They have to attack us before we can defend ourself.On a diff note you are safer in IRAQ then most places in the USA >

??? Oooooooookay. :-?

[bassdocktor]

Baitmonkey I've got to ask what's wrong with the south side of Chicago? I don't have any problems.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Being a resident of Florida you will actully be able to protect urself anywhere with a gun .dont matter where u are what time of day if u have a GUN and you feel ur life is in danger you have the right to shoot to kill,of course all this being if your not a felon or have a record.Im in Maryland and we cannot protect ourselfs with deadly force with a gun outside of our house and even if a person comes into our house .They have to attack us before we can defend ourself.On a diff note you are safer in IRAQ then most places in the USA >

IF YOU FEEL YOU ARE IN DANGER???????? YOU HAD BETTER KNOW YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER BEFORE USING LETHAL FORCE

[Ky_Lake_Dude]

Hey, at least you ain't in the south side of Chicago!

Amen man. My dad was driving home from a business trip in michigan and got lost in that area.

[bassdocktor]

What part of Chicago are you guys going through. The entire south side is not bad. Sure there are a few scattered places but where are there?

[FishingBuds]

Watch getting a gun out of fear, not wise.

If your life was threaten or harrassed I could understand.

I'm a Legal conseal permit holder and trained.

Why do I have one, I have threats time to time, when your in charge of letting people go from thier jobs they usaully are not into agreement with you. Our employement market isn't the best for us(factory work at $7.50hr) so we don't get the most quality person. I've busted up several fights in here(crazy)

I use 911 for help not to survive.

You could have other devices than a gun but, if you believe you need one then by all means train for it. just cause you have one doesn't mean you wont freeze up under pressure or shoot wildly-train for it.

Now back again to why you need one-could you move instead?

[BadKarma42]

Just to piggy-back a few of the comments...

Check local laws regarding carrying a weapon and owning a weapon.

If the deadbolt is so weak that it could be kicked in, that means someone else could get in and steal your gun.  You don't want to be responsible for what could happen after that.

I carry a gun for my work.  When I didn't carry, all I wanted to do was get to the point that I could carry.  Now that I carry, the responsibility has increased exponentially compared to when I was only carrying a baton and OC spray.  I have personally made the decision that I carry off duty, but I make it a point to be at the range as often as I can (usually once a month) and I practice for "real-world" scenarios (not just standing and shooting).

A gun doesn't keep bad things from happening, sometimes it can escalate a situation.

Whatever your decision, make sure you think it through and talk to as many people as you can to get different perspectives.  If you choose to carry, become competent with your weapon.  But first, become competent to deal with situations so you don't have to use your weapon.

Another thing, why does your grandma want you to live in a crappy place???

[drakedeming]

On a diff note you are safer in IRAQ then most places in the USA >

Join the military then.

I have lived in some pretty "bad" areas(D.C. and P.G. county MD) and I find that most of the time the bad reputation is just hype about the area. If you do not mess with people they usually will not mess with you back. Basically don't go slinging rocks on some other guys corner and if someone says hi to you acknowledge them and say hi back. The worst thing people do is just ignore other people on the street cause they think the person might be a "criminal", that is just insulting to the person.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

On a diff note you are safer in IRAQ then most places in the USA >

Join the military then.

I have lived in some pretty "bad" areas(D.C. and P.G. county MD) and I find that most of the time the bad reputation is just hype about the area. If you do not mess with people they usually will not mess with you back. Basically don't go slinging rocks on some other guys corner and if someone says hi to you acknowledge them and say hi back. The worst thing people do is just ignore other people on the street cause they think the person might be a "criminal", that is just insulting to the person.

1 murder every 48 hrs  no hype man .Why do you think they call it murdaland LOL

[Dan:]

I know how you feel man, I get that nervous unsettled feeling when I am in sketchy areas like that. I went through Anacostia a few times in Southeast DC and that place is pretty scary. Also I was just down in New Orleans and there are some very shady areas down there.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

DC is bad ranks number 1 for ppl and murder N.O. has less ppl but ranks number 2.War is war a lot diff then walkin in a city without war even in 2004 Iraq didnt even make top 10 city in the world in murder rates.Ya i know this thread is about a bat but my point was if your allowed to defend urself why not do it with what ever means u have at ur disposal.Dominion Dan i love it over there in VIR u can open carry yall got it made 8-)

[drakedeming]

TEN WORST LARGE CITIES FOR MURDER, 2002 CITY PER 100,000

(1) Washington, DC  45.8

(2) Detroit  42.0

(3) Baltimore  38.3

(4) Memphis  24.7

(5) Chicago  22.2

(6) Philadelphia  19.0

(7) Columbus  18.1

(8) Milwaukee  18.0

(9) Los Angeles  17.5

(10) Dallas  15.8

TEN WORST STATES FOR MURDER, 2003 STATE PER 100,000

(1) Louisiana  13.0

(2) Maryland  9.5

(3) Mississippi  9.3

(4) Nevada  8.8

(5) Arizona  7.9

(6) Georgia  7.6

(7) South Carolina  7.2

(8) California  6.8

(9) Tennessee  6.8

(10) Alabama  6.6

More American troops have now been deployed to Baghdad to help suppress the violence there, which is generally seen as unacceptably high. Today's news includes the usual body count, mostly from Baghdad. In July, there were around 1,500 violent deaths in Baghdad and 3,500 nationwide. The latter number is consistent with the often-heard statement that around 100 people a day are murdered in Iraq, most in sectarian violence.

Out of curiosity, I did a little research to get some perspective on these numbers. Based on a population of 6,000,000, an annualized murder rate of 1,500 per month in Baghdad yields 300 per 100,000 population, the usual measure by which murder rates are expressed. This is a high number of course, since it assumes that the record level of violence in July is sustained for 12 months.

For purposes of comparison, I looked up historic murder rates for some American cities. Washington, D.C. has historically had one of the highest murder rates among American cities. It peaked at 80 per 100,000 in 1991. So in July, Baghdad experienced a murder rate close to four times what we had in the nation's capital fifteen years ago. At 140 per 100,000, Iraq's murder rate in July is a little under twice Washington, D.C.'s 1991 rate. Another interesting comparison: Baghdad's July rate is a little lower than the 350 per 100,000 murder rate at which Medellin, Colombia peaked, also in 1991.

just some information i looked up

[tipptruck1]

Belive me guys I have thought about this alot. If I did get a gun I would make sure I talk around. I would also never buy a gun off the street. Also If I bought one I would take a refresher class. But Iam hoping I wont have to buy one. I found a cheaper house in a better town. The house is also better.