hounddog409 said:
so many comments about people noticing the bump or noticing the imprint.
This is just not reality. I have found that people in general are not close to being that aware.
no one is going to notice or will be aware you are carrying.
early on in my EDC life, i was always paranoid everyone would know I was carrying.
then one afternoon at a local eatery, which was very busy at the time, i was having dinner with the wife and 2 kids. Was looking at the people near me, trying to determine who knew I was carrying.
A gentlemen walked in with a lady. open carry. belt holster on right hip. I did not see one person notice this fact. I kept watching him as he was seated, and everyone he passed. including the hostess and waitress. Not one person so much as turned their head or made any indication they noticed this guy.
Since then I have carried without a second thought about what people notice.
Not all jurisdictions allow open carry, and even when they do, there are often laws against brandishing or carrying "to the terror of the public" prompted by the open display of weapons.
While the law may be on your side, you may still waste time and effort dealing with an LEO who has been called to check out this guy with a gun who is scaring citizens.
hounddog409 said:
I know every situation is different, but if you allow the assailant to get that close before drawing, you have already failed.
Your comments seem to suggest that saying that nobody can ever walk up on you quietly from behind, or that nobody can come at you quickly from the side (your carry side).
It's almost impossible to be 100% (or even 75%) vigilant all the time. And if you're with someone, drawing your weapon may not always be your first course of action. As others have noted, drawing a weapon may not always be appropriate or legally justified.
In some jurisdictions, for example, shining a weapon-mounted light on another person can be considered assault, and while you thought you were just evaluating a threat, an innocent passerby may feel you've stepped over the line by pointing a loaded weapon at him or her. If you've misread the situation, and there was no threat, drawing your weapon may get YOU in trouble rather than preventing it.
Open carry gives serious attackers a warning -- and the attacker(s) can choose to pick a different target or just continue their attack with a better understanding of what they're up against.