But I would like to see a law that when some one comes on the internet and ask questions, they should first list their locations.
YIKES! I don't think I want to live in that country.
Chattanooga is a pretty gun-friendly city. Lots of folks cc in Chattanooga. But, you don't want to screw up. And, you you want to be prepared.
Ok, here are a few suggestions:
1. Carry whatever you think you will actually carry
on you most of the time.
2. Get a decent holster that permits you to carry and draw from concealment as easily as possible.
3. Practice drawing from concealment at home (unloaded of course). Do it from a standing position; from a sitting position; lying on your back - practice with friends if possible. Just being able to quickly draw your firearm is an accomplishment and is something you can practice at home. Do this a lot, over and over and over.
4. Get some snap-caps and practice squeezing the trigger.
5. Don't put any gadgets on your gun like lasers, lights, fancy sights, etc.
6. Practice "situational awareness". Parking lots, atm machines, coming in and out of stores, places of business - constantly evaluate your surroundings - gangs don't just mysteriously appear out of nowhere. Think about escape routs - I make this into a game, it's fun!
7. Bottom line - if even sense that a gang has targeted me, or is even eying me with bad intent. My hand will be on my gun while it is still in concealment, ready to deploy at any moment. I would not wait for someone to start beating on me.
Example: 9:00 pm coming out of Home Depot. I was unarmed, but my gun was in my car glove box. I saw a car full of "hoods" nearby. I noticed a man standing right next to the driver's side door of my car - didn't know what he was doing. I unlocked my car, reached in the passenger side door and retrieved my gun from my glove box. Turns out the guy was peeing - gun was down by my side and ready to go, if needed. I kept my distance, but was able to see what he was doing. I simply let the guy finish - keeping distance between he and I and he just left.
That made me realize the necessity of carrying most, if not all of the time. If you are aware and carrying, you'll know when to pull that gun out. Normal folks just don't cross certain lines, and you'll know when personal boundaries are being intentionally crossed.