the caracal kid said:
Something for the "guns protect us" types:
Gun-toting motorists more prone to road rage
03 February 2006
From New Scientist Print Edition
GUN lobbyists like to repeat the quote often attributed to American writer Robert Heinlein, that "an armed society is a polite society". But this is certainly not true for motorists.
A survey of 2400 drivers carried out by David Hemenway and his colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health shows that motorists who carry guns in their cars are far more likely to indulge in road rage - driving aggressively or making obscene gestures - than motorists without guns. Some 23 per cent of gun-toting drivers admitted making rude signs, compared with 16 per cent of those who did not carry guns (Accident Analysis and Prevention, DOI:10.1016/j.aap.2005.12.014).
Yet in some states it is easier than ever to own a gun and carry it a car. In the past two decades 23 states have eased restrictions on carrying guns, says researcher Mary Vriniotis. Police no longer have the right to ban someone they consider unsuitable from owning a gun. People now only have to pass background checks, such as the absence of criminal convictions.
“In some states it is easier than ever to own a gun and carry it in a car”"Our findings indicate that the people driving around with guns in their cars are not among the most responsible and best-behaved people on the road," says Vriniotis. "In the interests of injury and violence prevention, it probably makes more sense to tighten rather than relax restrictions on gun carrying in motor vehicles."
From issue 2537 of New Scientist magazine, 03 February 2006, page 7
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18925373.800
Now this is about the silliest piece on the subject I have ever read.
You realize, of course, since those 23 states eased their gun laws, permitting law abiding citizens to carry arms, the murder rate in the USA has dropped dramatically. Now, I'm not stupid enough to believe that allowing concealed carry of handguns is the only reason for the decrease.....the population is aging, which means less people around of the age that commits such crimes, sentencing in the USA has gotten tougher, the economy is good. All these are factors.
BUT letting people carry guns has definitely NOT increased the murder rate. In fact, I think it is fair to say that it appears to be a positive factor in the drop in the murder rate.
So, the authors obviously believe that people should not be allowed to carry guns because they might give someone the finger............
Let's see now, on one side we have more people alive because of right-to-carry legislation.....on the other hand people are getting their feelings hurt.....for God's sake, let's disarm them!
