machron1

iTrader: (1)

Hey all,

I just got back from New Year's in Vancouver. What a fun city! Clubs, crazy people, lots of variety. People of every color and creed all for the most part getting along. Nice cars too, I spotted at least 3 distinct Skyline GTRs there, maybe more but they could have been the same ones I saw before just driving by again. Lots of STIs and I also saw a pretty cool white Silvia all JDM style with a Garage 5 sticker, full shopping list on the front fenders, colored stripes down the sides, wing, etc. I also spotted Jean Claude Van Damme at my hotel lol. I just sort of gave him the "what's up" nod & he nodded back.

One thing that struck me as odd once again is how nobody looks at each other in that city when driving around. Exactly the same as last year, stare straight ahead, don't acknowledge anybody...My car catches more attention in Portland Oregon than up there. It was sort of refreshing because nobody was revving by me or trying to prove a point the entire time I was there, or asking me to "do a burnout". You would think I was driving a Toyota Camry.

Anyway I think I'm going to make Vancouver a new year's tradition. Way more fun than any state-side city I've been to. If Canada wasn't such a socialist country with a ban on my guns and my car I would definitely want to live there. What do you guys carry to defend yourself there anyway? When I was there I saw a girl get hit by a car that just drove off, and a guy get beat down by a turkish?greek? looking guy with a belt wrapped around his fist. Made me really miss my Glock 27...

Oh yeah and that poor girl was laying in the street with a guy trying to help her and cars were zipping around them like it was no big deal...maybe that's NYC influence? I pulled over and called 911 roaming on Roger's Wireless, had my 4-ways on and everything. People were honking like I was an ******* and just zipping around the girl and the guy trying to help her. I thought she was going to get run over again laying in the middle of the street like that. Hope she is ok.

Great times though!

Danno

iTrader: (4)

Glad you had a great time in Van. it is definatly a great city to party in. As far as protection we don't need guns. Canada is a much more patient and tollerable socioty (in general) and guns are not nessessary. Infact I hear that there will be a law passing soon enough that will make Canada (or parts of) simular to London England where there is a Complete Ban of guns for everybody including all the police (except a select few).


You didnt stop to help the lady that got hit by the car?

ambystom01

iTrader: (7)

We prefer to discuss our problems rather than just pull out a gun. Plus how manly is it to pull out a gun in a fight? A 12 year old girl could win a fight that way.

machron1

iTrader: (1)

I pulled over & called 911 & they sent an ambulance & police. I'm not a doctor & there was someone else actually talking to her. What was I supposed to do? I didn't want to move her because she could have had spinal injuries or something.

machron1

iTrader: (1)

LOL I don't care about being manly or pulling out my gun for your average dispute. It's when some punk pulls out a deadly weapon and intends to use it on me or my loved ones, or even an innocent bystander that you must fight fire with fire. Deadly weapons include knives, metal objects attached to your fist (belt buckle), a boot if you happen to be kicked in the head, or two (or more) against one.

I saw drunken brawls, trash-talking, and some guy spit in another guy's face in front of me so don't give me that line about how you are some sort of enlightened society lol. Cool people yes, but not 100% safe by any means. I don't care about being a ***** or fighting to see who's more manly, I'm talking about self defense in a dangerous situation (the same reason the police carry guns, and hopefully continue to do so...England started arming their police long ago...)

Anyway, I will never change your mind about self-defense, I'm just saying that's one of the main reasons I would never move there. I wouldn't want to live anywhere that self defense is a crime. My girlfriend couldn't even bring along her pepper spray because they consider it a weapon in Canada! That's ridiculous!

And yes, with a gun, even a small frail girl can win a fight. An 80 year old lady could effectively defend her home in a break-in. A handicapped man in a wheelchair can defend himself against a hulking brute. It puts everyone on an even playing field so that they have a fighting chance. Sounds like a socialist idea to me, I can't understand why it's not more accepted. Anyway this debate has been raging for a long time and it won't end here.

Nice city you have though!

ambystom01

iTrader: (7)

Well don't forget though that with guns being so heavily regulated the average punk doesn't use a gun, knives and fists are far more common. Canada has quite a low violent crime rate as compared to many other western nations, so I for one don't really care about gun regulation. I'm far more comfortable here where I know my next door neighbor won't shoot me if I knock on his door at 3am as opposed to a nation where the guy sitting next to me might be carrying a handgun, and legally. I have no problem with people owning guns for things like hunting, but I don't feel guns have a place in a modern society as far as the average citizen is concerned. Remember you're more likely to kill a loved one with a gun than you are an intruder.

machron1

iTrader: (1)

LOL I knew this thread would just continue on this way...I know I'll never change your point of view but here it goes:

Knives are just as deadly as guns...so are baseball bats and such...I'm not handy with knives or baseball bats...why should I be at a disadvantage?

Yep it does...but it's on the rise, as it is most places in the world such as England. Just look at the boxing day shooting in Toronto...and please don't tell me it's the US's fault...guns are illegal in canada...so if your own borders allow them in that's not our fault. It also takes a Canadian to pull the trigger...and don't tell me it just popped into his hand by accident from the US Gun Distribution Fairy...I believe your handgun registration is at about 30% so the guns could very well have been bought legally in Canada at some point and never registered...

The kind of people that would shoot you at 3am for knocking on their door are few and far between, and most likely not possessing a gun legally do to mental problems. The guy carrying a handgun legally is less likely to do anything to you than the punk carrying a knife downtown, and a lot more likely to help you out should you meet that same punk with no means to protect yourself. For instance, to buy a gun even in Oregon you need to pass a criminal background check and never been admitted to any medical institution for mental problems. To carry a handgun you need to pass a handgun safety class, pass another background check, and obtain an Oregon "concealed handgun license". Washington state has near reciprocity with their "concealed pistol permits" so if you have an Oregon CHL, you can apply for one in Washington and the whole thing takes about a month. I think this level of regulation is about as far as it should go. A ban is simply ridiculous as it criminalizes good people while emboldening criminals since they can now rest assured their victims will be helpless.

In theory that all sounds nice, but disarming yourself in the hopes that criminals will do the same only emboldens them. Stabbed, shot, or thrown out of a tall building, the end result is the same.

And the thing about being "more likely to kill a loved on than an intruder" is often quoted but it is never accompanied by an uninterested third-party study. It also doesn't take into account the many many non-violent and unreported deterrents of the weapon simply being brandished and the criminal running away. Accidents can be overcome with education and training. Criminals can only be overcome with actual or implied forced deterrence.

I was a soldier in the US Army and had my first rifle when I was 10. So, you'll never convince me I'm safer without than with. I'll probably never convince you that I or my familly/loved ones are safer with than without, or that even YOU are safer with me carrying a pistol if you are around me.

Now this thread will probably get locked or deleted but this topic aside I really love Vancouver, it's a great place!

ambystom01

iTrader: (7)

I would argue on the knives being just as deadly as guns, at least in terms of the ratio of injuries to deaths and the total number of deaths caused by each. The average individual/criminal would be far too afraid to use a knife as its a very hands on type of weapon. Its also far easier to regulate your actions with your fists than it is with a gun. There are plenty of shootings in Canada, in Calgary I think there were like 30 or so last year, but thats nothing compared to the numbers in certain american cities of similar population.
I would also argue on that "a guy with a gun is far less a risk than the guy with a knife", what's to stop the guy with the gun shooting an innocent person? Cops shoot and kill innocent people, and they're meant to be trained professionals. I simply don't see the point in buying a handgun. What are they designed for? You can't honestly think I'll believe the claims that a handgun is made for hunting. They have one purpose and thats to be easy to use and easy to conceal.
I understand that it sounds like a problem, I disarm and the criminals don't, but at the same time, how does arming myself help? If I arm myself, and I can be damn sure that the criminals will as well. This is one of the reasons why I would never live in the majority of America, I simply do not agree with the mentality of everyone carrying a gun "for the good of the nation". When there are what 11000 shooting deaths a year, something is obviously wrong.
Of course this is purely a liberal canadians viewpoint. I don't live in a crime ridden city, I don't own a gun, hell I've never even shot a real gun, so my viewpoint is rather skewed.

SEVEN

I dont know where to begin, but i am not going to say much about guns and ****, cause will turn into silly discussion that wont end....the only thing i am going to say about guns is that we , USA have to much guns and gun control in this country is a joke.

I was in Vancouver and Victoria during the summer and is just beatifull, lovely place to be. I travel al lot and i will have to say that Canada is by far the best country i have been 2...been in Toronto and Montreal 2. Very peacefull, great people, great place to visit, lots to do etc, is just awesome....thats why i am moving there in less than 2 years

2 bad my EVO cant go with me ...but i'll get an STi then

ambystom01

iTrader: (7)

Should come to Calgary some time, nothing like being an hour away from the Rocky Mountains.

SEVEN

Never been in Calgary...but Toronto is probably the place i will move....is just an awesome city like Vancouver. The only thing i dont like about living up north is the brutal winters....brrrrrr.....but i think i can get use to it

ambystom01

iTrader: (7)

Oh its beautiful right now, was about 4 degrees celsius today, and should be 7 on thursday, which for January is simply awesome. I actually can't remember the last really bad day of sub -20 degree weather.

machron1

iTrader: (1)

I was just up in Vancouver and the winter didn't seem that brutal to me. It rained a bit off and on, but nothing an umbrella and jacket couldn't fix. I was half expecting snow that's why I bought snow tires before I went up there. No snow though which is too bad because I bet Vancouver would look nice with a layer of it.

I like all the LED christmas lights they have everywhere too. I wonder when those will trickle down to the US. I saw a few here at the store, but they were far too expensive.

SEVEN

Vancouver weather is not bad...in fact it doesnt snow in Victoria...but like i said above, is Toronto where i am planning to move, but i can get use to the winters....i am from the south, so i am not used to really cold weather

ambystom01

iTrader: (7)

Vancouver's nice, only thing I don't like is the rain, its a wet city. I always find it funny how people from south of the border talk of canadian winters, I've driven in 3 Calgarian winters and I've never had winter tires. There were days last year when buses were going sideways down the road and my all seasons were perfectly fine.