I agree wholeheartedly. Here's what made me and my wife get a CCP. In New York, no less.
Business meeting and presentation in a bowling alley upstairs from a bar. Not a bad part of town, but bordered on one. Having gone to HS in a bad part of town, I developed some street sense. 10 O'clock pm. Needed to leave the bar, but it's lonely out there and the car is in a dark parking lot across the street, kitty-corner to the bar. Decide to wait and watch. 15 to 20 minutes go by, no one leaves the bar, no one outside, no activity. Then, one of my associates, a lady, decides to leave. She walks right to the parking lot, gets in her car and drives away. OK. I decide to try it. I leave, briefcase in hand, cross the street which is well lit, and walk to my car parked in the middle of the lot. My head is swiveling looking for danger. Nothing to see. I get to my car and reach for the door handle. From thirty feet away I hear two people running toward me, fast! Instantly I decide there is no time to get in the car and start it and even get the door locked. I bolt! I get to the front of my car and see that they are already at the back end of my car. I turn and run for the street and street lights hoping that a car will be coming down the road. They run down the row of cars with me, separated by one car length. I glance in their direction as I run and I see each of them holding a gun pointed about 45 degrees toward the ground. Big guns with long barrels. I scream every dirty word I can think of to let them know I am a predator. I get to the end of the row of cars and the street. No where to go, out of room, no cars, no people, just street lights. I hit the pavement, throw my briefcase in their direction. Guns are pointed at me now. They are jumping like crazy all around me. They are screaming something, I can't tell, but I think it's about my wallet. I reach around and toss them my wallet and shout that "I haven't seen you, can't identify you!" They take the briefcase with my computer, my wallet and run down an alley for the BG's border. As they run, I lay there and point my finger at them as if I was shooting. I'm pissed, and realize that even if I did have a gun, I couldn't shoot. My cash is still in my right front pocket. The very next week, I started the 9 month long permit process in NY.
I got lucky. Didn't get shot. Had I had a gun, I would have had cover behind a car and not much time to deploy it, let alone let them know I had one. I am thankful for a few things. First, for not getting shot. I think my screaming and actions helped to save me. Good street sense from HS. That, and just dumb luck. Second, for being in a situation where I discovered what my capabilities were under great stress. I think a lot of people don't know. I am confident in that regard. Third, for raising my situational awareness to it's highest level. That's what keeps you from getting into trouble. My SA was good, not goog enough. The gun is for when there is no recourse.
Would I have drawn the gun if I had it? Uh huh. But, it would not have been until the end of the row of cars. I simply would not have had time. It would have been on the run. Would someone have gotten hurt? Maybe. Maybe me.
Since then, I have taken self defense courses (which taught me more about predator behavior, situational awareness and how to defuse situations), handgun courses, and lately am in weekly situational BG covered defense action courses. All of this has saved us a couple of times. One time in Phili a guy was following me and my wife in broad daylight; three times we crossed the street together. I stopped, turned, stared right at him. He decided to pick on someone else. How many just don't know?
And no, I have not drawn or shot.