The primary key to safely carrying any gun is to make it a lifestyle decision.  That is to make this decision so important to you that it becomes part of what defines you as a person.  In this manner you are always aware of your firearm.  You are aware of where it is at all times, and how carrying that firearm changes the way that you respond in the different situations that you encounter throughout your day.

So what does that mean?  Different situations for different people, lifestyle choices, part of who I am?  I would like to start from one end of the spectrum and work towards the other.

For instance, lets say you're this guy, and you live on a big Texas ranch:

Well then probably the safest pistol this guy could carry would be the one that would guarantee success every time, he's used to having loaded guns around, it is part of his life.  He would probably choose a revolver with no awkward safety devices to get in the way.  He's got plenty of room and really isn't concerned about concealing the gun either, so it would likely be a big one with a big easy to grip handle.

So that's one end of the spectrum.  Let's go all the way to the other end now.  You could be a famous person like this guy:

No, I don't mean James Bond, the character, I mean the actor.  Once you reach a certain level of fame I think it is a no brainer that you don't protect yourself, it just doesn't work, you're surrounded by people all of the time; you need to hire people to protect you at this point.  I'm not sure there is a handgun around that would make any sense at all for you to have if you're famous.  It is more of a liability than anything else at that point.

If you're somewhere in between then you've got to take a good long look inside and consider a lot of variables, these things include:

• Do you have kids around?  Do you have your kids' friends around?
• Are there a lot of kids in your neighborhood?
• Where do you work?
• Do you commute long distances?  After dark?
• Do you live in an apartment with thin walls?
• Does your house have a lot of windows?
• Do you have a lot of passengers in your car? Like do you take coworkers to lunch?
• Do you frequent the bar after work?
• Are you a small person or a big person?
• Do you live in a hot or cold climate?

All of these things and many more have an effect on what kind of firearm is the safest for you, if any.  You may feel more comfortable with your firearm locked in a safe in your car versus sitting in a holster with ready access if you often have kids or coworkers in your car.

If you commute long distances alone, especially after dark, you are safest with a no-safety type revolver, always ready to fire.   Why? well you don't have anything to worry about except protecting your life during this commute.  No kids will try to grab it, and no coworkers will accidentally even see it.

If you're looking for the safest gun for home protection then you may be safest with a shotgun.  That way you don't worry about the bullets going too far and hitting a neighbor for instance, you also don't have to worry too much about aim.

I'm not trying to write a comprehensive view on the safest gun rather I'm just trying to show that it is different for every person and every situation.  The safest gun for you to have this morning may be different from tonight due to a change in situation, or surroundings.

The best thing to do is plan your day, think about your situations and be aware of what's going on around you, and know yourself, know and understand the limitations of your chosen lifestyle.  Those more than anything else will help you decide for yourself what is the safest carry pistol for you.

I protest that it is wise, regardless, and if we're experiencing road rage, What can we do about it?

Before reaching for your gun, there are some things to consider. If you're the one projecting the rage, take a second to breathe and sweat out some of the anger for a second. Ask yourself this important question: Am I escalating this situation to a point that might prevent me from making it home tonight?

If you are, chances are that escalating the situation any further won't get you anything that you want. When you go to give the bird to that person in the left lane doing 55, instead give them a nod and a wave and thank them for taking traffic control into their own hands and getting in your way.

If you're the one on the receiving end, then try to remain calm, your reaction could infuse or defuse the other motorist rather quickly. While your instinct might be to return fire, maybe try something similar to this woman's advice before reaching for your gun.

Of course, if the situation breaks and sends you into a red zone, life threatening situation, then your gun is there for you to help keep you alive.

One afternoon my wife and I were heading north on 183 when traffic built up rapidly and we came to a stop. After about twenty minutes we were moving again, when some jack@ss decides to come flying down the shoulder on the right and cut in front of us, forcing me onto the break hard and swerving just to avoid a collision.

This sent me over the top. The driver didn't stop and kept swerving in front of me to try to get around more people. I decided that it was appropriate to alert everyone to this person's behavior and so I gave a long extended honk, I laid on the horn for at least 15-20 seconds, which is almost an eternity in this kind of situation.

Then my wife reminded of something, "Hey cut it out" she said, "Do you have your gun?"... Hmm... That's interesting, I didn't actually have my gun on me. I wasn't too worried about anything anyways, and just said "meh don't worry, I'm just honking".

Suddenly the guy put his truck to a stop and jumped out, he climbed in the back and then I figured, "well damn", and then motioned for my wife to put her head down, because come on, he was probably going to produce a shotgun. Alas, to my relief it was only a tire iron! So here I am staring at this guy, who is in motion about to baseball pitch a steel rod at my car and I look over and see that he has a young child peering through the back window of the truck.

I flinched as I grabbed for my cell phone and dialed 911. As it turns out he decided not to throw the item, instead tossed it back into the truck and drove away. I reported his license plates and behavior, and that he had a kid in there with him. Of course, I never heard back from the police.

This got me thinking about a lot of things. Well if I had my gun, would I have reached for it? My heart was pounding, but the guy wasn't charging the car, so I wasn't in a red zone yet. If he actually threw the item, that would have done it, because he wouldn't be able to stop then, he would come to my car.

More than what happened, what could have happened? I have to consider that I would have reached for my gun at that point, but there still wouldn't have been any shooting, however, without it, if he had decided to escalate the situation and approach the car, there would have been little I could do. I was boxed in, I narrowly avoided rear-ending him and the driver behind me narrowly avoided rear-ending me. There was nowhere to go.

Forever more, I rarely go travel anywhere without it. I still honk my horn at people that surprise me, nearly hit me, or are driving like idiots, but I do it in short bursts to just give them the message to wake up, or that they were too close that time.