# I pit every fool who claims "I didn't know it was loaded!" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 24, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939 "2014-07-24T14:48:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/1 "2014-07-24T14:48:54Z")
So the guy who blew a woman’s head off on his front porch is now claiming["he didn’t know there was a round in the shotgun."](http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/07/24/detroit-area-man-who-killed-woman-on-porch-didnt-know-there-was-round-in-there/) He “told police that when he opened the door he didn’t recognize the woman, and that he didn’t know the gun he fired was loaded.” This is… even worth admitting, much less trying to use as an element of defense? The sheer, dizzying levels of lameness and contradiction to the wholesale promotion of gun totin’ just makes me want to vomit. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/2 "2014-07-24T14:58:01Z")
> [@](#): > > He “told police that when he opened the door he didn’t recognize the woman, and that he didn’t know the gun he fired was loaded.” Then, uhh, what was the point of pulling the trigger? CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/3 "2014-07-24T15:00:17Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Then, uhh, what was the point of pulling the trigger? > > CMC fnord! The “click” tells the other person he meant business. The “BOOM!” did the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/4 "2014-07-24T15:25:37Z")
I’m reminded of this scene in [_Heist_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252503/), **Joe Moore:** Why doesn’t he shoot me? **Fran Moore:** That’s the deal. **Joe:** He ain’t gonna shoot me? **Fran:** No. **Joe:** Then he hadn’t ought to point a gun at me. It’s insincere. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/5 "2014-07-24T15:37:02Z")
Maybe I just have a big hammer and everything looks like a nail. But I see this as yet another argument for mandatory safety training. As I was taught, and as I have taught my child, my spouse, and several others: Rule 1: The weapon is always loaded. Rule 2: Nope, it’s still loaded. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/6 "2014-07-24T16:00:34Z")
Area man’s anecdote confirms his own strongly held belief, news at 11. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/7 "2014-07-24T16:51:47Z")
I agree with Andros. The gun is ALWAYS ALWAYS loaded and you NEVER point it at something you do not want dead. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/8 "2014-07-24T17:36:21Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Area man’s anecdote confirms his own strongly held belief, news at 11. Yup, pretty much. I didn’t say it was news, and I openly admit my pro-training biases. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/9 "2014-07-24T17:45:42Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Yup, pretty much. I didn’t say it was news, and I openly admit my pro-training biases. While I’m basically pro-training, look how well it works for drivers. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/10 "2014-07-24T17:50:04Z")
Fair point. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/11 "2014-07-24T18:03:37Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Yup, pretty much. I didn’t say it was news, and I openly admit my pro-training biases. I don’t think I know anyone with anti-training biases. If it were up to me, we would teach gun safety along with CPR and how to use a condom in in middle school and high school. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/12 "2014-07-24T18:05:20Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > While I’m basically pro-training, look how well it works for drivers. In a few years our cars will drive themselves and if you believe the hype, we will have far fewer accidents (fatal or otherwise) as a result. I look forward to the day when we have drones on every street corner. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/13 "2014-07-24T18:49:52Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Area man’s anecdote confirms his own strongly held belief, news at 11. Yep, we shouldn’t treat guns as ALWAYS LOADED until we have more data. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/14 "2014-07-24T18:55:28Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I don’t think I know anyone with anti-training biases. If it were up to me, we would teach gun safety along with CPR and how to use a condom in in middle school and high school. Sex ed, first aid and gun safety at regular intervals starting YOUNGER. In Kindergarten its “good touch/bad touch, don’t touch a gun, and call 911” By high school all Americans should know how to use a condom - AND that you still need backup birthcontrol, gun safety, including how to handle a gun if you need to even if you don’t own one, and how to perform CPR. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/15 "2014-07-24T18:55:38Z")
In my head, Mr. T just walked in and said “I pit every fool!” ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/16 "2014-07-24T19:41:14Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Yup, pretty much. I didn’t say it was news, and I openly admit my pro-training biases. I thought he was referring to the OP, since you didn’t provide an anecdote. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/17 "2014-07-24T20:14:05Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > While I’m basically pro-training, look how well it works for drivers. Ridiculous comparison on several levels. The average home-defense gun owner might handle his weapon for an hour, twice a month, maybe. While driving 20-50 hours in the same time frame. Just because our very limited sense of driver training doesn’t eliminate every bone-headed mistake doesn’t mean it’s useless. Firearms training could be far more effective within reasonable time and cost limits because of the extremely narrow range of how firearms are put to use. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/18 "2014-07-24T20:15:42Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > I thought he was referring to the OP, since you didn’t provide an anecdote. You’re prolly right. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/19 "2014-07-24T20:23:21Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Area man’s anecdote confirms his own strongly held belief, news at 11. Gun lover finds yet another way to excuse one of his fellow traveler’s ingrained idiocy and dismiss its importance, not worth a report. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939/20 "2014-07-24T20:24:27Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > While I’m basically pro-training, look how well it works for drivers. How well _does_ it work? I mean, we can point to plenty of road accidents, sadly enough. But do we have a similar enough, non-trained driver population to compare to? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-fool-who-claims-i-didnt-know-it-was-loaded/693939.md?page=2)