You guys are all hitting all around my OP questions. I'd say we'd all agree it can't hurt to get some self defense training besides with your gun (and in fact this has motivated me to look into some locally...hope I choose a good instructor!) But the bottom line is always that you cannot prepare for EVERYTHING. Situational awareness and avoidance is the first step, but it cannot be relied upon exclusively or we would not need to carry or train at all.

Despite what we may all say on internet forums or with buddies, the reality is it is very hard for anyone, especially those of us with no real world training or experience with violence (ie not LEO or military) to know exactly how we will respond when that switch is flipped and we are suddenly and unexectedly called upon to respond violently.

I'm all for having as many tools at my disposal as possible.

I guess one of these days I'll be looking for a course entitled "Defending Yourself with your Walker".