Open carry and appropriateness

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 4/03/2012 9:56pm

Originally Posted by SteveM

Alot of people who support open carry do so in order to negate the chance of prosecution if they inadvertently expose their lawfully concealed weapon.

It is highly unlikely that if they will be prosecuted for an inadvertent exposure of their firearm. If they are intentionally 'pressing' or 'flashing', they need to stop or be prosecuted.

Originally Posted by Devil

First of all, I think people should be allowed to carry openly because it's America and the act of carrying openly doesn't hurt anyone.

I agree 100%

Originally Posted by Devil

I want guns to be more accepted, not less accepted. So, thumbs up for open carry - whatever your reason.

The sad thing is that it usually has the exact opposite result. Instead of society being more accepting of firearms, it kind of turns people off and worries them. In an ideal world, I would be on board with open carry, but with the government we have now, they are just looking for an excuse to trample the second amendment.

**IMightBeWrong** · Posted On: 4/04/2012 1:56am

Originally Posted by slamdunc

The sad thing is that it usually has the exact opposite result. Instead of society being more accepting of firearms, it kind of turns people off and worries them. In an ideal world, I would be on board with open carry, but with the government we have now, they are just looking for an excuse to trample the second amendment.

This I agree with quite a bit. Concealed carry avoids all sorts of problems and you're not likely to hear of somebody getting stopped by police for legally carrying concealed. On the other hand, all sorts of situations get far more out of hand than they ever should have when somebody open carrying gets stopped by police and starts acting like a self-righteous douche. I'm not saying that I'm against open carry, but I wouldn't do it myself.

**dflanmod** · Posted On: 4/04/2012 6:17am

Originally Posted by Devil

Secondly, I appreciate the statement people are making when they open carry. If people see it enough, it reminds them that the sight of a man carrying a gun doesn't equal criminal activity. I want guns to be more accepted, not less accepted. So, thumbs up for open carry - whatever your reason.

Yeah, this idea worked out brilliantly out here in CA. Now we're stuck in a legal mess that's going to get totally out of hand all because a group of assholes had to get together, thumb their noses at everybodies fears and shove their right to bear arms right up in other peoples faces.

I totally support concealed carry and wish I could do it in this state. But dumbass gun owners who flaunted their right to bear arms have done more harm than good around here.

**Devil** · Posted On: 4/04/2012 8:46am

The funny thing here is how everyone wants to paint those who open carry as dumbasses because the ignorant masses don't understand the law.

And trust me, it's not always the gun owner's fault when **** gets out of hand about open carry. I had an incident (although minor) where I encountered a dumbass clueless cop who didn't know the gun laws. I wasn't flaunting anything.

I got stopped at a license check before I had a concealed carry permit. I had a pistol loaded and holstered on the passenger seat in plain view.

I didn't immediately announce that I had a pistol but I did keep both my hands on the steering wheel. The reason I didn't announce it was that I've had smartass cops go, "Yeah, I SEE IT!" like I'm a dumbass and I'm insulting their intelligence for telling them. Plus, I'm not legally required to tell them **** if I'm open carrying.

So he asks for my license and before I move I tell him I have a loaded pistol on the passenger seat. Then he wants to get all shitty about it and tell me I should notify cops immediately if I have a weapon and I'm going to get shot, etc. Keep in mind, I had been completely calm and respectful. But now I'm getting a little pissed because I've done nothing wrong and he's being a fucking cock. So then I said, "Really - you're going to shoot me while both my hands are on the steering wheel?"

Then he says "You got a permit for that?" I reply "A permit??????" He says, "Yeah, A PERMIT!" I said "It's not concealed." Then he realizes I know what I'm doing and he's a fucking moron. He mumbles some **** and lets me go.

So, I'm for excercising gun rights to the fullest. If people don't like it, **** 'em. My rights shouldn't be infringed upon because of other peoples' ignorance.

**Gezere** · Posted On: 4/04/2012 9:02am

I don't agree with open carry. To me I think it generates unneeded attention. I think open carry is for places that need them. For instance in GA there was a Liquor store that NEVER got robbed, at least not when I was living there. All the employees open carried and there was always at least 3 of them in the front of the shop at all times. The area the store was at had several robberies and other stores have been hit during business hours. I believe open carry had something to do with it. Now if I walk into my comic shop I am not expecting to see my dealer with an open carry. Comic shops generally don't get robbed during business hours so I wouldn't see the need.

I conceal carry when I am stateside. I don't see a need for people to open carry going about their day to day business. There is a video about a guy that always open carried and he got robbed. I think he got robbed because he open carried and the robbers wanted to make a target out of him. I think it give a better advantage to conceal carry because Mr Badguy may not be expecting it. If I was going to rob you and I knew you had a gun because I can see it on your hip I am going to set up an ambush and put you in a position where you won't be able to employ it. I don't think you have a gun I might use another method that might give you the element of surprise.

**Gezere** · Posted On: 4/04/2012 9:08am

Originally Posted by Devil

The funny thing here is how everyone wants to paint those who open carry as dumbasses because the ignorant masses don't understand the law.

And trust me, it's not always the gun owner's fault when **** gets out of hand about open carry. I had an incident (although minor) where I encountered a dumbass clueless cop who didn't know the gun laws. I wasn't flaunting anything.

I got stopped at a license check before I had a concealed carry permit. I had a pistol loaded and holstered on the passenger seat in plain view.

I didn't immediately announce that I had a pistol but I did keep both my hands on the steering wheel. The reason I didn't announce it was that I've had smartass cops go, "Yeah, I SEE IT!" like I'm a dumbass and I'm insulting their intelligence for telling them. Plus, I'm not legally required to tell them **** if I'm open carrying.

So he asks for my license and before I move I tell him I have a loaded pistol on the passenger seat. Then he wants to get all shitty about it and tell me I should notify cops immediately if I have a weapon and I'm going to get shot, etc. Keep in mind, I had been completely calm and respectful. But now I'm getting a little pissed because I've done nothing wrong and he's being a fucking cock. So then I said, "Really - you're going to shoot me while both my hands are on the steering wheel?"

Then he says "You got a permit for that?" I reply "A permit??????" He says, "Yeah, A PERMIT!" I said "It's not concealed." Then he realizes I know what I'm doing and he's a fucking moron. He mumbles some **** and lets me go.

So, I'm for excercising gun rights to the fullest. If people don't like it, **** 'em. My rights shouldn't be infringed upon because of other peoples' ignorance.

That is different than walking around in public with it open. Your car is your personal property. Having it on the seat is no big whoop while you are in it and I sure most people wouldn't even notice it. To me that wouldn't be flaunting. Walk around in public would be because I don't see a reason to do so.

**SteveM** · Posted On: 4/04/2012 9:27am

Originally Posted by slamdunc

It is highly unlikely that if they will be prosecuted for an inadvertent exposure of their firearm. If they are intentionally 'pressing' or 'flashing', they need to stop or be prosecuted.

The kind of people who go out of their way to follow the law and get a CHL to carry aren't comfortable with "highly unlikely", they don't want to take a chance of breaking the law at all. It affects how, when, and where they carry in a negative way.

That is different than walking around in public with it open. Your car is your personal property. Having it on the seat is no big whoop while you are in it and I sure most people wouldn't even notice it.

See in Texas this is currently a no-no, can't have a loaded pistol sitting on the seat next to you with or without a CHL.

"Open Carry" is about a lot more than just swaggering around with a sixgun on your hip.

**Gezere** · Posted On: 4/04/2012 9:45am

Originally Posted by SteveM

See in Texas this is currently a no-no, can't have a loaded pistol sitting on the seat next to you with or without a CHL.

IIRC Georgia allows you to carry loaded in your carr if it is in plain veiw w/o a GWL. I haven't read what changes SB309 (i think) have made. Different states different laws.

"Open Carry" is about a lot more than just swaggering around with a sixgun on your hip.

I know what open carry is about I don't see the need for it in public going about your daily business.

**SteveM** · Posted On: 4/04/2012 10:02am

My point is that there are a lot of people (at least here in Texas) who support "open carry" as a way to gain freedom to carry in ways other than "on your hip". It's seen as an effective way to roll-back numerous other restrictions on carry such as openly in your car and the inadvertent exposure of a concealed carry.

I will say there is no need for me to bear arms in public going about my daily business; however, when someone else starts deciding which explicit constitutional rights I "need" this is reason enough to support open carry.

**Devil** · Posted On: 4/04/2012 10:13am

Gezere - I don't disagree with your tactical reasoning for carrying concealed rather than open.

But the notion that people don't need to open carry because it doesn't make sense to you is no different than when people say assault weapons should be banned because they're not legitimate self defense weapons. Some people think if you're carrying something other than a .38 special you're a wannabe Rambo. That doesn't make it so.

People should be allowed to carry openly because there's no indication it's more dangerous to the general public than concealed carry.