TexasCHLforum.com

Some thoughts:

I am glad the mistakes in the first scenario cancelled each other out. Would have been an unhappy day if a clueless citizen got himself shot by getting in the wrong car, but my sympathies would have been with the OP, not the clueless one.

Whatever the regs seem to say or not say, or whether it is a federal agency or not, the Post Office is of the opinion that its rules are federal rules and prohibit guns on all of its property, including the parking lot. I quoted their spokesperson in another thread, but I don't have it handy at the second. One way to look at this is to be scrupulously law-abiding you should park on a public street, leave the gun in the car, and walk to the post office property. Another way to look at it is that since the parking lot is considered the same as the building, if you drive onto the property, save yourself the hassle of hiding the gun and just carry carry concealed into the PO building. Can't be any more illegal than you already are. Your choice. Most local cops don't seem very interested in enforcing federal regulations, it seems.

Many moons ago in Los Angeles I learned to lock all my vehicle doors as soon as I got in, and keep them that way. An amusing (to me) story: one time in San Antonio my wife hopped out of the car at a gas station to go buy a drink, and I stayed in and immediately locked the doors. A SAPD officer was right there and he teased her with, "Sounds like your husband is locking you out!" Wife said, "We always lock the doors, no matter what." His reply, "That's a good idea. Matter of fact, THAT'S A REAL GOOD IDEA!"

I also unbuckle my seat belt and double check to make sure my gun is immediately accessible anytime I stop the vehicle. Altho I can get to it when buckled in, it is more difficult -- and I can't move around or bail out if I am buckled in. Seems like good practice to me.

The strategy that a gun is only for the last resort and running away is the first, is poor strategy and potentially fatal. The strategy is to do first whatever will keep you and yours safest. It might be running away. It might be shooting your attacker to the ground. It might be something in between. But a gun is not a "last resort," it is an option. When it is needed it is needed quickly.

If someone is so inattentive as to wander around trying to get into cars that don't belong to him, he is serious mugger bait. I know a lot of people do this, but that does not make it good practice. And if he is CHL'ing, I presume he thinks there is at least some possibility of threat, and he needs to wake up. Otherwise he will never get to implement any strategy, however poor, and will likely contribute his wallet and gun to the criminal community and his name to the local newspaper -- perhaps on the obit page.