Pulled my pistol on a guy who got in my car today

[C-dub]

Fords used to be notorious for this back in the 70's and 80's. A friend of mine's family had 5 or 6 different Fords and the keys from one would work in at least 3 others and none of them were the same model. I can even remember news stories about people leaving a store and driving home only to have the police show up looking for someone's stolen Ford. In a couple of instances the cars were so similar that everyone was just shaking their heads thinking this could have happened to anyone. If it unlocks it and starts it and it looks just like yours you probably wouldn't even think about it for a while.

[03Lightningrocks]

Here is a thought pattern for you. I hop in the car thinking it is mine. I see you sitting in my passenger seat pulling a gun. I immediately grab your arm to disrupt your draw, grab my gun(that I illegally carried into the post office, because nobody could see through my clothing) and put a double tap into your face. OUCH!!!! Talk about embarrassing moments!!! I would just feel awful once I realized it was your car instead of mine.

Wow, I never even thought of that situation! Two guys shooting two innocent guys.

LOL...yeah it would be the story of the decade for the anti gunners. Two innocent CHLers blast each other on federal property.


Like Kieth posted above, I always lock the doors when leaving anyone in my truck. I even did it to my 6' 5" ex pro-wrestling son-in law. He thought it was funny. I just laugh and say "You just never know, the bad guy may be big and strong also".

Anyway...yep...it is best to always lock the doors.

[Abraham]

Before I put on my seat belt I lock the door - Every time I get in any vehicle.

Same thing when I get home - I lock the door.

Am I overly cautious?

No

It's simple common sense.

[carlson1]

It's simple common sense.

Abraham I am also overly cautious!

One of the prerequisites of carrying should be to avoid all dangerous situations. There is no need to confront danger when it could be avoided. Common Sense should mean that we look for an escape route first. A lot of folks think that carrying a firearm gives them a right to enter into a fire fight.

[03Lightningrocks]

It's simple common sense.

Abraham I am also overly cautious!

One of the prerequisites of carrying should be to avoid all dangerous situations. There is no need to confront danger when it could be avoided. Common Sense should mean that we look for an escape route first. A lot of folks think that carrying a firearm gives them a right to enter into a fire fight.

I would agree with your statement if the wording said some folks instead of a lot of folks. I believe the majority of CHL's are competent folks who don't feel tougher because of the gun. No doubt about it though, there are a few who think the CHL is a Batman license.

[Keith B]

I have walked up to a car identical to mine and stuck the key in the door and unlocked it before I realized it was not mine.

My Brother-In-Law's new Dodge pickup key actually works in his son's Jeep Wrangler, but not vice-versa. The nephew grabbed the wrong set of keys one day when leaving from the deer camp and drove off with them. Luckily he wasn't far before he got a phone call to come back and swap key chains. LOL

As for carrying at the Post Office, it will really depend on the location and if it is a real post office or one of the contacted private locations.

[casingpoint]

you cannot carry on the post office parking lot. PLEASE correct me if I am wrong

Last time I read up on carrying on postal service property, there was a clause to the effect a property had to be locked overnight with barriers to exclusion of the public for the handgun prohibition to apply. It's somewhere in the code or regs.

[CrimsonSoul]

I suppose that'll give him a story to tell when he flies back to Europe "those crazy Americans and their guns!"

[ELB]

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.

[boomerang]

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'm of the opinion the rule is unconstitutional.

[koolaid]

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.

How does this apply to post offices that are located inside of other stores? For instance, there's a full service post office inside of a hardware store down the street. I'm assuming this doesn't apply since it isn't their property?

[Mando'a]

I was in a fairly same situation, but the roles were reversed.

I was trying to get into a green Mazda Protege, which I though was mine. I spent about 30 seconds messing with the lock, trying to figure out the door wasn't opening.

The owner came out, "Hey, what are you doing!" Since I was on Fort Hood, and he was in chammies, I thought he was an MP, and told him I was having issues opening my car door. He proceeds to tell me that was his car.

Then I looked inside, and notice how neat and clean it was (as opposed to mine). I profusely apologized to the man.

My car was about two over.

Fortunately, (for me) he remained cool; he didn't beat, draw on me, or pepper-spray me. He did watch me until I opened my car, and went about my way.

I'm more cautious now... plus having a remote door lock helps...

[Fangs]

I once walked into a gas station with a buddy and two girls we were taking out on a date. I had to use the bathroom and told them I'd be right out. When I walked out I saw them sitting in a completely different color/make/model car two spaces from mine (it was the only other car there). I Just kinda looked at them with a puzzled look before getting into my car and waiting for them to figure it out.

Best comment after the incident: "I was wondering how that baby seat got in the back" (she had apparently put it in the other guy's trunk before I arrived on scene)

Needless to say she didn't make it past the first date, and no, none of them were drunk or anything.

[davidtx]

Best comment after the incident: "I was wondering how that baby seat got in the back" (she had apparently put it in the other guy's trunk before I arrived on scene)

I read this thread right after it started and then went out to run some errands. I went through the bank's drive-thru and then pulled into a spot in the shopping center parking lot to look up an address on my iPhone. I pulled into a spot a couple over from somebody that was apparently doing the same thing. Next thing I knew, he was opening my passenger door, about to climb in and then he saw the look on my face and said "I guess you aren't the guy I was supposed to meet here". I nodded and he left. I need to work on keeping the doors locked and on my situational awareness. Synchronicity still surprises me after all these years.

The best part of sitting in the living room reading these is that I get to read some of them to my wife. After reading the last couple of posts to her, she said "well, I guess I'm not so paranoid after all". She said she makes sure that the doors are locked on her car and that it is started before she opens the garage door (with the remote). I suggested that she should also do a little surveillance after opening the door and she agreed. I then asked what would happen if a BG did come in with a gun and she said "I guess my goose would be cooked". I hope I can get her in a class during her summer break.

-davidtx

[Bart]

I then asked what would happen if a BG did come in with a gun and she said "I guess my goose would be cooked". I hope I can get her in a class during her summer break.

Good plan on the class but remind her the car is running before she opens the garage door so she can goose the accelerator. The stopping power of a car is even more than a 45.