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Last night I met a buddy that I served with out at PF Changs. We got to talking about guns since both of us are pretty avid gun collectors and CHL holders, he stated that he was carrying his new P238. I was shocked, he'd had a few bourbons and was still carrying his firearm. I quit drinking after I got back stateside but even if I did drink I would never even think of carrying my firearm while impaired. He brushed it off like it was nothing

SO my question is, how serious do yall take the laws on impairment while carrying?

If I knew I would be drinking, I would not carry or if I was carrying, I would not drink. The law is too vogue on the intoxication limits for a CHL and I would not take a chance or leave it to an over zealous LEO to have my license revoked.

This is only my personal rule and may not be for everyone but that's how I choose to protect my self. And besides, you can count on 1 hand the number of drinks I have had in the last 5 years

RPBrown wrote:If I knew I would be drinking, I would not carry or if I was carrying, I would not drink. The law is too vogue on the intoxication limits for a CHL and I would not take a chance or leave it to an over zealous LEO to have my license revoked.

This is only my personal rule and may not be for everyone but that's how I choose to protect my self. And besides, you can count on 1 hand the number of drinks I have had in the last 5 years

I do not drink while carrying or carry when I drink. I don't drink alcohol at all when we go out anymore since I got my CHL. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy a beer or two, but now only at home while watching a game or something. I'm not condeming anyone else, just the way I do it myself. Not worth the risk IMO.

Same as above,
if I am going to drink at all, i leave my weapon at home, not even in the car

If I do not plan enough in advance to leave it at home, i don't drink

If your friend was imparired by his drinking, then he was illegally carrying. Personnally, I may have one beer with a meal while carrying, but that is the limit for me, and that is a rare instance. And that will depend on my personal condition at the time of the consumption. If a person is tired or not feeling up to par, even one beer can potentially impair them and cause them to be illegally carrying.

If I am carrying and I am going out to eat, I will not drink at all. If I am at home, I may have one beer with dinner or a glass of scotch after dinner (never both). Personal preference, but I don't want to ever risk being deemed "impaired" if something were to happen.

I have thought about getting a gun vault/safe that can be bolted to the floor of my truck in the back opposite the drivers seat for those times I want to go have a drink and already have my gun on me or in my car. That way it is locked and not within reach.

But I am a very risk averse person (being an accountant and auditor).

Like most, I will leave it at home if I plan to drink.

I am like pretty much all of the above posters. Since I am carrying pretty much all of the time, I avoid alcohol completely, including the single beer or margarita at dinner. It's just not worth the risk to be considered impaired. Keep in mind that it is the judgement of the officer as to whether you are impaired.

OTC and prescription medication can impair people just as easily as alcohol and fall under the same law.

Let's be careful out there.

This has been discussed many times on the Forum but many different answers have been given. If a group as knowledgeable this can't come up with a clear definition what's the chance that an officer that has to deal with all the other laws and regulations is going to know for certain.

For me its not worth being the test case. Ice tea for me.

Tic Tac wrote:OTC and prescription medication can impair people just as easily as alcohol and fall under the same law.

Impairment of any kind is obviously a no-no.

I'm going to leave out what I would do. I'd just point out that the CHL/alcohol combination has a very low bar for arrest and prosecution. There is no need of a field sobriety test. No requirement for breath or blood. If an officer thinks you're impaired, you are.. That's it. If an officer doesn't like you and detects alcohol, that officer can easily act without repercussion.

Why anyone would want to drink and walk around with a gun is beyond me. My CHL is too important to risk having it taken jut because I wanted a beer - which could happen.

Stratman wrote:Why anyone would want to drink and walk around with a gun is beyond me. My CHL is too important to risk having it taken jut because I wanted a beer - which could happen.

Although I don't drink so it's really not an issue for me to begin with.

He was under the impression that it was the same as drinking while driving(.08 BAC). I showed him the penal code where it said 'impaired' not intoxicated