Carrying on a motorcylce (not what to do)

[blue]

Moot is better than cuffed and stuffed and in jail cause some blissninny saw a bulge.
Of course OC will cause 'blood running in the streets' just like the CHL does, UNTILL people get use to it.
AZ OC checked in as no problem, and other OC states are the same, Texas should join them.

As it is now, most of us are just a puff of wind, or bulge, away from an arrest, a blemished record, big expenses and loss time, whenever we go out and about, peacefully minding our own business.
That is not right.

[blue]

delete

[Dragonfighter]

MedicMan, I too am against open carry. Partially for the same reason you are, but also because I think it would lead to more and more establishments bannng weapons altogehter. Currently many business owners operate with the I dont mind what I dont know mentality. if a bunch of the less educated folks start moaning about all the guns in plain view, then the owners may take the approach of no guns period.
Just my opinion.

That is my concern as well, but proponents of open carry are quick to point out open carry in other States doesn't create this problem. I would be a supporter of open carry if there would be a law forbidding retailers from discriminating against gun owners in the same way they can't discriminate against minority groups.

On Open Carry:

The second amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads, "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." Requiring a license to carry or regulating how and what one may carry is an infringement. The "fear" the public at large holds is manufactured and exacerbated by the rarity of carry weapons. IOW, if someone sees a weapon on a hip in Wyoming few give it a second thought. Here, though not as bad as some, people are taken aback when they see a weapon. Once in our history it was the lack of a weapon that was the rarity.

That said, if I am out and about in the neighborhood (full of dangerous critters) I have to carry concealed and dress accordingly. Similarly if I am out in the wilderness and not hunting (defense to prosecution, not the default assumption) I cannot carry openly. There are plenty of times when open carry is appropriate and preferred, but not legal.

I personally like to have the CCW option. As has been mentioned before I don't want the bad guys to "know" I am carrying and whats more, where and what it is. And a CHL is not inherently a bad idea for the simple reason that if a LEO cannot see the weapon and may discover it, a lot of tension and dangerous assumptions can be avoided by discreet presentation of the license or the "pop up" indicating he has a law abiding citizen. I probably would not open carry as a matter of course; but it would be a good option to have.

Bottom line is this, a CHL that is not so expensive AND open carry. Because it is a matter of freedom; what, when and where I carry is my choice...not the government's.

[seniorshooteress]

I think open carry is a good idea, because as this picture tells the story, it was purely by accident that the firearm was showing. I don't see all the CHLer's all of a sudden deciding to intentionally show off their weapons if an open carry law were passed. So if an accidental "showing" happened no one gets fined etc. I personally wouldn't strap a gun on my hip cause I like keeping secrets.

[blue]

Most Excellent post SIR DRAGONFIGHTER


Well done SENIORSHOOTERESS

[nitrogen]

Here's some examples of memos that went out to PD's about California Open Carry, I'd consider them positive in light of the general climate of firearms in California:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/show ... p?t=144878" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(This went out to LA Sheriffs several years ago)

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cac ... -RX5UEPKSw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(Oceanside, CA PD memo from last year)

http://www.opencarryradio.com/documents ... Sep_09.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
This memo is probably the best of the worst; showing a good policy and reminder from an obviously anti-gun police chief who is unhappy with the law, but is intent on following it.

That last guy, the cheif from Sunnyvale has my grudging respect. He's obviously on the wrong side of the issue insofar as his beliefs, but he is going to uphold the law, at least officially. That's all I ask of LEO's.

This is exactly the type of result anyone looking to regain their rights want to have.

[nitrogen]

Ohhhh, PLEASE tell!

See my previous post for the most important part. What i've found is many people in California are nowhere near as hostile as many southerners and conservatives might think. Sure, you always get an idiot or two, but a very large majority of the people I've met, at worst, fall into the "I'd never own a gun but I have no problem with noncriminals carrying one" camp. When explaining to some, that in Texas, I can carry nearly anywhere, their ears perk up, as if the never thought such a thing could be possible. "What, you don't shoot each other over parking spaces and traffic scrapes?"

"Nope, no more or no less than you Californians do."

One of the positives of an open carry movement is to show gun ignorant citizens that yes, "those gun toting maniacs" really arent going to hurt anyone just by having a weapon on them. If done right, it can be an amazingly effective tool.

I really think that pro-gun orgs everywhere should be developing a program to train people to do this in such a way that it is positive.

[PappaGun]

...I really think that pro-gun orgs everywhere should be developing a program to train people to do this in such a way that it is positive.

Thanks Nitrogn.

I agree.

And Texas should display the same type of attention to CCW and 2A Law.
I for one, would be pleased to see any PD as concerned about my Constitutional and Civil rights as these three California departments appear to be (albeit if only for limit to liability).
They seem to be much more aware of and guided by law than simply letting the judge sort it out as seems to be more common here.

[nmsu]

Looks like his wallet might fall out also

[gregthehand]

I think it's just one of those long wallets that always sticks out the top of your pocket. It even has the little silver star thing on it.

[Keith B]

I saw this today on Beltway 8 here in Houston. I tried to get the guys attention but my stupid horn doesn't work like it should and the guy was moving pretty good and there was a car in front of me. Anyway he slipped away before I could wave or anything.

What sucks is that a Pct 5 deputy on a motorcycle shortly thereafter passed me. I don't know if he noticed this guy or not. I pocket carry when I'm on my bike for this reason.

One thing that no one has mentioned is this guy might have been an off-duty or plain clothes cop. You can't see in the image very well what is in front of the holster, and there could be a badge there. That would make him legal.

Since this might be the case, I saved the image and did a little image enhancement on it and found there was a badge in front of the holster and above right of the knife. Here is the image of the badge I was able to get out of the enhancement of the photo:

[ScottDLS]

Oh please tell me where I can get a CHL badge!

[03Lightningrocks]

As I was reading your post I thought you were on to something. Then I scroll down and see the badge you spotted. You had me for a second.

[Keith B]

As I was reading your post I thought you were on to something. Then I scroll down and see the badge you spotted. You had me for a second.

Well, seriously, since we can't see in front of the holster, there might actually be a badge there, or he is an off-duty officer and just not too concerned with covering up his carry weapon. Bottom line, it was a poor method of carrying to keep his gun covered.

[Dragonfighter]

And if we had open carry in Texas it wouldn't even be a topic of conversation.