Minor ID Flub At Chili’s Restaurant

[LittleGun]

I was in Ted Stevens airport in Anchorage AK. After I went through the security checkpoint, I hastily stuffed by driver license into my pocket, gathered my belongings, and made a beeline for Chili’s restaurant.

I settled into a seat and broke open my laptop computer. The waiter came and asked what I wanted to drink. I had a taste for Grand Marnier and ordered it. The waiter asked for identification.

I pulled my ID from my wallet and gave it to him. He looked at it for a long time. I thought, “It doesn’t take that long check out someone’s driver license. What could possibly be so confusing about a Texas driver license?”

“Is that a state I.D.?” asked the waiter.

“Of course it is,” I replied. “What’s wrong?”

“That looks like a permit to carry a gun,” he said.

I looked at the document. He was right. “I’m sorry, “ I said. “I pulled the wrong I.D.”

I fished in my pocket, found my driver license, and showed it to him. “I must have put my driver license in my pocket when I was at the security checkpoint. A Texas gun permit is much more difficult to get than a driver license.”

“I figured that much,” he said. “Thank you for showing it to me.”

That was the first time I’ve ever mistakenly used my CHL as identification.

[randomoutburst]

AWESOME. As a Chili's waitress, I just have to say I'd love for someone to make that mistake with me serving them! Well...maybe not, because then I'd want to hang around to talk about guns instead of doing my job!

[Outbreaker]

I HAD to use my CHL as an ID. I was taking a test (and carrying) and they only allowed me to take 1 ID inside with me. No wallet or anything else. They would have FREAKED if they had known I was "Sneaking" a gun inside.....LOL

Silly rule.

[C-dub]

I HAD to use my CHL as an ID. I was taking a test (and carrying) and they only allowed me to take 1 ID inside with me. No wallet or anything else. They would have FREAKED if they had known I was "Sneaking" a gun inside.....LOL

Silly rule.

So, if you were able to "sneak" a gun in, how were you unable to sneak a second ID in?

[Griz44]

A CHL is a Government issued ID. It is just as valid as a drivers license.
I use mine to identification all the time, usually just to see the reaction.

Where were you taking a test that you were legal taking a gun into?
I certainly hope you do not say "school"

[Outbreaker]

I HAD to use my CHL as an ID. I was taking a test (and carrying) and they only allowed me to take 1 ID inside with me. No wallet or anything else. They would have FREAKED if they had known I was "Sneaking" a gun inside.....LOL

Silly rule.

So, if you were able to "sneak" a gun in, how were you unable to sneak a second ID in?

Before I was able to take a wallet in. I presented my TXDL and they said "Leave this and empty your pockets" and turn them inside out I asked why. They said I could only take my ID and the pencils and paper they provided in. I said.....let me use this ID then. They check to see if it was "ON THE LIST" and it was.....WHOOOOOOT.

They never asked me to empty my IWB holser. I was in shorts with a tucked in Golf Shirt. They never suspected a thing....LOL

[randomoutburst]

Before I was able to take a wallet in. I presented my TXDL and they said "Leave this and empty your pockets" and turn them inside out I asked why. They said I could only take my ID and the pencils and paper they provided in. I said.....let me use this ID then. They check to see if it was "ON THE LIST" and it was.....WHOOOOOOT.

They never asked me to empty my IWB holser. I was in shorts with a tucked in Golf Shirt. They never suspected a thing....LOL

Even if they had, I would have to imagine that would be a liability issue for them to keep a gun (loaded OR unloaded) while you take a test. And keeping your wallet too?? What was it, a remembering your credit card numbers and the exact amount of cash in your wallet test?
Seems like a prime opportunity for ID theft to me...

[03Lightningrocks]

I have done that before by accident because they look real similar in my wallet. Every time I was handed it back with a thank you as if all was good. I guess it looks close enough to fool others too. I even used it to sign some loan documents for a business loan at Bank of America and they did not seem to care. They just wanted to verify it was me signing the papers. I keep them both in the same compartment in my wallet so if I get pulled over I don't forget to show both.

[Outbreaker]

A CHL is a Government issued ID. It is just as valid as a drivers license.
I use mine to identification all the time, usually just to see the reaction.

Where were you taking a test that you were legal taking a gun into?
I certainly hope you do not say "school"

Securities Continuing Education Exam.

[Outbreaker]

Before I was able to take a wallet in. I presented my TXDL and they said "Leave this and empty your pockets" and turn them inside out I asked why. They said I could only take my ID and the pencils and paper they provided in. I said.....let me use this ID then. They check to see if it was "ON THE LIST" and it was.....WHOOOOOOT.

They never asked me to empty my IWB holser. I was in shorts with a tucked in Golf Shirt. They never suspected a thing....LOL

Even if they had, I would have to imagine that would be a liability issue for them to keep a gun (loaded OR unloaded) while you take a test. And keeping your wallet too?? What was it, a remembering your credit card numbers and the exact amount of cash in your wallet test?
Seems like a prime opportunity for ID theft to me...

They had secure lockers that we placed all of our stuff......even cash......into.

[PetrucciFan]

I HAD to use my CHL as an ID. I was taking a test (and carrying) and they only allowed me to take 1 ID inside with me. No wallet or anything else. They would have FREAKED if they had known I was "Sneaking" a gun inside.....LOL

Silly rule.

So, if you were able to "sneak" a gun in, how were you unable to sneak a second ID in?

Before I was able to take a wallet in. I presented my TXDL and they said "Leave this and empty your pockets" and turn them inside out I asked why. They said I could only take my ID and the pencils and paper they provided in. I said.....let me use this ID then. They check to see if it was "ON THE LIST" and it was.....WHOOOOOOT.

They never asked me to empty my IWB holser. I was in shorts with a tucked in Golf Shirt. They never suspected a thing....LOL

Was this at a Prometric Testing center? Similar thing happened to me as well, however, I was carrying my LCP in my front pocket when they asked me to turn my pockets inside out! I really didn't know what to do, so I quietly told the test administrator that I was, in fact, legally carrying a firearm. She then asked if I read the little "rules" thing and if I saw the part about no firearms. I told her that I did, but that as a license holder, the wording did not apply to me. I was really worried about her causing a scene, but she just said, "Oh, OK, but you're still not allowed to take anything in." I didn't want to cause any headaches, so I said OK and placed it in a locker with the rest of my belongings.

The second time I took a test, I carried the Glock IWB so I wouldn't have to worry about that again.

[Outbreaker]

I HAD to use my CHL as an ID. I was taking a test (and carrying) and they only allowed me to take 1 ID inside with me. No wallet or anything else. They would have FREAKED if they had known I was "Sneaking" a gun inside.....LOL

Silly rule.

So, if you were able to "sneak" a gun in, how were you unable to sneak a second ID in?

Before I was able to take a wallet in. I presented my TXDL and they said "Leave this and empty your pockets" and turn them inside out I asked why. They said I could only take my ID and the pencils and paper they provided in. I said.....let me use this ID then. They check to see if it was "ON THE LIST" and it was.....WHOOOOOOT.

They never asked me to empty my IWB holser. I was in shorts with a tucked in Golf Shirt. They never suspected a thing....LOL

Was this at a Prometric Testing center? Similar thing happened to me as well, however, I was carrying my LCP in my front pocket when they asked me to turn my pockets inside out! I really didn't know what to do, so I quietly told the test administrator that I was, in fact, legally carrying a firearm. She then asked if I read the little "rules" thing and if I saw the part about no firearms. I told her that I did, but that as a license holder, the wording did not apply to me. I was really worried about her causing a scene, but she just said, "Oh, OK, but you're still not allowed to take anything in." I didn't want to cause any headaches, so I said OK and placed it in a locker with the rest of my belongings.

The second time I took a test, I carried the Glock IWB so I wouldn't have to worry about that again.

Yep.....it was prometric.

[ScottDLS]

Since it's CHL as ID story night, I'll share a few of mine.

- I had a business appointment w/ senior US Army civilian official at the Pentagon last year. Asked for two forms of picture ID by the Pentagon police. I have a (contractor) military ID, but it was buried in my laptop bag and I was in line at the metal detector. I pulled out my wallet and gave my Texas driver's license and then I said to the cop, "I'm not trying to be a smart aleck, but this is the only other picture ID I have" and gave him Texas CHL. "...and, NO, I don't have any on me...". He said, "That's perfectly fine, I've seen one of these before". Put my bag on the x-ray and walked through the metal detector.

- I was getting a private mailbox at one of those Mailbox places. They said USPS requires them to ask for two forms of picture ID. All I had was my CHL so that's what I used. Of course, this was also where I get all my handgun license documents notarized too.

- I was at a liquor store in Orlando, Florida while I was there for a convention. I was picking up some beer, liquor, and cigars for me and some of my work colleagues to relax after work that evening. The clerk asked for ID (presumably for the liquor, not the cigars). I think it was just 'cause some college age kids were behind me in the store. I was 42 at the time and while I look a bit younger it's pretty hard to mistake me for 20. Clerk was kind of giving me the "sorry I have to ask" look, so I laughed and said "I'm from Texas, but I can show you a Florida ID...", then gave him my non-res Florida Concealed Weapons License. He said something to the effect of "Good enough for me...".

I don't make a point out of using a CHL for ID, but I find it an acceptable backup. The Florida thing was kind of a spur of the moment. I wasn't carrying at the time because it's against my work policy... And it would be too hard for me to travel discretely by airline for work while taking a handgun.

Since it doesn't seem like you can go anywhere these days without some official or quasi-official request for "Your papers, please...", I think I'm going to get one of those US State Dept Passport Cards. They're wallet size vs. walking around with my US passport book.

[jimlongley]

This is a rerun, but when I lived in IL, I had an IL FOID (Firearms Owner's ID) and was flying somewhere through O'Hare. When asked for two forms of picture ID, I presented my FOID and the young lady was not at all taken aback, and then she asked me "Officer, will you be carrying a gun on this flight?"

The old IL FOID had "ILLINOIS STATE POLICE" emblazoned across the top, and she thought it was a LEO ID.

I usually keep my CHL right behind my DL and once in a whil,e if I have my DL out, I mistakenly put it in back, leading to a couple of attempts to present CHL, but I usually look first and notice.

[NcongruNt]

I avoid those kinds of troubles by keeping a Kinko's card between my DL and CHL. That way, the CHL isn't visible when I pull the DL out, and I'm not going to mistake a Kinko's card for my DL like I might with my CHL.