BB62
Accomplished Advocate
As some may recall, last year I was thrown off a Cincinnati Metro (Southern Ohio Regional Transit Authority - SORTA) bus last year while openly carrying. You can read more about that incident here: http://ohioccwforums.org/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=88656
Prior to that event there had been lots of communication with the City of Cincinnati (which owns the streetcar) regarding their and Metro's firearm carry policies. In the end, what I received from Metro was unsatisfactory, but because issues were and still are ongoing with Dayton's RTA, I decided to leave it lay until this year.
Last weekend a friend and I rode multiple buses as well as the streetcar. We had no issues, but because of Metro's *apparently non-existent training* following last year's incident, I had a sneaking suspicion that the issue was not resolved. Today confirmed that suspicion.
As I boarded the bus, the bus driver saw my gun(s) and said "Do you have a permit?". I said yes and she asked to see it. For multiple reasons I said no, but said that I'd be glad to show it to a police officer. I went to the back of the bus and sat down. The bus driver parked the bus and got on the bus phone, apparently to summon a supervisor.
About 25 minutes later the supervisor arrived and asked if I had a permit. I told her that I did have a license, she asked to see it, and I told her that I would be glad to show a police officer or someone in law enforcement. She flashed her badge (LOL) and said she *was* law enforcement! She told me that since I was delaying the bus, she would have the police officers (who'd apparently been summoned) remove me from the bus.
Two Cincinnati Police officers arrived, and as I stepped forward to exit the rear door, CHL & drivers license in hand, one of the officers boarded the bus and asked me to get off. I got off and offered my CHL and driver's license to the officer, who took my driver's license back to his vehicle, followed by the Metro supervisor. My CHL remained with the other officer.
After checking me out (thank goodness the CPD doesn't have SCMODS!), he talked to the supervisor for a few minutes, then came back, returned my driver's license, and said I was good to go.
I told the Metro supervisor that I needed a new transfer ticket (they cost $.50 and are good for two hours after you board), she got me one, and 42 minutes after I boarded the bus for the first time, we got back on the road.
I'll save the return trip story for another post - although there were no police involved, I was interviewed on the bus by a CityBeat reporter, and asked if I minded if my picture was taken by another passenger and the bus driver.
P.S. - SCMODS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1aIGqrGqnU&t=1m6s
Prior to that event there had been lots of communication with the City of Cincinnati (which owns the streetcar) regarding their and Metro's firearm carry policies. In the end, what I received from Metro was unsatisfactory, but because issues were and still are ongoing with Dayton's RTA, I decided to leave it lay until this year.
Last weekend a friend and I rode multiple buses as well as the streetcar. We had no issues, but because of Metro's *apparently non-existent training* following last year's incident, I had a sneaking suspicion that the issue was not resolved. Today confirmed that suspicion.
As I boarded the bus, the bus driver saw my gun(s) and said "Do you have a permit?". I said yes and she asked to see it. For multiple reasons I said no, but said that I'd be glad to show it to a police officer. I went to the back of the bus and sat down. The bus driver parked the bus and got on the bus phone, apparently to summon a supervisor.
About 25 minutes later the supervisor arrived and asked if I had a permit. I told her that I did have a license, she asked to see it, and I told her that I would be glad to show a police officer or someone in law enforcement. She flashed her badge (LOL) and said she *was* law enforcement! She told me that since I was delaying the bus, she would have the police officers (who'd apparently been summoned) remove me from the bus.
Two Cincinnati Police officers arrived, and as I stepped forward to exit the rear door, CHL & drivers license in hand, one of the officers boarded the bus and asked me to get off. I got off and offered my CHL and driver's license to the officer, who took my driver's license back to his vehicle, followed by the Metro supervisor. My CHL remained with the other officer.
After checking me out (thank goodness the CPD doesn't have SCMODS!), he talked to the supervisor for a few minutes, then came back, returned my driver's license, and said I was good to go.
I told the Metro supervisor that I needed a new transfer ticket (they cost $.50 and are good for two hours after you board), she got me one, and 42 minutes after I boarded the bus for the first time, we got back on the road.
I'll save the return trip story for another post - although there were no police involved, I was interviewed on the bus by a CityBeat reporter, and asked if I minded if my picture was taken by another passenger and the bus driver.
P.S. - SCMODS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1aIGqrGqnU&t=1m6s