Scrub
Regular Member
imported post
I decided this week to start OC'ing on a more regular basis. So far I have been to two different Starbucks, Jimmy John's {sandwich place}, Lowe's, Harris Teeter, Piggly Wiggly in Pinetops and three Hess-Wilco stations; and probably few others that I have forgotten.
I had one comment from the guy at Jimmy John's who asked if I was working in a bad neighborhood. I told him 12th and Pitt, and he said I would carry mine there too. And one college girl at the Starbuck's counter asked if it was a Hi Point.
Other than that, it was just a couple of raised eyebrows here and there. I did notice that I see less of it when my daughter is with me for some reason, but like my thread title says ............ so far, so good.
I did get stopped by a local LEO in Pinetops for a blown headlight. When he came to the window {I had the dome light on} and asked for my license, I told him that before I reached for my wallet I wanted to be sure he was aware that I had my handgun with me, and that it was out on the open on the seat like the law required. He asked me to put it on the dash, and then he reached in a picked it up. {I am not a big fan of that, but I think he was in the right to do it.} He went to his car and then came back and asked for my gun permit. I told him I currently do not have one, that is why I had it out in the open. He then told me that I was supposed to have a permit for vehicle carry but not to carry on my hip, but that he wasn't gong to write me up for it {don't flame the guy yet, keep reading} I told him that I must have gotten some misinformation during my CCW class, because the instructor was a LEO and he explained the difference between open and concealed to us during the class. He was gone a little too long and then came back with my weapon and license, and told me he wasn't going to write me up, just get the headlight fixed and drive safe, he did not mention the gun at all. As he turned to walk away and I said "Officer, can I ask you a question?" He turned back, and I asked what is the best way to handle a situation like this where I am open carrying, as far as notifying the officer of the presence of a weapon. He said I handled it exactly right by notifying him and having it out on the seat just like I was suppposed to so that I would not get in trouble on a concealed weapon charge.
My guess is that he called in and got some information about the law, because his answer to my final question was a direct reversal of what he told me at the first encounter. Overall he was very polite and professional. BUT should I do an FOIA request to find out what was said? or should I leave it alone since Pinetops is such a tiny town and my wife owns a business next door to the PD, I don't want to rock the boat.
I decided this week to start OC'ing on a more regular basis. So far I have been to two different Starbucks, Jimmy John's {sandwich place}, Lowe's, Harris Teeter, Piggly Wiggly in Pinetops and three Hess-Wilco stations; and probably few others that I have forgotten.
I had one comment from the guy at Jimmy John's who asked if I was working in a bad neighborhood. I told him 12th and Pitt, and he said I would carry mine there too. And one college girl at the Starbuck's counter asked if it was a Hi Point.
Other than that, it was just a couple of raised eyebrows here and there. I did notice that I see less of it when my daughter is with me for some reason, but like my thread title says ............ so far, so good.
I did get stopped by a local LEO in Pinetops for a blown headlight. When he came to the window {I had the dome light on} and asked for my license, I told him that before I reached for my wallet I wanted to be sure he was aware that I had my handgun with me, and that it was out on the open on the seat like the law required. He asked me to put it on the dash, and then he reached in a picked it up. {I am not a big fan of that, but I think he was in the right to do it.} He went to his car and then came back and asked for my gun permit. I told him I currently do not have one, that is why I had it out in the open. He then told me that I was supposed to have a permit for vehicle carry but not to carry on my hip, but that he wasn't gong to write me up for it {don't flame the guy yet, keep reading} I told him that I must have gotten some misinformation during my CCW class, because the instructor was a LEO and he explained the difference between open and concealed to us during the class. He was gone a little too long and then came back with my weapon and license, and told me he wasn't going to write me up, just get the headlight fixed and drive safe, he did not mention the gun at all. As he turned to walk away and I said "Officer, can I ask you a question?" He turned back, and I asked what is the best way to handle a situation like this where I am open carrying, as far as notifying the officer of the presence of a weapon. He said I handled it exactly right by notifying him and having it out on the seat just like I was suppposed to so that I would not get in trouble on a concealed weapon charge.
My guess is that he called in and got some information about the law, because his answer to my final question was a direct reversal of what he told me at the first encounter. Overall he was very polite and professional. BUT should I do an FOIA request to find out what was said? or should I leave it alone since Pinetops is such a tiny town and my wife owns a business next door to the PD, I don't want to rock the boat.