Thread: Bumper Stickers

How many of you have pro gun bumper stickers on your vehicle? Not long ago I read an interesting article by Massad Ayoob that putting pro gun stickers on your car or truck could backfire on you.

#1. Thieves see the bumper sticker and now have a pretty good idea that you are a gun owner. They wait until you go to work or on vacation and break into your house and steal your firearms.

#2. You fire your weapon in self defense. Even though you were justified in using force, you still might end up in civil court because the person you shot, or a relative of that person, brought a suit against you for a million dollars. Remember, just because you were never charged because the police and DA found that you were justified in using your weapon does not mean you won't be sued!

Now just think how it were to look to a jury if you had a bumper sticker on your vehicle that read: "I don't call 911" and had a picture of a handgun on it.

I know that everyone here is proud of supporting the 2nd Amendment, but maybe it might be wiser to do it in other ways. Just a little food for thought.

My thoughts are, it's never a good idea to play poker with your cards face up. Why give someone, a potential BG, a heads up as to what to expect.

Most bumper stickers or other firearm related items require a bit more explanation to the typical person. Take the "I don't dial 911" for example. I don't think it's implying that they person doesn't dial 911 ever, they just take care of the BG themselves and bury them out in the woods, after all it was a SD shooting. What it seems to imply is that they don't bother to dial 911 first, they take care of the immediate threat to their life, then dial 911. I would understand it as something similar to that, but the normal person may not. I like to be clear cut in what I say and leave very little to nothing open for interpretation... most of the time

Now, after saying that, I wear firearm related clothing from time to time - shirts, sweatshirts, etc.

I might or might not agree with the sentiments expressed on bumper stickers, but still find that placing them on your vehicle is slightly bad form.

I have one of the little round NRA stickers on the back window of my truck, but have thought seriously a couple of times about taking it off, not because I don't want to show my support of the NRA, but for the same reason the OP brings up. It screams "GUN OWNER" to anyone that sees my truck in my driveway. I'm probably due for a new truck in a year or so and probably won't put a sticker on that one. Still may take the sticker off my current truck.

Originally Posted by toobigtofail

I might or might not agree with the sentiments expressed on bumper stickers, but still find that placing them on your vehicle is slightly bad form.

I read somewhere a study that correlated bumper stickers with road-rage. Didn't matter if the stickers were pro-left or -right, pro- or anti-choice, or just a selection of the places you've visited on your vacations.

It was something about people that consider their car an extension of themselves and territorality, etc. I always give people that turn their cars into billboards a wide berth, once I've gotten close enough to read the funny/interesting ones.

MrB

Originally Posted by riverrat373

#2. You fire your weapon in self defense. Even though you were justified in using force, you still might end up in civil court because the person you shot, or a relative of that person, brought a suit against you for a million dollars. Remember, just because you were never charged because the police and DA found that you were justified in using your weapon does not mean you won't be sued!

I understand the logic behind this idea... but its kinda like saying, don't put any Flowmaster, Jeg's, Edelbrock, etc stickers on the back of your Comaro. Heaven forbid, you ever hit anyone... they would paint you as a speed crazy maniac, he** bent on going fast!

just a thought

I don't put bumper stickers on my car because they are a pain to get off when they wear out.
Not because some chump may take offense.

Originally Posted by Tactical SS

My thoughts are, it's never a good idea to play poker with your cards face up. Why give someone, a potential BG, a heads up as to what to expect.

+1

The only thing I want the average driver to know about me from looking at the back of my car is which way I am turning and when I am breaking.

How about a Infidel sticker?

Just bought a bumber sticker that says "This vehicle guarded by Mikhail Kalashnikov". Probably just gonna keep it in the gun locker for now.

My Jeep sports "God bless our troops, especially our snipers!" from larue tactical.

I've had 3 people stop and tell me "I like your bumper sticker."

Life is too short to worry about this kinda crap IMO.

Originally Posted by oregonshooter

My Jeep sports "God bless our troops, especially our snipers!" from larue tactical.

I've had 3 people stop and tell me "I like your bumper sticker."

Life is too short to worry about this kinda crap IMO.

That's not the type of sticker I'm talking about. Life is also too short to be paying your hard earned money to someone the rest of your life for defending yourself!

You are going to pay to defend yourself no matter what bumper sticker you have on your car. That's what I'm talking about. If you sweat all the "what ifs' of the boogie man DA on a good shoot, you might as well turn your gun into a plow now, cause bumper stickers are just the beginning.

It's not important in the big picture. Professional training is much more important that a bumper sticker and will override any claims that an idiot DA or civil atty might try. Worry about paying for your next class and having a good lawyer on call if you want to worry.

Just my $.02

I used to have a couple on my old ford. one was "fight crime...shoot back!"
the other was "gun control = a firm grip!" I try to keep a low profile these days. here is one I kinda like. saw it on the Internet the other day.

Originally Posted by oregonshooter

My Jeep sports "God bless our troops, especially our snipers!" from larue tactical.

I've had 3 people stop and tell me "I like your bumper sticker."

Life is too short to worry about this kinda crap IMO.

Then there must be two vechiles in the Rouge Valley with the same bumper sticker

Read an article recently from American Handgunner...

There was a lawsuit from a case of road rage...guy read on the dude's bumper "I'm the NRA and I vote!"

He called the police saying that he brandished a weapon at him. After thousand's of dollars in legal fees, charges being pressed then later dropped, guns confiscatted and personal termoil from the stress he finally got his life back.

Sometimes it's better to walk softly when carrying the big stick...just my two cents.

The only sticker I've got on my car is a Star of Life (emergency medicine logo) on my back window. State Trooper buddy of mine told me that I needed to put it on my POV, less likely to get a ticket. Who knew?

Originally Posted by Cougfan2

I have one of the little round NRA stickers on the back window of my truck, but have thought seriously a couple of times about taking it off, not because I don't want to show my support of the NRA, but for the same reason the OP brings up. It screams "GUN OWNER" to anyone that sees my truck in my driveway. I'm probably due for a new truck in a year or so and probably won't put a sticker on that one. Still may take the sticker off my current truck.

Remember the 70's, 60's and earlier? Back then you could loose your job for being queer and were even considered a security risk because someone could blackmail you with threats to 'out you'. Then came gay pride parades, guys kissing each other in public, and before you knew it we had openly gay politicians and everyone in Hollywood is gay. Queer was suddenly cool.

What I'm saying is the gay community stuck their face out of the closet, made it 'normal' to be queer and they all benefited from it. Gun owners should use the same tactic.

I don't have any of the tough guy {dumb a**} stickers on my truck but I proudly display my NRA and SAF life member stickers. I carry openly around my home, business and when I work in the yard or cross the street to get the mail. My neighbors have grown from, "Damn, is that a gun?" to "Hi, how you doing?"

In a way, hiding the fact we are gun owners vilifies gun owers everywhere and puts our Second Amendment Rights at risk. Get a good safe, bolt it to the floor and have a little pride!

Originally Posted by 2gr8dgs

the confederate battleflag is gay, but the tailgate is fricken awesome. i'm NOT the type to sport flashy crap, but i'd sport that.

Originally Posted by twoclones

In a way, hiding the fact we are gun owners vilifies gun owers everywhere and puts our Second Amendment Rights at risk. Get a good safe, bolt it to the floor and have a little pride!

So not putting an NRA sticker on my truck villifies gun owners and puts out 2A rights at risk? It's about not giving thieves a heads up about my house that says GUNS IN HERE!