Open Carry and not aware of surroundings

[Dinglenutz]

I've open carried in very specific circumstances but for the most part I simply make a best reasonable effort at keeping it discrete and get along with my day.

It seems unlikely for a person with outlawry on their mind to open carry in most cases.

 

[Capn Jack]

Ridiculousness..

Wife and I were sitting in a fast food a while back when in walked 3 multi hued, muffin topped, young ladies.

One had a mid sized automatic pistol clearly shoved down the back of her tight pants.

As the other two went up to order, I almost choked on my food while I watched the one with the pistol in the back of her pants try to get comfortable on the hard seats.

After much fidgeting she finally took the pistol out of here pants and placed it on the seat along side.

We left before the show was over.

 

[TCOV]

I was grocery shopping yesterday and came across a gentleman in the cereal isle open carrying a pistol in a kydex holster.....No big deal as I fully believe in the 2nd amendment and a persons right to defend themselves. Why else would I be here on this forum. Anyways, what blew me away was this guy was obviously not aware of his surroundings. I mean I was checking to see if I could figure out who the manufacture of the pistol he had on was, and checking out the holster it was in, and quickly realized he was not paying any attention to me, or anyone else around him as the store was packed. I felt like I could have easily reached over and grabbed the gun out of his holster and done god knows what with it had I wanted to.....assuming it was loaded. But in my book why carry a unloaded firearm right? Anyway, I thought about having a conversation with the guy but didn't think it would have not been very well received. So I wrote him off as an idiot, and moved on. I now regret that decision. Whether I pissed him off or not, maybe he would have learned something or maybe not, but I should have at least tried. I don't know about you guys......but I personally prefer to conceal carry for many reasons. One of those reasons is I don't like to bring attention to myself, and another reason is that I like the element of surprise. Why show your cards if you don't have to.

So you ended up minding your own business, correct answer!

 

[Mark W.]

Not a problem as you were obviously maintaining the 6ft min distance to another human not from your household? AND were you walking down the isle in the correct direction? Would be quite the surprise to go for his pistol and find your bubblegum on the floor seeing stars when the ex Navy seal/Army ranger etc. was paying attention to you all along.

 

[ma96782]

"I felt like I could have easily reached over and grabbed the gun out of his holster and done god knows what with it had I wanted to.....assuming it was loaded. But in my book why carry a unloaded firearm right?"

Proof.....guns are sooooo "icky". They need to be GONE from our society. Cough, cough....

Hummmm.......
Been around many Police Officers? Wait a minute......that badge probably gives them "special powers" to fight off any attacking criminal, domestic terrorist, etc....


LOL.....BUT what do I know? My "fantasies" are usually limited to some sort of wild PORN. "Shooting" but not with guns. Maybe it's "blanks"?

Aloha, Mark

 

[RVTECH]

One of those reasons is I don't like to bring attention to myself,

Kind of seems like you were bringing a lot attention to yourself being as 'inquisitive' as you were.

Trying to find out the mfg. of the gun, 'checking out' the holster and your assumption he was 'unaware of his surroundings' - was this the first time you have ever seen someone open carry?

Whether I pissed him off or not, maybe he would have learned something or maybe not,

Maybe he didn't need to learn a thing, nor would it have been your place to open a dialog with this person. This person might have been a long term gun owner, vastly experienced and understands all the ramifications of OC and chooses to do so.

Where I live OC is common and doesn't even raise an eyebrow.

The only time I have ever been approached about 'open carry' was a while back in a local store a lady quietly approached me and asked me if "I was aware my gun was missing'

I assured her It was ok as I had been out shooting and the gun was in its case out in my vehicle. (I had simply left my holster on for a quick run into the store)

 

[edzz]

If theres a retention device, it would be more difficult and take more effort to remove.
IMHO

Obviously you disagree.

Please define "retention device" before you make "obvious" assumptions.
A retention device on a police style holster is vastly different than a retention device on many holsters.

FWIW I'm generally not an open carry fan boy. If you are go for it, sometimes it's good for a laugh. Like open carry of a Desert Eagle in town.

 

[ma96782]

Speaking of a fantasy. Yeah.....I'd like to get lunch there, one day.

Aloha, Mark

 

[cigars]

Not for Open Carry in public places!... I believe it creates a poor image for gun owners and see no need for it (sure as heck 'Not Cool')

Stay safe Gents

Disappearing in plain sight is usually a good policy. Like we used to say in the Army, "just be third guy, third row". Well that and, "never volunteer".

 

[Helocat]

Does Eugene have restrictions to non-CHL holder's for open carry like Portland? IE, no loaded open carry for non-CHL holder's, not even a loaded speed loader.

Birkenstocks must be worn at all times for Eugene's open carry.

 

[edzz]

Speaking of a fantasy. Yeah.....I'd like to one day get lunch there.

Aloha, Mark

Locally (Post Falls, ID) we have a little known restaurant "Dueling Irons" that provides a nice 2nd amendment discount. Insider tip, you don't have to be open carrying to request the discount. While I always request the discount I always add it to the tip.
Always get great service.

Dueling Irons

 

[ma96782]

edzz,

Thanks for the tip on the Dueling Irons Restaurant. Hopefully, when we can travel again. Roadtrip Summer? Rrrright..... Since it appears to be close to Spokane and on the way to Coeur d'Alene, ID.

Yes, for planning purposes.....I looked it up.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Catfishmoon]

And that what you say and do , may not be viewed as you wish it to be.
Andy

I agree with this comment... If I were to make any comment in that situation, I would start by mentioning that both he and I were 2A supporters and see how it progressed from there.

 

[Xaevian]

I see open carry daily here in MT. Doesn't bother me at all. Now if the game animals start carrying, then I would be worried.

 

[Jonnyuma]

When l was a new carrier (1980s, pre-CC "revolution") in AZ, l had a shiny stainless steel Colt MK lV in a leather belt holster on my hip pretty much all the time.
As l sat there enjoying my basura burrito ("garbage burritos" weren't on the menu, had to order it special... so good) an older gentleman reached over the back of the booth l was sitting in, tapped my gun and said, very calmly and quietly, something like,"You might want to keep an eye on that thing" and continued to walk out the door.

Naturally, as a young 20-something, l took it as an affront, but he was right. It changed my whole outlook, my behavior, situational awareness, even which urinal l stand at*... EVERYTHING.

It was a pretty ballsey move, and l wouldn't recommend it especially now. But it pushed me in the right direction, got me thinking... probably the single most life-altering sentence ever spoken to me and I've spent the last 30+ yrs trying to make that silver-haired stranger proud of me. Yeah, that sounded weird, even to me... but you know what l mean, right... ?

*The answer is:
The last one... that way nobody has a reason to walk behind you.

 

[bbbass]

High stress times, and IMO not a good time to be interfacing with strangers...

Sheriff Grady Judd: "Leave people alone.... they will shoot you so much they can read a newspaper thru your body!" (paraphrasing)

 

[nammac]

When l was a new carrier (1980s, pre-CC "revolution") in AZ, l had a shiny stainless steel Colt MK lV in a leather belt holster on my hip pretty much all the time.
As l sat there enjoying my basura burrito ("garbage burritos" weren't on the menu, had to order it special... so good) an older gentleman reached over the back of the booth l was sitting in, tapped my gun and said, very calmly and quietly, something like,"You might want to keep an eye on that thing" and continued to walk out the door.

Naturally, as a young 20-something, l took it as an affront, but he was right. It changed my whole outlook, my behavior, situational awareness, even which urinal l stand at*... EVERYTHING.

It was a pretty ballsey move, and l wouldn't recommend it especially now. But it pushed me in the right direction, got me thinking... probably the single most life-altering sentence ever spoken to me and I've spent the last 30+ yrs trying to make that silver-haired stranger proud of me. Yeah, that sounded weird, even to me... but you know what l mean, right... ?

*The answer is:
The last one... that way nobody has a reason to walk behind you.

Use things like glossy tiles and chrome fixtures as mirrors... yup, I think too much about this stuff and use what the environment presents to my advantage..

 

[PaulB47]

The OC vs CC debate is the new 9mm vs .45 argument. Must be a lot of dead horse beaters around here...

 

[teflon6string]

Was he wearing a T-shirt with some sort of clever saying? Something like...

"Whack Jobs, Smoke Me First."

 

[DeanfromOregon]

"Hey your doing that all wrong" usually doesn't go the way the way I think it should so nowadays I just leave it alone.