Thread: why and where do you carry?

I carry for the same reason that most everyone who carries does. To protect myself and those I care about from a dangerous attack that could result in serious bodily harm or worse. I carry just about every place I go. There are not too many places in my state where the law excludes me from carrying a firearm. Banks, police stations, our legislators' offices, restaurants, including those which serve alcohol, and a host of other places.

Most of the time I open carry because of a few medical conditions I have (osteoarthritis and lumbar spinal stenosis). I'd rather someone who is of a mind to do me harm sees my little friend first, then seeks out another victim for his pleasure. I do conceal when I deem it to be in my better interests at some specific time and/or location but when I conceal, I look just like any other potential victim who can't seem to move too fast.

Carrying a firearm is my right, guaranteed under my state's constitution. I take this very seriously and have no qualms with going about armed. And in Virginia, that is a no-brainer.

Fyi... in MI you can carry in a place of worship (church) if you clear it with the pastor/priest/etc... and I've never heard of anyone being told no.

Also in MI you can carry in a restaurant as long as 51% of the sales are not generated from liquor sales. This can change depending on the time though... example is TGI Friday's where lunch and dinner are food service primarily (o.k. to carry) and the late evening is mostly liquor sales (not o.k.). It's a grey area for sure, so when in doubt... don't carry if your unsure.

MI's enhanced CPL license got vetoed in January after Sandy Hook... but be sure it will come around again. It esencially eliminates most pistol free zones for CPL after going through extended training (handgun 1 course).

Has the OP taken a MI CPL course yet?

As to why & where I carry....

Everywhere, especially to & from work or when I'm out with my family. I'm an LEO and I've run into a few of my arrestees off duty... most were cool, but some were not exactly "friendly".... once was with my little boy at a book store trying to get him a new dinosaur book. Ya just never know when your EDC will be handy.

We had 5 carjackings in 2 days this week alone... and 2 armed robberies, in my area of employment (not where i live). Always carry off duty while driving as well.

Originally Posted by tntviper1

did a search but didnt find a lot.

mainly why do you carry and where.

in MI we can't in church, schools anywhere booze is sold (DUH) sporting events festivals etc so where and why?

looking for opinions and good information

BTW first time handgun owner

I have two CC permits, and carry every damn place I can. Why? You may not be looking for trouble, but it will come looking for you...usually when you will least expect it.

Originally Posted by TAPnRACK

Fyi... in MI you can carry in a place of worship (church) if you clear it with the pastor/priest/etc... and I've never heard of anyone being told no.

Also in MI you can carry in a restaurant as long as 51% of the sales are not generated from liquor sales. This can change depending on the time though... example is TGI Friday's where lunch and dinner are food service primarily (o.k. to carry) and the late evening is mostly liquor sales (not o.k.). It's a grey area for sure, so when in doubt... don't carry if your unsure.

MI's enhanced CPL license got vetoed in January after Sandy Hook... but be sure it will come around again. It esencially eliminates most pistol free zones for CPL after going through extended training (handgun 1 course).

Has the OP taken a MI CPL course yet?

As to why & where I carry....

Everywhere, especially to & from work or when I'm out with my family. I'm an LEO and I've run into a few of my arrestees off duty... most were cool, but some were not exactly "friendly".... once was with my little boy at a book store trying to get him a new dinosaur book. Ya just never know when your EDC will be handy.

We had 5 carjackings in 2 this week alone... and 2 armed robberies, in my area of employment (not where i live). Always carry off duty while driving as well.

Man, that must have sucked putting some jerk in cuffs with your little boy with you!

Originally Posted by tntviper1

...[W]hy do you carry and where[?]...

My wife and I carry pistols for self-protection, and for the protection of each other.
I carry 24/7, and everywhere. My byword is: "Concealed is concealed."
She carries only when we go to the wild-and-woolly mainland, for instance for our quarterly Costco run.

I carry nearly everywhere I go, the exceptions being those places where it is legally prohibited. Other than the post office, those prohibited places are also places I rarely visit. I carry because it is my God given right to protect myself and my family from those who would do us harm. I carry because I choose not to be a victim.

I carry to Bank, Restaurant, Pool Hall, while Fishing & Hunting, driving my car, wal-mart, movies

i carry because i take my personal security, and the security of those around me very seriously. and if am to become a statistic i will be a live one, not a dead one.

i carry everywhere i go. everywhere. OC where legal and CC the rest.

some of the liberal types i know ask me why i carry considering the area is mostly country/small towns and then i remind them that it's also the Meth capitol of the US. then just to the north is the St Louis metro area which has alternated with Detroit as the murder capitol of the US. that's about the time i ask them why they don't carry.

in my actual home i don't feel the need to carry on my person but there is never a firearm very far from me anywhere in the house. and those are generally geared towards varmints and such that would cause harm to my livestock. if you come up on my place in a car my dogs will tell me and you'll drive the last 1/4 mile with a scope trained on you if i don't recognize the car.

Be a cop. Then you can carry whenever and wherever the hell you want. Haha.

hello everyone thanks for the input, i do plan on taking my gun courses.

Originally Posted by tntviper1

hello everyone thanks for the input, i do plan on taking my gun courses.

Congrats. Personal safety is a huge issue and I wouldn't personally lag on doing what needs to be done. Some people can feel safe with a small .22 and others find it better to carry a .45, but it just depends on what you feel most comfortable with. I'd say go with your heart and also look at how many other people, family, etc., you have to look after.

Originally Posted by tntviper1

hello everyone thanks for the input, i do plan on taking my gun courses.

Not necessarily true. You can be told to either disarm or leave private property at the whim of the owner or owner's agent of that property. This happened recently at a restaurant in my state (Buffalo Wild Wings). While it may sound a bit strange, it is still private property and that is what matters.

Remember, police do not have a right to carry firearms when acting in accordance with their assigned duties. They have the privilege and authority to do this which is granted by us; We the People. We can just as easily rescind this if that were our wish.

Originally Posted by SouthernBoy

Not necessarily true. You can be told to either disarm or leave private property at the whim of the owner or owner's agent of that property. This happened recently at a restaurant in my state (Buffalo Wild Wings). While it may sound a bit strange, it is still private property and that is what matters.

Remember, police do not have a right to carry firearms when acting in accordance with their assigned duties. They have the privilege and authority to do this which is granted by us; We the People. We can just as easily rescind this if that were our wish.

I wasn't totally aware of that. Good to know though. I live in a small town so I guess it's just a given that when we carry, it's just okay. Thanks for the info.

Just got my CPL and plan to carry anywhere that it is legal (I'm in MI).

I'd been saying for years that I was going to get my CPL but just never got around to it until a couple of months ago. I consider myself a realist so I carry as a matter of preparedness. Not a black helicopter guy and have never been particularly paranoid when it comes to living my life but I also don't consider myself naive - I carry because it makes sense.

Carried yesterday (plan on only CCing), for the first time, to a small restaurant in town - no issues and the food was good as usual. Afterward I stopped at a small convenience store/gas station (which is obviously gun friendly because I saw someone OCing there) and then continued on home. Easy and comfortable.

Later in the evening I was surfing some gun websites (still learning whatever I can fit into this old head) and looked at a Michigan specific site that had a listing entitled " places to avoid" which went on to explain that the locations listed had posted the No Guns edict. Wouldn't you know it, the little mall that houses the restaurant where I'd eaten (and eaten often, actually) is listed there. I have never seen any signs, anywhere within or about that mall and never at the restaurant, but in reality had never been looking for any. Now, I am going to check into it to see if the No Gun policy is still in place but that is frustrating, to say the least. I have always liked the restaurant, though I am not surprised to hear that the little mall wants to be gun-free - the town is somewhat stodgy in their approach to things.

My understanding is that had it been noticed that I was carrying a weapon I could have been deemed as trespassing...not sure. Regardless, it did not make me real happy to find out after the fact that guns were not welcome, or supposedly allowed.

I assume that if people know one is a police officer, they won't have a problem with it. That's what I've ran into for the most part.

Originally Posted by Trev1337

I assume that if people know one is a police officer, they won't have a problem with it. That's what I've ran into for the most part.

Oh yeah, I'm sure you're right. The Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant I mentioned was the rare exception and I'll bet word got around real quick with other officers that that place is off limits. BWW no doubt lost the police lunch bunch.

Originally Posted by mikemc53

My understanding is that had it been noticed that I was carrying a weapon I could have been deemed as trespassing...not sure.

yes you could be charged with trespassing under MI law. the funny thing is is that it would appear that they don't even have to post a sign on the storefront, they only have to tell you carry is not allowed and by then it's too late and you have already broken the law. here's some more light reading for your head.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/michigan.pdf

Q: Is there a specific design for the no gun allowed sign? Does the law say where it has to be placed at a
business, such as on the door or adjacent window leading into the business?


A:

There are no specifications for "No Guns" or "No Weapons" signs in Michigan law. Under the law, there are two
ways for a CPL holder to know that guns are not allowed in a specific location. The first is the list of "Pistol Free Zones"
(often colloquially referred to as violent criminal empowerment zones) that we must all memorize, which is part of the
CPL statute (Pistol Free Areas).


The second is when the owner or lessor of any real property communicates to us that our guns are not welcome there.
That communication must be reasonable in order to be effective. By reasonable, I don't mean polite. I mean that there
is an effective means of communicating to us that we are not welcome so long as we are carrying our guns. This can
be done with a sign, verbally, or in some kind of printed material.


For instance, if there is a reasonably sized and located sign in a retail establishment indicating that guns or weapons
are not allowed, that would constitute reasonable notice. If an employee of the same establishment actually tells you
that you may not carry on the premises, that would constitute reasonable notice. If your employer has an employee
handbook or some kind of printed guidelines, and includes a prohibition on guns and/or weapons, that would constitute
reasonable notice.


If you choose to ignore any such reasonable notice, then you become a trespasser rather than a business invitee.
Trespass can be punished as a crime and/or in civil court, and could affect your CPL licensing status.

here in MO a business has to post their feelings on a specific style of signage but it still does not really carry the force of law until a LEO is summoned. here they just ask you to leave, but if you refuse they could call the cops and you would catch a trespassing charge and be fined. it's simpler to leave them with a "no guns = no money" card and move on your merry way.