Open Carry : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

1L243 · 12-19-2007, 02:16 AM

I know that some feel open carry is their right and where it's legal they will do it. But I have to tell you, I was in a Harley dealer the other day, a large dealer with lots of customers in it. And there is this guy walking around carrying a Glock on his belt. He was in civilian clothing. I don't think he was a LEO, at least he was not displaying a badge. This dealership is apparently is in a County where open carry is allowed. Now, being retired LEO I have been around people with guns a lot but I was taken back a bit, caught me by surprise. I really don't see the benefit of open carry. I don't want anybody to know I am carrying. I like the element of secrecy. Any thoughts?

Doug

Jeffytune · 12-19-2007, 03:31 AM

I think it really depends were and what you are doing at the time, there is a time and a place for everything.
In a dealership, I would think that is not the best place to, best to keep it concealed.

xxxflhrci · 12-19-2007, 04:05 AM

I'm surprised he wasn't asked to leave or secure his weapon in a vehicle. Sure, he can carry it open in public, but lots of businesses don't allow it due to it making other customers uneasy.

When I think of a guy that wants to parade around showing a gun on his hip, I either think of an insecure guy that is wanting to put on a show or a guy that is looking for trouble. Of course these are just my first thoughts that come to mind, I'm sure someone else with differ.

James · 12-19-2007, 05:23 AM

I would think that if I was going into a business armed and planning on commiting a serious crime without worrying about killing anybody, the innocent person who is openly carrying would be the first person who would get a bullet in their head. I'd also imagine if I was a armed mugger and was robbing someone with nobody around, and the person I was robbing happened to be packing a piece concealed or openly.....well that guy would either lose all of his money and his weapon or he'd get a bullet in the head also.

I use to work with this guy who was a racist auxillary police officer. He use to say he couldn't wait for the day he would pull over a carload of mexican gangbangers and hope they would pull a gun on him. I'd say "why Ed, you'll be dead, why do you want that to happen?" He'd laugh and say "yeah right, I've had police training, they wouldn't have a chance." I'd laugh and ask, "what are you some kind of quick draw?"

That always pissed him off.

Having said that,iIf I was a bad guy and counted on crime to make a living I'd hate the concealed law. It would make my job a whole lot more dangerous.

baggersport · 12-19-2007, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DLeppik

I don't want anybody to know I am carrying. I like the element of secrecy. Any thoughts?

Doug

I've lived in states that would not give concealed permits, never could get used to open carry. Still concealed.

.

Captain Bligh · 12-19-2007, 06:50 AM

I like the element of surprise. Open carry begs, "Shoot me first."

santino · 12-19-2007, 07:20 AM

Just think, if we all carried openly the bad guys would surely move on because the amount of firepower would be overwhelming. Look at Israel, M16s, UZIs and handguns are openly carried all the time to thwart any undesirables. Besides, it would reduce the amount of phobia the liberals and media have forced upon our society. I used to carry openly while on hunting trips in Vermont, no issues what-so-ever. People are accustomed to it there.

RK05 · 12-19-2007, 07:21 AM

Like the others have said, I would rather carry concealed just for the reasons mentioned.

Ohio's supreme court said that it is legal to carry open but depending on what city your in they could arrest you for breaking their laws. Kind of contradicts itself. I wish they could have one law and be done with it.

UltraRick · 12-19-2007, 07:44 AM

"I wish they could have one law and be done with it."

Believe it or not, it has been done... It is called the Second ammendment. It is amazing what has become of it.

Ed Y · 12-19-2007, 08:57 AM

I prefer concealed carry but it seems like open carry is starting to get real popular in some areas, ie, Virginia, Washington state, Indiana, always has been in Arizona. I can see some advantages to it especially in summer or if you've just got to carry a bigger weapon.

Check out this forum

RKJ · 12-19-2007, 10:37 AM

I've open carried when hunting but once in town, I would take it off. (This was before we had CCW). I don't personally like it. Yes, it might be legal and it might be a right, but that doesn't make it right (if you get my meaning). I figure too that someone openly carrying a firearm is a hot dog and I don't intend to be too close to that person. To me it screams too much of look at me, I'm a bad ass, don't screw with me, maybe it works, I don't screw around with them.

I believe I'll just carry concealed, thank you.

vindex1963 · 12-19-2007, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RKJ

I believe I'll just carry concealed, thank you.

I agree...

santino · 12-19-2007, 03:00 PM

It appears the concealed carry opinion is fairly strong. According to the natural laws of man and the birth right of every American which is affirmed by the Constitution there should be no difference. Why does society easily accept LE to openly carry as part of their tool belt when we, the unorganized militia of the United States is frowned upon when we excercise the same God given rights of survival.

Do you think a bad guy is going to barge into a police station and start trouble......I don't think so. Why, because they are all armed and his chances of survival are very, very limited and he knows it. Take that same logic into the real world with us citizens and you would have the same result, that bad guy will go somewhere where there are defenseless sheeple.

route66paul · 12-19-2007, 04:20 PM

I have never understood why some states will allow open carry except for those with CCWs. They could get in more trouble having a ccw and open carry than someone without a ccw that did carry conceeled

Captain Bligh · 12-19-2007, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Y

I prefer concealed carry but it seems like open carry is starting to get real popular in some areas, ie, Virginia, Washington state, Indiana, always has been in Arizona. I can see some advantages to it especially in summer or if you've just got to carry a bigger weapon.

Check out this forum

Open carry "popular" in Indiana? Probably an overstatment. I travel the state from the Michigan line to Columbus and don't run into folks carrying openly.

True if you visit a particular plastic gun's popular forum and step into the Indiana room, you get a lot of verbiage about open carry. However, a vocal minority doesn't constitute popularity if the preponderance of LTCH holders aren't doing open carry.