So many signs, most of them wrong :(

[tomhuskey]

Ok, I'm a fairly new CCW permit owner, and enjoy it everywhere I go! I always watch out for signs because I want to keep my permit! The problem is I get more confused every time I go out brcause none of the signs seem right. I have seen three different versions of the 'gun-buster' sign, one says 'no firearms', and one says 'no concealed carry'. At our favorite restaurant they have the appropriate sign (size, verbiage), but it's out of date because it says that it's a misdemeanor to carry where alcohol is served :( Wrong. And finally at a bowling alley there's one that just says 'no guns'. What the crap! No of them are correct according to the Tn Handgun Law site. Can I still get in trouble if I carry past any of those signs (I don't of course)? At first I loved living in Tennessee, but the 'signs carrying the weight of the law' thing is getting to be a pain! And don't get me started on Buffalo Wild Wings posting it on their website instead of the door! Any help is much appreciated from Tennessee folk.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[oldrwizr]

Every state has different laws on the matter. As a resident of your next-door neighbor NC, I can't CC anywhere alcohol is consumed. Consumed, not "sold", so a convenience store is legal, but bars and restaurants are out. Ball game? Forget the beer, can't CC to any public event or anywhere admission is charged. As for the BWW website, that wouldn't fly in NC. The law says it must be posted in plain Spanish (JK!) on the front door or any common public entrance. So for all I know beating your wife for burning your toast is legal in Tennessee. I don't know, but I damn sure know NC laws because I too am a new CCP holder and like you don't wanna fornicate it up. When I received my CCP from the Durham Co. Sheriff's Dept., I had to sign a piece of paper with G.S. 25-point-whatever on it, acknowledging I was familiar with it, which is NC's statute on CC and use of deadly force. Then they photocopied it and gave me a copy. You should probably print out your laws too and learn them.

[whoppo]

Here's a document you'll find useful.... and you're correct... the signs are not "proper".

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

[Inspector71]

I feel your pain Tom. I too struggle with the signs when I come out of my secluded habitat. It is a hassel to have to pause and check all the signage and decals on every door before you enter. City parks are another big pain. Some are illegal to carry in, but no signage posted anywhere. I don't want to be a test case for the ignorance of the law is no excuse crowd. Better check before you go on that pic nic in the park with the family. Actually I really feel more at ease when I'm in Virginia or Kentucky and fortunately I live close to both. Sorry I'm of no help but as Walter Cronkite used to say "and that's the way it is."

[archer51]

If the signs do not meet the legal requirements of the law, then you should be good to go. Of course if they find out your carrying, you may get hassled over it.

As to Buffalo Wild Wings. I don't think posting on their website meets the requirements of the law. I believe the signs have to be posted in a prominent location. Their website is not a prominent location.

[Inspector71]

If the signs do not meet the legal requirements of the law, then you should be good to go. Of course if they find out your carrying, you may get hassled over it.

As to Buffalo Wild Wings. I don't think posting on their website meets the requirements of the law. I believe the signs have to be posted in a prominent location. Their website is not a prominent location.

You are correct in what you say and I agree you should be good to go. However, if you are wrong you will be a lot more than hasseled. In Tennesse you face a felony charge and you know what that means. No more guns for you! We talk about this locally all the time and nobody, including me, wants to be the test case. If someone in TN has actually done this and won their case I would truly love to hear from them.

[kerberos]

Am I reading it right when it says that the "gun buster" symbol meets the legal requirement for proper posting?

Or does it have to be in addition to the wording that specifically includes the statute number?

edit: nevermind... it says one or both

(C) A building, property or a portion of a building or property, shall be considered properly posted in accordance with this section if one (1) or both of the following is displayed in prominent locations, including all entrances primarily used by persons entering the property, building, or portion of the property or building where weapon possession is prohibited:
(i) The international circle and slash symbolizing the prohibition of the item within the circle; or
(ii) The posting sign described in this subdivision (b)(3).

from http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/tennessee.pdf

[Inspector71]

A gun buster sign is all that is needed in TN.

[oakchas]

A gun buster sign is all that is needed in TN.

That sucks. Oh well... I'm still headin' that way when I retire... soon... soon... I hope... next year this time.

[oldrwizr]

If someone in TN has actually done this and won their case I would truly love to hear from them.

What people often overlook when speaking of "winning a case" is that the mouthpieces are the only winners. Plenty of people (tens of millions) have "won" cases and then spent the rest of their lives paying for their legal fees. My philosophy is "Fly below the radar."

[tomhuskey]

That sucks. Oh well... I'm still headin' that way when I retire... soon... soon... I hope... next year this time.

Don't let this scare you, TN is a great place to live, and you can carry in A LOT of places here that you can't in most other states, so it's not too bad. It's not the state of TN in most cases, it's the restaurants, malls, etc. that are too lazy to properly post.

[kelcarry]

Common sense (something that seems to have gone away now that most of the US is an asylum with the inmates running it) would tend to tell you that if you are going to restrict CC in a place of business there must or should be a definition or a design for signage that is required by the business. Restriction in other facilities such as a school or bank or church etal, would be written into the restriction ordinance on the books of the state. It is hard to believe that a restriction law could be written without any reference to informing citizens where they can CC. Having said that, in lieu of any reference or sign design, there would be nothing to imply that CC cannot occur in a facility. You have to do some due diligence if you are a responsible CC citizen--complaining about conflicting or incorrect signage just isn't due diligence.

[tmoore912]

I'm so glad signs don't carry legal weight in Georgia. We work very hard to keep it that way. Having to thoroughly inspect the front entrance way of every private property I go into would be a major headache.

[Gunsmoke16]

Businesses should be properly posted according to TCA codes. If not, it's kind of a don't ask, don't tell thing or what they don't know about, they cannot complain about. If they find that you are carrying and they do not like that...they can request that you leave or put it in the vehicle-you must comply or you could at that point be charged with Aggravated Trespassing. Other than that, if posted you cannot carry, but lots of businesses that have received numerous emails of complaint and boycott have removed those signs and such. Basically it's an insurance thing...their carriers don't want it or it's the owner's opinions. They also need to know that if deprived of your rights to protection that the business is then somewhat expected to provide protection or safety of customers and could possibly be sued if something happened to you. I posed this question to the TN Firearms Assoc. forum: What happens if you are a customer at a gas station that sales alcohol for off-site consumption (then illegal to carry firearms) and you would have to remove the gun from your person, stash in car-hope nobody saw this and stole it or called cops- and get gas/pay and try to put your firearm back on, hoping nobody saw it in your car....While being deprived of your rights, supposing you are in line to pay and the store is robbed and you are injured...I think the business should be held accountable. This question response crashed the servers and led to legislature that eventually allowed you to be able to carry where off-site alcohol consumption was allowed (ex: gas station/convience stores) and now restaurants that serve alcohol if not consuming. Generally though govt buildings, hospitals (in my opinion one of worst places where violent prisoners can get loose and wreak havoc) and gvt lands (usually even city municipality lands-new laws are allowing in some areas now) are off limits. Personally if I'm not carrying, I usually have a knife or few and if it's a bar that prohibits that...anything goes including comb to the eyes, ink-pen to the throat, smashed glass or broom, whatever it takes to defend your life if a bad guy wants to take it.

[Ram Rod]

Each and every posting I've run across here for the past several years does not meet the criteria of the law for posting. Seems as though the uneducated will soon rule the world. Too bad. Principles are hard to beat in the arena of stupid and ignorance.