Travel Safety Suggestions

[dbracin]

I have been informed that I'll be flying to California for business. I live in NC where I exercise my right to carry. A normal day would have me carrying my P3AT, Benchmade folder and a Serber M4. I'm not sure, but I doubt I'll get thru the Airport with these items on me.

So, what can I do for a week in California?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[havegunjoe]

Pray, keep your eyes open for potential trouble while there, feign sickness before the trip and get them to send someone else, pray.

[Rock and Glock]

Road trip, anyone? Not much help other than that. Sorry.

[jarhead79]

You can't carry your gun, but you can have a knife, even if it's just a folder.


OC always works too.

[ExSoldier]

I have been informed that I'll be flying to California for business. I live in NC where I exercise my right to carry. A normal day would have me carrying my P3AT, Benchmade folder and a Serber M4. I'm not sure, but I doubt I'll get thru the Airport with these items on me.

So, what can I do for a week in California?

Depends. LA? And I don't mean Lower Alabama!

Carry a SureFire Flashlight maybe the E2D and some spare batteries.

If you go to L.A.: Hit DisneyLand, Universal Studios, and Rodeo Drive. For the FREAK show hang out on Hollyweird and Vine.

[dbracin]

I'll be going to a training facility in Alameda, California.

[cnc_marine]

buy some pepper spray and carry that i think its still legal to carry.

[Jeffg330]

pepper spray and a good pair of running shoes. watch your back out there man

[Gelicious]

I lived in L.A. my whole life and have always lived in rough neighborhoods. Here is my imput. The city in cali your going to isnt really high in crime but its known for being full of hispanic gangs. (fact not my opinion) Most will leave you alone if you leave them alone but should you look like an easy target then besure you have a cellphone, running shoes (which wont help cuz NO one can outrun a crack head!!) and a nice knife! Ohh and YOU CAN still travel with your gun, just have your bag checked in at the airport, you can still fly with your firearm, just not in a carry on bag. Then when you get there open carry where you think you might need to? i dunno but i dont think youll have much of a problem if you stick to places you know.

[P95Carry]

Can't add much but - sure as heck glad I have no business to take me there.!!

[blackeagle 603]

Locked car gun is your best legal option in CA.

I face this dilemma regularly as my work often takes me from San Diego into gangland LA. Fairly often I go to a factory within a few blocks of Florence and Normandie (remember during riots where trucker Reginald Denny was beaten in the head with a brick?). The whole neighborhood is razor wire and spiked wrought iron all over.

You can have a handgun in a vehicle in California. However, it has to be unloaded and a locked up while in the vehicle. Ammo in anything that attaches to a firearm is considered "loaded." Ergo, loaded mags or halfmoon clips would be considered illegal in a vehicle since they "attach"to a firearm.

Now from this point you may choose to use your legal "creativity."
Can you say "Lockbox and loaders?"

Not all lockboxes are created equal -- some can be accessed faster than others.
Speedloaders and strippers don't attach so should be legal.

As far as I know there's no law against keeping a key in the lock and speed loaders at standby. Open carry outside the vehicle will get you in trouble in CA cities. I haven't had daylight problems with crime in LA or gangland San Diego (where I bought my first house as a young sailor) in 20+ years.

Intelligent disregard of the law:
The bad situations I've faced in CA have been in late night San Joaquin Valley freeway gas stops (up north of the Grapevine) and with dealers loitering for deals on the street late night outside my old barrio house. Those times I've opted for intelligent disregard of the law. At freeway gas stops I've tucked my .357 into small of back or into jacket.

Scariest time was at a stop about 2 AM on I-5 when I left handgun in my vehicle. I went into an empty truckstop to check on my pregnant wive who was taking a long time in the restroom. As soon as I entered the foyer I realized why she wasn't coming out. I'd have to run a gauntlet in the entrance bottleneck (she'd already ran it). She grew up in a really bad neighborhood had read the situation correctly and had decided to wait in the restroom till I came for her.

Inside the deserted truckstop was a cluster of 4-5 coldeyed gangbangers in Raiders jackets looking for trouble in the wee hours of a Friday night. Confidence and decisiveness often carries the day. A quick prayer as I kept moving. Thankfully I had my best tough guy motor officer leather jacket on and years of WestPac liberties and shore patrols under my belt that had taught me to put "the look" in my eyes. Coldeyed 'em back without calling them out with too much eye contact -- just enough to say "ya'll count the cost". I collected my wife and kept moved back confidently through the gauntlet to our Suburan without looking too worried or hurried. Seemed like a thousand miles to the next stop to change my shorts.

In a couple cases with late night neighborhood problems I stepped out to encouraged dealers to "move along down to the park." I'd step out from around back of my house in the shadows and hold near cover of a tree. My handgun would be held easy and low just visible behind my butt without any flagrant brandishing of the weapon -- just at low ready. Some would ask if I had a firearm, I'd just say yes and stay quiet in the shadow and encourage them to move along before police arrived (usually a bluff -- cops didn't like that 'hood at night any better than me). Then it was back to sleep to be on the ship or up to Miramar for 0700 muster.

Made good money on that house. I still drive by once in a while to see it's sorry sway-back roof and to honor the site our first two magnificent conceptions. If the kids are along they don't know why I smile and my wife blushes

"When strong appear weak. When weak appear strong." _Sun Tzu_ Art of War

cheers,
dw