The Virginia Two-Step: Restaurants-Open Carry or Car? :MERGED now w/ poll

Hey all -

I'm in VA and the law here states that you can't carry anyplace where there is an ABC permit and alcohol is consumed. Any place I'd go to dinner. I personally think this is pretty stupid as whenever I'm handling or going to be handling in the near future any firearms I don't touch alcohol... so why the law doesn't prohibit DRINKING alcohol while carrying instead of being in the presence of alcohol while carrying is a mystery to me...

But I digress... For those of us VA carriers - do you simply switch to an open carry posture or leave the firearm in the car?

Lately, I've been leaving it in the car. My wife is extremely tolerant of my 2nd Amendment soap box but I think she'd draw the line somewhere around walking into Applebee's open.

Any input?

Andy

IBTL

I don't live there, but I'd open carry.

One your asking a question about do we participate in illegal activty about not OC when you walk in a place that serves for consumption.

Open carry is legal in the commonwealth may not be the most common sensible thing to do in NOVA but its still legal. Recongnize this a lot of uneducated people flip out at the sight of a gun. They probably will call the police screaming "MAN WITH GUN MAN WITH GUN". The dispacher will probably what is doing. " HES EATING PIZZA OMG" the only logical thing us gun people would do would be approach that individual who is legally displaying his gun in view of the public and inform him pizza has a lot of grease and may lead to arterial clogging, or leave well enought a lone and let him go on his business. While the Sheep is screaming " Come save us before he takes another bite." Or you can take the later side. Drink at home, or with friends at football parties, eat at places that don't serve booze.

PS: To the orginal poster if you live in Alexandria you are stones throw from DC.

Its perfectly legal to OC. However, relize this you will be hassled. I'm not saying its a bad thing what I'm telling you is, there will be sometimes you will be the center of a lot of cops approaching probably guns drawn, dogs ready to pounce, asking you to politely put down the FUNNEL Cake. If that doesn't bother by all means have at it. However, with the cop accidently shooting the Dr. Last spring, and 2 weeks ago a COP having a AD in the parking lot at Blue Ridge Arsenal, I would prefer to avoid constant interaction with local LE expecially when their guns are out and focused on me, and stay off the radar.

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Originally Posted by Rob99VMI04

IBTL

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:confused:New one on me!

I too live in VA, when I go into a bar I just take my shirt off and walk in with the tee shirt on and the butt of my pistol sticking out from the inside of my IWB holster is all. But drinking while carrying? No way. Dont mix.

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Originally Posted by Danger Mouse

:confused:New one on me!

I too live in VA, when I go into a bar I just take my shirt off and walk in with the tee shirt on and the butt of my pistol sticking out from the inside of my IWB holster is all. But drinking while carrying? No way. Dont mix.

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IBTL=In before the lock.

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Originally Posted by Rob99VMI04

IBTL=In before the lock.

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Why would this get locked? I asked a legitimate question.

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Originally Posted by Rob99VMI04

One your asking a question about do we participate in illegal activty about not OC when you walk in a place that serves for consumption.

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Wrong. I maybe didn't ask it clearly enough, but as the title of my post was: "Restaurants - Open Carry or Car". So for me, clearly, there are two options only: open carry or car. I even went on to say that I've been leaving the weapon in my car. At what point do I ask about participating in an illegal activity?

I then went on to say I NEVER carry while drinking and never drink while carrying.

You knee jerk reaction to my question, made clearly without either reading it or understanding it, makes VMI and VMI alums look bad. (I graduated '01). Change the attitude or the avatar.

Now, I'll restate my question very succinctly:

As it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon anyplace in the Commonwealth of Virginia where alcohol is sold for consumption, do you:
a) Open carry
b) Leave the firearm in your vehicle.

I've seen both, only done (b) for precisely the stated reason: that people in NOVA are generally idiots. I've seen a guy reaching for a slurpee cup in Alexandria get the cops called on him because some fool freaked out when his shirt rode up and exposed his gun. I just as soon not have the hassle but I'm also loathe to leave a firearm in my car unattended.

As far as not eating at places that served alcohol, I do try to leave it at home when I KNOW we're going someplace with alcohol. Sometimes it's a spur of the moment thing.

Does anyone have any input?

Andy

Everyone play nice now....


I generally don't like to leave it in the car, I OC when mandated by law.

And as of yet, there's no reason to lock this thread as long as everyone plays nice, there was no mention of illegal activity, and the subject of ignoring the law has not been brought up, nor will it be as that IS against forum policy.

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Originally Posted by JD

Everyone play nice now....


I generally don't like to leave it in the car, I OC when mandated by law.

And as of yet, there's no reason to lock this thread as long as everyone plays nice, there was no mention of illegal activity, and the subject of ignoring the law has not been brought up, nor will it be as that IS against forum policy.

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Thanks - I didn't think I'd done anything wrong.

I would leave it in the vehicle.
Personally, I see no reason to unnecessarily disturb folks, and I think that is what would happen with open carry.

If I did not want to be in the place unarmed, then I would stay out of there.

Jerry

Well, my fear of leaving it in a car is that someone may see me put it there. May be waiting when I exit. I have open carried into bars all the time. Been asked to leave one. The owner had tried to tell me the police said it was illegal. I informed him that the police were wrong and I politely told him that I would inform them of their mis understanding of the law. Then he told me it was his waitresses that were nervous. Then he said HE did not want them there. Soon as he said that I kindly told him "OK, Its your establishment, your rules, I will eat elsewhere". Most places I been to have been nice about it though. We as conceal carrying citizens are struggling to keep our rights, so I try to obied by the law so it don't make things any tougher than they are.

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Originally Posted by Danger Mouse

We as conceal carrying citizens are struggling to keep our rights, so I try to obied by the law so it don't make things any tougher than they are.

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Good way to put it.

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Originally Posted by Pitbull

Why would this get locked? I asked a legitimate question.



Wrong. I maybe didn't ask it clearly enough, but as the title of my post was: "Restaurants - Open Carry or Car". So for me, clearly, there are two options only: open carry or car. I even went on to say that I've been leaving the weapon in my car. At what point do I ask about participating in an illegal activity?

I then went on to say I NEVER carry while drinking and never drink while carrying.

You knee jerk reaction to my question, made clearly without either reading it or understanding it, makes VMI and VMI alums look bad. (I graduated '01). Change the attitude or the avatar.

Now, I'll restate my question very succinctly:

As it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon anyplace in the Commonwealth of Virginia where alcohol is sold for consumption, do you:
a) Open carry
b) Leave the firearm in your vehicle.

I've seen both, only done (b) for precisely the stated reason: that people in NOVA are generally idiots. I've seen a guy reaching for a slurpee cup in Alexandria get the cops called on him because some fool freaked out when his shirt rode up and exposed his gun. I just as soon not have the hassle but I'm also loathe to leave a firearm in my car unattended.

As far as not eating at places that served alcohol, I do try to leave it at home when I KNOW we're going someplace with alcohol. Sometimes it's a spur of the moment thing.

Does anyone have any input?

Andy

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No disrespect maybe came across in a wrong manner. The way I interpretted the question. Due you switch to open carry as in "do I take my gun out of concealment" and go to a unconcealed position or just leave it concealed, or put it in the car. Sorry If I read into to deeply my bad. I take the stance of never getting caught with out a firearm Period. Therefore my logic of not going into those places that serve is a personal choice. Thats why I do go to parties instead of applebees.

IBTL is generally a joke that a thread is about to get locked since from what most have seen on this board OC generally turns down hill quick on this board anyway, and you get the people on one side of the spectrum vs. people totally against. I'm midground on the topic meaning if you want to OC thats your choice, but face the real intime consequences when you choose to do so.

I'm sorry If I took a somewhat aggressive stance and do apoligize.
Expecially to the my DYKEs class.

I would probably OC. Just to annoy the :sheep:.

I open carry, even though my vehicle have gun vaults in them. Usually the safe is either empty or carrying a 'spare'. The only time I remove my firearm is when I have to go somewhere where concealed or open is NOT permitted....(courthouse, Federal building...etc..).

VCDL is working on legislation to repeal the 'restaurant ban' this session.

As to scaring the sheep, I don't care any more if they are uncomfortable or not.....as long as I'm comfortable & armed, that's all that matters to me. Rarely does anybody even notice my firearm & the few that do usually avoid even eye contact. It helps that I don't live in northern Va.