Open Carry Question (Complete With Pragraphs)

[Treo]

There are occasional accounts posted by people that are walking through Wal-Mart (or wherever) run into some random stranger open carrying and succumb to an overwhelming urge to run up and introduce themselves.

Now the problem I have with this is that according to my experience and training this is also a behavior that a person who is “interviewing” you would engage in and since I really don’t have a fail safe method of distinguishing the two I would tend to treat anyone who behaved in a similar manner as a potential threat.

I would be less concerned, however, if the person were all dressed up in his uber cool tactical NRA “Shoot me first” clothes.

When this topic comes up and I point this out I’m told I’m paranoid or that I’m just not a friendly guy (true).

So, my question is how would you react if some random stranger approached you like that in public?

Would you approach another person like this ?

 

[vernsimpson]

I agree with you that they could be a threat. I would only relax some if they were a fellow CCer or a OCer!!!!

 

[cwm1611]

I wasn't going to say anything about the terminology except that you have a persistent beef with post type mannerisms.

But I'm sure you are aware that a single sentence (though double spaced from its neighbors) does NOT constitute a paragraph.

 

[Bill Cavalieri]

There are occasional accounts posted by people that are walking through Wal-Mart (or wherever) run into some random stranger open carrying and succumb to an overwhelming urge to run up and introduce themselves.

Now the problem I have with this is that according to my experience and training this is also a behavior that a person who is “interviewing” you would engage in and since I really don’t have a fail safe method of distinguishing the two I would tend to treat anyone who behaved in a similar manner as a potential threat.

I would be less concerned, however, if the person were all dressed up in his uber cool tactical NRA “Shoot me first” clothes.

When this topic comes up and I point this out I’m told I’m paranoid or that I’m just not a friendly guy (true).

So, my question is how would you react if some random stranger approached you like that in public?

Would you approach another person like this ?

The trouble with pointing out someone's failings, like failing to use paragraphs, is that one so often makes a booboo oneself in said rant. "Pragraphs" for example. If I saw that in the title of a post I would know the OP meant "paragraphs" and would never call them on missing the "a" while typing By the way if I use Chrome to view this forum I see the line breaks you're inserting but not if I use my default browser IE9. I must have a setting set wrong in IE9. I can't use Chrome all the time because when I click "post" after typing a reply it says I'm not authorized to this operation even though it says I can reply to posts at the bottom of the screen. Bah.
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I make a threat/not threat judgement when I first look at someone; second nature and has nothing to do with whether they're armed or wearing tactical clothing. It mostly has to do with their eyes. I worry about civilians who wear tactical clothing or full camo to Wal-Mart, their frame of mind. A guy in a bad frame of mind, or whose feet don't quite touch the ground because he's stoned, is a threat. I may avoid eye contact with threats because where and when I'm from eye contact is a challenge and keep them in front of me or simply walk away depending on whether I'm alone. Does this mean that I too am paranoid? My wife thinks so.
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I've had lots of cops stop and engage me in conversation. I think it's their way of determining if I'm a threat without specifically doing so and if it makes them less nervous I'm happy to help. Nothing worse than a nervous person with a gun.

 

[Bikenut]

I'm rather quiet and wary by nature yet when OC'ing (and I always OC) I welcome any and all questions. My experience has been anyone my radar noted as "iffy" avoid me... or I make sure I avoid them.

This past Thursday I went to a local Taco Bell (OC'ing of course) and when I paid for my food I kicked in an extra $5 to pay for the next person to come in. That person happened to be a lady who thanked me for her lunch and then had many questions about guns, gun laws, OC, CC, and expressed her opinion about the state of our country. I spent quite a bit of time talking with her and left a printout of information about Michigan gun/gun carry laws.

And I have no doubt I helped yet another person on their journey to become a gun carrier.

About that $5 I left for then next person to come in.... I do that a lot because a free lunch challenges the perception that a guy with a gun is someone either unacceptable or someone to fear. It's kinda hard to think badly of someone who just bought your lunch.

And there are many folks who are affected by that free lunch thing... the guy/gal behind the counter (who generally points out who paid)... the person who got free food... all the people standing around who heard and looked to see who paid... and everyone those people told about it all day long.

I guess we are all different and I have no problem with folks who don't want anyone in their face/space or who just don't want to be bothered by other people. Like they used to say back in the day when I didn't have wrinkles ..."different strokes for different folks".

 

[Treo]

The trouble with pointing out someone's failings, like failing to use paragraphs, is that one so often makes a booboo oneself in said rant. "Pragraphs" for example.

Hoisted on my own pretards

 

[GB-Boater]

Bill - Have you tried Firefox ? I never did like Chrome.

I'm also a bit leary of anything associated with google.

 

[jameshd]

But I'm sure you are aware that a single sentence (though double spaced from its neighbors) does NOT constitute a paragraph.

While that statement is true in some instances, it is NOT true in all cases. In fact, I have seen entire chapters in books consisting of only one sentence. I have no problem with the paragraphing used in Treo's post. Just his spelling. In very few cases, such as "paragraphs."

 

[Treo]

While that statement is true in some instances, it is NOT true in all cases. In fact, I have seen entire chapters in books consisting of only one sentence. I have no problem with the paragraphing used in Treo's post. Just his spelling. In very few cases, such as "paragraphs."

In the Novelization of "The Gremlins" one entire chapter consists of the words "Billy forgot."

 

[Treo]

There are some topics that are hard to communicate on the internet because it seems that no matter what you say or how you say it the reader takes your words to the extreme and then attacks an extreme you never intended to defend. I think this is one of those topics.

IMO the only reason open carry plays a part here is because it’s generally open carriers that it happens to.

I’ve mentioned before that I was attacked one night while working as a security guard. My attacker walked up to me asking for directions to a bar, when he was a bout three feet away he started screaming something about spending two years in Iraq so a fat f**k like me could have cheap gas and jumped me.

The fact that I was working as a guard is relevant (IMO) because if someone is willing to attack a uniformed guard (even if not armed) I have no problem believing that there are people who wouldn’t think twice about attacking an obviously armed person in the middle of a Wal Mart.

I know that that experience, as well as others, has colored my world view but I still don’t think it’s irrational to keep my guard up to at least some degree when approached by a stranger and especially so when that stranger seems focused on my weapon.

I shouldn’t need to clarify this but I’m going to anyway. I’m not talking about someone turning to you in the checkout line and commenting about Manning V. Tebow or the weather. I’m talking about a random stranger that has singled you out of the crowd and appears to be trying to get inside your bubble, which is exactly the kind of thing that should be pinging your SA radar.

When I see someone exhibiting that behavior I tend to take a more defensive posture and because I do so I also try not to exhibit that behavior around people I don’t know.

 

[Deserteagle]

There are occasional accounts posted by people that are walking through Wal-Mart (or wherever) run into some random stranger open carrying and succumb to an overwhelming urge to run up and introduce themselves.

I love those Wal-Mart stories. Makes me laugh to think that people actually get all dressed up and slap on their gun to go on an adventure to trashy Wal-Mart.

So, my question is how would you react if some random stranger approached you like that in public?

If I was caught in a Wal-Mart where these encounters seem to happen, I would not be happy because I don't want to sit there and bullsh1t in a Wal-Mart with a stranger.

Would you approach another person like this ?

Nope

 

[golddigger14s]

Most people that approach me about OC are just curious. They ask about laws, if I get hassled (NO, NEVER), what type of holster, type of ammo etc. So most of the time it is a pleasant conversation with like minded individuals. One way that we learn is by asking questions, just like we do on these forums. I don't OC to be a teacher, but I do enjoy helping others.

 

[wolf_fire]

I treat anyone that approaches me that I do not know (or sometime don't remember knowing) as a threat. I also treat anyone that acts inappropriately on the road as a threat. Only until they prove to me that they are not a threat or better off, leave, do I reduce from what some would consider a condition orange back to a condition yellow.

If I deem the "threat level" to be reduced then I have no problem answering their questions.

 

[SouthernBoy]

I'm rather quiet and wary by nature yet when OC'ing (and I always OC) I welcome any and all questions. My experience has been anyone my radar noted as "iffy" avoid me... or I make sure I avoid them.

This past Thursday I went to a local Taco Bell (OC'ing of course) and when I paid for my food I kicked in an extra $5 to pay for the next person to come in. That person happened to be a lady who thanked me for her lunch and then had many questions about guns, gun laws, OC, CC, and expressed her opinion about the state of our country. I spent quite a bit of time talking with her and left a printout of information about Michigan gun/gun carry laws.

And I have no doubt I helped yet another person on their journey to become a gun carrier.

About that $5 I left for then next person to come in.... I do that a lot because a free lunch challenges the perception that a guy with a gun is someone either unacceptable or someone to fear. It's kinda hard to think badly of someone who just bought your lunch.

And there are many folks who are affected by that free lunch thing... the guy/gal behind the counter (who generally points out who paid)... the person who got free food... all the people standing around who heard and looked to see who paid... and everyone those people told about it all day long.

I guess we are all different and I have no problem with folks who don't want anyone in their face/space or who just don't want to be bothered by other people. Like they used to say back in the day when I didn't have wrinkles ..."different strokes for different folks".

You're a good man Bikenut.

 

[SouthernBoy]

When I am out and about, armed or not (and almost always I am openly armed), I try to always be aware of my surroundings and think ahead... like 15 to 30 seconds ahead when possible. This is even more important when unarmed for me since I am currently having some physical medical issues which preclude me from moving quickly, running, or fighting; another VERY good reason to OC.

I am very cognizant of anyone getting close to me, especially at my strong side. If someone approaches me quickly, I really take notice. Or if they fit certain profiles which includes everything from dress, mannerisms, carriage, speech, race/ethnicity, number of approachers, etc. I mentioned race/ethnicity because that is a fact of life. Some people are reluctant to admit this due to a fear of being called some name or because of PC training. BS. You do judge people by a host of factors observed and that is just one of them. You'd be a fool to ignore this.

People do approach me frequently to ask questions about my sidearm, the laws in my state, and similar general topics. Several years back, while standing in the enclosed area waiting for a Costco to open, a little elderly lady suddenly asked with a smile, "Is that a gun"? I answered, "Gee I hope so, otherwise I picked up the wrong thing when I left the house". She then said, "Good. I'm standing close to you where I know I'll be safe". She came here from Germany many years ago and quite frankly, that one surprised me.

This past Saturday at a local McDonald's that does one heck of a business, three people talked to me about my little friend. One just made a comment, the other two asked questions. All were very pleasant.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people go about their daily affairs and are virtually oblivious to what is taking place around them. With the advent of texting phones and iphones, this problem has exploded. I watched a video last year of a young well dressed lady walking along a sidewalk, glued to her phone, and suddenly she disappeared. She fell into an open manhole!! People have suddenly crossed streets and been hit by motor vehicles, had things fall on them, trip, been attacked and robbed... you name it. The absence of awareness is scary. They are perfect targets for evil doers.

When you carry a firearm, you have the added responsibility to make sure that firearm stays in your possession. This takes serious SA and I have little respect for people who ridicule those who practice SA when armed or not. You almost hope something would happen to them to make them open their eyes.

 

[jcreek]

OC is extremely uncommon where i live, I've never seen somebody other than off-duty LEO OC. Since nobody's use to it, I love watching people's reactions when I OC. Most people don't even I notice I'm carrying, which is surprising because I'm 5'6" and carry a full size 1911, it kinda sticks out. The ones that do notice make it very obvious. Their eyes go straight from whatever they're doing to my right hip and stay there for at least 5-10 seconds (I'm assuming trying to figure out if it's real or not?) It's pretty amusing. My other favorite one is "Is that thing loaded?" I can never really figure out how to respond to that one other than with some half-ass witty retort.

 

[Lowjiber]

My $0.02...

I normally don't open or read anything posted by Treo because a paragraph is seldom part of the thread/post. Since it was mentioned in the thread title, I at least had the courtesy to open and read it.

 

[Treo]

My $0.02...

I normally don't open or read anything posted by Treo because a paragraph is seldom part of the thread/post. Since it was mentioned in the thread title, I at least had the courtesy to open and read it.

I don't get it, are you saying I don't express myself clearly in written form?

 

[tricolordad]

I love those Wal-Mart stories. Makes me laugh to think that people actually get all dressed up and slap on their gun to go on an adventure to trashy Wal-Mart.

Where do you go armed, Macy's? JC Penny? Oh, I get it. We must be "low class" and undeserving of the same level of protection that you are because you assume that you make more money than people who go to Walmart. There are some people who leave high school and grow up, then there are those that leave and continue to act like gossipy 16 year old girls. You are one of those girls. Do you carry your piece in a pretty pink purse?

There are occasional accounts posted by people that are walking through Wal-Mart (or wherever) run into some random stranger open carrying and succumb to an overwhelming urge to run up and introduce themselves.

Now the problem I have with this is that according to my experience and training this is also a behavior that a person who is “interviewing” you would engage in and since I really don’t have a fail safe method of distinguishing the two I would tend to treat anyone who behaved in a similar manner as a potential threat.

I would be less concerned, however, if the person were all dressed up in his uber cool tactical NRA “Shoot me first” clothes.

When this topic comes up and I point this out I’m told I’m paranoid or that I’m just not a friendly guy (true).

So, my question is how would you react if some random stranger approached you like that in public?

Would you approach another person like this ?

First things first, what is a "pragraph?"

Secondly, you're a paranoid and anti-social little guy arent ya? I was approached by our town's weirdo while picking out some ribeye at Walmart and he didn't quite know how to ask if he needed a permit or not to carry. In a conversation about something as politically incorrect as guns in a public place, sometimes a dude just don't know what to say. (An anti-social guy like you can probably relate to that.) Sometimes they just want to know if they can do it too. If you advocate the 2A, do so openly. Don't be the stereotypical "conspiracy theorist gun freak" and hoard the knowledge all to yourself.

Yes, I asked a man open carrying about it and found out my rights 7 years ago. It's not a very well known fact that the 2A actually means something and you will not find out on TV or in your high school history class.

Most people wouldn't know the 5.11 gear from a random fishing vest. Please cite an actual real life event where someone wearing the stuff they bought out of the NRA catalog got shot "first", and while you're at it, since you are implying that open carry will get people shot "first," please provide sources of real life factual events where people, NOT COPS, because there is a difference between armed citizens and LEOs, were shot "first." If you cannot cite any sources, please feel free to go on back to the concealed carry section. FYI, the khakis in the NRA catalog look exactly like any pair you can buy at Kohl's, Target, Kmart, Walmart etc. You'd be hard pressed to point out the guy wearing 5.11.

I have a question for you: Veterans are dangerous to criminals. We frequently make the news because we beat rapists, muggers and occasionally run down bank robbers. We also frequently wear our fatigues. Can you find any single example of a veteran being shot "first" because he was wearing a DCU jacket with his name tape, branch tape on his chest and the good ol stars and bars flying on the right shoulder? <---I ask because this situation would be right in line with your statement that 5.11 gear gets people shot.

 

[tricolordad]

OC is extremely uncommon where i live, I've never seen somebody other than off-duty LEO OC. Since nobody's use to it, I love watching people's reactions when I OC. Most people don't even I notice I'm carrying, which is surprising because I'm 5'6" and carry a full size 1911, it kinda sticks out. The ones that do notice make it very obvious. Their eyes go straight from whatever they're doing to my right hip and stay there for at least 5-10 seconds (I'm assuming trying to figure out if it's real or not?) It's pretty amusing. My other favorite one is "Is that thing loaded?" I can never really figure out how to respond to that one other than with some half-ass witty retort.

What's your favorite type of anti? My favorite is the one who thinks he has a duty to make an ass out of himself and cross a parking lot to scold me in a loud voice. Like I can't turn up the volume on my ipod lmao I also like the old lady who makes wild gestures and facial expressions and clicks her tongue. I can't help but laugh and ask them if they would like me to announce that she noticed I'm carrying a gun.