Manager chewed me out over bringing firearm to gas station.

I didn't see a place to introduce myself, but I had a small experience this morning that made me want to know more about open carry.

I live in Fenton, MO, although I think the gas station I went to was in Valley Park which is very close.

SOmetimes I forget how freaked out some people get by firearms. Theres this gas station I go to regularly, and once upon leaving the firing range, I had my Beretta M9 in my car. I was friends with the gas station clerk attending at the time so I had him come out to the car so I could show it to him, it was a friendly interaction.

But 3-4 weeks later, today, the manager was finally working when I went up there, and she came out to tell me I can never bring a weapon on the property of her gas station, or she will call the police, she seemed kind of pissed off too at the time. Considering I didn't bring it inside her establishment, outside of kicking me off the property, I don't know what the police would write me up on, certainly not a felony. I didn't pull it out and start waving it around or nothing, I left it in the case and opened it up, just to show it to him. If I were drunk while possessing the firearm I could understand, but I was as sober as a priest on Sunday.

Personally I'd be more freaked out about the criminals with firearms not a customer coming back from a firing range who has his gun in a locking case.



Outside of what is and isn't allowed on the grounds of her establishment, I am curious as to which law or local ordinance I broke upon going to that gas station with a firearm in my car, and if she did call the police, what the penalty would be.

Please excuse me for being naive about local ordinances, I am familiar with state ordinances, but didn't think about local. I came here to learn so I don't find myself in trouble over my firearm.

JimmyS1985 said:

But 3-4 weeks later, today, the manager was finally working when I went up there, and she came out to tell me I can never bring a weapon on the property of her gas station, or she will call the police, she seemed kind of pissed off too at the time.

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What sucks is that her gas station is the ONLY one you can use to buy gas. Imagine if you could go to a different one and avoid going to hers ever again.

I would have told her very politely that I was no longer going to bring my gun or my money back to her establishment. And I very much doubted any of my friends or family would either. No state law was broken, and I can't imagine a local ordinance you may have broken, but stranger things have happened. Check your local code, they probably have a website, and if not I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to get something from city hall. Good luck and don't go back to that hoplophobes gas station.

If she really is the owner, & gets to make high-level decisions about turning away law-abiding customers for exercising civil rights, then let her know why you're taking your business elsewhere.

If she's only the manager, start climbing the ladder. Leave (metaphorical) bootprints on her scalp as you go over her head to corporate, complaining about her attitude, her threatening you, & the poor customer service. If she's only the manager, she doesn't get to make high-level decisions that could put the company in legal trouble.

JimmyS1985 said:

Please excuse me for being naive about local ordinances, I am familiar with state ordinances, but didn't think about local. I came here to learn so I don't find myself in trouble over my firearm.

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No laws were broken.

1. She is the manager, she can call the police and tell you to leave the property and not to return, if you do, you could be charged with trespass.
2. As the manager of the property, she has the FULL control of the property at the time of the incident, her authority has the same merit as the owners as far as the police are concerned.
3. The owner may not agree with her stance and may correct his employee, that will be his choice.
4. Never advocate for those levels of control to be taken away, you always want to retain property rights, even when they do not conform with your own opinon.

I would write a very polite letter to the owner stating you never sought to offend. Note that you will indeed honor the request to take your business elsewhere and will communicate their wishes across the gun community so others may indeed avoid offending them as well.

Life goes on and there is more than one person who freaks on guns, just remain polite and attempt to educate.

LMTD said:

No laws were broken.

1. She is the manager, she can call the police and tell you to leave the property and not to return, if you do, you could be charged with trespass.
2. As the manager of the property, she has the FULL control of the property at the time of the incident, her authority has the same merit as the owners as far as the police are concerned.
3. The owner may not agree with her stance and may correct his employee, that will be his choice.
4. Never advocate for those levels of control to be taken away, you always want to retain property rights, even when they do not conform with your own opinon.

I would write a very polite letter to the owner stating you never sought to offend. Note that you will indeed honor the request to take your business elsewhere and will communicate their wishes across the gun community so others may indeed avoid offending them as well.

Life goes on and there is more than one person who freaks on guns, just remain polite and attempt to educate.

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+1

LMTD said:

No laws were broken.

1. She is the manager, she can call the police and tell you to leave the property and not to return, if you do, you could be charged with trespass.
2. As the manager of the property, she has the FULL control of the property at the time of the incident, her authority has the same merit as the owners as far as the police are concerned.
3. The owner may not agree with her stance and may correct his employee, that will be his choice.
4. Never advocate for those levels of control to be taken away, you always want to retain property rights, even when they do not conform with your own opinon.

I would write a very polite letter to the owner stating you never sought to offend. Note that you will indeed honor the request to take your business elsewhere and will communicate their wishes across the gun community so others may indeed avoid offending them as well.

Life goes on and there is more than one person who freaks on guns, just remain polite and attempt to educate.

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+2. Couldn't have said it better myself (which is normal. lol).

LMTD said:

No laws were broken.

1. She is the manager, she can call the police and tell you to leave the property and not to return, if you do, you could be charged with trespass.
2. As the manager of the property, she has the FULL control of the property at the time of the incident, her authority has the same merit as the owners as far as the police are concerned.
3. The owner may not agree with her stance and may correct his employee, that will be his choice.
4. Never advocate for those levels of control to be taken away, you always want to retain property rights, even when they do not conform with your own opinon.

I would write a very polite letter to the owner stating you never sought to offend. Note that you will indeed honor the request to take your business elsewhere and will communicate their wishes across the gun community so others may indeed avoid offending them as well.

Life goes on and there is more than one person who freaks on guns, just remain polite and attempt to educate.

Click to expand...

Oramac said:

+2. Couldn't have said it better myself (which is normal. lol).

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Well, I could have said it better.....but it would have consisted of a John Wayne accent! :lol:

+3

Redbaron007 said:

Well, I could have said it better.....but it would have consisted of a John Wayne accent! :lol:

+3

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Thanks for the input, perhaps I will write MidWestern Petroleum about the incident.

I never understood why people were so afraid of guns (unless improperly mishandled) , I mean if guns kill people, Im a little overweight so Im thinking I should blame forks for making me fat, or once I got a DWI some years ago, so I should blame the car for drinking and driving, or the pen that I write with for misspelling words.

I smoke cigarettes, her gas station is where I go to buy them, and I am much more afraid of having to smoke out of a hole in my throat 10 years down the road, than any gun. In terms of deaths of US citizens, the Alcohol and Tobacco she stocks at her gas station make a firearm look about as deadly as a ping pong paddle.

But I guess there is some invisible aura around a firearm that says, the weapon can be deadly to people, that some people see, that I do not.

As to the "deadly firearm"...it's all about perception, and Hollywood and the Media do a great job of skewing people's perceptions of a basic tool. People would be just as equally afraid of hammers if Jason Bourne used Black & Decker instead of a Sig, Walther or Glock.

JimmyS1985 said:

Thanks for the input, perhaps I will write MidWestern Petroleum about the incident.

I never understood why people were so afraid of guns (unless improperly mishandled) , I mean if guns kill people, Im a little overweight so Im thinking I should blame forks for making me fat, or once I got a DWI some years ago, so I should blame the car for drinking and driving, or the pen that I write with for misspelling words.

I smoke cigarettes, her gas station is where I go to buy them, and I am much more afraid of having to smoke out of a hole in my throat 10 years down the road, than any gun. In terms of deaths of US citizens, the Alcohol and Tobacco she stocks at her gas station make a firearm look about as deadly as a ping pong paddle.

But I guess there is some invisible aura around a firearm that says, the weapon can be deadly to people, that some people see, that I do not.

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Hello??? Earth to Jimbo! As someone who watched a loved one do that for +10 years, please figure out the obvious and quit. Spend about 2 hours with someone like that and you won't be making silly jokes about it on the internet.

How anyone in this day and age can smoke is beyond me.

Welcome aboard, and I encourage you to read study and research.

FTG-05 said:

Hello??? Earth to Jimbo!

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Welcome to the forum, I am supposed to be the Joker.

when ever we have another OC get together... come on out!
There are a few things to learn!

LMTD said:

No laws were broken.

1. She is the manager, she can call the police and tell you to leave the property and not to return, if you do, you could be charged with trespass.
2. As the manager of the property, she has the FULL control of the property at the time of the incident, her authority has the same merit as the owners as far as the police are concerned.
3. The owner may not agree with her stance and may correct his employee, that will be his choice.
4. Never advocate for those levels of control to be taken away, you always want to retain property rights, even when they do not conform with your own opinon.

I would write a very polite letter to the owner stating you never sought to offend. Note that you will indeed honor the request to take your business elsewhere and will communicate their wishes across the gun community so others may indeed avoid offending them as well.

Life goes on and there is more than one person who freaks on guns, just remain polite and attempt to educate.

Click to expand...

I guess I should say +4 rather than +1?

LMTD said:

No laws were broken.

1. She is the manager, she can call the police and tell you to leave the property and not to return, if you do, you could be charged with trespass.
2. As the manager of the property, she has the FULL control of the property at the time of the incident, her authority has the same merit as the owners as far as the police are concerned.
3. The owner may not agree with her stance and may correct his employee, that will be his choice.
4. Never advocate for those levels of control to be taken away, you always want to retain property rights, even when they do not conform with your own opinon.

I would write a very polite letter to the owner stating you never sought to offend. Note that you will indeed honor the request to take your business elsewhere and will communicate their wishes across the gun community so others may indeed avoid offending them as well.

Life goes on and there is more than one person who freaks on guns, just remain polite and attempt to educate.

Click to expand...

+P

Business owners speak with their mouth and their policies, consumers have the power to speak with their wallet.

Jimmy1985,
If you write the ownership, please post their response.
They have 50+ stores.
Maybe they don't want my money?