outforalaska
New member
I just recently moved back from Alaska, where I carried open or concealed frequently, and greatly enjoyed the fact that most people there don't give a crap if you carry or not. I've been browsing this forum from time to time, but decided today to finally join in.
Yesterday was my first day open carrying in Washington. I felt no different from any other day, as it should be. I do not feel awkward, like I'm being judged, or that I'm making a statement. I feel normal.
However, this morning after spending the night at a friend's house in DuPont, I thought my run-ins and questionings were about to start. I have an autostarter on my vehicle (as most Alaskans do - it takes a while to warm a car from -40'F) and still have the gas wasting habit of starting the car a few minutes before I go outside. When I walked out to the car I saw a DuPont patrol car behind mine and the officer out to greet me.
Oh boy, I thought, here we go... I said howdy, what can I help you with. He asked if I was from around here (what is this a country boy sheriff?). I explained that no, I was visiting a friend. He asked for my ID, but fortunately before I thought about whether I needed to give it to him he started bumbling on about how many cars are stolen with people running their cars with no driver, and that it's illegal to leave a car running with keys in the ignition without an operator. Ahh, I thought, good. I explained that the car is locked, it has an autostart system, no keys in the ignition, and if someone did break into it, the vehicle could not be put into gear. He said good, no problem then.
He was polite throughout the whole thing and smiled. I said thanks for watching out. Never did he mention or ask about my holstered Sig Sauer.
Yesterday was my first day open carrying in Washington. I felt no different from any other day, as it should be. I do not feel awkward, like I'm being judged, or that I'm making a statement. I feel normal.
However, this morning after spending the night at a friend's house in DuPont, I thought my run-ins and questionings were about to start. I have an autostarter on my vehicle (as most Alaskans do - it takes a while to warm a car from -40'F) and still have the gas wasting habit of starting the car a few minutes before I go outside. When I walked out to the car I saw a DuPont patrol car behind mine and the officer out to greet me.
Oh boy, I thought, here we go... I said howdy, what can I help you with. He asked if I was from around here (what is this a country boy sheriff?). I explained that no, I was visiting a friend. He asked for my ID, but fortunately before I thought about whether I needed to give it to him he started bumbling on about how many cars are stolen with people running their cars with no driver, and that it's illegal to leave a car running with keys in the ignition without an operator. Ahh, I thought, good. I explained that the car is locked, it has an autostart system, no keys in the ignition, and if someone did break into it, the vehicle could not be put into gear. He said good, no problem then.
He was polite throughout the whole thing and smiled. I said thanks for watching out. Never did he mention or ask about my holstered Sig Sauer.