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It appears weapons are now banned in rest stops

Mas49.56

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2010
Messages
308
Location
Florida, USA
I stopped at a rest stop on I-65 Evergreen today and they had put up a new sign "No weapons allowed past this point". I'm so confused over what's legal in Alabama now. Oh well, I went in anyway, Glock in pants and AR-15 loaded in trunk like I've been doing for decades.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
I stopped at a rest stop on I-65 Evergreen today and they had put up a new sign "No weapons allowed past this point". I'm so confused over what's legal in Alabama now. Oh well, I went in anyway, Glock in pants and AR-15 loaded in trunk like I've been doing for decades.
Picture of sign?
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
According to these folks http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/alabama.pdf

- "No Handguns" or anything similar do not have the force of law

- rest stops are not listed as prohibited places, even with a permit

If you can remember which rest stop it was, write (email?) to the manager of the facility (cc/bcc your legislators, the AG, the Secretary of Transportation, the local newspaper) citing the relevant styate laws (provide links) and informing them of the presence of the sign, that it does not appear to be legally enforcable. Ask them to inform you when the sign is corrected and what corrective/remedial action they have taken to assure the laws are obeyed regarding the placing of such signs.

And yes, get a picture of the sign and enclose it in the above as well as posting it here. Be sure to get shots that not only show the sign clearly but also prove it is posted at the rest stop.

stay safe.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
Problem is that the OP was just traveling through, so if he didn't snap a picture then it may be incumbent on someone from the area to take one.

Knowing the mile marker or precise location would be beneficial.
 

Mas49.56

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2010
Messages
308
Location
Florida, USA
Hey guys,
Sorry I didn't take a picture of it, but that was the total text "No weapons allowed past this point". It looked brand new and I did not see it last year. I was at the SERFI fly in at Middleton Field(GZH) Exit 93 on to US Hwy. 84. It was coming back home the first rest stop south of Exit 93 going south on I-65. I only go up there a few times a year, it's an hour and a half away.
 

SFCRetired

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2008
Messages
1,764
Location
Montgomery, Alabama, USA
Mr. Eddie Fulmer, of BamaCarry, Inc., posted a picture of a similar, or perhaps the same, sign on the BamaCarry FaceBook page and stated that he was firing off a letter to the AG concerning it.

As they said when the roof blew off the funeral home, "Remains to be seen!"
 

Allison Suzanne

New member
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
1
Location
Annapolis, MD
I-20 too

I just left a rest stop on I-20, just east of the Mississippi state line. It also had the "weapons not allowed beyond this point" sign. I was open carrying at the time, but I put my pistol back in the car whenever I saw that. I didn't know that it does not carry the weight of law until after I got back to the car and checked on it.
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
So, is anyone in Alabama doing anything about this?

If BriKuz were an Alabamian, he'd be carrying at every rest stop in the State, inviting dozens of us to join him and asking Willis to explain what he was talking about, like happened with the county fairs in Ohio.

Dozens of my fellow Ohioans, were they Alabamians, would have fired off an avalanche of emails at the mere mention of a single illegal sign, prompting corrective action within 24 hours, like happened in Fairborn.

If corrective action were not taken swiftly, or if corrective action still did not comport with the law, a lawsuit would have been filed, like happened in Oberlin.

That's how we roll here in Ohio. It's all about getting things done, not about generating web traffic.
 

aadvark

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,597
Location
, ,
To Everyone:

Regardless of what The Sign says..., The Provisions of The Preemption Statute under Recently Passed Senate Bill 286 Preempt and Preclude its Enforcement. The Sign is Illegal, and The Property is Public Property not Off-Limits to Permit Holders, or Persons who are Open Carriers without a Permit, therefore; The Sign is Illegal.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
To Everyone:

Regardless of what The Sign says..., The Provisions of The Preemption Statute under Recently Passed Senate Bill 286 Preempt and Preclude its Enforcement. The Sign is Illegal, and The Property is Public Property not Off-Limits to Permit Holders, or Persons who are Open Carriers without a Permit, therefore; The Sign is Illegal.
Color of law.

Such signs intimidate and/or confuse those less knowledgeable + send a false message to the general public.
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
Color of law.

Such signs intimidate and/or confuse those less knowledgeable + send a false message to the general public.

That. The signs in Fairborn were unenforceable. We still have them corrected.

One individual in Oberlin told us to trust him that the city would not enforce the illegal ordinance we were demanding be removed. Yeah. Right.

Illegal signs MUST come down! Illegal ordinances MUST be repealed!
 

ccwinstructor

Centurion
Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
919
Location
Yuma, Arizona, USA
We had similar illegal signs in Arizona in the 1990's

Color of law.

Such signs intimidate and/or confuse those less knowledgeable + send a false message to the general public.

Second amendment advocates arranged for an open carry picnic at a prominent rest stop near Tucson, and invited the State Patrol (DPS). The videoed the whole thing. We had a friendly radio talk show host in Phoenix dedicate a program to it, and give out the Governor's telephone number. The Governor asked us pretty please to stop the phone calls, the signs would be taken down. They came down in days.
 

Judge_Johnston

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2014
Messages
12
Location
Mobile, Al
Alabama Rest Stops are "Gun Free Zones"

The signs are real, I saw one tonight on I-10 near the MS/ AL line. The Alabama Dept. of Transportation controls all the Alabama rest stops. John R. Cooper became Alabama’s Transportation Director effective January 17, 2011, with the beginning of Governor Robert Bentley’s Administration. Cooper comes out of retirement to head the Alabama Department of Transportation. His
Phone Number is 334-242-6776.

john_cooper.JPG
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
So, why haven't we seen any action? By now, Cooper's email would've been blown up, he would've had to hire another assistant to handle the phone traffic, and the signs would be down, or we'd be carrying all over the rest stops en masse, if this had been Ohio. No group would've been running this effort. It would've just sprung up like blades of grass from their roots!

Every illegal sign discovered in Ohio since I have been here has come down in short order. Let's get going Alabama! Stop counting on your "leadership." Just do it!!!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk.
<O>
 
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eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
Mr. Cooper says that the signs are legal and that he has no intention of taking them down. He said, "Bring it on." So, Alabama, let's see some action. Bring it on!!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk.

<o>
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
I have called the governor and left a message with him regarding his Transportation Director. I will not support Bentley's reelection if he does not get those signs down.

So, Alabama, whatchagonna do? Post? Or make calls, write emails, and rally at the rest stops? Bring it on!!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk.

<o>
 

Luther

New member
Joined
Jan 17, 2014
Messages
9
Location
Alabama
This is a pre-emption violation, as spelled out in act 2013-283. We have requested a relief action to be filed in circuit court.


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eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
If you know that the signs are illegal and cannot be enforced, call and email. If and when that does not work, get together and carry. Again, if you know the signs are illegal.

In Ohio, we did this at numerous county fairs that were illegally posted, city parks, etc. The signs came down. Hell, in Fairborn, after a flood of emails, the signs were fixed in 24 hours. Court cases take too long and should be a last resort. Call the Transportation Director and the Governor. I have. I spoke directly with the director (he is an ass) and left a message for the governor.

In Oberlin, the ordinance was altered as a result of us gathering in large numbers in their parks. The change was not good enough, so we are suing. However, we have flat-out established that, regardless of what the ordinance now says, we can carry in Oberlin parks, and do so at will.

If you want an example of getting things DONE, quickly, effectively, and well, look to Ohio! We bring it on and git 'er done!
 
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