Thrown out of Truckstop of America diner in ABQ on University

In hindsight, I would have handled this a little differently. I have been OC for almost two years and in that time I have never been asked to leave a place, or been thrown out. Technically, in this circumstance I was "told to leave". I go through my life doing my best not to lie to anyone, and I don't plan to start just because I am carrying a firearm. I had been in there about two hours earlier for coffee, with no issues. My daughter was running late, so I went back to my truck, then came back up front to wait for her outside. She had mentioned about going to the Range, and that was our plan at this point. While I was waiting up front I got to talking to two other truck drivers and had a nice conversation with them. During this time, my back was to the window of the counter and booth area, and anyone in there could have easily seen I has carrying a firearm.

My daughter showed up late, I was on a time constraint due to my logs, and she said let's just eat here instead of going and me bringing you back. So, we walked inside, no more than got seated, and this "some guy. maybe the cook" came over and started asking me questions. I had no doubt that he KNEW I had a firearm. At that point, I didn't really care if the SUPREME COURT told him he had to make me breakfast, I wasn't about to eat anything that he prepared. So, we got up and went somewhere else.

When I came back and got dropped off I went to the fuel desk without my firearm, and asked for the manager. He came down and I asked him if they had a firearm policy and he said 'they follow the laws of the state of New Mexico". I said I got thrown out of the restaurant earlier for OC a firearm, and that is when he said 'maybe he felt like you were a threat to his customers". I looked at him, with kind of a quizzical look and said "Do I look like a threat?" and he replied "Maybe he thought you did". As I described earlier, I was clean, neat, well dressed and not a threat to anyone in any possible way. I had never touched the firearm, nor did it ever come out of the holster the entire time.


At that point, what I wished I had done was to say to him let's go down to the restaurant and talk to the guy now. It was only 100 feet away or so. He was only speculating what the cook was thinking, unless this has happened before, or they have talked about this before. I should have made him tell me why he made me leave, in front of his manager, and at that point, I believe, the manager should have told him that I had every right to be in there with an OC firearm. I didn't do that, so I kinda dropped the ball there I suppose. I will admit I was caught a little off guard, and taken aback. In my research, some on this site, N. Mexico is shown as a Gold Star open carry state, although I would assume that Albuquerque or any larger city might be less so, so maybe I had let my guard down a bit? My daughter was just talking about the Albuquerque Police and how they kind of like to shoot first, and ask questions later. Honestly, I just wanted to have breakfast with my daughter and be on my way to LA.

As of right now, I have not heard back from TSA management, I'm not really surprised. In talking with some other drivers who listen to Road Dog radio on XM it appears that this is not too uncommon in TSAs around the country. I'm thinking about calling them back and inquiring as to why the never got back to me on my complaint. The have my phone number, but not my address and I have not missed any calls from them.

As far as the replies on here, I appreciate all responses. I admit I might have handled it differently that I did. When I OC I am even more polite and friendly than normal, even if people don't realize I have a firearm. I'n not really looking to stick it in anyone's face or have a confrontation, especially 1500 miles from home. Maybe I dropped there ball there. I am home at this time with no further ramifications on my part. That guy, whoever he was, probably does now figure he has one up on gun owners, might feel empowered, and I let that one get away on me. That's my bad I suppose. So, that's a little more detailed response on why I did what I did, right or wrong.

I have not exhausted all resources, but it appears that one of the few ways I can get a concealed carry license for New Mexico would be to get a Nevada permit.

New Mexico does not honor the Wisconsin license, nor do they issue to non-residents,
They also do not accept the Utah permit. Almost everyone around them accepts Utah, but not N.Mexico.
A Nevada permit requires going to Nevada to get it, it is not like a Utah permit that you can get the training for in Wisconsin, for example.

I do travel through Nevada every other week, so that is a possibility. I'm not opposed to CC in any way, I generally CC in the winter when I wear a coat and in the summer when it is warmer. I always tuck in my shirt, I don't even own a sweatshirt or a t shirt. Basically, I have decided not to change the way I dress for the sake of carrying a firearm. Right or wrong, the decision I've made up to this point. I do have some holsters that are tuckable, but in my opinion the true concealment of them is less than desirable, and anyone with half a brain in their head could tell that you have something under there. I do that at church every Sunday and once in a while I will have someone ask me what I'm carrying. Because we are a no permit open carry state, if someone can see you printing or such, it's not too big of a deal usually.

All in all it appears that N. Mexico does not really want anyone carrying firearms in their state other than residents, plus they have some funky laws to boot regarding alcohol, Indian Reservations and such.

In Wisconsin we can carry into any restaurant that serves alcohol as long as you aren't drinking. Open carry is fine, some question about open carry into a bar, but almost everything that is not fast food serves alcohol around here. You would more than likely be asked to leave if you were sitting at a bar, but I have never been asked to leave a supper club, I've been there with other people that are drinking, but I wasn't.

"All in all it appears that N. Mexico does not really want anyone carrying firearms in their state other than residents, plus they have some funky laws to boot regarding alcohol, Indian Reservations and such." -- Wstar425


I'm not aware of any such view (real or imagined) on NM's part re: non-residents OCing. Besides, how can they tell you're from another state? Like most states, they probably can't even tell who is an American citizen anymore (but you can pretty much spot illegals, but nothing is done about them, in NM or other states, either). :-(

I regularly OC (and ONLY OC) in NM when I visit, and although I've been to the state many times and know it pretty well (Central and Eastern NM mostly), have never actually lived there -- lived in TX and now CO. So when I (still) go to NM, I don't know how they could tell I was from TX or CO...unless (of course) I was stopped while driving my car with "foreign" license plates on it.

Yet also, I don't go to the places you do go -- such as truck stops (TSA or other) -- nor do I go to Indian reservations (in the ABQ area, that usually means for their CASINOS: Not interested in gambling), and have zero interest in bars/drinking as well. Still, in the many places I HAVE gone to while OCing, never once was there any issue, nor have I ever been asked to leave.

So don't write-off NM yet...

Wstar425 said:

...
That guy, whoever he was, probably does now figure he has one up on gun owners, might feel empowered,....

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Until he meets another OCer who has time on his hands for the next encounter he has .... it always amazes me that people who the goofs think are a threat will walk right up to the "threat" and aggravate them.

Perhaps next time say "If you thought I was a threat, then why did you come over to bother me? Aren't you afraid I'll blow off your head?"

cloudcroft said:

"All in all it appears that N. Mexico does not really want anyone carrying firearms in their state other than residents, plus they have some funky laws to boot regarding alcohol, Indian Reservations and such." -- Wstar425


I'm not aware of any such view (real or imagined) on NM's part re: non-residents OCing. Besides, how can they tell you're from another state? Like most states, they probably can't even tell who is an American citizen anymore (but you can pretty much spot illegals, but nothing is done about them, in NM or other states, either). :-(

I regularly OC (and ONLY OC) in NM when I visit, and although I've been to the state many times and know it pretty well (Central and Eastern NM mostly), have never actually lived there -- lived in TX and now CO. So when I (still) go to NM, I don't know how they could tell I was from TX or CO...unless (of course) I was stopped while driving my car with "foreign" license plates on it.

Yet also, I don't go to the places you do go -- such as truck stops (TSA or other) -- nor do I go to Indian reservations (in the ABQ area, that usually means for their CASINOS: Not interested in gambling), and have zero interest in bars/drinking as well. Still, in the many places I HAVE gone to while OCing, never once was there any issue, nor have I ever been asked to leave.

So don't write-off NM yet...

Click to expand...

I understand your point, I get that in Wisconsin all the time about OC, no permit, good for non residents, and how would anyone know where you live.

The difficult part I was referring to was my ability to acquire a CCW permit of some sort. Maybe it is just the combination of Wisconsin and New Mexico, but in my research it appeared they did not issue non-resident, not honor a lot of other states.

I don't drink, don't gamble nor make reservations my destination. I do eat there some, plus our daughter is a singer in a band in nightclubs, so I might want to go listen to her occasionally. Quietly Kept, for those of you in ABQ.

Wstar425 said:

All in all it appears that N. Mexico does not really want anyone carrying firearms in their state other than residents, plus they have some funky laws to boot regarding alcohol, Indian Reservations and such.

Click to expand...

NM does have some of the strictest requirements in the nation to get and maintain the CC license. Not honoring UT has to do with the training requirements, from what I recall. It also has to do with an issue that cropped up a while back with people trying to skirt the NM license requirements by just getting a UT license.

The alcohol establishment laws are a PITA and there is work to continue to change those- alcohol is more of an issue here in general and that is reflected in the CC laws. The reservations are no different here than most other states- can't carry, period.

Despite all that, NM honors the licenses of 24 states. Just because you had one bad encounter, which can happen anywhere, doesn't mean NM is not otherwise accepting.

I recommend looking at the AZ license. It is honored here, and you can do it all by mail- if you have a current license, that will satisfy their training requirements.

AH.74 said:

NM does have some of the strictest requirements in the nation to get and maintain the CC license. Not honoring UT has to do with the training requirements, from what I recall. It also has to do with an issue that cropped up a while back with people trying to skirt the NM license requirements by just getting a UT license.

The alcohol establishment laws are a PITA and there is work to continue to change those- alcohol is more of an issue here in general and that is reflected in the CC laws. The reservations are no different here than most other states- can't carry, period.

Despite all that, NM honors the licenses of 24 states. Just because you had one bad encounter, which can happen anywhere, doesn't mean NM is not otherwise accepting.

I recommend looking at the AZ license. It is honored here, and you can do it all by mail- if you have a current license, that will satisfy their training requirements.

Click to expand...

You are correct. I will check into an Arizona permit. Wisconsin has a bit of a drinking population as well!

"...it always amazes me that people who the goofs think are a threat will walk right up to the "threat" and aggravate them." -- davidmcbeth


Yes, I've also thought (and said) the very same thing: Why confront people you believe to have a "hair trigger" and do so "armed" only with words?

Where is Darwinism-in-action when we really could USE it in these situations?

;-)