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Firearms prohibited on Roanoke buses

Tosta Dojen

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
183
Location
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Roanoke Times, "Gun incident on Valley Metro bus called 'isolated'":
Valley Metro restricts guns on its buses. An advisory on its website called “Do’s and Don’ts” states that “firearms, flammable liquid, explosives, acid or other harmful material are not permitted onboard.”

When asked for Valley Metro’s firearms policy, [Valley Metro assistant general manager Kevin] Price released a more narrow policy statement that said Valley Metro prohibits “openly carried” firearms on buses. A person with a permit to carry a concealed handgun can carry the handgun on a Valley Metro bus, Price said.

The policy against visible weapons empowers bus drivers to “ask anyone not in compliance to not board or to leave the bus. In cases of noncompliance, the Bus Operator will then notify Valley Metro dispatch or dial 911 in case of emergency,” Price said.

Rather strange that there are two different versions of their firearms policy, both of which seem to violate state preemption.

ValleyMetro.com, "About Us":
The Greater Roanoke Transit Company, known locally as Valley Metro, is a private, non-profit, public service organization wholly owned by the City of Roanoke.

I'll be following up on this after the long weekend.
 

TFred

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2008
Messages
7,750
Location
Most historic town in, Virginia, USA
How ironic, and even somewhat amusing that it will be a quote published by the gun-hating Roanoke Times that brings about the removal of these policies. I bet they won't report that!!

TFred
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
Specifically, see Subtitle IV, Chapters 45 through 48.2 at http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/

See http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter9/section15.2-915/

A. No locality shall adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution or motion, as permitted by § 15.2-1425, and no agent of such locality shall take any administrative action, governing the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying, storage or transporting of firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof other than those expressly authorized by statute. For purposes of this section, a statute that does not refer to firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof, shall not be construed to provide express authorization.

Yes, preaching to the choir. Especially when I bring up

C. In addition to any other relief provided, the court may award reasonable attorney fees, expenses, and court costs to any person, group, or entity that prevails in an action challenging (i) an ordinance, resolution, or motion as being in conflict with this section or (ii) an administrative action taken in bad faith as being in conflict with this section.

whenever someone thinks of doing a quick fix via a letter to the appropriate administrator. Sure, it's being a Richard Cranium but then "they started it".

stay safe.
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
Specifically, see Subtitle IV, Chapters 45 through 48.2 at http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/

See http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter9/section15.2-915/



Yes, preaching to the choir. Especially when I bring up



whenever someone thinks of doing a quick fix via a letter to the appropriate administrator. Sure, it's being a Richard Cranium but then "they started it".

stay safe.

Is VCDL in hibranation or are they sitting this one out because CHPs are exempt?
 

scouser

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2011
Messages
1,341
Location
804, VA
Where does it say CHPs are exempt? Must have missed it.

stay safe.

In the quoted news story in the OP, about 4 paragraphs from the end

Gun incident on Valley Metro bus called 'isolated'

Roanoke Times Article said:
Valley Metro restricts guns on its buses. An advisory on its website called “Do’s and Don’ts” states that “firearms, flammable liquid, explosives, acid or other harmful material are not permitted onboard.”

When asked for Valley Metro’s firearms policy, Price [Valley Metro’s assistant manager] released a more narrow policy statement that said Valley Metro prohibits “openly carried” firearms on buses. A person with a permit to carry a concealed handgun can carry the handgun on a Valley Metro bus, Price said.
 

TFred

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2008
Messages
7,750
Location
Most historic town in, Virginia, USA
Is VCDL in hibranation or are they sitting this one out because CHPs are exempt?

The OP, who apparently first discovered the infraction, said:

I'll be following up on this after the long weekend.

From my understanding, VCDL encourages the individual to take first crack at encouraging the local governments to fix things right. Then if they refuse, VCDL steps in.

TFred
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
The OP, who apparently first discovered the infraction, said:



From my understanding, VCDL encourages the individual to take first crack at encouraging the local governments to fix things right. Then if they refuse, VCDL steps in.

TFred

Yeah, I heard that too...right around the time I heard they represented ALL gun owners.
 

rightwinglibertarian

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
827
Location
Seattle WA
Well y'all know the prohibition is illegal and void. I suggest y'all decide 20 of you (or more) will board as many busses as possible open carrying. Making sure you keep a copy of the relevant law on you. of course.
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
Well y'all know the prohibition is illegal and void. I suggest y'all decide 20 of you (or more) will board as many busses as possible open carrying. Making sure you keep a copy of the relevant law on you. of course.

We don't carry no steenkin' laws with us. Gives them a chance to back off and claim they were just detaining us.:uhoh:

We do carry digital voice recorders and video cameras. (One is often none and two is one, etc.) I've even heard of folks following along just to record the fun and games.

It's been a long time since there was a court hearing that involved demonstrating that a "private" entity owned exclusively by a city/county was in fact a part of local government. I forget what brand it was, but it resulted in a red sports car.:D

stay safe.
 

Tosta Dojen

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
183
Location
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Is VCDL in hibranation or are they sitting this one out because CHPs are exempt?

From my understanding, VCDL encourages the individual to take first crack at encouraging the local governments to fix things right. Then if they refuse, VCDL steps in.

You know, I've heard that sentiment expressed on these forums, and I happen to agree, but I've never heard it from VCDL leadership. In fact, I've seen the latter folks admonish people for taking action on their own, because the dual efforts had the potential to interfere with one another.

In any case, I've e-mailed Philip Van Cleave about the Valley Metro issue. He was not previously aware of it, but expressed an interest in getting it resolved.

Yeah! A sound bite from some flack is going to trump written policy every time.

I've inquired with Valley Metro requesting a copy of the written policy that Mr. Price supplied to the article's author, which evidently was the basis for his statement.
 

Tosta Dojen

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
183
Location
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Well y'all know the prohibition is illegal and void. I suggest y'all decide 20 of you (or more) will board as many busses as possible open carrying. Making sure you keep a copy of the relevant law on you. of course.

It's funny, because I rode the bus last month while my car was in the shop. I wasn't refused boarding or asked to leave, despite the openly-carried pistol I had on me.
 

sidestreet

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
673
Location
, ,
Just curious…,

Well y'all know the prohibition is illegal and void. I suggest y'all decide 20 of you (or more) will board as many busses as possible open carrying. Making sure you keep a copy of the relevant law on you. of course.

why is it that we would be "making sure that (we) keep a copy of the relevant law on (us)"?

sidestreet

Jeremiah 29:11-13

we are not equal, we will never be equal, but we must be relentless.
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
because the ignoramuses we have to deal with don't know it :p

The place for them to learn the is in the courtroom when the judge says that a reasonable person in their position ought to have known what the law was. Usually stated just before denying a petition for protection under qualified immunity.

stay safe.
 
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