Alexcabbie
Regular Member
imported post
As I was driving back from Arlington today along the George Washington Memorial Parkway I was thinking about the current brouhaha over the weapons regulations as applied to national parks, of which the GW is one. And I realized that even if the debate goes our way, there is a trap in Virginia for the unwary.
The boundary beetween DC and VA is the low-tide mark of the Potomac.Between the Roosevelt bridge and the 14th St. Bridge, a channel pf the Potomac cuts across the Parkway, creating "Columbia Island" which is in D.C. There are no signs announcing the change of jurisdiction, but cross into that island with your weapon and regardless of Fedreal regs, you are a felon for a bit more than a mile. (I know. I just called it the"Felony Furlong" because it sounds catchier. The Miracle mile isn't a mile either).
Also Washington Street in Alexandria is part of the Parkway and both Alexandria PD and the U.S. Park Police have joint jurisdictiion along it. Under current regulations this MAY constitute a SECOND "Felony Furlong". Perhaps some of our Legal Beagles could sniff this out?
In any case if you are broen down or stopped by an LEO in a "felony furlong", be aware of your situation. As I understand the situation, BTW, it is impossible to carry a weapon openly or otherwise into Old Town below Washington Street without crossing the GW and being (momentarily) in violation of Federal law.
As I was driving back from Arlington today along the George Washington Memorial Parkway I was thinking about the current brouhaha over the weapons regulations as applied to national parks, of which the GW is one. And I realized that even if the debate goes our way, there is a trap in Virginia for the unwary.
The boundary beetween DC and VA is the low-tide mark of the Potomac.Between the Roosevelt bridge and the 14th St. Bridge, a channel pf the Potomac cuts across the Parkway, creating "Columbia Island" which is in D.C. There are no signs announcing the change of jurisdiction, but cross into that island with your weapon and regardless of Fedreal regs, you are a felon for a bit more than a mile. (I know. I just called it the"Felony Furlong" because it sounds catchier. The Miracle mile isn't a mile either).
Also Washington Street in Alexandria is part of the Parkway and both Alexandria PD and the U.S. Park Police have joint jurisdictiion along it. Under current regulations this MAY constitute a SECOND "Felony Furlong". Perhaps some of our Legal Beagles could sniff this out?
In any case if you are broen down or stopped by an LEO in a "felony furlong", be aware of your situation. As I understand the situation, BTW, it is impossible to carry a weapon openly or otherwise into Old Town below Washington Street without crossing the GW and being (momentarily) in violation of Federal law.