Kalamazoo, Westnedge Meijer by I94, ~3am, May 14th, 2010

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So, I decided to do some shopping before I went home. I needed a 12V power socket, to make swapping my 2m VHF transceiver between my car / home base a little easier. I also needed a quart of oil for my car. I've got a slight leak from the drain plug, because it doesn't have a proper crush washer, and I keep forgetting to buy one

Well, I walked inside, 1911A1 on my hip in the SERPA, magazines by my side in my Fobus mag carrier. No greeter, looked to the right, he was hanging out with the store associates who help with the automatic checkouts. I nodded to him, he nodded back.

Anndd I went about my business.

While I was looking at wiring accessories, trying to decide if I needed anything else, I saw the greeter staring at me from the end of the aisle.

There was an awkward silence for a moment.

"...Is that a real gun?" - Greeter
"Yes it is." - Me
"Oh...okay." - G
"Open carry is legal in the State of Michigan..." - M
"Yeah, okay. You just don't see it often. *chuckle*" - G
"I don't see why it isn't more popular. It's a very comfortable method of carry." - M
"...Well, have a good evening." - G
"You too." - M

Well, I got my stuff together. Didn't think anything about it.

Walk up to the automatic checkouts. They were definitely talking about me, because I heard "Shh shh, there he is.". Again, more awkward silence as about 5 meijers associates bore a hole in my side with their laser eyebeams.

Paid for my items, walked outside, threw the stuff in my car, anndd I grabbed the quart of oil out. Also grabbed a rag, and popped by hood. I started to check my oil, when I saw a Portage Police cruiser haul ass into the parking lot.

He flies right past me, parks near the entrance, gets out of his cruiser, and speed-walks inside.

I continued checking my oil, and left.

So I guess my question is:

Do you think he was there on business related to me?

-Richard-

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Naaaaaah. The donut light had just came on.

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no doubt

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:lol:

Not the first time I've seen that happen.

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"Shh shh, there he is.".

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Should have went over and ask "there who is?"

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dougwg wrote:

"Shh shh, there he is.".

Click to expand...

Should have went over and ask "there who is?"

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ROFL

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"Yes, here I am, lets all stare at the law abiding citizen paying for his groceries with a gun on his hip. Fascinating, ain't it?"

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I'm sure it was just a loss prevention issue. I doubt it had anything to do with OC'in. Don't worry about it.

God Bless

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eastmeyers wrote:

I'm sure it was just a loss prevention issue. I doubt it had anything to do with OC'in. Don't worry about it.

God Bless

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Ha! My a$$, they weren't there in response to him! C'mon, that Meijers, at 3am, virtually empty... they showed up because of his OCing, I'd bet a few drops of blood on that one. Oh well... Portage PD knows what's up and aside from racing into the parking lot, would've probably handled it properly.

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Another time it is proven that the cops show up after the fact. When seconds count....springerdave.

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Does Meijer tend to be pro-gun like Wal-Mart?

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The Expert wrote:

Does Meijer tend to be pro-gun like Wal-Mart?

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actually, as it happens, neither one has a stellar track record. search meijer and search walmart on this forum and you'll see plenty of negative experiences with both.
btw, welcome to the forum.

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springerdave wrote:

Another time it is proven that the cops show up after the fact. When seconds count....springerdave.

Click to expand...

+1

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The Expert wrote:

Does Meijer tend to be pro-gun like Wal-Mart?

Click to expand...

Neither seems to be willing to come out and be either pro or anti gun. Neither corporate entity has a set-in-stone policy for lawful firearm possession. They both allow the storemanager to set thepolicy in their store.

Bronson

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Well, today made up for it.

I was leaving Wal-Mart in Benton Harbor. No troubles at all, staff helped me find what I need. Nobody cared, no weird looks that I noticed.

OC'd my 1911 again.

Guy next to my parking spot had just got into his car and started it when I was unlocking mine. I heard him put it into drive..then back into park. He rolled down his window:

"It's really great to see someone open carrying!"
"Haha..uh..yeah." - me

I didn't know what to say. But that made my day.

Keep it up gentlemen. I think we're winning the big fight.

-Richard-

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office888 wrote:

So, I decided to do some shopping before I went home. I needed a 12V power socket, to make swapping my 2m VHF transceiver between my car / home base a little easier. I also needed a quart of oil for my car. I've got a slight leak from the drain plug, because it doesn't have a proper crush washer, and I keep forgetting to buy one

Well, I walked inside, 1911A1 on my hip in the SERPA, magazines by my side in my Fobus mag carrier. No greeter, looked to the right, he was hanging out with the store associates who help with the automatic checkouts. I nodded to him, he nodded back.

Anndd I went about my business.

While I was looking at wiring accessories, trying to decide if I needed anything else, I saw the greeter staring at me from the end of the aisle.

There was an awkward silence for a moment.

"...Is that a real gun?" - Greeter
"Yes it is." - Me
"Oh...okay." - G
"Open carry is legal in the State of Michigan..." - M
"Yeah, okay. You just don't see it often. *chuckle*" - G
"I don't see why it isn't more popular. It's a very comfortable method of carry." - M
"...Well, have a good evening." - G
"You too." - M

Well, I got my stuff together. Didn't think anything about it.

Walk up to the automatic checkouts. They were definitely talking about me, because I heard "Shh shh, there he is.". Again, more awkward silence as about 5 meijers associates bore a hole in my side with their laser eyebeams.

Paid for my items, walked outside, threw the stuff in my car, anndd I grabbed the quart of oil out. Also grabbed a rag, and popped by hood. I started to check my oil, when I saw a Portage Police cruiser haul ass into the parking lot.

He flies right past me, parks near the entrance, gets out of his cruiser, and speed-walks inside.

I continued checking my oil, and left.

So I guess my question is:

Do you think he was there on business related to me?

-Richard-

Click to expand...

I actually live in Portage, and have talked with a few LEO's about OC. Only one of them has told me, (now get this) "OC IS NOT legal but it is also legal. (What kinda shit is that?) But the others I have talked to said they have NO PROBLEM at all with OC.

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The Expert wrote:

Does Meijer tend to be pro-gun like Wal-Mart?

Click to expand...

I doubt that they are. I remember a few years ago I just back from hunting and I was still wearing my camos and ammo belt when I walked in the store to get a few things I needed. As soon as I walked through the door the greeter told me that I had to take my artilary back to mytruck or he was gonna have to get Dept. 10(security). I asked him and just how do you expect me to use these bullets without a gun, stab them with my knife? But he insisted I take my ammo belt back to the truck. So I did. (I know stupid). But this was years before the comstock Wal-Mart was built.

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springerdave wrote:

Another time it is proven that the cops show up after the fact. When seconds count....springerdave.

Click to expand...

several times i've OC in a store getting a mt. dew or whatever and drive away only to see police heading to where i just was. always wonder if it was for me. no need to go back and find out. they looked in a hurry. they HAVE to be tired of those calls only to explain OC to store.

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kryptonian wrote:

springerdave wrote:

Another time it is proven that the cops show up after the fact. When seconds count....springerdave.

Click to expand...

several times i've OC in a store getting a mt. dew or whatever and drive away only to see police heading to where i just was. always wonder if it was for me. no need to go back and find out. they looked in a hurry. they HAVE to be tired of those calls only to explain OC to store.

Click to expand...

Each and every time there is a MWAG call because of OC yet another citizen discovers that carrying a gun in plain sight is legal. And they are told that by a police officer or police dispatch.

Although I suspect that the police do not explain that open carry is legal but say something along the lines of:

"Well, we can't do anything about it."

Actually, I've heard that said already by a police officer to another citizen when OC was the topic of discussion.

But even if the police leave the impression that OC is something they wish they could do something about... the citizen still understands that they too.. could OC and the police "can't do anything about it."

And that is a good thing because more and more people are learning that OC is something that they won't get arrested for.

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Bikenut wrote:

kryptonian wrote:

springerdave wrote:

Another time it is proven that the cops show up after the fact. When seconds count....springerdave.

Click to expand...

several times i've OC in a store getting a mt. dew or whatever and drive away only to see police heading to where i just was. always wonder if it was for me. no need to go back and find out. they looked in a hurry. they HAVE to be tired of those calls only to explain OC to store.

Click to expand...

Each and every time there is a MWAG call because of OC yet another citizen discovers that carrying a gun in plain sight is legal. And they are told that by a police officer or police dispatch.

Although I suspect that the police do not explain that open carry is legal but say something along the lines of:

"Well, we can't do anything about it."

Actually, I've heard that said already by a police officer to another citizen when OC was the topic of discussion.

But even if the police leave the impression that OC is something they wish they could do something about... the citizen still understands that they too.. could OC and the police "can't do anything about it."

And that is a good thing because more and more people are learning that OC is something that they won't get arrested for.

Click to expand...

Or they could better train their 911 dispatch in handling an OC call.