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trip planning

SecondAmendmentStudents

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I'm from Utah, and have a valid Utah CFP. I'll be traveling to Virginia shortly and would like to bring along a sidearm, if it's possible. Here is my rough itinerary and the obstacles I see:

Fly into Dulles: assuming I've declared my firearm in my checked bag, not a problem.

Taxi / bus / ??? / walk / hitchhike to GMU: I don't see a firearm being an obstacle for this leg.

Staying at GMU for a few nights: not student/faculty/staff, so as I understand things, I won't be breaking any laws ... please correct me if I'm wrong.

traveling from GMU to Virginia Beach on a friday evening: this is the part I'm hung up on. It seems that Amtrak and Greyhound don't allow firearms, even in checked baggage. Is there some other way, short of renting a car or taking an epic taxi ride, to get from northern Virginia to Virginia Beach?

Fly out of Norfolk: again, package properly and declare in checked baggage and I should be good.



Any insight you Virgnians might have into state laws and transportation options would be greatly appreciated.
 

t33j

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Well damn... I thought the Amtrak thing was already sorted out.
Firearms in Checked Baggage The Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010, enacted into law on December 16, 2009, requires Amtrak to implement the procedures necessary to provide storage and carriage of firearms in checked baggage cars and at Amtrak stations that accept checked baggage, within one year of the bill’s enactment. This requirement applies solely to checked baggage, not carry-on baggage.
Amtrak’s current policy prohibits all firearms, ammunition and other weapons aboard its trains. This includes any being carried on the person, in carry-on baggage or in checked baggage. Please be advised that this policy remains in effect until Amtrak begins firearm carriage service by December 2010.
When you heading down to VA Beach?? I'll be making a NOVA -> VA Beach trip on July 2nd.
 

ed

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SecondAmendmentStudents wrote:
I'm from Utah, and have a valid Utah CFP. I'll be traveling to Virginia shortly and would like to bring along a sidearm, if it's possible. Here is my rough itinerary and the obstacles I see:

Fly into Dulles: assuming I've declared my firearm in my checked bag, not a problem.

Taxi / bus / ??? / walk / hitchhike to GMU: I don't see a firearm being an obstacle for this leg.

Staying at GMU for a few nights: not student/faculty/staff, so as I understand things, I won't be breaking any laws ... please correct me if I'm wrong.

traveling from GMU to Virginia Beach on a friday evening: this is the part I'm hung up on. It seems that Amtrak and Greyhound don't allow firearms, even in checked baggage. Is there some other way, short of renting a car or taking an epic taxi ride, to get from northern Virginia to Virginia Beach?

Fly out of Norfolk: again, package properly and declare in checked baggage and I should be good.

Any insight you Virgnians might have into state laws and transportation options would be greatly appreciated.
Welcome to VA.

Once you get out the terminal at Dulles you can load and strap. GMU has some provision that says you can't carry into any building.. but I don't have the code/cite.
 

t33j

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http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+reg+8VAC35-60-20
I've been led to believe that this VAC stuff only applies to current students, faculty, staff...


The AG opinion concerning firearms on campus does opine that public universities have the authority to...
It is my opinion that the safe operation of the campus allows regulation of, or under limited circumstances, prohibition of, firearms by any persons attending events on campus, visiting dormitories or classroom buildings, attending specific events as invitees, or under any circumstance permitted by law. The universal prohibition of firearms by properly permitted persons other than students, faculty, administration, or employees, however, is not allowed under law. A board of visitors has responsibility for the protection of the students enrolled at their university. At the same time, the rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States14 and by Article I, § 13, of the Constitution of Virginia,15 which protect all citizens, may not be summarily dismissed for transient reasons.

Simply walking on GMU property cannot be regulated or prohibited.
 

nova

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SecondAmendmentStudents wrote:
Staying at GMU for a few nights: not student/faculty/staff, so as I understand things, I won't be breaking any laws ... please correct me if I'm wrong.
you're not wrong, it is not illegal to carry a firearm at GMU. There is only a Virginia Administrative Code that they can enforce even against the public, that prohibits firearms in buildings and at events on campus. This is currently the subject of a lawsuit by an OCDO member, and will be heard by the VA Supreme Court soon enough.
 

SecondAmendmentStudents

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t33j wrote:
When you heading down to VA Beach?? I'll be making a NOVA -> VA Beach trip on July 2nd.
I appreciate that, but unfortunately, that leg of my trip is going to be Friday, June 4th. I've found the Virginia Railway Express, which would get me part-way there, but their policy is ambiguous at best, and being stuck at the end of the line in Fredericksburg doesn't really leave me better off than being stuck in NOVA. Are there any other regional bus lines besides Greyhound? Maybe one that runs from Fredericksburg to Virginia Beach and isn't anti-gun?
 

ProShooter

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Maybe we could show you some Virginia hospitality and work out a Nova to Virginia Beach "hot potato" run?

If each person does part of the way,we could pass you along to the next person and get you to the beach. Just a thought.




Also regarding the VRE - didn't we just get clarification recently since they are a political subdivision that carrying was ok?
 

t33j

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ProShooter wrote:
Maybe we could show you some Virginia hospitality and work out a Nova to Virginia Beach "hot potato" run?

If each person does part of the way,we could pass you along to the next person and get you to the beach. Just a thought.
I was thinking the same thing. I'm down.
 

ed

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SecondAmendmentStudents

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ProShooter wrote:
Maybe we could show you some Virginia hospitality and work out a Nova to Virginia Beach "hot potato" run?

If each person does part of the way,we could pass you along to the next person and get you to the beach. Just a thought.
That would be awesome if there were enough people willing to help me out like this. I would pay for gas and could take the VRE train to Fredericksburg and start from there if it helps ...
 

ProShooter

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SecondAmendmentStudents wrote:
ProShooter wrote:
Maybe we could show you some Virginia hospitality and work out a Nova to Virginia Beach "hot potato" run?

If each person does part of the way,we could pass you along to the next person and get you to the beach. Just a thought.
That would be awesome if there were enough people willing to help me out like this. I would pay for gas and could take the VRE train to Fredericksburg and start from there if it helps ...

If I can, I'd be willing to take a leg of it. I would just need to know the times involved as I have some time commitments around 2pm.

Maybe someone could do Fredericksburg to Ashland, perhaps the Bass Pro Shop?. I could do Ashland to maybe New Kent or somewhere. There's a rest stop on 64 near there. The next person could pick up there. We could probably make it work if folks could commit.
 

t33j

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I doubt I'll still be in Hampton Roads by the 4th but if I am I could do New Kent to somewhere else on the Peninsula.
 

skidmark

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I'm available after 1 PMthe afternoon of June 4th to handle the Richmond - Va. Beach leg. PM me if that will work for you. We can negotiate contributions to the gas cost.

stay safe.
 

SuperDad

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skidmark wrote:
I'm available after 1 PMthe afternoon of June 4th to handle the Richmond - Va. Beach leg. PM me if that will work for you. We can negotiate contributions to the gas cost.

stay safe.
If somebody could get him from GMU to Charlottesville (straight shot down Route 29) I'd be more than willing to drive him all the way to VA Beach. It's a Friday and that's my normal commute anyway.
 

mercutio545

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I took one of my pistols with me to Arizona for a few weeks, and I was surprised at how hassle-free checking it at the airport was. It took an extra 1-2 minutes of my time to show it to the person at the check-in counter, and to sign the "unloaded firearm" declaration. It was my first time checking a firearm, and I thought it was going to be some huge ordeal, but not at all.
 

conhntr

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Dude just post on craigslist you will get a ride if you can pony 25$ for gas. I almost never rent a car when travelig by myself cragslistbalways hooks me up

btw Dulles to gmu will take you right by NRA headquarters they have a cool museam and range if you have time definantly stop
 

SecondAmendmentStudents

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I greatly appreciate the willingness of so many people here to help a fellow gun-owner out, but I've decided I'll just rent a car for the trip down to Virginia Beach. They've got good rates the day I'm going, so it should work well. I did have one question for you guys though:

I fly in on Saturday morning and have a few hours to kill before the seminar starts. I wanted to go see the Air & Space Musem next to Dulles, but wasn't sure if they tolerate / ban concealed- / openly-carried firearms. Does anyone here know? If they do, is there somewhere at the airport / museumI can stash my bags and guns while visiting the museum? Thanks a ton.
 
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