What does "Any assembly where a fee has been charged for admission. (14-269.3)" actually mean? If this a movie theater? What common places does this cover?
Yes, this includes movie theaters. Also included would be amusement parks, public pools, concerts that charge admission, and fairs/carnivals if they "charge at the gate". Free concerts or municipal celebrations that are free to the public are generally OK for carry as long as they are not posted.
Another prohibited area (which you did not ask about) is NC State Parks. You can legally carry in Federal Parks in NC, but not our own State Parks. We're working on that one too, but that is going to be a hard change--probably more difficult than getting the restaurant laws changed.
And of course, there are the odd laws in Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham County, so if you're going to be in those cities, you might want to check up on their specific prohibitions. But all the other cities in NC are covered under State Preemption, and cannot prohibit OC or CC in public. A few have restrictions on city park land, but those are few and far between.
Areas of emergency and riot. (14-288.7) Ok, I have my sidearm and a riot breaks out. Most people would think that that would be a good time to have a weapon with which to defend oneself. Why would the state want to make a good law-abiding citizen a criminal if a bad situation develops?
In that situation, I think you might have an "out", since you didn't actually go to the area armed, the riot came to you, and you have no reasonable way of knowing something like that would happen. This rule was originally made to prevent blacks from arming themselves in defense against Klan attacks. It is a racist law, and we are working to have it removed from the books....
Another unintended consequence is it applies to ANY officially declared state of emergency, including weather emergencies. If you were, for instance, on vacation on the coast, and carrying, and a hurricane blew in and you were evacuating, if you had your firearm in your vehicle, you would technically be in violation. I don't know if anyone has actually be prosecuted under this law, in a situation like that though...
Any law enforcement agency or correctional facility. (14-415.11(c)) If I am walking with my sidearm on the street and get stalked or attacked, I can not run to a nearby Police station for help with being arrested?
Running into a police station while carrying is probably NOT a good idea. I'd suggest trying to get away from an attack, and calling 911 on your cell phone, while trying to find a crowded area with lots of other people. Criminals HATE crowds of citizens, and tend to prey on lone people...
Carrying a weapon openly or concealed in restaurants that serve alcohol and in bars is prohibited. (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-415.11(c)) How does one go out for dinner in NC? Why does self protection not exist when one eats in a good restaurant?
We have gun safes in our vehicles, and paddle holsters are VERY popular in NC...
Or we eat at a lot of the "family" restaurants, like some of the GREAT BBQ joints we have here like Parkers. They have good "down home" NC cooking, don't serve alcohol, and tend to be VERY OC-friendly. I OC at the Parkers in Wilson every time I am in that area (which is about once a month), and I've never had a single issue.
I carry in a Serpa CQC on a paddle mount. It's VERY secure, has great retention, but I can take it on and off with a minimal amount of fuss. I have a small portable fire- and water-proof safe in my vehicle that I lock down to the tie-down loops in the back with a bike-lock-style cable lock. I have it SPECIFICALLY for when my family goes to a restaurant that serves alcohol. I hate leaving my firearm in an unattended vehicle, and I don't like going places with my family unarmed, but that's the law here, and I abide by it it until we get it changed. I think VA has got it right, allowing OC or CC (with a permit) in such venues. Perhaps we can model our future, revised laws on the VA or PA examples.
This law sucks, and we're trying to get this one changed too. Considering that we're the
ONLY "Shall Issue" state in the Mid-Atlantic region that has this prohibition, it should be easier to convince our General Assembly to change this law in the next year or so. (heck, even MD--as anti2A as it is--allows CC with a permit in such establishments!) After November, when there will most likely be a BIG changeover in the GA, we might be successful. But the current Governor and AG are not really 2A-friendly, so it's an uphill struggle...
Generally, in most locations, when you are out in public, OC is VERY well-accepted, and CC is VERY common here in NC. LEOs tend to be pretty cool about OC--most are tolerant of it and will just look at you and walk on by. Some LEOs are openly supportive, and might even comment to you that they wished more people would OC (I've had that happen twice). Some will even comment or compliment your firearm if it is a rare, spiffy, or obviously custom piece.
The general populace is pretty accepting of OC, and most people don't even notice. Now and then you might get an odd look, but folks down here tend to be pretty polite and not say anything rude--even if they don't approve. There is a growing percentage of Yankee Carpetbaggers in the Raleigh area, and in some of the military base towns (Fayetteville ad Jacksonville) and they are usually the ones who will comment, but they are rare. Folks down here are generally pretty accepting of OC, and are usually polite enough to keep it to themselves even if they disapprove.
Welcome to NC, and have a fun and SAFE vacation. We've got a beautiful state, and pretty good firearms laws, but you are right--there are a few weird restrictions here in NC, and I applaud your research prior to your visit. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. We're pretty friendly here in NC, and some of us have researched the law in depth, and are more than willing to help educate visitors about our laws.
But since you actually quoted the NC statutes, it looks like you've already downloaded and studied the NC Statutes, and the NC Attorney General's Firearms Laws guidebook. You've done your homework, and that is VERY admirable! Sounds like you are diligent, aware, and very responsible. That's just the sort of people we like to have as visitors!
If you let us know the specific areas of NC you'll be visiting, we could be a lot more specific (and helpful) with regards to local laws and carry issues, and potential "trouble spots".
IANAL, but I'm happy to help answer questions when I can...
