Using Google maps to locate GFSZ's

Hi all. I believe this was discussed in an old thread, but it's been a while. How do I use Google maps to identify the 'forbidden zones' around school properties? I've seen pics posted of a grey ring on google maps identifying the 1000' perimeter of the GFSZ, but I don't know how to make maps like that on Google.

Anyone know how to do this?

Well, I don't know about Google Maps, but on Google Earth, there are several tools that you can use to figure out the 1000' radius from a school. My favorite on is zoomin in on a school, and then using the ruler tool, to figure out how far 1000' goes to in a certain direction. Now I just need to figure out how to make a circle with a 1000' radius.

Idea?

1. Go out in a very much abandoned field.
2. Detonate an aerial munition with a blast radius of 1000' (and make sure you take video of said boom to show to all of us).
3. Wait until Google Earth does its next aerial survey.
4. Locate your hole in the sat scan.
5. Cut and paste said hole scanned from G. Earth.
6. Turn opacity down so you can see through it
7. Bingo, you have a 1000' template.

While you are getting that set up, I'll go look through Google Earth and Maps and figure out how to do it the computer (read: boring) way and will report back when I do, as now I'm curious myself.

Disclaimer - The above description is obviously just my stupid sense of humor and in no way endorses the use of high explosives by any untrained and/or unlicensed personnel.

michael hopkins said:

1. Go out in a very much abandoned field.
2. Detonate an aerial munition with a blast radius of 1000' (and make sure you take video of said boom to show to all of us).
3. Wait until google earth does its next aerial survey.
4. Locate your hole in the sat scan.
5. Cut and paste said hole scanned from g. Earth.
6. Turn opacity down so you can see through it
7. Bingo, you have a 1000' template.

While you are getting that set up, i'll go look through google earth and maps and figure out how to do it the computer (read: Boring) way and will report back when i do, as now i'm curious myself.

Disclaimer - the above description is obviously just my stupid sense of humor and in no way endorses the use of high explosives by any untrained and/or unlicensed personnel.

Click to expand...

lol

Does Wisconsin have a GFSZ act?

Because the Federal one is unenforceable.

While it looks like it is rather simple in Google Earth Pro, that will cost you about $400/yr.

This, however,

http://www.freemaptools.com/radius-around-point.htm

appears to be free. It'll take a little work, but should get the job done for you, and since it uses Google Places as it's engine, it should have the same accuracy as Google Maps.

Hope that helps.
Mike

marshaul said:

Does Wisconsin have a GFSZ act?

Because the Federal one is unenforceable.

Click to expand...

Gun-Free Schools. Wisconsin law, which was modeled on the federal Gun-Free School Zone Act of 1990, prohibits the possession or shooting of a firearm within a school zone. It defines a school zone as in the school building, the school grounds, and the area within 1000 feet of the school grounds. The law provides a number of exceptions, including possessing a firearm on private property, using a firearm for a school program, or carrying a firearm while crossing a school zone to get to lands open to hunting, and it excludes beebee guns, air guns, and starter pistols from the definition of “firearm” [s. 948.605].

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/pubs/wb/00wb11.pdf

WCI has filed a lawsuit against the WI GFSZ.

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...onsin-Carry-Inc.-Gun-Free-School-Zone-Lawsuit

protias said:

Gun-Free Schools. Wisconsin law, which was modeled on the federal Gun-Free School Zone Act of 1990, prohibits the possession or shooting of a firearm within a school zone. It defines a school zone as in the school building, the school grounds, and the area within 1000 feet of the school grounds. The law provides a number of exceptions, including possessing a firearm on private property, using a firearm for a school program, or carrying a firearm while crossing a school zone to get to lands open to hunting, and it excludes beebee guns, air guns, and starter pistols from the definition of “firearm” [s. 948.605].

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/pubs/wb/00wb11.pdf

WCI has filed a lawsuit against the WI GFSZ.

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...onsin-Carry-Inc.-Gun-Free-School-Zone-Lawsuit

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.

I didn't realize y'all had to deal with this too. Well, good luck with that. California's GFSZ basically makes OC impossible in most developed areas.

Over here, we tried to do the whole "zone map" thing, and gave the endeavor up as creating more problems than it solved (for example, once you go around mapping, there goes your excuse for any schools you might have missed, at least for the CA version of the law).

On the other hand, in the context of a lawsuit, a sample of such a map would go a long way to proving how school zones amount to a complete prohibition in many cities.

marshaul said:

Thanks for the info.

I didn't realize y'all had to deal with this too. Well, good luck with that. California's GFSZ basically makes OC impossible in most developed areas.

Over here, we tried to do the whole "zone map" thing, and gave the endeavor up as creating more problems than it solved (for example, once you go around mapping, there goes your excuse for any schools you might have missed, at least for the CA version of the law).

On the other hand, in the context of a lawsuit, a sample of such a map would go a long way to proving how school zones amount to a complete prohibition in many cities.

Click to expand...

CA sounds exactly like WI in that regard.

marshaul said:

Thanks for the info.

I didn't realize y'all had to deal with this too. Well, good luck with that. California's GFSZ basically makes OC impossible in most developed areas.

Over here, we tried to do the whole "zone map" thing, and gave the endeavor up as creating more problems than it solved (for example, once you go around mapping, there goes your excuse for any schools you might have missed, at least for the CA version of the law).

On the other hand, in the context of a lawsuit, a sample of such a map would go a long way to proving how school zones amount to a complete prohibition in many cities.

Click to expand...

Indeed, just as Protias said, WI is much like CA in that regard. I live less than one block from a parochial elementary school, with several public schools in the area, too. My reason for wanting to map out my area is to confirm what I already suspect, and that is complete prohibition of OC due to the overlapping GFSZ's. I wouldn't even dream of trying to carry around my neighborhood or try to skirt around the 'forbidden zones'. There are way too many pitfalls to be encountered by someone who follows the laws. Only cops and criminals get to carry around here. My wife or I carrying to protect our kids from the crackheads down the street, or the sex offenders living a few blocks over is just out of the question.

Thank you liberal idiot $hitheads of Wisconsin for legislating me out of the right to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

Michael Hopkins said:

While it looks like it is rather simple in Google Earth Pro, that will cost you about $400/yr.

This, however,

http://www.freemaptools.com/radius-around-point.htm

appears to be free. It'll take a little work, but should get the job done for you, and since it uses Google Places as it's engine, it should have the same accuracy as Google Maps.

Hope that helps.
Mike

Click to expand...

Thanks Mike, I'll check it out.

bluehighways said:

Thanks Mike, I'll check it out.

Click to expand...

You're welcome. Good Luck. :monkey

see http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...n-Free-School-Zones-in-Verona-WI-Google-Earth

I used Google Earth to locate all of the school "property" and used a free tool called Circle Generator which I found here: http://www.techidiots.net/project-pages/google-earth-circle-generator

instructions are on the page, let me know if you need help.

Circle generator is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

bluehighways said:

Circle generator is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

Click to expand...

The state law Says you knowingly have to break the law. If you don't know where the schools are, you can not knowing break the law. Think that through before you 'zero' in on the school zones.

my two cents

948.605 (2)(a)
(a) Any individual who knowingly possesses a firearm at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone is guilty of a Class I felony.

Don't forget about that little phrase "or has reasonable cause to believe". You walk down a street and pass a "School Zone Speed Limit" sign and they (arguably) got ya. Walk past a crosswalk marked with the "School Children Crossing" sign and they (arguably) got ya. Get passed by three school buses at 2:30 PM???? who knows, but your still putting yourself in the hands of the prosecution and what their definition of "has reasonable cause to believe" is.

I've only mapped out my neighborhood because I think (not know) that it would be fairly easy to prove that I would have "reasonable cause to believe" where the schools are. Fact: I have a daughter in elementary school and she participates in many school activities that take place in other schools (like the High School in town) - I take her to these events, so for me it was a no brainier to be responsible about it.

I'm not trying to argue for or against the reasons of "knowing" where the limits are, just offering my opinion on the matter. To each his/her own.

Now, if I were visiting or traveling through a different town then it's a different story.

In California, Theseus was convicted of the GFSZ law while he was on private property. The court decided to limit private property to one's curtilage, and (more pertinently) they basically decided that just by choosing to be an UOCer, he had taken on a responsibility to learn the schools nearby, and thus he "reasonably" should know about all of them.

marshaul said:

In California, Theseus was convicted of the GFSZ law while he was on private property. The court decided to limit private property to one's cartilage, and (more pertinently) they basically decided that just by choosing to be an UOCer, he had taken on a responsibility to learn the schools nearby, and thus he "reasonably" should know about all of them.

Click to expand...

Just how much cake do those thought-police pull down a year...sounds like a cushy job; probably has a lot of union bennies too.

hardballer said:

The state law Says you knowingly have to break the law. If you don't know where the schools are, you can not knowing break the law. Think that through before you 'zero' in on the school zones.

Click to expand...

I appreciate your concern, and I do realize that mapping school zones can be damning should one violate the GFSZ law. The only reason I wanted to do it was to confirm what I had suspected, and that is on my side of this town, open carry cannot be done. The school zones overlap each other effectively making this whole side of town a no-go. I have no intention of mapping any other areas.