Have you ever had to stop using your favorite buisness because of OC?

[WCEarp]

I am new to OC and owning a handgun for self defense. Already I have learned that there are concessions that I have to make. Boy Scouts, no carry (private org. their rules. I'm fine with that, I will still take my boys.). Church, no carry, I will still go. Government property, well that's been debated here on this forum before and that's not this threads purpose.

This is about businesses. If they don't allow my right to defend myself I won't do business with them. Their choice, my choice. I am fine with that.

Today though, I went pickup carry out from my favorite local Chinese restaurant and realised that they are within a school zone, depending on how police want to measure it. I have been using them exclusively since they opened nearly a decade ago. I won't sacrifice my safety for chinese food, so I'll have to wait till I get a CC permit before I go back to them.

Anybody else have to stop going to their favorite business because you weren't welcome or you weren't allowed by law?

 

[EMNofSeattle]

I am new to OC and owning a handgun for self defense. Already I have learned that there are concessions that I have to make. Boy Scouts, no carry (private org. their rules. I'm fine with that, I will still take my boys.). Church, no carry, I will still go. Government property, well that's been debated here on this forum before and that's not this threads purpose.

This is about businesses. If they don't allow my right to defend myself I won't do business with them. Their choice, my choice. I am fine with that.

Today though, I went pickup carry out from my favorite local Chinese restaurant and realised that they are within a school zone, depending on how police want to measure it. I have been using them exclusively since they opened nearly a decade ago. I won't sacrifice my safety for chinese food, so I'll have to wait till I get a CC permit before I go back to them.

Anybody else have to stop going to their favorite business because you weren't welcome or you weren't allowed by law?

That's what CC is for, IMHO, It really would to me (I don't carry yet because I need to be 21 to do so in WA, so my this is just my no-experience theoretical opinion, for what it's worth) depend upon the type of business and why they don't allow gun carry, who owns the business, how long I've been doing business with them, if they'd treated me fairly in the past, I'm not going to leave an honest business that's somewhat anti to go to a competitor who are a bunch of crooks for instance, where the business is, if there are competitors that are close by.

It really just depends, for me there would be no solid answer to this question. I mean it's like I'm a supporter of the republican party, there are several businesses I interact with who have liberal democrat owners, but their owners have always treated me fairly and given my above-par service. I wouldn't just cut a healthy business relationship based soley on the gun control stance, on the other hand I might easily use that issue to boycott a business that I'm neutral to or somewhat distrustful of...

 

[F350]

Today though, I went pickup carry out from my favorite local Chinese restaurant and realised that they are within a school zone, depending on how police want to measure it. I have been using them exclusively since they opened nearly a decade ago. I won't sacrifice my safety for chinese food, so I'll have to wait till I get a CC permit before I go back to them.

Do you have a carry permit from the state? If so you are exempt from GFSZ.

 

[WCEarp]

Do you have a carry permit from the state? If so you are exempt from GFSZ.

I don't have a carry permit yet, that's the issue.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

No one on OCDO has ever located a case in which someone was convicted of GFSZA for "merely carrying" within the 1000 foot zone. to the best of my knowledge, the feds nearly always bust people after the state or local guys did it first for drug dealing or assault or something like that.

Make your own decisions, but I doubt it would be an issue, you'd have to get the locals to jack you up and do something heinous in addition in order to get the feds to pay any attention. remember ATF agents (along with all federal agents) operate differently then local police, in local juridstictions the prosecutor takes nearly all cases the police bring in for them, with the Feds a Special Agent has to fill out mountains of paperwork then "sell" their case to a U.S. Attorney, who has much more discretion in deciding not to prosecute. US Attys like "sexy cases" that pad their resume for appointment to federal judge, they want to "keep drugs away from our children" or "protect our children from being shot by gangbangers on school grounds" some guy buying takeout not posing any threat is likely low on their priority list.

However you can never be too sure so get your license as soon as is possible.

 

[WCEarp]

I wouldn't just cut a healthy business relationship based soley on the gun control stance, on the other hand I might easily use that issue to boycott a business that I'm neutral to or somewhat distrustful of...

Due to my job, I have to be in contact with nearly a dozen different vendors every week. I have probably come close to working with a hundred different companies over 12 years of working for my employer. Because of that, I have found that in my area there is always another honest quality business out there to pick up where a competitor failed.

As far as me personally leaving a small business over OC, it would only come after a polite conversation with the owner or manager. Hopefully we could see eye to eye and keep our relationship going. If not there will be another place I could find to fill my need.

The big box stores I could care less. They will stay open with or without my money and they all have competitors I could go to.

This instance though disappoints me. I won't go to someone else. They didn't exclude me or tell me to leave. I just won't be able to have good takeout that close to my house until I get my CC permit.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Due to my job, I have to be in contact with nearly a dozen different vendors every week. I have probably come close to working with a hundred different companies over 12 years of working for my employer. Because of that, I have found that in my area there is always another honest quality business out there to pick up where a competitor failed.

As far as me personally leaving a small business over OC, it would only come after a polite conversation with the owner or manager. Hopefully we could see eye to eye and keep our relationship going. If not there will be another place I could find to fill my need.

The big box stores I could care less. They will stay open with or without my money and they all have competitors I could go to.

This instance though disappoints me. I won't go to someone else. They didn't exclude me or tell me to leave. I just won't be able to have good takeout that close to my house until I get my CC permit.

Like i said it's personal preference.

The local corner store close to me (the only one since I live in a semi-rural area) probably won't like guns that much, but the proprietor has always been kind to me, even once extended me credit on 10 dollars of merchandise when I forgot my cash on my word that I would pay him back (which I did) and once waived his no checks policy for me in a similar time. He always goes above and beyond to help me out, I mean I've also seen him give discounts to poorer people and the like, He's a great guy, but I don't think he's a fan of guns, he used to have a homemade "gunbuster" sign but it's gone now.

But I would not stop frequenting his business based solely on the gun issue, I mean to me relationships are important in that regard.

Also where I live Costco is a big deal, the nearest Sam's club is 40 miles further then the nearest Costco, Sam's club has no anti-gun policy, but Costco does have a kinda-sorta verbal anti-gun policy that they may or may not enforce at their choosing. I would not be willing to drive further to get my ton of wood pellet fuel I need every 2 months.

Ditto movie theatres, there are two theatres in my town, the one without gun buster signs is locally owned and only plays low-budget or foreign movies that you never hear about, don't get me wrong, they play really good movies, but not the big blockbusters so If i want to watch batman while retaining self defense getting a CPL is the way to go.


I'm more fluid on this issue then most I understand, but If you want to boycott all anti-gun businesses or you don't care at all, that's your choice and I won't fault you for it, purely a personal choice issue IMHO

 

[MKEgal]

I went to pick up carry out from my favorite local Chinese restaurant and realized that they are within a school zone, depending on how police want to measure it.
...
Anybody else have to stop going to their favorite business because you weren't welcome or you weren't allowed by law?

Those are 2 different questions.
I did for a while avoid a certain chain of grocery stores because once our cc law passed they posted "keep out" signs. They have since been taken down (in most locations).

I did change my bank because (again) once our cc law passed they also posted. I had carried in many of their branches over the 18mo or so before the law went into effect, with absolutely no problems. Even have a video of one interaction.

There are very very few places which are posted where I will voluntarily spend time or money. School & hospitals being the biggies.

The only "not allowed by law" places now are places I sometimes have to go - some gov't buildings are posted (legal in WI), post office, courthouse. And for those I have to leave the pistol in the car & hope that nothing & nobody bad happens to me before I get back.

It seems that you think the reason you can't go to your Chinese place is because it's too close to a school (maybe).
Unless your state's "GF"SZ law differs from the federal code, you're perfectly legal being armed on private property, even if it's right next to a school, as long as you're legal to possess the firearm. And to get that private property, you're allowed to have the pistol unloaded in a locked case while traversing the school zone. (Private property = not owned by taxpayers.)

Out of curiosity, how do you get around town, hopscotching across school zones? (Again, assuming your state's laws mirror the federal code.) If you don't have a license, you already have to travel with the pistol unloaded & encased.

And while I don't agree with the "GF"SZ law, and I think it's caused more problems & more deaths than it has possibly prevented, it's still the law & you could still get arrested for breaking it. Having a federal felony hanging over your head is no small thing, and rather expensive to defend against. Better to keep your nose clean until you're old enough to get that magic permission slip.

 

[MKEgal]

I went to www.handgunlaw.us to find info on the MO school zone law.
It's in line with the federal code, & in fact is much more reasonable.
See item 10 on page 4 here, explaining one of the prohibited areas.

Any higher education institution or elementary or secondary school facility without the consent of the governing body of the higher education institution or a school official or the district school board. Possession of a firearm in a vehicle on the premises of any higher education institution or elementary or secondary school facility shall not be a criminal offense so long as the firearm is not removed from the vehicle or brandished while the vehicle is on the premises

It says nothing about the magical 1000' zone, only in the building & on the property.
So you're only dealing with the federal law, which still applies but it's much less likely you'd ever get caught by it. The only ways for the average person to be insulated are to be on private property, have permission from school authorities, have a license, or carry it unloaded & in a locked case.

If you want to read the federal code, it's 18USC922 (q), specifically section (2).
And the first page of that PDF I referenced first has links to your state's info, state websites, laws, etc.

 

[WCEarp]

Thanks MKEgal for some clarification and the links.

I am familiar with MO's vehicle exemptions because of its unlicensed vehicle carry being allowed if you're old enough. It was apparently the federal law I had some confusion on and where I could be while on foot. I knew that an individual on his own property was exempt but for some reason I had not at the time remembered that businesses though open to the public are still private property. Chalk it up to still getting rookie OC jitters out of my system.

By the way I was old enough to get a permit to conceal carry in MO when they originally passed the law. I just didn't have a desire to carry at all until recently.

So I guess that leaves the first part of the question as MKEgal pointed out. Does anyone have a favorite business they stop going to because of their no guns allowed policy?