Monday, April 26, 2010

Is It Worth It?

PDB posted an interesting primer on NC's convoluted carry laws with the upcoming NRA convention in mind. In a nutshell, basically any place that you'd want to carry is off-limits, and with NC's "binding signage", all an establishment has to do to prevent lawful CCW is to put up a "No Guns Allowed" sign. The convention center itself specifically prohibits CCW inside, to the point of having metal detectors at the doors. CCW is prohibited in establishments that serve alcohol as well.

Well hell, that's 98% of the trip right there...

Seriously, though, I expect to arrive at the convention as it opens on Friday morning; spend the bulk of the day in convention-related activities and such, then check into my hotel Friday afternoon/early evening and then head out to some bar-type establishment for some libations with other gunbloggers. At literally no point in the day save the time spent in my hotel room would I be allowed to CCW - I'm going from one CCW-proscribed venue to another. I can't carry at the convention - I will be specifically screened to prevent this, in fact - nor at any of the festivities after hours. There's no shooting events planned, and if there were there would be scant time to attend one anyways.

I'm just not seeing much of a reason to bring something with me. I am simply not enthusiastic about running the NY/NY gauntlet so that my sidearm can sit in a safe in my room. My carry piece locked up five miles away in my hotel does me just as much good as locked up 900 miles away back home - none. Leaving it home, however, means I don't have to sweat stopping at a rest area in NJ to gas up and getting stopped and searched and winding up like John Torraco or Gregg Revell. I also don't have to worry about the firearm getting stolen out of my room or out of my car and having to report said theft to the BATFE (I'm a C&R holder) and my Chief of Police declaring me unsuitable. Not terribly likely, I know, but possible.

I'm not convinced that having a firearm in my hotel room is worth the risk of transporting it to the hotel - convince me otherwise...

That is all.

8 comments:

Bob S. said...

Jay G.,

I'm confused. Aren't you supposed to be too afraid to go anywhere without your concealed carry piece?

jimbob86 said...

Is going to the convention of a (purported) GUN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION that holds its event where your Rights are infringed worth travelling through much of the Eastern Seaboard unarmed?

Not for me. YMMV.

Don't the spendier hotels have safes? I wouldn't know....

.... you could have a caravan, with one member to "hold the horses*" while you attend....



* There's a term for that, IIRC, from Middle Ages warfare ..... but I forget what it was ..... where's Tam when ya need her?

Weer'd Beard said...

Make the drive have a little less pucker-factor when driving through the more restrictive parts of the map. Like imagine if those deer-the-size-of-dogs they have in Jersey decided to walk in front of the rental car containing a bunch of gunnies, their carry guns, and *gasp* Hollow-point ammunition.

Still doesn't make me happy. Would be my first time to try out my spiffy Florida permit!

Borepatch said...

I don't get it with the NRA. They agreed to hold their #1 shindig in a hall where management prohibits their members from exercising their rights?

To rephrase: The NRA is paying gobs of cash to people who will prevent their members from exercising the rights that the NRA touts so loudly?

NRA Marketing FAIL. That's reason enough to not go.

Veeshir said...

I agree with you Jay, why risk NJ taking your pistol and you spending the next year and thousands of dollars to get it back when you'll leave it in your hotel?

breda said...

Carry your gun - it's a lighter burden than regret.

ASM826 said...

Don't attend the convention. Tell the NRA why. If even a small percentage of people did so, it would have an effect on next year's venue. I live in N.C. and I won't consider attending.
_________________________
N.C. gun laws are a direct result of Jim Crow. Laws were written to prevent blacks from owning and carrying firearms. A permitting system that involves the county sheriff could be used to prevent blacks from legally buying a handgun while allowing whites easy access have now been broadly applied to everyone.

You can't carry anywhere you pay a fee to enter, like a theater or a fair (or a convention center). You can't carry anywhere alcohol is served, even a restaurant that serves wine and beer. You can't carry anywhere that has a sign prohibiting it. Then there's schools, government buildings, state parks, etc.

Colin said...

And your NH non-resident permit is no good:

http://www.ncdoj.com/About-DOJ/Law-Enforcement-Training-and-Standards/Law-Enforcement-Liason/Concealed-Weapon-Reciprocity.aspx

"New Hampshire (resident permits only) "

Do you have a FL permit?