Went to Regions Bank Today

[Gun Smith]

After reading several post about Regions, my curiosity was on high alert. I just never noticed a gun buster sign before. So today when I went, I was paying particular attention. I went to the main location in Murfreesboro, the one just off the square that is located in our one and only "skyscraper". I pulled up right in front of the door. I sat there scanning over the whole entrance and door. Not a buster sign in sight. So, I thought all was good and headed in. Not until I got to the second set of doors did I notice this little sticker about 4x6 inches place below the door cross bar handle that had the gun buster emblem and law. And, I would not have noticed it if I had not been searching! Too small, too late. I was inside. I conducted my transaction and left.

I am not condoning transgressing the law, but that sign sure didn't appear that they really wanted their patrons to keep the law either. Kinda like the micro small print at the bottom of a sales contract.

I am either going to change banks, big hassle, or only use the drive thru.

[xRUSTYx]

Not a single bank I have been to (around me) has a GB sign. That is (2) BofA's, and (2) 5th/3rd's. Both Sets of doors are clear.

[Fallguy]

The Regions banks in Milan and Lexington have the signs just below the crossbar as well.

[Mike.357]

when I go in a bank my head is on a swivel and I do not have time to pay attention to signage on the doors. I am more concerned with what I may be walking into.

[Guest Jcochran88]

So with the interior doors posted but not the exterior is that a legal posting?

[Mike.357]

So with the interior doors posted but not the exterior is that a legal posting?

It does not really matter. If you are caught carrying and the police are called it would be up to the responding officer to decide what to do. You may or may not get off when in front of a judge, or a prosecutor may decide it is not worth persuing.

My best guess would be that it is a legal posting.

[vontar]

I think the law should define how the posting should be.

I believe the posting should be post the same as the No smoking signs they are so proud of.

Notice, it is never hard to spot a no smoking sign, they put them in your face, but the GB is sometimes almost hidden like the OP found.

I think the GB should be required to be so close to the door handle to make it legal. It should also have to be of at least a set size.

I know places where it is 90 degrees off set to the door of a building where you could walk past it and not even know about it, because it is posted high and to the left or right of a door not in plain sight.

Wouldn't that fall under, they only posted the section inside past the second set of doors, like they partly posted the building, the first section sounds like it is not posted.

[Fallguy]

So with the interior doors posted but not the exterior is that a legal posting?

Yes....

It allows carry inside the outer doors, but not the inner.

A place post the signs at the location they want to prohibit carry past...that can be at the entrance(s) to the property off the roadway, the whole building or a single room.

[Fallguy]

It does not really matter. If you are caught carrying and the police are called it would be up to the responding officer to decide what to do. You may or may not get off when in front of a judge, or a prosecutor may decide it is not worth persuing.

My best guess would be that it is a legal posting.

Actually only if you are still inside is up to the LEO. 39-17-1359 is a misdemanor...so for an officer to file the charges the violation must be committed in his presence. If you are outside, about all he can do (after he checks your HCP I'm sure) is advise the property owner of warrant procedures if they want to pursue it themselves.

[East_TN_Patriot]

I think the law should define how the posting should be.

Agreed. That's the way it is in Florida. For a posting to be legal, it has to meet certain standards for size, text, and location of where it is posted. The same holds true in Florida for traffic control signs and handicapped parking signs in parking lots. It only make sense to me to be specific to help keep honest folks out of trouble.

[Guest 85rx-7gsl-se]

Agreed. That's the way it is in Florida. For a posting to be legal, it has to meet certain standards for size, text, and location of where it is posted. The same holds true in Florida for traffic control signs and handicapped parking signs in parking lots. It only make sense to me to be specific to help keep honest folks out of trouble.

Thats what I have been saying for a while. I think a minimum of an 8.5x11 sign for the language signs or a 6" diameter gunbuster.

[Guest jeliggett]

When I go to my bank's (MidSouth in Murfreesboro) main branch, my banker wants to know that I do have my gun on me. They are gun friendly at all of their branches. I highly recommend them to anyone looking to change banks in the Rutherford county area.

Joe

[bigwakes]

Under the old law I believe there were restriction on the size of the sign and it had to have the TN code listed on the door. Is this correct? I once asked the Williamson County DA and he said they have a right to ask you to leave, but there was no penalty on the books. We got screwed on this one.

[Fallguy]

Under the old law I believe there were restriction on the size of the sign and it had to have the TN code listed on the door. Is this correct? I once asked the Williamson County DA and he said they have a right to ask you to leave, but there was no penalty on the books. We got screwed on this one.

Both the old and new law said/say the sign "must be clearly visible" but that is all. With the new law if a wording only sign is used, there "must" be certain information in it for it to be legal, but Yes....the new law did also allow a "Gun Buster" only symbol to be legal as well.

As far penalty goes...both old and new law have the $500 fine only provision in them. The new law does clarify it is a Class B misdemeanor.

....and I thought it was bad that instructors didn't know the law!!! You really would think the DA would...however maybe he was talking about if there was no posting or not a legal one.

While sometimes I think more specifics on size, location, wording etc...would be good....at the same time I think it could cause a lot more confusion. Based on post here it already seems most business owners don't take the time to read the law and try to post in accordance with it..even with so much leeway in it.

[Armed Aviator]

If you change banks, I strongly recommend 5/3rd. I've experienced nothing but great service. The branch that i most use has that small bank atmosphere. Everyone in there knows me by my first name when I walk in the door. . . Great.

[JayC]

Under the old law I believe there were restriction on the size of the sign and it had to have the TN code listed on the door. Is this correct? I once asked the Williamson County DA and he said they have a right to ask you to leave, but there was no penalty on the books. We got screwed on this one.

The parks posting law requires the sign be a certain size or larger. 39-17-1359 has never had that requirement.

[TNRobocop]

Funny since lots of regions and 5/3 banks have been robbed in the last couple of months also.

[JAB]

I think the law should define how the posting should be.

Such clarification would be nice but I would rather the law allow some latitude in posting the sign but give those signs no weight of law.

[Guest 270win]

You're supposed to be able to see these signs/clearly visible. If these signs are stuck somewhere that they aren't noticed, that isn't really visible as far as I understand the statute. They are supposed to be at all the primarily entrances used by the public. Most property owners still don't meet any of those requirements. They may put a sign down low on the front door where you can't see it and then not put one on the second side door that customers use. So you are legal because you shouldn't be looking high and low and all the entrances are to be posted.

The prosecutor probably never deals with this sign law and has no case law to back it up. He may deal with a trespassing. This is a vague he said/she said law with nothing to back it up. I'd rather have it vague and it up with being asked to leave that something hard defined with case law that can get a real criminal charge from a prosecutor. Looks like something on the books that is never truly handled in the real world of law. A worthless law taking up paper space to make people feel good.

[Mike.357]

Actually only if you are still inside is up to the LEO. 39-17-1359 is a misdemanor...so for an officer to file the charges the violation must be committed in his presence. If you are outside, about all he can do (after he checks your HCP I'm sure) is advise the property owner of warrant procedures if they want to pursue it themselves.

Thanks Fallguy for clarrifying.

[Bubba0031]

At the Regions in Oak Ridge the posting is on the lower left panel of the side-lite window beside the inner door. I had to look for it to find it. The ATM along with an elevator to the offices/business on the second floor is between the outer and inner door so in my mind it's completely acceptable to use carry while at the ATM.

[Proscene]

After reading several post about Regions, my curiosity was on high alert. I just never noticed a gun buster sign before. So today when I went, I was paying particular attention. I went to the main location in Murfreesboro, the one just off the square that is located in our one and only "skyscraper". I pulled up right in front of the door. I sat there scanning over the whole entrance and door. Not a buster sign in sight. So, I thought all was good and headed in. Not until I got to the second set of doors did I notice this little sticker about 4x6 inches place below the door cross bar handle that had the gun buster emblem and law. And, I would not have noticed it if I had not been searching! Too small, too late. I was inside. I conducted my transaction and left.

I am not condoning transgressing the law, but that sign sure didn't appear that they really wanted their patrons to keep the law either. Kinda like the micro small print at the bottom of a sales contract.

I am either going to change banks, big hassle, or only use the drive thru.

Change Banks! I did!!!

[Guest mmarcum]

If it were up to most of us on this forum it would be 4 feet square and posted on all four sides of the building. I would also like it to be 2 feet square and posted along with their main sign so I would not even pull into their parking lot. In reality a judge will decide it, and then you are on your own.

I have not noticed a posting at my local banking facility "Combustion federal credit union" here in the Chattanooga area, but plan to ask the branch manager the next time I go to deposit a check. If anyone knows their policy I would love to know ahead of time so I can make arraingments prior to my visit if necessary.

[Guest .45packer]

The "logic" the manager at my Regions branch gave me was that Regions Corporate office felt that if a bad guy came into the bank and saw a person carrying that the carrier would be the first person to get shot. I told the manager that they would never know I was carrying so that wouldn't be a problem (for me), might be a major problem for the bad guy though. However, since they do have a "gun buster" sign on the front door I guess we'll never know. Anyway, I rarely go in the bank, just use the drive through ATM. Onlly went it to ask about the sign.

[vontar]

I have not noticed a posting at my local banking facility "Combustion federal credit union" here in the Chattanooga area, but plan to ask the branch manager the next time I go to deposit a check. If anyone knows their policy I would love to know ahead of time so I can make arraingments prior to my visit if necessary.

I know my Y12FCU is not posted. I have heard on the board here someone talked to one of the high ups and passed it down that they will not post. I have carried in there many times. Once I even semi open carried as the pistol was dad's 22 Ruger and it was 2 large to CC. I was returning it to him which is why I had it with me.

Your HCP means you don't have to ask. If they are not posted you can carry (exceptions places that are always no gun zones, inside schools, courts, etc). If you ask you might make them notice hey we are not posted some one might legally bring a gun in here. We might want to stop the legal guys so that criminals can safely carry their guns.

Edited February 1, 2011 by vontar