Cracker Barrel - No Open Carry

[Guest aaron a]

TN Popo,

I have to agree with you on me personally open carrying in public places. I only open carry when going to the range or to the woods. Most of society does not carry a handgun. That's just the way it is. I'm ok with it and honestly most people are not too bright when it comes to carrying a deadly weapon in public. Also, most of society does not seem to care one way or the other about CONCEALED weapons because again what they don't see does not bother them. Now, a good bit of people are in la la land and would never notice even a person in jeans carrying a holstered gun. But then, you have the same person who when he does notice it causes trouble in a store or say is the store manager. A good bit of people are sadly bed wetters when it comes to 'scary' guns. I try to go through life low key. I know for a fact I couldn't go to some local/state govt offices, church, a nice restaurant/bar, baseball game, visit clients in Midtown of memphis, networking meetings, chamber of commerce meeting, with my gun on my belt in the open. I can do that with my gun concealed.

1+ that me.

[Guest kirkosaurus]

I don't like open carry.

My reasons...

1. Have nothing to do with being a cop.

2. Have to do with tactics, not personal rights/public perception issues.

I have to ask you this then:

If open carry is tactically inferior why do uniformed police officers do it?

[JAB]

I have to ask you this then:

If open carry is tactically inferior why do uniformed police officers do it?

Tactically inferior or not doesn't matter to this thread. The FACT that open carry has caused problems and policy changes at Cracker Barrel does. That Cracker Barrel's response to customer complaints by banning open carry, period, likely indicates how other establishments will react is also quite important. The possibility of having establishments that were previously not posted become posted establishments due to customer complaints about open carry is also important as simply posting a sign banning all carry would actually be a lot easier than making it necessary for managers, etc. to approach those who choose to OC in order to ask them to take their firearm back to their car.

Edited March 30, 2011 by JAB

[RobertNashville]

Tactically inferior or not doesn't matter to this thread. The FACT that open carry has caused problems and policy changes at Cracker Barrel does. That Cracker Barrel's response to customer complaints by banning open carry, period, likely indicates how other establishments will react is also quite important. The possibility of having establishments that were previously not posted become posted establishments due to customer complaints about open carry is also important as simply posting a sign banning all carry would actually be a lot easier than making it necessary for managers, etc. to approach those who choose to OC in order to ask them to take their firearm back to their car.

+1

I"m not sure why some folks so often feel the need to turn discussions that mention the words "open carry" or "concealed carry" into a discussion (and often into an argument) about which type of carry is superior even when that is not the point/purpose of the thread.

A little common sense about what kind of carry is appropriate based on "where" we plan to be can go a long way.

Edited March 30, 2011 by RobertNashville

[Guest kirkosaurus]

+1

I"m not sure why some folks so often feel the need to turn discussions that mention the words "open carry" or "concealed carry" into a discussion (and often into an argument) about which type of carry is superior even when that is not the point/purpose of the thread.

I agree. But when you get comments like these:

"Open carry, sigh... "

"I carry Concealed and do not want people knowing that I have a firearm on me ,the element of surprise can be an awesome thing"

it just tends to go that direction.

[DaveTN]

Open vs. concealed or what’s better from a tactical standpoint is common sense. You have it or you don’t.

Sounds like CB is trying not to post; but they will have to do what is best for their business. I have been in Tennessee 11 years and have only seen a person open carrying one time and he turned out to be a cop. Maybe it’s different in other parts of the state, but I don’t see how this can be a common problem.

[JAB]

Open vs. concealed or what’s better from a tactical standpoint is common sense. You have it or you don’t.

Sounds like CB is trying not to post; but they will have to do what is best for their business. I have been in Tennessee 11 years and have only seen a person open carrying one time and he turned out to be a cop. Maybe it’s different in other parts of the state, but I don’t see how this can be a common problem.

My understanding is that this was more a problem with one or two individuals who frequently eat/ate at (and OC'd in) Cracker Barrel - and about whom other customers complained on more than one occasion - rather than a high number of OCers.

[Guest FTG-05]

And how long do you suppose we wait to get them used to law abiding citizens carrying guns?

Exactly.

I don't know why so many people on this gun board are so openly hostile to not only the concept of OCing (there is some basis for understanding why, though, after all, it is a personal decision) but also openly hostile to those that either do it or advocate it. I don't get it.

Secondly, I don't understand how so many people here can openly support an obviously anti-gun policy or company. "Concealed means concealed" and "I'll still go there" does nothing to advance our gun rights. If anything, it's either tacitly (at best) or explicitly supporting those that would just as soon see us totally disarmed.

Regardless of whether or not CB "allows" CC but not OC, I won't be spending my money there.

Edited March 31, 2011 by FTG-05

[Guest 270win]

I'm not hostile to people openly carrying a handgun, but I'll go into some reasons why it is difficult in TN.

It is not legal for people to carry weapons in Tennessee, except on your own property, business, hotel room. Other states, it is sometimes legal to say openly carry a handgun on foot, outside a vehicle, or even in a vehicle without a license/permit/money paid to the state. In those states, CONCEALED carry is illegal. TN makes carry of any firearm illegal, both long guns and handguns. TN honestly has pretty strict weapons laws. The average Joe can't even throw his loaded 30-30 rifle in the truck gun rack in TN, while in the surrounding states there is no law against this. That is pretty strict. Until the average Joe can throw his rifle on the gun rack in his truck, there isn't much of a right to carry for all without paying the state.

Most people in businesses in populated/big cities don't care to see handguns carried in the open, unless they are carried by police or armed guards/security folks. They don't seem to mind concealed handguns, but bedwetters will whine at openly carried ones. Get into high dollar places, like fancy eateries, hospitals, church, a sporting event, in gets tough to carry one openly. Yeah Wal-Mart might let you carry openly, but a lot of places prefer the out of sight out of mind. I am not running back to my car to put my gun up, so I keep it hidden well. I have a feeling handguns haven't been carried openly in populated areas in a long long time. They've been carried concealed for 100 years in this part of the country and it has generally been tolerated.

[Oh Shoot]

My understanding is that this was more a problem with one or two individuals who frequently eat/ate at (and OC'd in) Cracker Barrel - and about whom other customers complained on more than one occasion - rather than a high number of OCers.

C'mon. They've got 600 stores and are in most of the states. I rather doubt they did a change in nation wide policy over 2 or 3 people.

In VA, there was an open carry group that met at one of the CBs for years, for example. They were always warmly welcomed, until last week.

- OS

[Guest GLOCKGUY]

Open carry only does one thing and that is casue us to lose places to carry. I always wonder why someone wants to walk around with a big gun strapped to their side out in the open like the cowboys used to do? Does it make you feel more powerful? Do you guys wear a handgun carry badges too? The other day I saw a guy that looked like Pee Wee Herman coming out of walmart with a XDm full size handgun with a carry badge and 3 extar mags on his belt with his shirt tucked in. I just about fell from laughing so hard. What good does open carry do? I would really like to know. I know the only thing open carry is good for is to cause us to lose places to carry.. Out of sight out of mind...

[Erik88]

Open carry only does one thing and that is casue us to lose places to carry. I always wonder why someone wants to walk around with a big gun strapped to their side out in the open like the cowboys used to do? Does it make you feel more powerful? Do you guys wear a handgun carry badges too? The other day I saw a guy that looked like Pee Wee Herman coming out of walmart with a XDm full size handgun with a carry badge and 3 extar mags on his belt with his shirt tucked in. I just about fell from laughing so hard. What good does open carry do? I would really like to know. I know the only thing open carry is good for is to cause us to lose places to carry.. Out of sight out of mind...

[strickj]

Open carry only does one thing and that is casue us to lose places to carry. I always wonder why someone wants to walk around with a big gun strapped to their side out in the open like the cowboys used to do? Does it make you feel more powerful? Do you guys wear a handgun carry badges too? The other day I saw a guy that looked like Pee Wee Herman coming out of walmart with a XDm full size handgun with a carry badge and 3 extar mags on his belt with his shirt tucked in. I just about fell from laughing so hard. What good does open carry do? I would really like to know. I know the only thing open carry is good for is to cause us to lose places to carry.. Out of sight out of mind...

I OC because it makes my dick look bigger.

What's it to ya?

[Guest GLOCKGUY]

I OC because it makes my dick look bigger.

What's it to ya?

What's it to me, well lets see, maybe because its cop wannabes like you that cause us to lose places to carry, just because you want to make your goober look bigger...

Edited April 1, 2011 by GLOCKGUY

[Erik88]

What's it to me, well lets see, maybe because its cop wannabes like you that cause us to lose places to carry, just because you want to make your dick look bigger...

StrickJ is in a freaking wheelchair. He's the farthest thing from a "cop wannabe" you could possibly imagine. Go troll over on Glocktalk or something.

[Guest GLOCKGUY]

StrickJ is in a freaking wheelchair. He's the farthest thing from a "cop wannabe" you could possibly imagine. Go troll over on Glocktalk or something.

What does a freaking wheelchair have to do with anything? I'm in a freaking wheelchair 80% of the time too. Just had surgery so I can be out of it 50% of the time and when Im not in a freaking wheelchair I have to use freaking crutches. And please tell me how I'm trolling. I asked a question what good is open carry? Look what its did at CB and if it keeps happening more then likely we will lose the right to carry there too.

Edited April 1, 2011 by GLOCKGUY

[strickj]

What's it to me, well lets see, maybe because its cop wannabes like you that cause us to lose places to carry, just because you want to make your dick look bigger...

lol, my comment was sarcastic. Nothing can make my goober look bigger

I'm not a cop wannabe either. Haven't we met before? I think I bought some ammo from you once. Which would mean that you know that I'm not a cop wannabe...

[Erik88]

lol, my comment was sarcastic. Nothing can make my goober look bigger

.

win!

[Guest GLOCKGUY]

lol, my comment was sarcastic. Nothing can make my goober look bigger

I'm not a cop wannabe either. Haven't we met before? I think I bought some ammo from you once. Which would mean that you know that I'm not a cop wannabe...

I know your not a cop wannabe I was just messing with you. I know for a fact your a good guy. But I was going to open carry in front of my wife because I thought you were telling the truth about it making my goober look bigger.

Edited April 1, 2011 by GLOCKGUY

[Guest 270win]

The difference between VA and TN is that you don't need a license to carry a handgun in the open in Virginia. Carry a weapon is a RIGHT in Virginia as long as it is not concealed. Carrying a weapon is not a right in TN, unless you pay a fee, no form of weapon is allowed.

Like I was saying, you can't even carry a long gun loaded in TN like in the surrounding states. At least in my home state of Arkansas a poor man can at least throw his shotgun or rifle in his pickup loaded for protection. He can also get one of those Kel Tec carbines and put it in a backpack and it be loaded. No law broken because that is his right. In TN, that would be illegal because there isn't a right on carrying such a weapon without paying the state.

TN is pretty strict as far as a Southern state when it comes to weapons. You look at Mississippi, people down there can put pistols in cars loaded without a license and also carry long guns down the street loaded (though you see no one doing it). Alabama you have the right to carry a handgun loaded on foot as long as it isn't concealed and also carry a long gun in your vehicle loaded. Georgia long guns are pretty much unrestricted and handguns can be kept in vehicles by folks without licenses pretty much. NC allows folks to have unconcealed loaded handguns and long guns in cars and carry them. SC loaded pistols in glove boxes and I don't think there are really any restrictions on long guns....never traveled there....again TN is pretty strict.

TX and AR both have no laws against long guns. TX allows concealed handguns loaded in cars by adults without a license. AR handguns carried by those on a 'journey' without a license.

TN only HANDGUNS with a PERMIT and LONG GUN with a PERMIT with nothing in the CHAMBER only in the VEHICLE!!!! what a JOKE! A PERMIT for a LONG GUN!

[mikegideon]

I have no problem with open carry. With that said, if you don't do it with a cocked and locked 1911, you're as gay as Little Richard. That's trolling. It also makes YOU gay

[Guest 270win]

I don't look at carrying a handgun in TN as much of a right. You are paying for a plastic card from the state that can be taken away sadly with nothing to fall back on without a permit to carry a weapon. That is why i keep mine concealed most of the time, especially when you never know if you are 100% legal all the time.

I wish the state constitution in TN treated it as a right, but it doesn't. Another sad part about openly carrying is if you accidently walk on school property, which is all over urban areas like Memphis or Nashville with Vanderbilt, Univ of Memphis, UT Med School, all it takes is some jerk bed wetter to scream out "GUN", call campus police, and you are TOAST for some nutty agenda driven prosecutor and out big bucks to a lawyer to get it all straightened out. I've read enough stories of that for me to not want it to happen to myself. It's sad when our permits aren't valid in such places and we are treated like dirt by the 'system'. So I conceal so that I am not bankrupted like a few good folks have to keep from getting felony convictions for accidently being say on 'sacred' school property unknowingly.

[Guest 270win]

A well concealed handgun has probably kept some of us from getting in trouble for unknowingly walking on say Vandy or UT Med School property. Openly carrying that handgun would have made us run up big time VISA, MC, AMEX bills to a good defense attorney to keep our right to even own a gun/plea bargain should the school police had been called by some silly co-ed, then the case run to a prosecutor wanting to make the news about the 'evil' gun on campus!

I look at concealing in this state in populated areas honestly as keeping myself out of legal trouble. I don't mind open carry in sporting settings or say to the woods or range...but this state seriously needs to get its act together how the good guy is done with a permit before I dare would even open carry in a populated area in downtown Memphis and feel confident i'm even legal and not risk arrest!

[Guest kirkosaurus]

Open carry only does one thing and that is casue us to lose places to carry. I always wonder why someone wants to walk around with a big gun strapped to their side out in the open like the cowboys used to do? Does it make you feel more powerful? Do you guys wear a handgun carry badges too? The other day I saw a guy that looked like Pee Wee Herman coming out of walmart with a XDm full size handgun with a carry badge and 3 extar mags on his belt with his shirt tucked in. I just about fell from laughing so hard. What good does open carry do? I would really like to know. I know the only thing open carry is good for is to cause us to lose places to carry.. Out of sight out of mind...

This has to be, by far, the most stupid comment I've ever read on this forum.

That's the only "one thing" that open carry does? Seriously? If you believe that you have no clue. I'm gonna say that you're not that stupid, you would just rather have things the way they are as long as you can sit quietly in Cracker Barrel eating a Momma's pancake breakfast not caring about how we lose our rights because people just sit back being complacent.

[Guest kirkosaurus]

I look at concealing in this state in populated areas honestly as keeping myself out of legal trouble.

Why don't you avoid breaking the law to keep yourself out of legal trouble?