Public transportation... conceal carry.

[jackdanson]

Does anyone else see the HUGE issue with banning firearms on public transportation? In our area it used to be law that you couldn't carry on public transportation... thankfully they changed that law, but the powers-that-be in the trans. industry decided that we still weren't responsible enough to carry on their property.

Thankfully I am well-off enough that I am not forced into using this city's cobbled together public transportation system, but many aren't that lucky. Every day when I leave work (around 10pm) I notice this attractive (don't tell my wife!) girl waiting for the bus at a stop just around the corner. During the day this is a pretty busy business-park area, but at 10pm everyone has already gone home and the streets are very desolate. (desolate enough that it is used as an impromptu drag strip for local car nuts) I also work with a guy who spends about 2 hours jumping from public transport to public transport on his way home. Most of his stops are in very high crime areas. Doesn't this just make perfect targets for robbers and rapists? A guaranteed unarmed person who is on the same schedule every day. Anyway, it's asinine... not even sure where I was going with this.. I was just angry!

My personal opinion is that those in power look down on the people using the public transportation. They look at them as low income minorities that aren't responsible enough to carry without shooting eachother. Well news flash people.. the robbers and gangstas don't care about your stupid "don't carry" rule, it only effects the innocent folks that happen to be riding in your system. Anyway I'm done rambling.

 

[nutter]

I agree Jack. Rules like that would appear to be discriminatory against people in a lower income bracket.

the robbers and gangstas don't care about your stupid "don't carry" rule

Indeed!

 

[MIgunguy]

Yes, not allowing concealed carry on public transportation is a huge problem. If the govnt. wants to promote the use of public transportation to conserve fuel in this country (good luck), they'll allow us to protect ourselves if we so choose. Otherwise we should all continue to use our 10 mpg. whatever we drive to get about in greater safety (and more quickly). If the state and / or FBI background check trusts you enough to grant a carry permit, what authority does the all mighty transit system have to disagree?

 

[Zundfolge]

In most cities, the one place where you need to be armed the most is on board the public transportation system.


One of the things that annoys me about carry restrictions under the guise that "you don't need a gun in X location" is that it doesn't take into account that I might need the gun while traveling between home and X location or between X and Y location.


There is no reasonable argument to be made that if I'm safe enough to walk down the sidewalk while packing a gun that I'm NOT safe enough to ride a subway or bus armed as well.

 

[twoclones]

Does anyone else see the HUGE issue with banning firearms on public transportation?

Yes, I do. I also see it making public transport attractive to those who would use violence for personal gain.

 

[FoMoGo]

Concealed means Concealed.
Personally... I would rather be charged with carrying on public transportation... than have my family deal with my death.
Not saying that others should carry where they are not supposed to.


Jim

 

[JWF III]

Yes, I do. I also see it making public transport attractive to those who would use violence for personal gain.

There is nothing stopping them now. The only difference is we (the law abiding citizens) cannot protect ourselves from those illegally (as if they care) carrying.

Thank God Georgia finally got rid of that bit of stupidity, now we just have to work on that "public gatherings" part. Of course no one knows what a public gathering is defined as.

Wyman

 

[zammyman]

I agree it's crazy. Banks, colleges, USPS, so many places we're not supposed to carry. My college has a sign outside that says "drug free weapon free zone." Yeah right... and what's your unarmed security guard going to do, blow a whistle right before he gets shot? Sadly students don't have really the guts to carry in there because if you're caught.. you're kicked out of school. ****

 

[Mello]

Remember when the phrase "attractive nuisance" was popular to describe swimming pools as a liability for homeowners?

"Attractive nuisance" should apply to government controlled areas where they prohibit concealed carry by licensed citizens and to private property which prohibits guns open to the public like malls, etc.

Gun free zone is an advertisement for predators that their prey will be unarmed sheep instead of armed wolves. Examples abound, such as the Virginia Tech 2007 shooting and Westroads Mall in Omaha, Neb.

 

[jbauch357]

Could be worse, you could be in Seattle where the mayor is labeling all city owned proerty "private" property and pushing for an executive order that would ban weapons on any of the said city owned "private" property.

 

[danweasel]

I agree, this is discrimination against pore folk.

 

[Mainsail]

Well, even though you could have included your location, you did not. Here in Washington, carry is legal on the public busses. Concealed if you have a license, openly if you do not or choose to carry that way.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Although it's called "public transportation" it's usually a private business that runs the service (although they often get gov't funding). They of course listen to their lawyers instead of common sense and see negative dollar signs in their eyes when words like "liability" and "negligent" pop up.
It's not a rational decision. They aren't the least bit concerned with your safety or that of any of their riders. They are concerned with the bottom line. It's a lawyer's decision to keep their insurance premiums lower. Some folks say "concealed is concealed" and I have no problem with that

 

[jackdanson]

Although it's called "public transportation" it's usually a private business that runs the service (although they often get gov't funding).

Yeah, I believe they are run by a private business, but recieve large chunks of cash from the govt. I know that they have the RIGHT to ban firearms on their vehicles, but I don't agree with the decision.

 

[mp510]

I agree Jack. Rules like that would appear to be discriminatory against people in a lower income bracket.

Classism is not a form of statuatorily defined illegal discrimination, thankfully.

 

[prescott]

I agree, this is discrimination against pore folk.

Are those the really sweaty people?

 

[rodomonte]

Concealed carry on a bus? I wasn't even allowed to take pictures of the local bus station. If you can't take pictures of buses, they certaintly can't be expected to let you take a gun on a bus. Something to do with terrorism.

 

[prescott]

Well, if there's no metal detectors... Concealed means concealed in my book.