US Postal Service enforces gun ban in public parking lots

[majstoll]

http://www.examiner.com/x-2782-DC-G...rvice-enforces-gun-ban-in-public-parking-lots

SNIP

USPS spokesperson Joanne Vito told the Examiner.com that 39 CFR 232.1(l)


“applies to anyone coming into a Post Office or a Postal facility. The regulation prohibiting the possession of firearms or other weapons applies to all real property under the charge and control of the Postal Service. . . . Both open and concealed possession are prohibited, so storage of a weapon on a car parked in a lot that is under the charge and control of the Postal Service would be prohibited.”

. . .

Philip Van Cleave, President of the Virginia Citizens Defense League . . . said that the Postal Service is just “setting a trap” for the many gun owners who now carry their guns on a daily basis and may not even know about this parking lot gun ban. “Even the National Park gun ban allowed folks to store their guns in their cars,” said Van Cleave . . .

 

[chris in va]

Oh great. We try to obey the law, now this.

 

[mljdeckard]

First of all, we follow the law period. It is illegal to carry in your car onto postal service property. When I (RARELY) go to a post office, I park off property.

BUT, if someone WERE to park on the parking area of a strip mall in FRONT of the post office, in a parking spot marked 'postal customers only', how would the postal service justify searching the car and finding the gun?

Let's make it easier. The only thing that I need to go to the post office for is passport stuff. Use UPS. Don't go to the post office AT ALL.

 

[freakshow10mm]

Not this crap again.

 

[ChaoSS]

First off, wouldn't they be required to post signs stating that you can't bring a gun onto the property? Even buildings like courthouses, where everybody pretty well knows you can't bring guns, have to be very clearly marked as such.

Let's make it easier. The only thing that I need to go to the post office for is passport stuff. Use UPS. Don't go to the post office AT ALL.

Unless I'm missing something, the UPS does not do letter delivery.

Some of us don't have mailboxes in front of our houses, and have to go to the post office in order to pick up and send our mail.

 

[tasco 74]

sounds unconstitutional to me........

Life is short.....

 

[Quoheleth]

Waitaminute...seriously? You can't leave a gun in your parked car in a USPS parking lot?

I'm not saying I broke the law but I'm going to have to re-arrange my post-office visits.

What's the law about drive-thru mailboxes on post office property? I'm not parking the car; I'm not even "standing" the car; only pausing momentarily to allow stamped mail to evacuate my automobile. Further, if a post office box is in a grocery store parking lot, does "postal property" include X-feet away from the box?

I'm serious, folks - this wasn't covered in my class. Yeah, I know...look it up...I am, here on THR.

Q

 

[DammitBoy]

I refuse to use the u.s.p.s. - the service is horrible, the shipping is less than good, the guarantee of delivery is worthless and now this crap.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hmmmmmmmm...can't an FFL Mail Guns using the USPS?

 

[blindhari]

All right let's start at the begining. The United States Postal Service predates the Constitution of the United States. The USPS predates because it was formed by Benjamin Franklin for the Continental Congress "to bind the nation together". It has never been a for profit business. It is a monopoly wholly owned by the USA and its regulations have gained the full force of law as enacted by the Congress, signature of the President and approval of the Supreme Court. Those regulations were lifted in large part from British law and the removal may not be possible. If you think the no firearms on postal property is a pain you ought to see some of the other things still on the books. If you want to know why they operate the way they do, ask a specific question and I'll try to answer it.

blindhari

Yeah, when I worked there I read all 18' of those regulations more than once.

 

[armsmaster270]

The law has been in play for years just not as publicized P.O.'s normally have a notice posted but not the gun with red slash.

 

[ChaoSS]

So, if it's not posted, does that mean it's not law?

Is it a law that it's illegal to have a gun on their property, or is it a PO rule, so they have to post signs, the same as any other business has to do?

 

[armsmaster270]

It is a federal law the section is noted on the sign they don't need 30-06 signs. It would be basically the same as carrying in a courthouse but no detector.

 

[evan price]

Guys.

You're forgetting Rule #1 of CCW:

"Concealed means concealed"

How often do you get a vehicle search when you go to the post office???

 

[goatboy66]

Guys, don't worry about it.
The strip out front is a retail parking lot.
I'm a postal worker and I've been arguing this issue w/ mgmt for years.
The guy who was convicted parked his car inside the postal working area, back where the trucks and docks are.
In other words, his vehicle was, essentially, INside the post office.
No, I'm not agreeing with it, in fact I'm DISagreeing with it.
What I'm saying is that it's nothing you guys have to worry about.
Don't carry inside, don't advertise that you have one in your car.

 

[goatboy66]

I refuse to use the u.s.p.s. - the service is horrible, the shipping is less than good, the guarantee of delivery is worthless and now this crap.

USPS has, consistently, scored as high or higher than the parcel posts for on-time delivery and, again consistently, beaten them on price.

Name another organization in the world that can take a letter for .42 and hand-carry it from San Diego to Vermont.

 

[benEzra]

Name another organization in the world that can take a letter for .42 and hand-carry it from San Diego to Vermont.

I believe it would be illegal for another organization to attempt to do so.

 

[atomd]

How often do you get a vehicle search when you go to the post office???

It's true that it's not likely your car will be searched....but there are other circumstances that could lead to that. A car being broken into, a car being stolen, a car fire, someone hitting/damaging your parked car, etc. While it might be a minute risk, it's still a risk. Stuff happens.

 

[jon_in_wv]

Sorry guys but if you check your CCW permit I would wager MOST of them say they don't authorize you to carry on Federal property. Most Post Offices are considered Federal property including the parking lot. Even if you CCW doesn't say it Federal property isn't under the jurisdiction of the state to make that determination.

I believe it would be illegal for another organization to attempt to do so.

I don't think the question was about legality, rather logistics and economics.

 

[JShirley]

http://www.law.cornell.edu/anncon/html/amdt4frag3_user.html

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...n=div6&view=text&node=41:3.1.1.3.22.3&idno=41
(§ 102-74.440 : I do note the wording says in not on)

 

[Dravur]

And in other news....

Water has been determined to be wet...
Having the flu will make you feel all yucky...
Communism sucks...

Oh, I thought this was the obvious news dept.....

Of course they have a parking lot ban. It has been out there for years... Just because they now say "Hey, we have a ban in our parking lots that has been in effect for years... Just thought you might like to know about it"

If I go to the Post Office, I just park across the street, leave the gun in the car and wander on in. Easy Peesy, Lemon Squeesy

 

[jon_in_wv]

Stop making sense Dravur.

 

[Flame Red]

So much for going Postal!

 

[chuckusaret]

The post office in my town is in a strip mall and the parking lot is shared with the other stores. I believe they would have a hard time enforcing the parking lot ban. QUESTION: How many people make visits to the post office. If I can't have it picked up by the letter carrier, I use fedex or UPS pickups. Way too inconvient for me to visit the post office. You can now buy all your mailing needs, including stamps, on the net and have them delivered more cheaply than driving to the post office.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Name another organization in the world that can take a letter for .42 and hand-carry it from San Diego to Vermont.

Other than business reasons, name WHY you'd need to send a letter hand carried from San Diego to Vermont.