Hi,
Pamela, I'm glad you got out for just "the price of tuition!"
Now, for all you guys in other States who love to trash CA, there's a lesson in here that she paid to learn, but you can pick up for free: there are times the appearance of impropriety is as bad as the act itself. As you already know but might tend to overlook, you are NOT nearly as "free" as some like to tell us they are, wherever you are. Your "permits" generally don't give you carte blanche to do what you want, they essentially only "permit you to carry where you're allowed to" and that "allowed to" thing appears to create some serious roadblocks. Arguing that concept's something for another thread--here we're just looking at how it is, like it or not. What's a poor boy/girl to do?
Well, nobody's gonna argue CA's gun laws make any sense or follow any logic, but we have one which might be something to consider for some of you guys who travel between "allowed to" zones and "not allowed to" ones. That is that an unloaded handgun can be carried in a vehicle in a locked container and the definition of locked container is broad enough to cover a multitude of sins. "Intent" might be one of the more serious ones...
As some of you will remember, we kinda "invented" road rage freeway shootings out here. Although we didn't know it at the time, a g/f and I got caught up in a traffic jam we later learned was caused by the very first one either of us ever heard of--late '80s for reference. Shortly after the second or third one, I read a newspaper article about how many people might be carrying guns in their cars and, in what's become typical media fashion, it suggested LE just disarm them. A CHP officer was interviewed, and he said doing so was an impossibility: his agency had estimated approximately 1 in 5 vehicles on the freeways out here has a firearm in it! Considering there are roughly 30 million vehicles registered in this State, that's quite a few for a place where we're so restricted, no?
Anyway, with that number in my head, I talked with a range buddy who was an active (now retired) Sheriff's deputy at the time about carrying guns in a vehicle for self protection. Without going into details, he gave me some "hints" on how to do it, all of which hinge on a carefully crafted mix of "technicalities" blended with a touch of the "crime lies in getting caught" mentality. Of course, they also involve some "mental training" to ensure that IF there's ever a meeting with LEOs, you'll be "technically legal" at THAT time!
With that in mind, I'd suggest you guys in "freer" States who do go into "not allowed" zones consider keeping a lockable case in the vehicle for times you must leave your firearm (AND your extra mags/ammo AND your holster!) in it... depending on your own laws, maybe it can help keep you out of some trouble? Hope so! Even if you don't do that, at least do as I'll bet Pamela does from now on: give yourself a "pat down" to make sure there's no potential problem lurking under your shirt or jacket...
Rick C
