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Yep.... I exposed my weapon.... on purpose.

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:12 am
by DaveT
This story is about a rent house across the street and low class 'renters from Hell'. Lady who owns the house lives far off in Lubbock, all she cares about is the rent money, never does anything to fix up the house. As a result, there have been an endless series of very strange and often annoying folks living there.

Most recent renters have been the worst. Ex con with a girlfriend 20 years younger than him, she just had his baby so they now have the state and welfare money to live on. They did not pay rent for 6 months, but always had lots of cigarettes, booze and beer. Loud parties, four barking dogs and lots of friends with loud cars and trucks who just had to peel out and leave rubber whenever leaving.

He fancies himself a mechanic and always working on friend's cars and trucks.... sometimes all night long under worklights in the front yard.

I subscribed to PublicData.com and began running license checks and owner background checks on all the folks who showed up across the street. Lots of convictions, felons, and lots with extensive arrest records for drug use. I kept a list of license plates and printouts, all went to our local Police Chief who ran his own checks and confirmed that there was a lot of drug convictions among the group. One plate out of Abilene was identified as that of a suspected big time drug supplier.

Our local community has very few enforceable ordinances for many of the things the renters could have been cited for in other communities..... like the junk cars, knee high weeds, changing oil in a car and dumping it in the front yard, etc.

After my wife was almost attacked by one of their dogs running loose, I did have a talk with our Police Chief about that and he was in agreement that if it happened again, there would be no problem with me discharging a weapon inside the city limits. ;-) The renter must have seen the light when I came out of the house with a very black, tactical looking 12 gauge shotgun after I heard my wife screaming at the dog to get away. The dog retreated just as she got back up on our porch and I made it outside. After that the dogs were secured in a chicken wire pen in the front yard, but that did nothing to prevent the 24 hour a day barking.

I finally decided to take matters into my own hands. I chose an afternoon when the renter, his girlfriend, and several friends were all drinking out in the front yard with more than enough loud music playing for the entire neighborhood to hear. I backed my truck out of my garage, and within plain sight of all of them, I began to clean all the windows on my truck, being sure to walk around it several times with my right side in plain, open view. Why ? Because I was wearing my Glock 23 in an OWB pancake open and exposed. I even chose a tan holster with a black belt, just so the holster and gun would stand out against my white t-shirt. Also had double mag pouch clipped on to the belt. In no time at all, they noticed and things got very quiet...... and I mean very quiet. All the friends left quietly, and the folks who live there went inside.

Police Chief spoke with me the next day, laughing his head off. He said the dude looked him up and told him about the crazy old guy across the street wearing a gun the day before. Police Chief explained to him that I had a legal right to carry and that open carry on one's private property was perfectly legal. He also threw this in..... he told the renter that he was surprised that they did not know I used to be the Police Chief here.

We left for Lubbock last Sunday evening because I had to be at a hospital there at 0530 Monday morning for spinal/disk surgery. When we returned on Thursday, the renters from Hell were gone and the house now sits empty. I saw the Police Chief yesterday and asked him about it, he replied that he knew they moved, something about not wanting to live across the street from an ex-cop. Guess they wanted to keep all their activities from certain folks........

So yes, I exposed my weapon on purpose. Shame on me, I guess, but the smile is still on my face ! :grin:

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:45 am
by BrassMonkey
Good job...

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:14 pm
by jimlongley
Well, carrying on your own property is not REALLY exposing on purpose, as the police chief pointed out. :lol:

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:03 pm
by TheYoungGuy
POP QUIZ!

A) I can carry my weapon on a OWB holster in PLAIN VIEW for all to see in my front and back yard if I have a CHL.

B) I can carry my weapon on a OWB holster in PLAIN VIEW for all to see in my front and back yard if I do not have a CHL.

C) Both are correct.

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:05 pm
by seamusTX
C.

Actually, you can legally carry openly without a CHL if you are traveling, hunting, going between your residence and a range, and a few other circumstances without a CHL.

However, it is not a good idea to try.

- Jim

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:33 pm
by longtooth
i open carry all the time too. On my own property of coarse.

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:08 pm
by frankie_the_yankee
longtooth wrote:i open carry all the time too. On my own property of coarse.
Me too.

Re: Yep.... I exposed my weapon.... on purpose.

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:31 pm
by Venus Pax
DaveT wrote: So yes, I exposed my weapon on purpose. Shame on me, I guess, but the smile is still on my face ! :grin:
You did what was prudent and legal for that situation.

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 4:17 pm
by CHL/LEO
Reagrding your former "neighbors" - based upon your description of the situation they were probably manufacturing and dealing meth out of the house.
Actually, you can legally carry openly without a CHL if you are traveling, hunting, going between your residence and a range, and a few other circumstances without a CHL.

However, it is not a good idea to try.

- Jim
Dittos regarding not a good idea...

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:41 pm
by TIN BENDER
Perfect-Perfect.

You seemed to do all the right things.

Knowing Texas Law was to your advantage.

This is where I want to be!

That is why I often visit TexasCHLforum.com

I deal with some of this every day.

All of us better think and KNOW before

we react STUPID and IGNORANT !

Thank You TexasCHLforum.

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:51 pm
by GlockenHammer
I like your Chief of Police.

Re: Yep.... I exposed my weapon.... on purpose.

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:55 pm
by KD5NRH
DaveT wrote:Lady who owns the house lives far off in Lubbock, all she cares about is the rent money, never does anything to fix up the house.
<SNIP>
changing oil in a car and dumping it in the front yard, etc.
You should look into that one closer; either TCEQ or EPA might be interested in putting her on the hook for a really expensive cleanup. Most slumlords either sell out or become a lot more careful about their renters after that kind of hassle and expense.

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:36 pm
by kauboy
seamusTX wrote: Actually, you can legally carry openly without a CHL if you are traveling, hunting, going between your residence and a range, and a few other circumstances without a CHL.

However, it is not a good idea to try.

- Jim
Technically, no. You cannot have an openly visible firearm in your car while traveling, if you don't have a CHL. It must be concealed to meet the criteria.
Hunting is done on private property and the owner has obviously given permission to allow a firearm.

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:05 am
by srothstein
Kauboy,

This is the real confusing area. If you are in the car and traveling, you can carry however you want, open or concealed. If you want the presumption of traveling to apply, it must be concealed while in the car.

So, do you want the burden of proof or do you want the state to have to prove it?

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:08 am
by seamusTX
PC §46.15. NONAPPLICABILITY.
(b) Section 46.02 does not apply to a person who:
(3) is traveling;
(4) is engaging in lawful hunting, fishing, or other sporting activity on the immediate premises where the activity is conducted, or is directly en route between the premises and the actor's residence, if the weapon is a type commonly used in the activity;
That's the whole enchilada. It says nothing about open or concealed carry or the means of travel. The presumption that you are traveling if you are in a private motor vehicle and the handgun is concealed, etc., is a recent add-on.

- Jim