TexasCHLforum.com

Excellent reading. Thank you.

About this broad/narrow view... does this apply to CHLs only? Do the same laws apply to non-CHLs who happen to have a gun in the trunk of their car?

anygunanywhere wrote:After reading Chas' post, it triggered a point I should have made to propellerhead...

You just triggered another reason I have been stalling on getting a CHL. Thank you. :)

It may be a misconception but I've read several times about not drawing your gun unless you're ready to use it. I haven't dug into this but the laws against brandishing a weapon are really strict and if I was packing and got into a sticky situation and I drew my gun to avoid a situation from escalating, wouldn't that be considered brandishing a weapon? Wouldn't that get me into trouble with the law? It seems like there's a gray area between someone cussing at me and I draw my gun and someone coming up to me with a baseball bat and I draw my gun. The line between brandishing a weapon and drawing for self defense doesn't seem clear.

Chas:

No offense taken, sir. I hope you didn't think I was just flaming your forum. I held off for a long time to answer the poll knowing a post from someone who just didn't have a strong reason to get a CHL would draw a lot of arguments from those who feel really strongly about their CHL and choices on when and where to carry. I respect everyone's choices and value everyone's thoughts on the matter. It's just that everyone's reasons don't necessarily apply to me. Just like my reasons for the type of shoes or car or music I choose may not apply to everyone else either. I will probably be the type of person who gets a CHL to carry a gun in the car on trips that would otherwise worry me. You acknowledging the existence of occasional carry folks vs. 24/7 carry folks warms me up to the idea more than any post I've read. Thank you. :)

I have medical insurance, auto insurance, roadside assistance coverage and smoke detectors. These are all 'just in case' items but these do not require the same responsibility as concealed carry weapons. I can't go to jail for showing off my insurance card or for calling roadside assistance in a public school. From what I've been learning, the law already covers me for a majority of the 'just in case' scenarios I face in my day to day life. Without a CHL, I can legally use my weapon to defend my life, family and property at home. Without a CHL, I can legally have my gun in my car and use it if my life depended on it. On the surface it seems like a CHL will let me carry a weapon when I'm not at home or not in my car, excluding being at work. My work prohibits having any sort of firearm on company property even if it is locked in your car. So that really covers walking around on foot or riding in someone else's vehicle. The way I see it, the CHL will only add coverage to small windows of time. Do I feel the need to cover 100% of the time? I don't know yet. I haven't for the last 41 years. Do I need a snow shovel living in north Texas? I haven't for the last 6-7 years.

Thank you.

I wasn't trying to skunk anything nor was I trying to convince anyone of anything. I'm just trying to learn here. Trying to see what reasons people have for getting a CHL, and of course responding to the poll on reasons why I don't have a CHL yet.

I really am on the fence on getting a CHL and possibly carrying. I even thought about starting a thread for reasons why you got a CHL and carry but I get the feeling all the responses will be from people who have felt strongly about carrying from the beginning. I tried it on a car related message board that I frequent and all the responses were as I expected. It was all from those where 110% convinced and decided to carry. I was hoping to hear from others who were in my situation. Those who have been on the fence for a while then finally decided to get a CHL. Reasons like "Because I can" or "I want to be ready incase some bad guy jumps out of a dark corner and tries to kill me" or "The massacre at Luby's could've been stopped" or "I own a car stereo business" are all true and valid reasons but I can't relate to them. Those reasons are not wrong. I just don't feel as strongly about them as most on here do. Just like asking people why they chose the shoes that they are wearing. Some will say for comfort. Some will say for style. Some will say for cost. All are valid reasons but they are all personal and specific to each person's situation, beliefs and experiences. I just haven't found reasons for a CHL/carry that apply to me, my background, my experiences. I believe in defending my home. I believe in defending my loved ones. I'm just not sure I need to have a gun in my pocket when I go to Albertson's on the way home from work.

I think the best course for me is to take the CHL class and go from there. I hope I didn't upset anyone by posting me reason (or non-reason) why I don't have a CHL yet.

I had a feeling my post would get a lot of responses. Each response has very valid points and I appreciate hearing those reasons. No one can argue against readiness. :)

To me, it all boils down to what state of readiness each person feels they need to be in based on their own personal experiences and surroundings. Some people are fine with just being alert and aware. Some will be alert and avoid areas known for trouble. Some may choose to learn a martial art. Some will choose to keep a handgun on them. Some do it part time. Some do it full time. Some will carry one gun. Some will carry more. Some will do that and wear body armor. Some will hire a body guard to cover their back. Some will convert their personal vehicle into an armored car. Some will live inside a fortress with rocket launchers and never leave home. It's all a personal choice based on personal experiences. Unlike probably 99% of the readers of this forum, I just haven't raised my level of readiness to carrying a handgun. I don't have strong reasons not to but I just haven't found strong reasons to either.

And that's why I checked "Other" in the poll.

And that is why I'm here... to learn more about CHLs and to see if I want to be at that level of readiness.

Diode wrote:I did learn alot from the class and in here. I also find shooting at the range relaxing.

Same here. I have learned more on here than other gun forums. I'm glad there's a Texas-specific gun forum.

I think I'll go shoot after work today. :)

Diode wrote:

propellerhead wrote:I know a lot of you carry a weapon "because you'll never know when you'll need it".

Will I ever need the handgun I will carry? Doubt it!
Will my vote ever decide an election? Doubt it!

But I tell you what, I'll will not be one of the those poor souls like in England
standing around wondering where the hell their rights went. If for no other reason, I will have a CHL and I will Vote because I have that right and I want my sons to have that right. If being able to carry a weapon is not your cup of tea Propellerhead that's cool, there is nothing wrong with that!!

I'm planning to take the class primarily to learn about the laws. I might even turn the paperwork in for the license. I know it's my right and will probably exercise that right at some point. But at this time, I'm still don't feel strongly about the need to carry.

llwatson wrote:

propellerhead wrote:I just haven't found a strong enough reason why I need one. But I'm still looking...

Do you have a smoke detector in your home? You do? Why? Have you ever needed it?

You don't need a license to use a smoke detector. You don't need training to use a smoke detector. You don't have to be a responsible level headed and calm person to use a smoke detector. You don't need a good understanding of the laws to use a smoke detector. Put batteries in whenever it beeps once a minute and forget about it. I hope no one here is that casual with concealed carry weapons. There's a lot of responsibility needed for a CCW. There's near zero for a smoke detector. I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be difficult here. I'm not gonna view a CCW like a smoke detector.

I have the money for it and can easily make time for it. I just haven't convinced myself that I need it.

I have a good job that lets me live in the good side of town. I work at a military installation that has fences and armed guards. My side of town has just about everything I need, including a gun range. I have not gone to the bad side of town in years and have no reason to go there at all. I'm a very casual guy with no enemies. I'm the kind of guy that will hand $5 or a bottle of water to the old man at the corner with the sign that reads, "Hungry. Please help". I'm the guy that will smile and wave if I have eye contact with some random person at a stoplight.

I know a lot of you carry a weapon "because you'll never know when you'll need it". That is true but I've gone through 40+ years of my life without needing one. The only fights I were ever in were organized matches in martial arts. And as I get older my lifestlye becomes more and more simple. I even hate loud music in smokey bars now.

In short, I have all the resources to get a CHL. But I have all the reasons why I don't believe I need one. I just haven't found a strong enough reason why I need one. But I'm still looking...