Is it worth it, with all these restrictions?

[esxmarkc]

Or if the parking garage is owned by his employer and is not available for public parking. That is my circumstance. My employer does not have any signs prohibiting guns, but it does have an employee policy and they own the parking lot and it is not available to the public for parking. So, non-employees can carry away, but I cannot.

But that is my point. Would you seriously allow them to search your car? No signs so it's not illegal - just against company policy.

[dicion]

Most restaurants and other businesses have the "unlicensed possession" sign.

I don't believe I've EVER seen a restaurant, that has an 'unlicensed possession' sign ever have a 30.06 sign, or any other gunbusters sign for that matter.

I have not seen one post both either and didn't say I had.

Never implied that you did, just stating my experience and beliefs that the Blue sign actually prevents business owners from putting up other signs if they were planning to, because they believe they are covered by that one.

[hangfour]

I'd recommend getting the CHL even though you have some restrictions (at work). There is something, at least for me, knowing that I can carry if I wish. There are so few 'manly' things left in our society. Having a CHL is one (no offense intended for our many women CHL'ers) of the few left.

[C-dub]

I don't believe I've EVER seen a restaurant, that has an 'unlicensed possession' sign ever have a 30.06 sign,

Oops. It was this portion that I misinterpreted to think you were saying you had never seen a place posted with the unlicensed sign have a 30.06 sign.

[kahrfreak]

but it does have an employee policy

And it's just that, a policy. It's not called "concealed carry" for convenience. Let your conscience be your guide. But if you've already allowed your conscience to tell you that a CHL is prudent in these times, then the dilemma is probably already solved.

[3dfxMM]

Or if the parking garage is owned by his employer and is not available for public parking. That is my circumstance. My employer does not have any signs prohibiting guns, but it does have an employee policy and they own the parking lot and it is not available to the public for parking. So, non-employees can carry away, but I cannot.

But that is my point. Would you seriously allow them to search your car? No signs so it's not illegal - just against company policy.

I don't know about others here, but I cannot afford to risk getting fired. If I keep a gun in the car and they decide to search my car, I am out of luck whether I let them search the car or not. Either way I am going to get fired. In my case, it is a moot point since the whole property is posted with 30.06 signs. I am really hoping to see something happen with the parking lot bill next year. It really sucks to have to go home first on days that I want to go to the range either during lunch or right after work.

[Purplehood]

First, an up-front apology: I simply couldn't find the right search terms to see how many places this has already been discussed in many other threads.

Newbie here. It recently occurred to me that I might want to go get a CHL license. We currently keep our gun in a gunvault and it pretty much serves as a "home invasion" thing. However, the more I think about it, the more it seems like I'd end up getting the CHL and pretty much NEVER being able to actually carry. I can imagine it getting to the point where it's simply such a gigantic pain to plan my day around the weapon that I'll end up just leaving it in the safe.

For example, work. Yes, I've seen the threads on that. I'm in the same situation many are: office worker where the company bans guns there AND in the parking garage, which really is the only place that's parkable anywhere near the place. My situation is slightly unique though: I actually commute by bicycle. So, 5 out of 7 days I'm either in my cubicle or riding to work or riding home. I'm more likely to get mugged on the ride home than any other time, I imagine, but I would NEVER have the gun!!

So, that leaves Saturday and Sunday. How do you avoid basically having to call ahead to each business you plan on visiting (or spending a bunch of time on your smartphone on the web) as you're going about your day? If you go out and the business doesn't allow guns, you're faced with a walk back to the car (or bike!) during which you're MOST at risk! What's the point?

Made the effort. Otherwise, don't.
It is like anything else in life. If you think something is important enough to merit investing time and money in, you put in the work and watch it payoff in the long-run. After a while you no longer even notice the "inconvenience".

[ex_dsmr]

Hmm, you are quite restricted and I could see where that would put you off.
Im not advocating violating your company policy but unless there is a valid 30.06 sign posted the worst they could do is fire you. Im not aware of your situation but thats something to consider. The saying is "concealed means concealed". If your careful, the only time someone will know you are cc'ing is if (God forbid) you have to use it to defend yourself on company property.

As far as other places such as stores, resteraunts, etc that are off limits your going to find that most DONT have 30.06 postings. Its pretty easy to know off hand if they are going to be posted. Banks, hospitals, schools, govt bldgs, bars/51%. Im not sure about you but I dont frequent those places very often so its a non-issue.

The bicycle does offer a very good reason to carry yet at the same time prevents safe keeping of a firearm that must be left behind. I myself ride a motorcycle but it is not my only vehicle. Again, you may just have to plan on where your going to be going that day and take steps to remain legal.

[phrogg]

Its pretty easy to know off hand if they are going to be posted. Banks, hospitals, schools, govt bldgs, bars/51%. Im not sure about you but I dont frequent those places very often so its a non-issue.

You lumped in Banks in with a group of places that are likely to be posted. Since a bank is very unlikely to be posted I thought I would break that out here. I've yet to see any bank posted. And if it were my bank, I'd strap on a long gun and go in to visit with the manager and explain why he should remove the signs. If he's not up to that, I'd simply move my accounts. In the case where that is my particular bank, that's actually a big deal for them considering I own or am a partner in something like 6 different businesses and I would pull all of those business accounts along with my personal ones.

If Chappel Hill weren't so far away, I'd actually move my accounts there just because they have that wonderful Gun Welcome sign!

[chasfm11]

Another good reason, not mentioned yet, is the CHL class itself. Since you keep a gun at home, you will definitely benefit from the modules that are taught as part of the CHL class materials. The use of deadly force material is very important. Sure, you can read the Texas penal code but if you are like me, having an instructor go over it and talk about what it means will help you understand it. You need to know and understand that material whether you plan to carry or not.

Another point. Even if you carry only on the weekends, you will be handling your gun two days a week that you probably wouldn't have done without the CHL. I personally do better with things that I'm more familiar with. Moving the gun from your concealment carry, whatever it is that you decide to use, to its normal position in your home will give you a constant reminder of how to grip it without putting your trigger finger inside the guard. People tend to revert to what is familiar in a crisis and practicing weekly keeping your finger off the trigger until you need to shoot may save you an accidental discharge during an adrenalin rush.

There is always a lot of discussion here about getting to the optimum position. That position includes carrying 24/7 with a gun that is completely ready to go at all times and that you are very comfortable with. It also includes knowing how to use it under difficult circumstances. I started from the other end of the scale. Having a gun available at all outside my house is an improvement over only having a gun at home. I don't know about you, but evenings and weekends are the times when my risks for needing a gun outside to protect myself and my family are greatest. I believe in the Kaisen philosophy ( start someplace toward a goal and work on continuous improvement from your starting point toward that goal). That approach suggests that you start by getting the CHL and by carrying when you can, rather than worrying because you are not currently in the optimum position.

[ex_dsmr]

Its pretty easy to know off hand if they are going to be posted. Banks, hospitals, schools, govt bldgs, bars/51%. Im not sure about you but I dont frequent those places very often so its a non-issue.

You lumped in Banks in with a group of places that are likely to be posted. Since a bank is very unlikely to be posted I thought I would break that out here. I've yet to see any bank posted. And if it were my bank, I'd strap on a long gun and go in to visit with the manager and explain why he should remove the signs. If he's not up to that, I'd simply move my accounts. In the case where that is my particular bank, that's actually a big deal for them considering I own or am a partner in something like 6 different businesses and I would pull all of those business accounts along with my personal ones.

If Chappel Hill weren't so far away, I'd actually move my accounts there just because they have that wonderful Gun Welcome sign!

Your right, my bad.

[cbunt1]

Yes, it's worth it. It does seem very restrictive at first, but once you get "rolling" with it, there are very few places you can't carry--as others have stated.

I can sympathize with you. When CC first came to Texas, I considered getting mine, but didn't...The CHL Legislation was closely followed by a rash of 30.06 postings, and everywhere I looked would have been a prohibited place...including (at that time) my employer, so I just didn't bother.

As time went on we saw fewer and fewer 30.06 postings, and frankly, we're still seeing fewer and fewer. Sure, new ones pop up from time to time, but they're really not as big a bother as we make them out to be.

I'd say get the CHL. The decide when and if you want to carry...at least you will have made a decision each time, rather than defaulting to what you can do today.

And who knows--you might just change jobs to a company that's at least neutral, or even friendly toward CHL.

[Bullwhip]

How many guns you buy a year, and do you ever have a problem with the nics check?

Some people say it's worth getting the chl just so they don't have to hassle with the nics check. Similar name as a criminal or something that makes them get delayed.

If you ever get in a situation where you really need to carry no matter what, at least you'll be legal. Getting a chl takes weeks/months, threats take seconds. Don't wait til you need it, might be too late to get it.

[Horseman]

I had something happen recently that showed me that at any time anywhere you may need your gun. A parollee was on the run from the police, had been all afternoon showed up in my driveway at the end of a dead end road in the country. I think the fact that I was standing in the driveway with a friend and had a pistol in my hand (looking at a light for sale) spooked him and he asked to use the phone. We said no and he left. I told my friend, who was a police officer that I was nervous about this guy so we went to go check him out. That is when we discovered he had wrecked his car in a police chase earlier in the day and was running through the woods all day. My friend took him down at gun point after a short chase on foot and the guy went back to prison.

That could easily have turned out as a hostage situation or if I hadn't been home and it was just my wife there who knows what could have happened.

The moral of the story is...carry, your life can be endangered in the blink of an eye anywhere you are 24 hours a day. The more of us CHL holders there are who actively carry, the less criminals there will be on the streets.

[andy123]

Hey no fair i haven't got my secret decoder ring yet. It must be lost in the mail. The CHL classes are good for the knowledge, yet you have to do your homework. Some are a joke and others are good. Just wanted to throw that out. And I feel your pain about restrictions on carrying. I am a public servant and I am also not allowed to have my gun in my vehicle in the parking lot. Any one and there dog can but not me. I think its a crock, but because of ignorance.

Carry always use sparingly.