Sign questions

[MoJo]

The recent rash of questions about signs makes me wonder. Am I the only CHL instructor in the State that spends more than 5 minutes on signs? If the instructors were really instructing they would have covered the sign issue thoroughly. At my CHL instructor class the DPS said there were numerous instructors "cutting corners" and not giving the required instruction. A new licensee is supposed to get AT LEAST 10 hours of instruction including range time. Time spent for lunch, (unless eaten in the classroom during a lesson) travel to and from the range, paperwork, finger prints, and photos doesn't count. I'm thinking there are a bunch of people not getting what they paid for.

[RedRaider]

While I'm not an instructor, I can say that my instructor went over legal signs thoroughly. That said, I still think I learned more and gained more confidence on this forum about what signs are or aren't relavent to CHL holders.

[chasfm11]

While I'm not an instructor, I can say that my instructor went over legal signs thoroughly. That said, I still think I learned more and gained more confidence on this forum about what signs are or aren't relavent to CHL holders.

Our instructor did a great job of going over the signs, too.

To me, the discussion of the signs has been wonderful. Left on my own, I might have looked at the signs on Grapevine Mills mall, understand from my class that they were invalid and carried anyway. Now, I understand that the Grapevine Police don't share my instructor's view of the invalidity of the signs and I could get to take a ride. Yes, I remember that "concealed is concealed" but don't trust my brand new concealment setup to the trained eyes of an LEO.

Another point is that people only retain a small percentage of the material that they are exposed to. I'm a permanently certified school teacher and would like to believe that I carefully and completely covered the material that I was teaching. I can tell you from experience that a test taken by the students a relatively short time afterwards will make a very humble man out of the best teacher. The best possible learning experience would be to physically show the CHL students the actual signs on buildings within a week or so of their class. Retention would be way up.

The solution for retention is repetition.

[Texas Size 11]

My instructor did a good job of it and had some interesting methods of proving his point which I thought were great.

I think a lot of people just get paranoid and don't want to do something wrong when they first get out there (myself included as I am a new CHL holder). Even though we were taught it, you have that voice in the back of your head since you are in fact, a newbie. We're all law abiding citizens and breaking the law is something we have avoided for our entire lives. I think it subsides with time as people get comfortable with it. If I were a betting man, most of the posters starting the threads are new and have not got to the point of having a comfort level with it like veteran license holders have. Ever seen a new driver see their first cop with the radar? They slow down even if they are going the speed limit.

[Salty1]

The instructors can teach and explain everything as required, if the students are not listening then no matter what happens it cannot be drilled into their heads. Some of the students are just their for the license and putting in the time is an inconvienence for them. Personally I enjoyed and participated in the class because I wanted to learn.... Are their instructors short cutting the classes? I am certain there are, but most understand their responsibility and instruct more than the minimum hours required....

[Oldgringo]

MoJo wrote:

...I'm thinking there are a bunch of people not getting what they paid for.

I got pretty much everything I know about the rules, regs and responsibilities appertaining to being a Texas CH licensee from this forum.

'nuff said, Burma Shave.

[MoJo]

MoJo wrote:

...I'm thinking there are a bunch of people not getting what they paid for.

I got pretty much everything I know about the rules, regs and responsibilities appertaining to being a Texas CH licensee from this forum.

'nuff said, Burma Shave.

If that's the case then your CHL instructor short changed you. I'm not saying you should know everything I'm just saying some of the questions posed are awfully basic. Somebody hasn't done their homework.

[Hoi Polloi]

I got pretty much everything I know about the rules, regs and responsibilities appertaining to being a Texas CH licensee from this forum.

'nuff said, Burma Shave.

Me, too!

(I haven't taken a CHL class.)

[WildBill]

While I'm not an instructor, I can say that my instructor went over legal signs thoroughly. That said, I still think I learned more and gained more confidence on this forum about what signs are or aren't relavent to CHL holders.

I read and studied the DPS CHL Handbook before the class, I had an excellent CHL instructor and I got 100% on the written exam. Sitting through a 10 hour class, getting bombarded with information is a lot to absorb at one time. At the end of the day, I thought of more questions that were not asked in class. My instructor, Tom Estep [ElGato] recommended this forum so that we could continue to ask questions and learn.

My post is not just about signs, but about all information and knowledge. I think that continuing education and training is necessary for the persuit of excellence in any endeavor. The TexasCHLForum is a great venue for learning and discussion of all topics CHL.

Off of my soapbox.

[Oldgringo]

While I'm not an instructor, I can say that my instructor went over legal signs thoroughly. That said, I still think I learned more and gained more confidence on this forum about what signs are or aren't relavent to CHL holders.

I read the DPS CHL Handbook before the class, I had an CHL excellent instructor and I got 100% on the written exam. Sitting through a 10 hour class, getting bombarded with information is a lot to absorb at one time. At the end of the day, more questions may come up that were not asked in class. My instructor, Tom Estep [ElGato] recommended this forum so that we could continue to ask questions and learn.

My post is not just about signs, but about all information and knowledge. I think that continuing education and training is necessary for the persuit of excellence in any endeavor. The TexasCHLForum is a great venue for learning and discussion of all topics CHL.

AGREED, er...uh, does that also include spelling?

[Hoi Polloi]

My post is not just about signs, but about all information and knowledge. I think that continuing education and training is necessary for the persuit of excellence in any endeavor. The TexasCHLForum is a great venue for learning and discussion of all topics CHL.

AGREED, er...uh, does that also include spelling?

Nope! You get a pass on that one!

From The Times
October 25, 2008
Spelling bee: Bad at spelling? Could be your genes
Are you lousy with words? Well, don't blame your old teacher, says Kate Wighton, the likely source of your woe is a little closer to home

[b322da]

Might not the frequency of questions about signage we see here on the forum be a credible reason to think there is a problem somewhere in the formal education process? They seem to recur with a great frequency -- possibly with greater frequency than we see on other issues.

I would certainly agree that it appears that many of them come from new licensees; doesn't that, in and of itself, imply they are not as well-grounded on this as we might expect? It is not a real good excuse to say they may not have been paying attention in class. If that were the case they should never have passed the test. I don't see this forum as a substitute for the formal training process, but rather as a reinforcement and something to fill in those inevitable gaps we will always see in all areas. After one already has his license is not the time for him to learn the rules.l

And then we see differences of opinion here amongst the old-timers. Another indication of a lapse in the educational process somewhere?

And to top it off, apparently persons having to do with CHLs in DPS have, according to some reports, been giving questionable, if not plain incorrect, advice about signage.

I will not venture to point fingers as to where the process is falling down; I only think this needs our continued attention and effort to isolate the problem. I suspect the responsiblity is widely shared amongst many.

In closing I will throw a question out which I would think is still on topic. In another thread here I saw a member hesitant to question a statement made by his instructor at his course of instruction. I would suggest that our respect for an instructor's office should not extend this far, and that if newbies walk out with wrong dope we would then share the blame for that. I respect teachers of all sorts and levels, but if a child of mine came home and told me that his teacher said the earth is flat I would weigh in appropriately.

[C-dub]

Just like boot camp, I got little from the CHL class itself. Having read the handbook several times before both classes I was well prepared and actually did challenge the instructor on 1-2 points. My classes are early in even years so I have the luxury of having about six months to check over the new laws prior to my class. So far, both instructors were a little behind on the changes.

[Hoi Polloi]

Might not the frequency of questions about signage we see here on the forum be a credible reason to think there is a problem somewhere in the formal education process? They seem to recur with a great frequency -- possibly with greater frequency than we see on other issues.

Absolutely not!

It is my experience with internet discussion boards that conversation topics come in waves. No one will post about a particular topic for ages, the someone will come along and post about it, then a bunch of people will all post similar or complementing topics because that's what's on their mind. Then that topic will fade away and a new one will emerge.

We see this in the news, too. All of a sudden, every oil spill, small jet crash, mine collapse, or other corresponding catastrophe will be in the news for a while after one gets publicity and then, even though they continue with the same frequency even, they'll stop having news reports written about them and something new will take their place.

A particular topic being the current focus of an internet discussion forum has no bearing whatsoever on what must be being taught. Actually, the more it is discussed, it probably begets more discussion because people think they must not know it all if all these others have to ask about it. Funny how that works.

I predict that this, too, shall pass.

[Pawpaw]

I'm pretty new here myself, but I don't see it as a lack of education. I see it as people taking it seriously and doing their utmost to stay on the right side of the law.

How could that be a bad thing?