Nothing I have suggested in my hypotheticals is remotely illegal, at least in the way that almost everyone on this forum interprets the law. I refuse to allow myself to be intimidated from doing something that is legal. When 30.06 sign violations were a class A misdemeanor and I saw a non-complaint sign and ignored it, I was doing nothing wrong, and I weighed it against the chance that I could be WRONGLY convicted. It amazes me that people who are afraid to walk past a noncompliant gunbuster sign, think nothing of driving through a school zone carrying a handgun under MPA. While that's not against Texas law, it is a Federal offense (felony). It's very likely unconstitutional and very unlikely you'll ever get charged with it, but it is the current law until a Federal court rules otherwise.TreyHouston wrote:ScottDLS wrote:Don't drive 54 in a 55 zone without being willing to suffer the legal consequences...It's a "de minimus" difference and some judge may just decide that 54 is "too fast".
When measuring the potential consequences of being charged with something that isn't against the law, I always measure it against the chances of getting caught, and the penalty for being unjustly convicted of a crime that I didn't commit. When 30.06 violations were a class A misdemeanor, I routinely carried in locations that were improperly posted. I knew there was a chance I could be (wrongfully) convicted, but since I conceal pretty well I didn't really think the issue would come up. In the very unlikely case that the issue did come up, I was willing to hire a defense lawyer to make my case. Most prosecutors are lazy about this type of case when confronted with someone determined to defend themselves (because the person is right). That's not to say that a case could never go against you, but I'd be willing to plead it out to some bull class C or pre-trial diversion, etc.... So you take the 1 in 100 chance that someone in authority notices me carrying, then the 1:100 chance that they don't just tell me to get out, the 1 in 10 chance that the police arrest, the 1 in 10 chance the prosecutor takes the case, and the 1 in 5 chance that I actually get convicted of a class A that I didn't commit... One in 5,000,000 odds of a class A conviction...or something like that, I'll take it. I mean there's always the off chance I get struck by lightning on my way to the improperly posted venue. And now it's "only" a class C.
Now what really scares me is driving home from the range with my AR15 and loaded magazines in the back passenger seats of my Jeep. There could be an ATF roadblock set up in one of the 10 school zones where I pass within 1000 ft of a school on my way home. 10 years in Federal pen and $100,000 fine for violating the GFSZA.
So, i do understand what you are saying. (Charles does not take lightly snubbing the law however, FYI). Once again, I understand but this is not my forum and there are anti gunners that take pictures of posts like that and use them against US as an example of how non-law abiding we are, even though you are only speaking hypothetically.
Another: although the risks of being caught in that situation are hypothetically low. The problem occurs if you have to use your weapon to defend yourself. You were using your weapon in a place that is prohibited by the law then charges against you become trumped up automatically and probably excepted by the DA, even if you didn't fire your weapon! Food for thought....
So NO I was not violating forum rule 4. And actually my examples were not hypothetical they were real. I walked into Dallas Love Field terminal non secure areas when they were posted because the postings don't apply to city owned properties. i have walked into an AMC theater that was posted with a sign so small that it was unreadable and at foot level. it looked like it might have had some 30.06 writing on it, but I. couldn't tell. What I could tell is that it was not in accordance with the clear requirements of the law. I'm not going to self censor my posts when i'm doing something perfectly legal. Oh and I drove 45 in 45 mph zone today too. Luckily I didn't "take the ride".