Licensed but don't carry? Why?

[RHenriksen]

An analogy I use with people that does seem to help get them thinking is that of wearing your seat belt (car) or motorcycle helmet (bike). Specifically:

When you suddenly realize that *today* was the day you'll be NEEDING your motorcycle helmet, it will be too late at that point to go back to the garage, fetch it, strap it on, and return to the accident unfolding before you.

So... you wear your helmet *every* time you ride, not just on the days you plan on having an accident. You wear your seat belt *every* time you travel inside a car, not just on the days you plan on having an accident.

I approach these kinds of conversations w. people as an accumulative one. Exposed to enough perspective that strapping on a pistol should be just as reflexive and normal as putting your keys in your pocket while dressing, it may eventually achieve critical mass and they'll accept it. I don't expect everyone to smack their forehead, exclaim, 'By golly, you're right!' and promptly change their life. Nor do I scoff at them for failing to do so. I just offer up some perspective & let them do with it what they will.

[G26ster]

The mantra "Always carry when legal, or guess right" is very true, but IMHO is more often than not made in an unintentionally hypocritical manner. Here's my point:

Person A chooses not to carry, when walking about his neighborhood, or going to the local store, or doing yard work, etc. He is likely to be chastised by Person(s) B for not carrying because one should "Always carry when legal, or guess right." I'd bet my bottom dollar that those same people doing the chastising often choose to "guess right." Why? I'd bet they voluntarily attend their children's school activities or sporting events, or fly on airplanes, or go large amusement parks, or professional sporting events or frequent a 51% location. Sure it's not legal, but no one forced them to go there where they had to disarm, they chose to do it voluntarily just like person A did. So both are guessing right at the times and places of their choosing.

Now there are some folks who never participate in the activities where it is illegal to carry, so they can state with moral authority, "Always carry when legal, or guess right," but the person that does voluntarily participate in activities where it is illegal to carry is no different than the person who chooses to do mundane activities and does not carry at all times. Both are picking and choosing the times they are willing to "guess right."

I carry whenever legal. Yes, I have choosen participate in activities with my children and now grandchildren where carry is not legal. I am not being hypocritical. I am being a loving and supporting family member. I love my family and like my gun. The gun is just a tool as is the screwdriver that I leave in the garage. There are places that I do not go because it is illegal to carry, but supporting my family is not a choice I would make over a tool. If some one want to define that as being hypocritical then I would define them as probably unhappy and slow-thinking. This is only MNSHO.

No need for insults. I said unintentionally" hypocritical. I was addressing the mantra, not the persons intent or their motives. Either way, if you choose not to carry when attending family events, it's still a choice. Just like the person who doesn't carry doing yard work. I take exception to being called "unhappy and slow-thinking" for pointing out that there's no difference when one person chooses to guess right vs. another person's reasons. Their both picking and choosing when to carry and when not to.

[TreyHouston]

Some believe the odds of needing a weapon are so in their favor they do not see a need to carry consistently. Realistically, what are the odds?

Being in the insurance business, I am accustomed to being prepared for the extremely small chance of needing a weapon.

I hear that 'rationale' often from friends and family who know I carry almost 100% of the time. My response is 'take the jack and spare tire out of your car, the odds you'll need are minuscule'.

"You" will get better gas mileage also!

[Mr_Houston_Guy]

When I got my CHL I didn't think too much about carrying full time. At the time it was risky carrying into places like Harris County under the "Traveling Exemption", The CHL assured I could travel freely while armed without Harris County persecuting me. Later as I followed this forum, I figured out that full-time carry was a pretty good Idea. The thing is though, full time carry wasn't my intention when I initially went through the process.

I currently live in Houston and never heard of the "traveling exemption". Could you elaborate on it?

[Flightmare]

When I got my CHL I didn't think too much about carrying full time. At the time it was risky carrying into places like Harris County under the "Traveling Exemption", The CHL assured I could travel freely while armed without Harris County persecuting me. Later as I followed this forum, I figured out that full-time carry was a pretty good Idea. The thing is though, full time carry wasn't my intention when I initially went through the process.

I currently live in Houston and never heard of the "traveling exemption". Could you elaborate on it?

Prior to the passage of the Motorist Protection Act (H.B. 1815) in 2007, a person needed to be licensed in order to carry their self defense pistol with them in their vehicle (with some exceptions). H.B. 823 enacted in the 2005 modified TPC 46.15 ("Non-Applicability") to include the "traveller assumption"; a law enforcement officer who encounters a firearm in a vehicle was required to presume that the driver of that vehicle was "travelling" under a pre-existing provision of 46.15, and thus the Unlawful Carry statute did not apply, absent evidence that the person was engaged in criminal activity, a member of a gang, or prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_ ... ection_Act

[ninjabread]

Choosing to disarm is not a decision one should make lightly. Ultimately, it's their choice, but if somebody doesn't carry, I hope they don't expect me to jump in to save them.

[Noggin]

My father in law showed me his CHL when I met him on my first visit to Texas back in 2006. He still has his licence but rarely if ever carries. I guess because he has lived in a the same small town since the 1970s he just feels safe. In contrast since I obtained my LTC I never leave the house without my weapon. Even when I go to work at my part-time job which is a 30:06 site then my gun is goes into a holster in the door pocket during the journey to and from and into the console vault when I leave the vehicle.

It may be an old cliché but that does not diminish it's basic truth "better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

[Flightmare]

It may be an old cliché but that does not diminish it's basic truth "better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

I'm the same way. The only time I do not even carry my firearm in my vehicle is when I'm going to federally off-limits locations. The company I work for has contracts with some federal locations that prohibit firearms even on the grounds. Otherwise, it stays on me when I am legally permitted if I'm outside of my house (including checking the mail).

[NNT]

Most of where I go I can't carry.
Drive company car at work, and take it home at night. Work is a weapons free zone... and if it was OK at the office, during the course of my job I visit locations where weapons are not allowed either.
I spend the rest of my week primarily at school events, or church events (church is not a 3006, but asks that weapons not come in the building...). Errands are usually done while going from one to another.

When going out where I can carry, I do. When traveling, I carry. Until I get to the US border with California, then I disarm to go into the peoples republic of the left coast. Maybe someday I will have the freedom to not work, not have to go to school events, and then I can carry all the time. Until then, I hope I guess right.

[jb2012]

Only time you will catch me unarmed is at the gym. I haven't found a solution without carrying around a backpack or wearing a fanny pack. I REFUSE to do either. There really is just no option for me unfortunately.

[cmgee67]

I carry from the moment I wake up until it's time to go to bed then my pistol goes right by me along with a bigger boom stick and flashlight. I have been carrying for a year and 3 months and I can count the amount of times I have gone without my gun on one hand. I carry where it's legal and don't when it's illegal. I have become so accustomed to my gun that the other day I left my house to run to my parents house a mile down the road to go sight in one of my guns and I felt like I was gonna have a panic attack when I realized my g19 was at home. Even tho I'm the middle of nowhere and a mile from home and armed with a rifle I felt naked. Carrying a gun is not comfortable. There are ways to make it better but it's never perfect. Carrying a gun may not be comfortable but it's comforting. There are days when I hate my gun and I'm so uncomfortable but I'm happy because I know I'm prepared. My wife used to say you don't need it you are paranoid but now she always asks me if I have it and I give her the look and she says I know I know I should have known because you always have it. She's taking her class soon. I asked her why she always asks and she said it's because it makes her feel safer. I know several who have it and carry maybe once a month and they tell me it's because they can't find a comfortable way yet. I suggest certain ways and holsters but still they say it's just not comfy and I remind them it's not comfortable it's about being ready. They tend to agree but still never do.

[jason812]

I still remember what my instructor said the first thing in the morning when he started class. To paraphrase: By taking this class you are promising to carry all the time. If you don't plan on carrying all the time you are wasting your and my time and should go ahead and leave.

His point was you can't guess when you will need it. He also went on to situational awareness and the he never goes to a gas station after dark.

After almost 2 years, I have kept my end of the deal. Unless illegal or at work.

[chasfm11]

I was one who got my then CHL with no plan to carry daily. We have an RV and had always had a shotgun on board. However, we ran into several situations where that might not have been enough. I wanted a pistol and felt that I had to have the CHL for it.

As others have said, the process (and expense) of finding a holster that works can be a barrier to some. I"m an untucked shirt tail type but those who aren't have a harder time. The admonition "don't carry if you don't carry one in the chamber" also drives some people away from carrying. It took me six months after I did start carrying before I racked the slide and added another round to the magazine before holstering the pistol.

The constant arming and disarming also puts off some people with LTCs that I've talked to who don't carry. Let's face it: putting the car in a place to manipulate the gun in and out of the holster unobserved in a public place and then locking it up can seem daunting until you do it a bunch of times. I was always afraid that someone would observe my movements and call LE. Others feel as I used to.

Russel's app helps a lot of people whom I've talked with that had concerns about ending up somewhere that is posted. While it is no big deal to most on this forum, others are more intimidated by showing up to find a 30.06 sign.

Manipulating a loaded pistol multiple times a day is too nerve wracking for some others that I've talked to. This was something that I had to overcome early on, too. It seemed that I'd end up at prohibited locations (our granddaughter's school, the post office, a 30.06 store) multiple times in a day. There is a certain comfort level that one has to achieve that you can concentrate on muzzle control when the urgent items of the day are trying to distract your mental focus. I've heard people say more than once that they are afraid of getting distracted and causing an ND.

But those are all excuses, not reasons. I've convinced several other people to start carrying daily or at least regularly by taking them back to why they considered getting an LTC in the first place. I always offer to help them work through any of the obstacles that they have. There for a while, 50% of those I spoke with who had LTCs didn't carry. Recently, the numbers at least seem higher.

[RicoTX]

I guess I was lucky. My first iwb holster was a dasantis inside heat for my xds9. It is rare that I am not comfortable...Maybe driving on a long trip...and I still don't take it off. I am not skinny either...Maybe that helps. I admit, it sucks to have to park across the street, take out my 'hot' gun and put it in my console safe before crossing the street just to get my mail. It's the only place I go that I can't carry...and Trump will change that hopefully. Other than that 10 minutes every day or two, I have never been without it.

[Middle Age Russ]

Chasfm11, you posted some of the typical excuses/reasons many people don't carry as often as they might. One of them in particular caught my attention.

Manipulating a loaded pistol multiple times a day is too nerve wracking for some others that I've talked to. This was something that I had to overcome early on, too. It seemed that I'd end up at prohibited locations (our granddaughter's school, the post office, a 30.06 store) multiple times in a day. There is a certain comfort level that one has to achieve that you can concentrate on muzzle control when the urgent items of the day are trying to distract your mental focus. I've heard people say more than once that they are afraid of getting distracted and causing an ND.

This argument is a good point where education / discussion about carry options might be warranted. There are a LOT of different holster designs available for most common pistols. Many of these don't require unbuckling the belt to remove or to re-arm, so to speak. Since these holsters completely cover the trigger and are relatively easy to put on and take off, keeping the gun in the holster practically all the time (while on-body, off-body and in transition) can mitigate most of the safety risks.