Using public restrooms while carrying

[The Annoyed Man]

Standing: I use the urinals, and don't worry too much about it. If possible, I try to use the one furthest from everyone else, if there are more than one urinals in use. If there is one on the far left (I am left handed) next to a 90º corner in the room, I'll use that one so that my weapon is not so readily apparent or accessible while I'm .... distracted. But those are just considerations, not obstacles. If you gotta go, you gotta go.

Sitting: I don't sit in public rest rooms. I wait til I get home. I don't gotta go that bad.

[The Annoyed Man]

When Standing:
...I always hate to unholster my gun, especially in public. (What if I drop it?)

Don't drop it. That's my answer.

[USA1]

dont forget to wash your hands before touching your gun...
and while at the urinal...keep your eyes on the road

[Keith B]

OK folks, please keep it on the subject of CCW retention and don't drift onto other areas of discussion

[Keith B]

OK, one more time, please keep this on topic and discussion of what to do with your carry weapon while in the restroom or it will be locked.

[jbirds1210]

Actually, you might want to consider not using urinals at all. Your back is turned to the rest of the room, you're not as aware as you could be, and in a vulnerable position. Many self-defense people suggest using only stalls for these reasons.

I honestly think that's being a little paranoid

oh...I don't know.

http://www.officer.com/online/article.j ... 1&id=47258" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. --

A deputy was wounded Thursday inside a Pine Hills gas station during a shootout with a 16-year-old stolen car suspect, but she wasn't in the fight; she was in the bathroom. The other deputy was injured when he crashed his motorcycle while racing to the crime scene.

"This all happened very rapidly, in the matter of seconds," Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said Thursday.

Deputies were trying to arrest 16-year-old Rodney Burton (suspect's rap sheet) for driving a stolen car Thursday morning. When they followed him into a Chevron station, near the corner of Pine Hills Road and Silver Star (see map), to make the arrest the bullets started flying.

The clerk says Burton had just given him cash for a phone card when deputies came in and told the teenager to get on the ground, but he says the teenager ran instead and pulled out a gun. Burton was hit by at least one bullet.

The clerk said at least three shots were fired, not all, but most, by the deputies. The clerk didn't want to be identified, but said the gunfire erupted after Burton tried to run but got trapped in the store.

"The cop came in, told him to get on the floor. I shut the window. I thought it was a robbery. He made his way to the back door to try to find a way out. The door was locked. He tried to run to the back side. That's when shots started firing," the clerk told Eyewitness News (watch full interview).

Deputy Hope Cieszynski, from the fugitive unit, just happened to be in the store using the ladies room. A bullet went through the wall and either the bullet or shrapnel hit her in the leg. It's unclear who fired that shot. Minutes after the shooting, Corporal Jeff Riggs, from the motor unit, crashed his motorcycle as he raced to the scene.

Rodney Burton "I drove up just as he had gone down on the motorcycle. He said he had his lights on. I don't know whether he had the siren on or not but he said a vehicle pulled in front of him and he locked his brakes up," Sheriff Demings said (watch sheriff's full comments).

Sheriff Demings said Burton was holding up the gas station. The clerk says he wasn't; he had just paid cash for a phone card.

"Could've gotten worse. Maybe they came at the right time, maybe they didn't. Who knows?" the clerk said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating. The Florida Highway Patrol issued a report citing the motorcycle deputy for the crash, but he won't face any repercussions because he was responding to a call.

THREE INJURED TRANSPORTED TO ORMC

All three people injured were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center; that includes both deputies and the 16-year-old suspect.

Fortunately, it appears that both deputies, who have a combined 11 years on the force, will be fine. Burton is in the most serious condition.

Medics rushed injured 35-year-old Deputy Hope Cieszynski into ORMC around noon. She happened to be using the restroom at the gas station, listening to a different scanner channel, when a bullet hit her in the knee.

"Hope was the deputy that apparently received the gunshot wound to the leg. She's gonna be okay," Sheriff Demings said.

About ten minutes after Cieszynski came in, her colleague, Corporal Jeff Riggs, a motorcycle patrolman, arrived. His helmet may have helped save his life when he slammed into a trailer as he raced to the crime scene. Like Cieszynski, Riggs will be fine. He mostly suffered bad bruises and road burn and won't be cited for the crash because he was racing to an emergency call.

Burton was actually first to arrive. His injuries appear to be the most severe. He suffered a bullet wound to the head or neck, but will likely survive.

Sheriff Demings said his officers were only defending themselves.

"We want to come out ahead every time. We have to win in these types of situations," he said.

At least a dozen deputies came by the hospital Thursday to check on their injured colleagues. Both Riggs and Cieszynski were released from the hospital Thursday afternoon.

TEEN SUSPECT MAY BE IN CRIME RING

Deputies said the 16-year-old suspect, Rodney Burton, may have been a part of a crime ring involving stolen Dodge Intrepids. Deputies said the same kind of car has been stolen repeatedly in Pine Hills over the past few weeks.

Sources told Eyewitness News there have been four or five Dodge cars stolen in the past week. The sheriff's office is now looking at Burton to see if he is linked to any of the other crimes.

Dodge Intrepids are a hot item for car thieves in the Pine Hills area. The Orange County Sheriff's Office says the Auto Theft and Auto Trap units have seen a recent spike in car burglaries involving Dodge cars. Detectives believe the cars are a popular item because it's easy for a thief to break the ignition and hotwire the car.

"The reason we were in the area first off is we've had a number of Dodge Intrepids that have been stolen. This particular car was an Intrepid," Sheriff Demings said.

Sources told Eyewitness News the Auto Trap unit was driving in the Pine Hills area looking for stolen cars when it got behind the gold Dodge Intrepid on Thursday. The deputies have a hot sheet that lists cars that were recently stolen. When the deputy ran the plate, there was a hit. The car had just been stolen a couple of days ago.

"They set up undercover surveillance and apprehended the suspect," Sheriff Demings said.

The sheriff says he's working on cleaning up the crime-filled area. They have been trying to clean up in the area for a while. There have been 645 crimes reported in the area since last July.

[03Lightningrocks]

I was at a Mexican food place in Frisco last week and got myself into a problem at the urinal. I was not thinking and walked up to the urinal, let loose of my belt and started doing my business. I heard the door open behind me and suddenly thought about what I was doing. My handgun was showing on my right side. I pulled my shirt over it. I usually go into a stall but some dude had just blown the place up and I instinctively took the least smelly option. Anyway...it made me wonder if the failure to conceal statute applies to using the restroom.

[Mike1951]

Several members have posted about unbuckling their belt to use a urinal. In 57 years, that thought never occurred to me.

Why would someone do that?

[03Lightningrocks]

Several members have posted about unbuckling their belt to use a urinal. In 57 years, that thought never occurred to me.

Why would someone do that?

I have tried to figure out a nice way of saying why, but there really isn't an appropriate way to talk about it with the ten year old child rules.

[stevie_d_64]

When Standing:
...I always hate to unholster my gun, especially in public. (What if I drop it?)

Don't drop it. That's my answer.

Or leave it...I have been on the recovery side of that equation from an experience I had years ago...

I'm just glad I was the one who found it...And not some punk who would graduate to wannabe gansta if they had found it before me...

I love these threads...This is an everyday issue we have to deal with...If we can all laugh at the silly stuff, yet get some serious answers mixed in, so much the better...

[Mike1951]

Several members have posted about unbuckling their belt to use a urinal. In 57 years, that thought never occurred to me.

Why would someone do that?

I have tried to figure out a nice way of saying why, but there really isn't an appropriate way to talk about it with the ten year old child rules.

If you have an answer, I would welcome a PM or email.

I'm intrigued, as I can think of no possible reason.

[Morgan]

Paranoia means you think that someone is out to get YOU.

I don't think they're out to get ME. I think there are bad people out to get SOMEONE who's in a vulnerable position. So I try to not put myself in a vulnerable position.... Like with my back to a room with my pants loose and no ability to free my firearm.

I like stalls. And I like my versipack. But when I'm IWB, I REALLY like stalls. Or waiting until I get home, because I don't like public restrooms all that much to begin with.

[03Lightningrocks]

.......... Or waiting until I get home, because I don't like public restrooms all that much to begin with.

That is me also. I avoid public restrooms like the plague. I would have to be ready to explode before considering number two. The whole concept of sharing that seat with dozens of others I don't know Is pretty disgusting to me. Even when using them for number one I wash my hands and use the paper towels to open the door. Then I hold the door open with my foot and throw the towels into the garbage. It has actually helped my Basketball game. I have watched many a feller do their business and just grab that door knob without so much as wiping their hands on their britches.

To keep my post on topic....all while wearing my IWB holster.

[USA1]

I would have to be ready to explode before considering number two.

been there
worst part is driving home while sitting on one cheek

staying on topic...use the stall

[casingpoint]

Why would someone do that (unbuckle their pants to urinate)

I have to agree. That cannot be discussed here. Freedom of speech will have to take a back seat for now.