Spotted a Guy Carrying

[The Annoyed Man]

I was ruminating on this stuff a couple of days ago at the Walmart. Most people aren't even aware that they are walking too slowly and holding up everyone behind them. They aren't aware that they have parked their cart in a way as to block access to that aisle to anyone else. They will stand there and browse the shelves, blocking the way, with you standing right there, until you speak up and give an "ahem" or "excuse me" for them to come out of their coma long enough to get out of the way.

They certainly aren't looking at what you're wearing, or what is under it. They're not even in Condition White. They're half asleep. Automatons.

XtremeDuty.45 recognized that the guy at Lowes was heeled because XtremeDuty.45 is a gun guy and he was heeled himself. That, and he lives in Condition Yellow. Plus, those of us who carry but are not LEOs live sort of at the edge of the tactical world. We don't make our livings that way, but we care enough about it to learn at least a little bit about situational awareness, and we are constantly evaluating what is happening around us. It becomes second nature. But in the process, we are exposed to tactical clothing — not because we necessarily have a professional need for it, but because we recognize that there is a reason that professionals do. It works better. If a loose fitting pair of pants that affords lots of freedom of movement and has lots of pockets for storing incidentals is a good choice for a tactical professional, it is possibly a good choice for a CCW too. Ditto, but to a probably lesser degree, tactical shirts. And the fact that the makers of these things have gone out of their way to make clothing like this look "business casual" means that they blend well into the social background - recognizable only to people who would actually have a use for them. That guy's clothing choices probably meant nothing to anyone else in that Lowes on that day, but they stood out like a sore thumb to XtremeDuty.45 because he is tactically minded.

I have to say that, although I spot people like that occasionally, I'm not looking for them, because they aren't the ones likely to be a problem. No, I'm looking for the disreputable looking guy wearing a hoody with something obviously heavy weighing down one of the pockets; hoody pulled over head making it harder to see his face and eyes. Stuff like that. The weird part is that, while someone like that might stand out to someone like one of us, they are as invisible to the rest of the shoppers as was the guy in the tactical gear. People just don't pay attention. That's why I don't worry about "printing." I'm not deliberately sloppy about concealing, but I also don't agonize over whether I can see a bulge when I look in the mirror. Nobody else is going to see it because it just simply doesn't exist to most people. If a cop notices it, I don't care because I'm legal. If a bad guy notices it, he'll go pick on someone else.

To the thread topic, I have seen a number of bulges that I suspected might be a gun, but just like if someone does notice my own bulge, I have no way of knowing what theirs is. And of course a fanny pack is automatically a gun, whether it is or isn't. But I've only ever seen an exposed pistol, under a sport coat, a few times, and that person had 'COP!!!' written all over them, even if there wasn't a badge visible. Which leads me to something else....

...my wife has been trying to get used to wearing her Glock 19 around the house in a belt slide holster, instead of carrying her revolver in her purse. So she asked me the other day, "what if my shirt/jacket blows open and someone sees the gun?" Those of you who have met The Annoyed Woman know that she is built nothing like me. She is trim and fit and carries her 52 years very well. I told her, "Honey, look at yourself. You're a well put together middle aged well dressed woman with a gun on your hip. If anyone at the Walmart sees your gun (they won't), the last thing they are thinking is 'criminal.' They're going to assume you're an LEO and let it go."

[Abraham]

There's entirely too much concern regarding, if you will, legal bulges.

If you have a current CHL, carry a concealed gun, it's gonna bulge, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.

Quit obsessing about the bulge (whoever you may be) and relax.

You're good to go.

Yeah, I know some are so worried others may notice their gun bulge they want something quickly available in their verbal arsenal if some stranger is so gauche as ask: "Hey, what's that ever so noticeable bulge around your waist"?

My verbal answer: My colostomy bag, but more likely I'd just ignore them...you owe no one an answer.

[Oldgringo]

That's a lot of ruminatin' that Tam has done. I don't spend a lot of time lookin' for 'bulges' on others or worryin' about my cover.

I'll notice people in civvies wearin' a sidearm before I see a badge on that person. I don't really think much about it. As Tam says, I assume that they are some sort of LEO. Frankly, my dear, I don't care whether they're LEO's or not - after I've determined that they mean Mrs. Oldgringo and me no harm.

ITMT, Merry Christmas to all.

[The Annoyed Man]

That's a lot of ruminatin' that Tam has done. I don't spend a lot of time lookin' for 'bulges' on others or worryin' about my cover.

Heh, heh. Actually, I wasn't so much ruminating about the gun thing as I was wondering exactly how clueless does a person have to be not to notice that they are blocking a busy aisle and that there are people trying to move in both directions who are tired of waiting for that person to get the heck out of the way. It was after about the nth time of that happening that the thought popped into my head that if a person is that clueless (and there were a LOT of them there that day, just like that) then they certainly aren't going to notice that I have a bulge under my shirt, let alone wonder what that bulge is. It was just a random thought. No, I've been a long time proponent of "strap it on, cover it up, don't worry about it."

[Oldgringo]

Tam wrote:

I was wondering exactly how clueless does a person have to be not to notice that they are blocking a busy aisle and that there are people trying to move in both directions who are tired of waiting for that person to get the heck out of the way.

Yesterday, the traffic in Tyler was unbelievable.

We got stuck behind a woman driver trying to turn left who had a cigarette in her left hand and a cell phone in her right. She had no one to steer for her so we were stuck behind until she felt it was okay to drive with no hands. OTOH, the smoking woman driver's female passenger had a free hand to shoot me the 'bird' upon my honk.

I wonder whether some people don't know that they're blocking the aisle or they just don't care?

[RHenriksen]

Fox had a columnist (Mike Strake?) Who coined the term, Oblivions. And their aggressive/obnoxious cousins, the Obliviots.

[Dragonfighter]

I second TAM's assessment of the automotons. In contrast, this time of year I am living in yellow fading orange. This is the time of the year when BG's come out in force, what with all of the money and new toys flashing around.

Night before last the 14 yo and I were shopping for sister at Wally World (Denton Tap/FM 3040). I noticed a Hispanic man and his family as he was sizing up a leather belt. I don't know why I noticed.

We finished our shopping, loaded the car and as I went to slot the cart I noticed this guy at his car with the family inside doing a funny little dance between cars. He was glancing around trying to be discreet. As I walked by I noticed he was trying to thread on that new belt with a gun. He met my eyes and I nodded and finished parking the car. I was the only one in that area of the lot so I wasn't to worried about the uninitiated seeing and freaking. He was obviously nervous and trying to be discreet...rookie I figured.

[DONT TREAD ON ME]

I agree with what TAM was saying. Most people are so obsessed with themselves or don't care about anything but themselves that they do not notice an entire family trying to get by them or just won't move because they are too rude. So, for them to notice a bulge is highly unlikely. Also, as stated many times before. Most bulges today will be written off as a cell phone, camera or whatever other electronic device is out there.

TAM is also correct that the only reason I noticed the guy at the counter is because I do live in condition yellow. I noticed him walk up and obviously to a gun guy the pants stood out immediately. As soon as he got to the counter I could see the gun bulge. No big deal. To anyone else I am sure it looked like a cell phone but with the pants and the larger long sleeve shirt it was easy to put together. Made it simple to start a conversation.

I also agree with people not needing to worry about having their gun print but I think that looking for others printing helps ones observations skills. Just like shooting it takes practice to get good at it. Now you don't want to consume yourself with looking for printers all the time cause you are likely to miss something that is important and that would not be good.

Unfortunately not everything is as obvious as the teenagers that I noticed one July day in San Antonio. They were walking into the mall wearing trench coats. Trench coats just scream "bad news" but in July it is even worse. Easy fix. Told the wife to take the kids and get into the truck. I kept an eye on the individuals as I looked for security. As soon as I found security I told them that nothing was wrong but it was just odd that the two kids were wearing trench coats in a crowded mall in July. Since I kept an eye on them I could tell security where they were so they could keep an eye on them and then I was on my merry way with the family. No harm, no foul.

[Jasonw560]

Actually, I wasn't so much ruminating about the gun thing as I was wondering exactly how clueless does a person have to be not to notice that they are blocking a busy aisle and that there are people trying to move in both directions who are tired of waiting for that person to get the heck out of the way.

That's every day here in the beautiful, Tropical Rio Grande Valley. That, and they can't walk an extra 4 ft. to put their carts in the parking lot stalls.

[PappaGun]

...That, and they can't walk an extra 4 ft. to put their carts in the parking lot stalls.

Here here on that one!
Excellent observation!

Last month I saw a cart run down an inclined parking lot at Home Depot in to a car that someone had parked clear at the other end to avoid dings.

And it went right by a someone who could have stopped it but had enjoyed a life full of dognuts so was unable and unwilling to.

For the record I always park my cart, because I am usually the guy who parks clear at the other end.

[tboesche]

The only "bulge" I am concerned with is the one that runs from my 11:00 to 2:00 o'clock.

[Excaliber]

I have two brief observations on this often discussed topic:

1) If you happen to see a gun someone else is wearing being exposed in an apparently accidental manner, if it's in a holster, he / she is very likely a good guy / gal of one type or another (LEO, CHL, etc.). If it's not, there's about a 95% chance you're looking at a bad guy.

Reason: Good guys carry guns in holsters because that carry method is more comfortable and secure. Bad guys carry without holsters because they want to be able to ditch the gun without any indication that they had been carrying one. Cops know this. It's a fairly reliable rule of thumb.

Yes, I know some cops and CHL holders carry without a holster. Such folks have a much higher tolerance for unnecessary risk than I do. Other than for LEO's who have to carry this way to fit their undercover roles, I think holsterless carry is a really bad idea. Besides being uncomfortable and insecure, it carries the unwritten presumption of bad guy until proven otherwise in the eyes of any LEO you may encounter. This can most certainly affect interactions with LEO's if that manner of carry is observed.

2) Abbreviated "slide style" holsters that use the smallest possible amount of material to hold the gun in place and leave some or all of the barrel exposed carry an increased risk of unintended exposure. If the covering garment rides up a bit, what's exposed is clearly a gun instead of just holster material which could be part of a belt rig for tools, phones, or any number of things. Around the ranch it's fine, but I think it's a bad idea out in public where it reduces the margin for error. Although they're comfortable and inexpensive, I don't own any for that reason.

[Purplehood]

Clothing has no bearing on whether an individual is an LEO, or not.

I was at a Houston Gun Show a year or so back and observed a guy that looked just like Chuck Berry dressed for a motorcycle-gang. He was OCing in GRB convention center. I observed him for a while and finally noticed amidst all the bling what appeared to be some sort of TX LEO badge.

[Beiruty]

Clothing has no bearing on whether an individual is an LEO, or not.

I was at a Houston Gun Show a year or so back and observed a guy that looked just like Chuck Berry dressed for a motorcycle-gang. He was OCing in GRB convention center. I observed him for a while and finally noticed amidst all the bling what appeared to be some sort of TX LEO badge.

Most likely an undercover anti drug-gang, the type who ride bikes.

[alvins]

when i worked in retail we had a man and woman who carried open when they came in. they had this polo style shirt on that said sherrif and a embroidered police shield on it. i never saw an "official" metal one on them anywhere. I didnt ask them anything but they sure didnt seem like a cop to me.