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  • Concealed carry and drinking

    Driving and drinking obviously don't gel and the sensible rule is not to drink at all if driving, or not to drive at all if drinking. Thus you won't be at the wheel of a 60mph 3,000lb missile with impaired judgment, reactions, and so on.

    But what about concealed carry? Firearms carry a similarly grave responsibility to cars. Do you leave your weapon at home when going out to drink, or limit yourself to a certain amount, or go dry? I wouldn't entirely trust myself with that sort of responsibility with intoxication, but then again you're more likely to need self-defence at 1am in a town centre with rowdy bastards swilling about than 2pm when popping to the shops. What's the received wisdom?
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  • #2
    Originally posted by HistoricalDavid View Post
    Driving and drinking obviously don't gel and the sensible rule is not to drink at all if driving, or not to drive at all if drinking. Thus you won't be at the wheel of a 60mph 3,000lb missile with impaired judgment, reactions, and so on.

    But what about concealed carry? Firearms carry a similarly grave responsibility to cars. Do you leave your weapon at home when going out to drink, or limit yourself to a certain amount, or go dry? I wouldn't entirely trust myself with that sort of responsibility, but then again you're more likely to need self-defence at 1am in a town centre with rowdy bastards swilling about than 2pm when popping to the shops. What's the received wisdom?
    Texas: you do not carry if you are intoxicated. Zero Tolerance. There is no .08. If you are seen drinking half a beer and carrying, expect to be arrested.

    Academically, I was told 8 hours "bottle to throttle". Professionally, I increase that detox time to 12 hours.

    If you see someone who does so, report them to your State Police.
    __________________________________________________ ____
    ("Are you drunk?"--Buffy to Giles, (w,stte), BtVs)

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    • #3
      My state police... will have to look them up sometime. :p
      HD Ready?

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      • #4
        my friend was rear ended by a female cop, who was drunk. cops responding to the accedent, asked my friend to be quiet, and not to claim an accedent, she did pay for damages, thou, next day she came to our work, and gave him the money, nobody was hurt, i,m willing to bet she did have a gun on her at the time of the accedent.
        if you are civilian, nyc law has 0 tolarnce to alcogol and guns, if you are a cop, you can drink as much as you want drive drunk, and you,ll get away with it. few mounth ago a off duty cop shot and killed a man, becouse he didn,t let him merge on the highway, the cop was found not guilty.

        this is reality in nyc at least, if you are a cop, you get away with lots of things, i personaly have seen drunk cops on duty, there was a case, few cops were fired, they were cought drinking on their pct's parking lot.
        but, 1 gets cought, 100s get away.

        when someone from other state or city ask why do new yorkes hate nypd, we say give us 1 good reason not to. my cooworker is ex nypd, he describes the whole dept, by 1 word, garbage.
        Last edited by omon; 01 Aug 08,, 18:32.
        "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" B. Franklin

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        • #5
          Originally posted by omon View Post
          my friend was rear ended by a female cop, who was drunk. cops responding to the accedent, asked my friend to be quiet, and not to claim an accedent, she did pay for damages, thou, next day she came to our work, and gave him the money, nobody was hurt, i,m willing to bet she did have a gun on her at the time of the accedent.
          if you are civilian, nyc law has 0 tolarnce to alcogol and guns, if you are a cop, you can drink as much as you want drive drunk, and you,ll get away with it. few mounth ago a off duty cop shot and killed a man, becouse he didn,t let him merge on the highway, the cop was found not guilty.

          this is reality in nyc at least, if you are a cop, you get away with lots of things, i personaly have seen drunk cops on duty, there was a case, few cops were fired, they were cought drinking on their pct's parking lot.
          but, 1 gets cought, 100s get away.

          when someone from other state or city ask why do new yorkes hate nypd, we say give us 1 good reason not to. my cooworker is ex nypd, he describes the whole dept, by 1 word, garbage.

          WoW! that's erm...shocking. I hope these are isolated instances and are not the norm'

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          • #6
            If I go out with the intent purpose of "drinking", I leave the gun at home (and I avoid the City where I work and am generally required by law to be armed on or off duty). However, if I go out to dinner with my family and have a beer (maybe two; weak, piddly American beers) I normally go armed just because I don't trust people. My department's policy allows that. That said, I rarely get out anymore, and if I drink a beer at the house, there isn't much of an issue.


            A few beers on the District lot after a 3x11 shift used to be a tradition, but getting drunk like that is stupid. Most of the time, cops just want to get home anyway... that tradition has definitely faded where I am.
            Last edited by sourkraut115; 01 Aug 08,, 18:56.

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            • #7
              Sourkraut that seems sensible - especially with protecting your family - but what's the area like where you go "drinking"? (Don't know what I'm supposed to infer by that... )
              HD Ready?

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              • #8
                Originally posted by HistoricalDavid View Post
                Driving and drinking obviously don't gel and the sensible rule is not to drink at all if driving, or not to drive at all if drinking. Thus you won't be at the wheel of a 60mph 3,000lb missile with impaired judgment, reactions, and so on.

                But what about concealed carry? Firearms carry a similarly grave responsibility to cars. Do you leave your weapon at home when going out to drink, or limit yourself to a certain amount, or go dry? I wouldn't entirely trust myself with that sort of responsibility with intoxication, but then again you're more likely to need self-defence at 1am in a town centre with rowdy bastards swilling about than 2pm when popping to the shops. What's the received wisdom?
                If there is one rule it is that firearms and alcohol don't mix. I can't tell you how many instances I've seen of accidental discharge, etc., that involve alcohol. When carrying a gun I am a designated non drinker. If you're going to carry then don't drink. If you're going drink, don't carry. Consider it the same rule as flying. You wouldn't have a couple of beers in the hanger before you flew would you?
                Reddite igitur quae sunt Caesaris Caesari et quae sunt Dei Deo
                (Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's)

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                • #9
                  LOL... I haven't really been "drinking" since before I left for Iraq... and if I was going sober, I would have been armed, but I decided to join the general population because I knew I was getting drunk (one only escapes the kids every so often).

                  Not a terrible area, but one in which I had a reasonable probability of running into someone I "know".

                  Where I live now is fairly nice, but the nearest place with good restaurants has normal suburban problems, so I (being a paranoiac) prefer to have a friend along. If I don't my wife does (she is on the Job as well), but its harder for her to conceal, so usually its me.


                  LOL...I just meant drinking as in planned intoxication. Nothing crazy for me nowadays...

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                  • #10
                    A little over a year ago, two officers from the Southern District of the City in which I work went to a quiet bar in the district after work (okay, a quiet strip club). Each of them got a beer in front of them, probably had a few sips, but they didn't have a whole lot of time and were not by any means drunk.

                    Two gunmen, with a shotgun and a pistol, entered the club, demanded money, and actually started shooting. One had body armor on.

                    The officers reacted according to training. The robbers had no idea.

                    One KIA, one WIA (vest held up, but multiple wounds to his extremities).

                    No charges for the officers. They were within policy. And, I suppose, free lapdances for a while....

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                    • #11
                      Snowleopard is correct about Texas law. Since a CCL doesn't allow you to carry your heater into a bar, you might as well leave it at home. Here is a cut and paste from the Texas DPS FAQs:

                      Q: Can I carry a handgun when I am drinking?
                      A: Under the concealed handgun law, it is illegal to carry a handgun if you are intoxicated. The best idea is to leave your weapon at home if you intend to consume any alcoholic beverages.


                      In addition, you cannot apply for a Texas CCL if you have been convicted of a DWI in the past five years. (10 years for two or more convictions).

                      Texas CCL FAQs:


                      Texas Department of Public Safety - Courtesy, Service, Protection

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                      • #12
                        I pretty much subscribe to the "if Yes to A, then No to B" doctrine. If I'm looking at a looooong night of gaming at a buddy's or something, then I might have one. If I'm going out to bar hop or drink on the lake though, then I just leave it at home.

                        I don't mind playing the odds that the zombies will skip that night/day to crawl out of their graves. :)

                        And who wants to be "that guy"?

                        -dale

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                        • #13
                          Missouri says if you have a gun in your vehicle and get caught DUI. Your are a felon and can no longer own a firearm. If you are a CCL holder and drink in public while carrying (and get caught) no more CCL. That simple. Besides, when I'm out gettin blottoed and rebel rousin' I'd rather have a good ol punchin', kickin', slugfest anyway! Just kiddin'(mostly).

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                          • #14
                            The norm seems to vary wildly from state to state. In my home state, carry in bars, whether concealed or openly, is just part of the fabric of society. Lawfully armed patrons are expected to exercise good judgement. One pub I visit occasionally does have a house rule that anyone carrying openly will not be served alcohol.

                            The advantage of having patrons armed was shown here last year, when two criminals, who had been ejected from a local bar, returned with a gun and started shooting up the place. A patron returned fire, striking the gunman twice and stopping the attack. The story is linked below. Further details that came to light after this story was published include that the shooter was in the country illegally, and the gun he used was stolen. The armed private citizen suffered a jam while returning fire, was able to clear it, and put one more round into the bad guy. Police tracked the fleeing criminals by following the blood trail.
                            http://www.unionleader.com/article.a...1-394cef76a80b

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                            • #15
                              ^^^^^

                              Nice to know there is still some justice every one in a while.

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