# A Bunch of nervous Nellies who don't feel safe eating in a Sonic where they can't carry guns. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 28, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423 "2014-05-28T01:27:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/201 "2014-05-29T17:59:57Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Well, it looks like the folks in your state – if your state is Rhode Island – generally agree with you. Open carry is not legal there, unless you have a permit from the Rhode Island Attorney General or from a local police chief. > > In Virginia, where I live, if you call 911 to report a person with a holstered gun, the 911 operator will generally advise you that there’s no law being broken. Actually, I believe right now in Rhode Island they are only issued by the A.G. There was recently even an attempted recall election about concealed carry in a small town that has no police chief to issue concealed carry permits. But thanks for the tip, I will neglect to mention a holster when I call the police about someone brandishing a gun in public no matter where I am. [http://www.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/content/20131207-exeter-showdown-recall-election-over-gun-permits-divides-town-poll.ece](http://www.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/content/20131207-exeter-showdown-recall-election-over-gun-permits-divides-town-poll.ece) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/202 "2014-05-29T18:12:54Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > What a good thing the law is on my side. I don’t have to give the slightest weight to your paranoia, because it doesn’t constrain my actions in the least. I’ve already said that I respect your legal right to carry the gun in places where that right exists, and where you’re not prohibited by private property owners. What I find rather odd in this whole debate, though, is that you accuse others of paranoia because they’d prefer not to eat among a bunch of armed strangers, yet you apparently refuse to accept that the very desire and (perceived) need to carry a gun everywhere with you might, itself, be the result of irrational concerns or paranoia. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/203 "2014-05-29T18:17:26Z")
> [@WreckingCrew](#): > > But thanks for the tip, I will neglect to mention a holster when I call the police about someone brandishing a gun in public no matter where I am. Ahhh…[.false reporting of a crime](http://law.justia.com/codes/rhode-island/2012/title-11/chapter-11-32/chapter-11-32-2) - no one would ever do that though, right? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/204 "2014-05-29T18:26:55Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > In Virginia, where I live, if you call 911 to report a person with a holstered gun, the 911 operator will generally advise you that there’s no law being broken. > > The operator will probably not call you a Nervous Nellie out loud. I bet if I called 911 in Virginia and told them that I saw a man entering a fast food restaurant while cradling an M16 they would not call me a Nervous Nellie. In fact, my bet would be that they would send several units to investigate and they might even enter the restaurant with guns drawn. For the record, I am not pro gun control. It seems to me, no matter how much you want to defend them, these guys do your side no good. It was the actions of assholes like this that resulted in the passage of the Mulford act. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/205 "2014-05-29T18:29:48Z")
Too long to read the whole thread…but can you even eat **in** a Sonic? I thought they were all drive-up or drive thru. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/206 "2014-05-29T18:30:56Z")
Let’s be realistic here…this argument of open guns in public falls into the same versus as many other things…rural versus urban. Growing up in Arizona, it was an open carry state and mostly rural. Thus, it simply was no big thing to see guns almost anywhere. When we frame a debate of guns as if this country were one and the same everywhere, we run into problems. As Tucson became less rural and more urban, guns made a lot less sense to a lot more people. This same rural vs urban was the problem with the 55mph speed limit or many other things that have made lousy law. What is true in Rhode Island or New York makes less than zero sense in rural Nevada. I would hazard to guess that this same group of idiots wouldn’t pull this same stunt in Elko, Nevada because it makes no sense. In Elko, if I saw them, I would think, ‘hunters.’ In downtown Chicago, I might more think, survivalist nuts. It is quite cute to frame your opposition as idiots or for example, those too insecure who need guns, but that at best is disingenuous. Both sides of this and most any other debate have quite reasonable and considered positions. It is pretty lame to resort to such 3rd grade dismissive arguments. You CAN eat at a Sonic, but I don’t recommend it. The food is poor. You takes your chances. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/207 "2014-05-29T18:33:38Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Ahhh…[.false reporting of a crime](http://law.justia.com/codes/rhode-island/2012/title-11/chapter-11-32/chapter-11-32-2) - no one would ever do that though, right? “Officer, there is someone in the McDonald’s with a gun.” What did I do wrong? If you had cited a Virginia law, you might have something. But I have lived most of my 40 plus years in Rhode Island. I have never seen anyone open carry around here. If I were to call the police about that around here, I am certain there would be a response and no follow up question from the 911 operator about whether there is a holster involved. BTW, I work in a building where firearms are prohibited. It is posted on all entrances. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/208 "2014-05-29T18:34:57Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Ahhh…[.false reporting of a crime](http://law.justia.com/codes/rhode-island/2012/title-11/chapter-11-32/chapter-11-32-2) - no one would ever do that though, right? What is the “false statement” in this scenario? ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/209 "2014-05-29T18:40:47Z")
Not to defend this particular group of idiots, just because the cops roll up based on a citizen’s complaint means precisely dick. Of course they will. So what? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/210 "2014-05-29T18:45:41Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > Not to defend this particular group of idiots, just because the cops roll up based on a citizen’s complaint means precisely dick. Of course they will. So what? It goes towards trying to reduce the frequency of idiots brandishing weapons in restaurants just because they are legally able to do so. The more they have to spend time answering police questions, hopefully the less interested they will be in trying to make whatever the point they are making. At the same time, the more that a community has to spend resources responding to its citizens’ concerns on this matter, the more they will consider laws or regulations to reduce such incidents. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/211 "2014-05-29T18:53:53Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > Not to defend this particular group of idiots, just because the cops roll up based on a citizen’s complaint means precisely dick. Of course they will. So what? My comment goes back to Bricker’s point that if open carry “were so commonplace as to be a daily, or hourly occurrence, you don’t think it would fade into static?” That is not the case where I live, and I will do what I can to prevent open carry from becoming commonplace here. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/212 "2014-05-29T18:54:17Z")
You all do realize that “brandish” means something specific, right? It sounds like you’d be calling the cops about someone with a pistol in a holster as brandishing, which it’s not. Now, these idiots waving their penis compensation devices around in Chipotle or Chili’s are brandishing. Someone with a holstered sidearm is not. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/213 "2014-05-29T18:58:05Z")
And also to add, that in my state open carry requires a permit from the Attorney General, which are exceedingly rare, and we do not recognize other states’ open carry permits. So if this particular group of idiots were to show up are here, the police would do more than just roll up. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/214 "2014-05-29T19:00:41Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > You all do realize that “brandish” means something specific, right? It sounds like you’d be calling the cops about someone with a pistol in a holster as brandishing, which it’s not. Now, these idiots waving their penis compensation devices around in Chipotle or Chili’s are brandishing. Someone with a holstered sidearm is not. Once more - NOBODY open carrys in Rhode Island. If I saw someone with even a holstered sidearm around here, I would call the police. If it turns out that they have a permit from the RI Attorney General to do so, I will feel no regret about having taken what I view as the proper step. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/215 "2014-05-29T19:00:56Z")
I have to say that where I live, you really don’t want people knowing that you are carrying precisely because they then can call the cops and claim that you were brandishing a firearm, which I believe is a felony. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/216 "2014-05-29T19:01:57Z")
Rhode Island is fairly un-representative of the United States. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/217 "2014-05-29T19:03:13Z")
> [@WreckingCrew](#): > > And also to add, that in my state open carry requires a permit from the Attorney General, which are exceedingly rare, and we do not recognize other states’ open carry permits. So if this particular group of idiots were to show up are here, the police would do more than just roll up. Right, but isn’t that sort of missing the point? While i think these guys are dicks, the state where they carried out their little stunt does, in fact, allow open carry, at least of the type of weapons that they were carrying. This debate isn’t about whether people should be able to carry guns in violation of the law; it’s about whether it’s necessary for people to carry guns even when such carrying is legal. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/218 "2014-05-29T19:03:28Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > Rhode Island is fairly un-representative of the United States. I know - that is one of the reasons I chose to live here. (Cue Lee Greenwood and fireworks - no F-16 flyover, please) ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/219 "2014-05-29T19:03:45Z")
At the same time, I felt less than comfortable carrying my wife’s rifle through a Gander Mountain parking lot to get a scope just because of the connotations that this may lead to for others not comfortable with such things. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423/220 "2014-05-29T19:06:44Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > It goes towards trying to reduce the frequency of idiots brandishing weapons in restaurants just because they are legally able to do so. The more they have to spend time answering police questions, hopefully the less interested they will be in trying to make whatever the point they are making. I don’t know how i feel about this. If a person calls the cops out of a genuine fear, or ignorance of the law, that’s one thing, but i don’t support the idea of calling the cops for an activity that you know is legal, just to inconvenience someone or make a political point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bunch-of-nervous-nellies-who-dont-feel-safe-eating-in-a-sonic-where-they-cant-carry-guns/689423.md?page=12)