# So where IS it ok to carry a firearm?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-where-is-it-ok-to-carry-a-firearm/474982>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 29, 2008, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-where-is-it-ok-to-carry-a-firearm/474982 "2008-11-29T23:06:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-where-is-it-ok-to-carry-a-firearm/474982/61 "2008-12-01T22:36:54Z")

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Skipping all the psychobabble about the mindset of those who can and choose to carry I’ll answer the OP based on one assumption.

1. That both open and concealed carry are legal.

Whether to carry open or concealed will depend on the _relative_ risk of needing unhindered access or visual deterent for someone planning harm.

From least to greatest from previous examples.

Day care \< church \< soccer match \< WalMart \< restaurant \< mall \< 7-11

Somewhere between soccer match and walmart I would shift from concealed to open.

That doesn’t mean that going from soccer to walmart I’d go to the trouble of changing. That means the difference it would make when I left home to go to one of those locations. While happily, the risk at all these is nearly zero, it is unfortunately not zero. So I will continue to carry as I see appropriate.

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-where-is-it-ok-to-carry-a-firearm/474982/62 "2008-12-01T22:44:31Z")

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I’d never carry in open unless I was out in the wild (or in the past in uniform, of course). Just as a courtesy _and_ to make sure the bad guys don’t know I am carrying.

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**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-where-is-it-ok-to-carry-a-firearm/474982/63 "2008-12-02T01:54:06Z")

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> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> So then, you keep away from Police Officers as much as possible?:dubious:

I have only known three police officers. While off duty, none of them felt it necessary to parade about with their guns – in places where we hung out, at least. This includes parks, bars, softball games, bike trails, and our backyard patio. Mind you, we weren’t exactly hanging out in the 'hood.

On duty they, of course, wore their guns in a holster and plainly visible. However, if an armed, on-duty police presence was necessary at a kids soccer game, I would probably prefer not to attend anyway.

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**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-where-is-it-ok-to-carry-a-firearm/474982/64 "2008-12-02T01:58:05Z")

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> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> So then, you keep away from Police Officers as much as possible?:dubious:

I know I do. Generally a reasonable and prudent thing to do.

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**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-where-is-it-ok-to-carry-a-firearm/474982/65 "2008-12-02T02:14:12Z")

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> [@guizot](#):
>
> You can say, “You never know what might happen,” but then what precaution do you take for the bad driver on the freeway? Most people are much more likely to be injured or killed by a car than a gun.

I try to drive defensively. If I see someone driving along with a cell phone or weaving around in the lane, I give them space whenever possible. Pass them quickly, back off, or switch over a couple of lanes, that sort of thing.

It’s a judgment call. A balancing act between having access to transportation and avoiding bad drivers. Everyone has their comfort level.

Same thing with guns. I am comfortable target shooting with people who are careful and know what they are doing. It’s fun. I don’t have a lot of experience with guns, but with some guidance I have shot a handgun, shotgun, deer hunting rifle, and a muzzle loader. Hanging out with calm, sober adults, some targets, and no kids around… I enjoy the experience. Those perameters satisfy my comfort level.

Some stranger walking around with a gun visible at a kids soccer game? Those are different perameters. Now the balance is between having access to sport/entertainment vs. avoiding a person whose judgment I doubt. That situation is outside my comfort level, and I prefer to give it some space.

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