To carry or not to carry?

[bauerr3]

I have been reading and learning for a while, and thought of something this morning on my way to work. It seems as if nearly everyone on this forum carries, either OC or CC, almost everywhere. It got me thinking, since I do not carry, how many others on here do not carry everywhere they go.

The reason I don't carry is because of where I spend 95% of my time during the week. I am a student at IUPUI, and you aren't supposed to carry at school. I work at FedEx, and aren't supposed to have weapons even in the parking lot, and obviously can't get them in the building. Then I go home, where I live with my parents, who don't really think firearms are for self defense, and aren't really on board with having a loaded firearm available if something were to happen. I've tried explaining it, and obviously I don't have to listen to them, but I'd prefer to respect my parents while I'm in their house...but that isn't the point.

Basically, the only time I would be able to have a firearm is in my vehicle, and I don't really want to leave a firearm in my car when I leave it unattended for 8+ hours a day, either at IUPUI or at work. I'm curious if there are any other members of INGO that have similar situations, and either do not carry or have found some other solution.

 

[THE BIG SITT]

I have been reading and learning for a while, and thought of something this morning on my way to work. It seems as if nearly everyone on this forum carries, either OC or CC, almost everywhere. It got me thinking, since I do not carry, how many others on here do not carry everywhere they go.

The reason I don't carry is because of where I spend 95% of my time during the week. I am a student at IUPUI, and you aren't supposed to carry at school. I work at FedEx, and aren't supposed to have weapons even in the parking lot, and obviously can't get them in the building. Then I go home, where I live with my parents, who don't really think firearms are for self defense, and aren't really on board with having a loaded firearm available if something were to happen. I've tried explaining it, and obviously I don't have to listen to them, but I'd prefer to respect my parents while I'm in their house...but that isn't the point.

Basically, the only time I would be able to have a firearm is in my vehicle, and I don't really want to leave a firearm in my car when I leave it unattended for 8+ hours a day, either at IUPUI or at work. I'm curious if there are any other members of INGO that have similar situations, and either do not carry or have found some other solution.

I too am unable to carry at work, and since I park a Wrangler (very easy to break into) in a downtown Indy parking garage, I don't leave a weapon in my vehicle. I do however carry 95% of the time I leave the house (I say 95% because I'm sure there are times I don't though I don't recall the last time). If you have done all you can to show your parents your reasoning, then I think you are doing the right thing. Unfortunately, it may take a scare to convince them of your side.

 

[indiucky]

I work at FedEx, and aren't supposed to have weapons even in the parking lot, and obviously can't get them in the building.

I don't know about that...A Fed Ex employee managed to shoot a gun shop owner in the head with a .22...Oh wait..My bad...He did that on his day off the day after he delivered a package to the shop...

All kidding aside you should abide by your parents wishes as you said and respect the rules of the school and place of employment....You just need to get through this transition stage and then you will be able to argue OC/CC with the best of us.....

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I work at FedEx, and aren't supposed to have weapons even in the parking lot...

Why would this be so? Are they one of the exceptions?

 

[chipbennett]

Why would this be so? Are they one of the exceptions?

I wondered about that, as well. Doesn't preemption apply to vehicles in parking lots?

 

[councilman]

I wondered about that, as well. Doesn't preemption apply to vehicles in parking lots?

FedEx is not preempted by statute but has the employee lot posted no firearms. FedEx corporate attitude is very anti gun. I still park there all the time with a firearm in the car.

 

[chipbennett]

FedEx is not preempted by statute but has the employee lot posted no firearms. FedEx corporate attitude is very anti gun. I still park there all the time with a firearm in the car.

How does IC 34-28-7-2 not apply?
Indiana Code 34-28-7

IC 34-28-7-2
Regulation of employees' firearms and ammunition by employers
Sec. 2. (a) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided in subsection (b), a person may not adopt or enforce an ordinance, a resolution, a policy, or a rule that:
(1) prohibits; or
(2) has the effect of prohibiting;
an employee of the person, including a contract employee, from possessing a firearm or ammunition that is locked in the trunk of the employee's vehicle, kept in the glove compartment of the employee's locked vehicle, or stored out of plain sight in the employee's locked vehicle.

 

[snowwalker]

Oh to be young again, no wait, I like where I am now. I get up and get dressed and put gun on, like my watch, and gun stays on till I undress and go to bed. Too many crazy and evil people.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

...I get up and get dressed and put gun on...and gun stays on til I undress and go to bed...

 

[rjh78]

I wondered about that, as well. Doesn't preemption apply to vehicles in parking lots?

State Law absolutely dictates that employers cannot prohibit employees from keeping legal weapons in private vehicles in the parking lot, even if the parking lot is private property. Employer restrictions stop at the front door. The trouble comes with the fact that IN like so many states is an "at will" state, which means regardless of the state law, your employer does not require a reason to terminate employment if they think you have violated (illegal) company policy.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I wondered about that, as well. Doesn't preemption apply to vehicles in parking lots?

Generally, "preemption" is thought to be (in my understanding anyway) to be the state law being supreme over local governments and their subdivisions. For many, Indiana's "parking lot law" preempts property owners' property rights to regulate their own property. My layman's review of IC's can find no place where FedEx property is exempted from Indiana's parking lot law. It also doesn't appear to qualify where the IC explicitly calls for the possession of firearms to be forbidden.

All that being said, Indiana is an "at will" employment state. As long as they are careful about tying your termination to your ownership of firearms, it's conceivable you could be fired whether the sign is there or not.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

State Law absolutely dictates that employers cannot prohibit employees from keeping legal weapons in private vehicles in the parking lot, even if the parking lot is private property. Employer restrictions stop at the front door. The trouble comes with the fact that IN like so many states is an "at will" state, which means regardless of the state law, your employer does not require a reason to terminate employment if they think you have violated (illegal) company policy.

You have to be careful with this "absolute" talk. Indiana law allows for certain exemptions, to wit:

(b) Subsection (a) does not prohibit the adoption or enforcement of an ordinance, a resolution, a policy, or a rule that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting an employee of the person, including a contract employee, from possessing a firearm or ammunition:
(1) on the property of:
(A) a child caring institution;
(B) an emergency shelter care child caring institution;
(C) a private secure facility;
(D) a group home;
(E) an emergency shelter care group home; or
(F) a child care center in violation of 465 IAC 2-9-80, 465 IAC 2-10-79, 465 IAC 2-11-
80, 465 IAC 2-12-78, 465 IAC 2-13-77, or 470 IAC 3-4.7-19;
(2) on the property of a penal facility (as defined in IC 35-41-1-21);
(3) in violation of federal law;
(4) in or on property belonging to an approved postsecondary educational institution (as
defined in IC 21-7-13-6(b));
(5) on the property of a domestic violence shelter; (6) at the employer's residence;
(7) on the property of a person that is:
(A) subject to the United States Department of Homeland Security's Chemical Facility
Anti-Terrorism Standards issued April 9, 2007; and
(B) licensed by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission under Title 10 of the
Code of Federal Regulations; (8) on property owned by:
(A) a public utility (as defined in IC 8-1-2-1) that generates and transmits electric power; or
(B) a department of public utilities created under IC 8-1-11.1; or
(9) in the employee's personal vehicle if the employee, including a contract employee, is a
direct support professional who:
(A) works directly with individuals with developmental disabilities to assist the
individuals to become integrated into the individuals' community or least restrictive
environment; and
(B) uses the employee's personal vehicle while transporting an individual with
developmental disabilities.

 

[Yup!]

I can't carry at work, and I spend a lot of my off work time at a GFZ. So I have to know where I'm heading when I leave the house and dress accordingly. If the laws would allow it, I would carry more often.

I carry more more often in the cooler months because it's easier to conceal.

 

[Mgderf]

My EDC is like an America Express card.

I "...don't leave home without it."

 

[IUprof]

It's probably obvious from my screen name, but I spend 90% of my time on university property which is a GFZ. I'll probably wait for retirement to carry regularly.

 

[PMR]

I work in a public school and can't carry during the day, but carry 99% of the time otherwise. As far as your parents you probably should abide by their wishes.

With that being said, stay involved as much as you can, learn, train, and practice, keeping in mind that at some point you will be out of school and on your own, making your own decisions for what's right for you and your household.

Stay safe, Pat

 

[Cemetery-man]

My amount of daily carry depends on what I will be doing. I refuse to leave a gun in the car unattended so if my activities are going to prevent it from being on me then it stays home in the safe.

 

[Bung]

If they don't search you or have a metal detector, conceal and keep your mouth shut. Would you rather be killed by someone or get fired after you shot them in defense of your own life?

 

[bauerr3]

If they don't search you or have a metal detector, conceal and keep your mouth shut. Would you rather be killed by someone or get fired after you shot them in defense of your own life?

At FedEx, they have metal detectors, so that is out. But if I take that logic to IUPUI...I understand where you are coming from, and I have thought of it as well. But what happens if someone does come on campus and starts shooting, and I eliminate the threat with my CC. Afterwards, I feel I would still be in trouble because I had a weapon on campus, making me no different than the person that started shooting in the eyes of the law. Obviously I potentially saved lives, but with a weapon that I wasn't supposed to have.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

At FedEx, they have metal detectors, so that is out. But if I take that logic to IUPUI...I understand where you are coming from, and I have thought of it as well. But what happens if someone does come on campus and starts shooting, and I eliminate the threat with my CC. Afterwards, I feel I would still be in trouble because I had a weapon on campus, making me no different than the person that started shooting in the eyes of the law. Obviously I potentially saved lives, but with a weapon that I wasn't supposed to have.

I get what you're saying, but I disagree with the "law" part. There is now LAW that prohibits carry on IUPUI campus, but there is school policy. I'm not advocating that you break policy or any laws when I say that the only thing that I believe would happen to you if put in the scenario that you described would be your termination as a student at IUPUI.