Viper's OC log

[truckie]

If you ever want to check out a place with different stores and good food/restaurants check out Booth's Corner in Boothwyn. I don't know their OC policy, but have never seen any signs prohibiting it. I've had firearm conversations with a few vendors There over the years and they've all been positive.

They are only open Friday and Saturday though.

I go all the time and oc. Never had a problem question or peep out of anybody.

[ViperGTS19801]

Halfway through a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo and no problems so far! There was the one lady who got all angry and muttered, "who comes to the zoo with a gun?!"

[Kurt_D]

Halfway through a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo and no problems so far! There was the one lady who got all angry and muttered, "who comes to the zoo with a gun?!"

Just tell her that it's in case the tigers break out of the overhead trailways...

[Rblakely]

Halfway through a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo and no problems so far! There was the one lady who got all angry and muttered, "who comes to the zoo with a gun?!"

Ohhhh, Mr. Kotter - Mr. Kotter. I know

[90volts]

just remind her of the incident with the wild dogs less than two years ago i think it was at the Pitt zoo.

[ViperGTS19801]

Well, as it turns out, the Zoological Society does, in fact, have a policy prohibiting the carry of weapons (regardless of if you have an LTCF) if you are not a law enforcement officer. Police in uniform are exempt and plainclothes/off duty officers are required to either carry concealed or lock it up in one of the Zoo's offices.

The security staff were EXTREMELY polite and professional, and even gave me a copy of the written policy. more details to come after I get home with the little one.

[internet troll]

I go all the time and oc. Never had a problem question or peep out of anybody.

Not surprised, I've talked to a few vendors there and they definitely seem to have a pro carry view.

[90volts]

Well, as it turns out, the Zoological Society does, in fact, have a policy prohibiting the carry of weapons (regardless of if you have an LTCF) if you are not a law enforcement officer. Police in uniform are exempt and plainclothes/off duty officers are required to either carry concealed or lock it up in one of the Zoo's offices.

sounds to me like that policy is designed to not 'scare the children'. it is unfortunate that the zoo is not ok with law abiding citizens protecting themselves. yet another 'gun free zone' where children can be slaughtered. wonderful.

[ViperGTS19801]

sounds to me like that policy is designed to not 'scare the children'. it is unfortunate that the zoo is not ok with law abiding citizens protecting themselves. yet another 'gun free zone' where children can be slaughtered. wonderful.

Pretty much. Let it be known that in spite of the policy (which I disagree with), the actual security guards were SUPER awesome and quite literally were nothing other than the very definition of professional, courteous and polite.

Here's the story.

The midget and I have the day to ourselves, and since we have a membership, I took her to the Zoo. We had a great time, despite the heat, walking around and enjoying the various exhibits. We'd been there for about two hours and the heat had begun to get to the little one, so she asked if we could start heading out.

Prior to this, I noted a woman who looked very upset, and I heard her mutter "Who comes to the zoo with a gun?!" Many more people than she realizes, I am sure. A while later, as the midget was playing in the Lorax area, a man asked me, "Do you have open carry over here?" "Absolutely," I said, "for the most part, PA is open carry everywhere. You need your license to OC in Philadelphia, though." "Oh, okay. I'm a police officer in New Jersey and we don't have that." We talked for a few minutes and he told me that he feels safer when citizens are armed, since it makes everyone else act a little more civilized. He was a really cool guy and told me a story about a guy who armed himself and chased a mugging suspect for three blocks after his brother got attacked. He didn't charge the guy with any weapons offenses, even though he could have under the circumstances.

Anyway, we were on our way out, and the little one got distracted by the big Treehouse exhibit, which is basically a big play area for kids. We were in there for about ten minutes with her bouncing off the walls before she came over and wanted to show me the place, and while we were towards the back, two security guys from the Zoo came over.

I told them that I had my license and that I didn't find anything on their website, but they told me that they did in fact have a policy and that they had gotten several complaints from freaked out visitors. I told them that the way other people feel is none of my concern, to which they replied that what other people think is, in fact, their concern. They had a perfectly solid point. They went on to say that the Zoo is private property owned by the Zoological Society, and the board of directors decided to prohibit the display of any weapons in an effort to prevent other customers from being upset.

I asked them if I could see a copy of this policy, and they said it wouldn't be a problem. One of them called the Director of Security, a very nice fellow by the name of Dave. We went, with little one in tow, to his office, where he proceeded to make a copy of the policy for me. The relevant bits read as follows.

It is the policy of the Zoological Society of Philadelphia to prohibit the possession of firearms upon the grounds except under the specific conditions listed in this policy.

Zoo-owned firearms are permitted upon the property. The use of these firearms shall be in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Animal Recapture Team and only by authorized members of this team.

Duly sworn police officers may carry and use their service firearms in the performance of their duties in accordance with applicable law.

Law enforcement officers in plainclothes or off-duty officers carrying a firearm should keep said firearm concealed during their visit to the zoo. (This includes a clause that they need to let the staff know they are carrying and provide their info to a Zoo Public Safety officer.)

The carrying of any firearm by a person that not a duly sworn law enforcement officer, authorized Zoo team member or contractor in the performance of their duties is prohibited.

Dave and I talked for a little while and he even gave my little one some Zoo-themed bandaids and a little monkeyface stress ball. He had no problem whatsoever with the right to carry but the decision to prohibit it is made above him, so he has to enforce it as he is told. He also is a past Chief of a fire company as well as having spent time as a federal firefighter, so we had quite a bit of common ground. We talked for a good fifteen minutes and I thanked him for his professionalism and respect.

While I don't like the policy, it is, in fact, the Society's right to make that call.

[Statkowski]

Nothing out West here as exciting as Viper's entry, but....

I was out grocery shopping with my wife at Aldi's, next to Wal-Mart in White Township, Indiana County. I had already been OCing at Wally World, plus a late breakfast at Eat'n Park, followed up by Aldi's (always stop for eating before going grocery shopping - it'll cut down on your buying more than you need).

Anyway, being out West here nobody said nothin' about me OCing, except when I was leaving Aldi's. All the groceries, and wife, were already in the car and I was putting my shopping buggy back to retrieve my quarter. At the same time a lady, who had already plugged in her quarter, was attempting to retrieve her buggy from the rest of the herd. I stepped back to let her leave and she said, "No, you go first, you've got the gun." We both laughed.

Nope, no shock and awe, no puddles left on the concrete, no big deal at all. No signs on the doors saying, "We're defenseless."