Yes, the correct response is "I do not owe you an explanation for my behavior and do not wish to speak with you, if you do not leave me alone I will call the cops"
Printable View
From the tone and manner with which the lady asked the first question, I knew what this was going to devolve into.
After open carrying for about 7 years now, almost every day, I can tell from the first word where the conversation will go. I've had genuinely interested/curious folks. Some even asked me about gun ownership and whether they should go that route themselves. I've also had people tell me they feel safer seeing my handgun. I've also (much more rarely) had drama queen d-bags who 1) know that I'm not a threat to them 2) hate me because I have a gun 3) feel perfectly safe being angry and confrontational toward me because they know I'm not a bad guy.
Are you a cop?
Let's see how many answers I've used that I can recall:
Fuck you! Why would you accuse me of that?
Not right this minute.
Not today. Not this week, I'm on vacation.
Why? Do you need one?
Why, what did you do? Grab the gun while asking that one and move forward aggressively. Fucks with their mind.
Earlier today, I was eating lunch out with my wife and daughter, wearing the same rig. I heard a mom talking to her young son, saying "Well, not all police officers wear uniforms". This does look like a 'Rick Grimes' rig. On the other hand, the only LEO I've seen with a revolver was at Philly International, and he looked about 60 years old.
My wife said to her: "Leave us alone now".
The nerve that some people have is just amazing.
As my employer has extremely anti-gun policies I have trained myself to answer
questions like that with "I am not at liberty to discuss my employment."
I do not carry, OC or CC, when wearing anything that would identify me as an employee,
such as an access badge, clothing, etc. The company has never made such a stipulation
a part of their policies, I just want to make sure I keep things separate.
My employment would truly be none of her business and it's not really the question she wanted
to ask in the first place anyway so when I sense the tone right from the start it's always a good
idea to knock them out of their OODA loop at the first chance and take the lead in the encounter.
I even used it once with a PA State Trooper, successfully, simply by making a one-liner that had
us both smiling. I knew he was going to say something and as soon as he opened his mouth I
interrupted and spoke first. Worked like a charm. Even his partner laughed.
*rep to OP, and to Streaker for Dennis and me!
OODA Loop: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop
.
Thanks. My employer, too, is as anti-gun as it gets (I'm a professor). If anyone at work even found out I shoot guns at a range, let alone own them, let alone CARRY THEM OPENLY, I'd be the most hated person on campus. They'd find a way to get rid of me too. Luckily, I my workplace is over an hours drive away.
I, too, never wear anything that would identify my place of work when OCing.