First "Negative" encounter OCing

[Pro2A]

I wouldn't call it so much more negative, just pushy. So I was out in town running some errands OCing as normal. I decided to stop at Sheetz to grab a drink and a bite to eat. As I pulled in I saw two spots empty right in front, and before I know it this asshole zips right in and parks right on the line with a big SUV thing. Looks right at me, gets out with his daughter and goes in. I was pissed, but figured he's just an ass so I let it go. Well I go inside, get my stuff and stand in line. He stands in line right behind me. He is a very tall 6'5+, built, Bas Rutten looking, shaved bald head kind of guy. As I am waiting in line I hear him

Him: "You should cover that up"
Me: A little startled "Why? It's perfectly legal in PA to open carry".
Him: "Well you might scare someone, please pull your shirt over it"
Me: "And who are you"?
Him: "I'm an off duty State Trooper".
Me: (Getting a flyer out of my pocket at this point) "Again its not illegal to OC in PA, look here". As I show him the law.
Him: "Just because it's legal doesn't mean you have to do it".
Me: "Well I choose to, especially now in the summer when its warm. It's hard to conceal, especially with this holster, and its not illegal". I turn back around to pay for my food and leave.
Him: "I wish people would just listen and have common sense. He shouldn't be OCing in public like that" To his daughter who was about 10.
Me: (Before I left) "I've been OCing for some time now, no one has been scared, no one has died, and no one has called the police. It's legal and I choose to protect myself".
Him: "Well I think I'll write my representative to get that law changed".
Me: "Go ahead you won't get far with him (Rob Kauffman), he is very pro-open carry. Have a good day sir, I need to get going". At this point I left leaving him obviously flustered that I know my rights.

[lprgcFrank]

Well done!

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Sorry you had to deal with that knucklehead - but kudos for how you handled yourself!

[Philadelphia]

I wouldn't call it so much more negative, just pushy. So I was out in town running some errands OCing as normal. I decided to stop at Sheetz to grab a drink and a bite to eat. As I pulled in I saw two spots empty right in front, and before I know it this asshole zips right in and parks right on the line with a big SUV thing. Looks right at me, gets out with his daughter and goes in. I was pissed, but figured he's just an ass so I let it go. Well I go inside, get my stuff and stand in line. He stands in line right behind me. He is a very tall 6'5+, built, Bas Rutten looking, shaved bald head kind of guy. As I am waiting in line I hear him

Him: "You should cover that up"
Me: A little startled "Why? It's perfectly legal in PA to open carry".
Him: "Well you might scare someone, please pull your shirt over it"
Me: "And who are you"?
Him: "I'm an off duty State Trooper".
Me: (Getting a flyer out of my pocket at this point) "Again its not illegal to OC in PA, look here". As I show him the law.
Him: "Just because it's legal doesn't mean you have to do it".
Me: "Well I choose to, especially now in the summer when its warm. It's hard to conceal, especially with this holster, and its not illegal". I turn back around to pay for my food and leave.
Him: "I wish people would just listen and have common sense. He shouldn't be OCing in public like that" To his daughter who was about 10.
Me: (Before I left) "I've been OCing for some time now, no one has been scared, no one has died, and no one has called the police. It's legal and I choose to protect myself".
Him: "Well I think I'll write my representative to get that law changed".
Me: "Go ahead you won't get far with him (Rob Kauffman), he is very pro-open carry. Have a good day sir, I need to get going". At this point I left leaving him obviously flustered that I know my rights.

Well done.

I don't open carry -- we've been all over that up and down but in philly OC just doesn't work.

But I benefit greatly in many ways from the fact that OC remains legal -- most directly because I don't have to worry about printing as people in some states do. Next, because sooner or later a "man with gun in holster" call will one day draw a well deserved yawn from police and the public might actually come to understand that people with guns you can see are actually the good guys.

I'm not sure I'll actually live long enough to see that but who knows.

As another thought, being diplomatic to the numerous asswipe liberals I'd run into every day isn't exactly my forte and trust me that I wouldn't make a good "ambassador" for the cause.

[schr8er2000]

Good job of standing up for your rights.....

[normanvin]

Good job.
Did he at least review the oc flyer?

[clarion44]

One of the few jerk Troopers. He has the right to his opinion though.

[jm1972]

Good story.

Where is this flyer posted? I've only had whispers from people around me when I oc...I live in Monroe county, so there's a lot of NY'ers and NJ'ers around.

[normanvin]

Good story.

Where is this flyer posted? I've only had whispers from people around me when I oc...I live in Monroe county, so there's a lot of NY'ers and NJ'ers around.

here you go

http://www.pafoa.org/forum/concealed...carry-you.html

[LorDiego01]

This is completely unrelated, I once had an off-duty cop yell at me, threaten me and literally get "all up on my face" in a super-market parking lot because he thought I was driving too fast (I wasn't!). Of course, he just wanted to show his two little boys how big and macho daddy was.

I was freakking 17 years old.

The second that a-hole went into the store, I keyed the living shit out of his truck. Deep and long lines throughout both sides.

Who's macho now, punk!?

The moral of the story and how it related to yours?

Maybe he just wanted to show his little girl that daddy is a bad-ass. And when daddy talks, people listen.

I'm glad you stood up for yourself.