About "No CCW here" signs in Virginia

M

Mike Irwin

Staff
Virginia residents,

Have any of you seen any signs forbidding concealed carry other than in government buildings, such as Wal-Mart, K Mart, etc?

I live in Northern Virginia (Fairfax) and have YET to see a single "NO CCW HERE" sign!

I would have thought that NoVa would be the hotbed for anti-CCW signs, as this is such a liberal bleeding heard POS part of the Commonwealth.


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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
Mike,

I am sorry to say there are a few: Landmark Mall, several Crown Stations, and a Hallmark store (I have forgotten the location). There may be others, but I have personally observed "no guns" posting in these Northern Virginia locations. As you're aware, Virginia statute makes it illegal for CCW license holders (or non-concealed carriers, for that matter) to take a firearm into an establishment that is posted.

Regards.
 
That's too bad. I hadn't seen any yet in Arlington, which is Cuba to Fairfax's Berkeley, and frankly was amazed, with all the MMM stickers I see in my neighborhood (I'm tempted to open carry just to irritate them). I knew it was too good to be true.

I think it's time for some remedial action a la Simmons malls. I'll have to write a letter or three to these morons.

[This message has been edited by Cypselus (edited August 04, 2000).]
 
Interesting. Thanks.

I don't go to Lanmark Mall (Fair Oaks & Tysons), and I get my gas at Mobil.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
Here in Jacksonville N.C. when CCW first became available the local city police were handing out stickers to every business advising proprietors that they needed to post them to protect themselves and their customers. In some cases some officers didn’t ask and just stuck them up on the front door. As concerned citizens began a campaign complaining to business owners (accompanied with the implication that “I’ll take my money else where”) the stickers disappeared. One tragedy that may have lent some weight to the issue was that of a man killed in the local mall parking lot. He was a CCW holder and left his firearm in his car as the Mall posted no CCW allowed signs at every entrance. On his way out of the mall in the parking lot, less then 100 feet from his car he was mugged by several “youths”(17,18.19 years old) wielding 2x4’s. They beat him and he died two days later. The father of the man sued and the Mall settled for an undisclosed amount. It was large enough that soon after that the mall changed hands. The mall had a force of private security on duty, augmented by off duty police officers. Yet they could not react fast enough to save this man from a 2x4.



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“This is my rifle, there many like it but this one is mine …”
 
I used to see "No CCW" signs in Texas too. The local gun stores started selling these small business cards that state something to the effect of:

As a Texas CHL holder, I have no felonies, no class A or B misdemeanors in the last ten years, etc. (goes on to list all the "good guy checks") and then finishes with "What do you know about your other customers?"

The front side advises them that you will be respecting their wishes by taking your gun and your money someplace else to do business.

These cards have worked. I have seen several businesses reverse their CCW policy as a result.
 
Scott, do you have more information on that incident in North Carolina? It could provide useful ammunition against those who would post "No guns" signs.
 
Cypselus,

Where at in Arlington? My office used to be at the corner of Glebe Road and 50, right next to the Cathedral. We recently moved to Falls Church.

I ALWAYS had a gun on me when I was going to be working late, which could have been a BIG problem as our lease was held by the Fed. Gov't, effectivly making the site a federal workplace. But, I figured better that than get my butt kicked in the parking lot as had happened to other people.

I think the primary contingent in that area is actually Honduran and Salvadoran. A good friend of mine (US Park Police officer) lives up near the hospital in North Arlington.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
Cypselus

I’d be more then happy to help.

What Info would you like … I’ll make every effort to acquire it.

The father of the victim (a customer of mine) settled out of court and as part of the agreement was not to talk in detail about the incident. Now that the Mall changed hands I’m unsure if he is released from that obligation or not. I will ask the local DA if there is any info that is available to the public on this case. I can also research the local Newspaper.

Any other Ideas?

If you are looking for other incidents such as this I’m sure someone on this board has a resource. However, the effect of an example happening at the very mall that your wife shops at is sobering. I would suggest searching locally for a story that makes the point of CCW clear and relevant to your community.




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“This is my rifle, there many like it but this one is mine …”
 
Mike, I live not half a mile from there, 2 blocks down Wilson from Ballston Mall. I'm not aware of any crimes here recently, but I keep a pistola handy just in case.

Scott, I thought that it might be helpful to be able to illustrate that the hypothetical possibility of being attacked while one has been disarmed by a stupid policy was actual. I am particularly interested by the notion of the mall being found liable for its policy's effects. The mall may not give a rat's hindquarters whether I get killed in their parking lot, but losing a substantial amount of money would presumably give them pause. It would be even better if some legal principle had been established. Does anyone know?

In this area, Springfield Mall is notorious for its dangerous parking lots, as is Potomac Mills, but I'm not aware of them having no guns policies.
 
When dealing with business, our most powerful tool is a boycott. When used properly, it is more powerful than a vote.
 
Hey, Mike-
I haven't really seen many posted places in Ffx. Galyans had a "no loaded firearms" sign on the front door for about 10 days last month (it's now gone), and Fairfax Hospital is posted with a 'no weapons, including firearms' sign at all the enterances I saw last summer when my wife was a 'guest' there (she had a brain tumor removed and now she understands fooltball, what an amazing place :) :)). But other than that, I haven't seen any. Stay safe, M2
 
Mike,

I didn't know that about Fairfax hospital.

I visited a friend in Arlington HP last week, and wondered if there were going to be any signs.

Didn't see any, and wouldn't have cared if there were.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
Though not in NC, I live in TN and have a TN carry permit (open or concealed, no legal difference with a permit), I have only noticed one non-govt building with a no firearms posting. That is at the new Opry Mills mall in Nashville, at the site of the old Opryland themepark.

Took my girlfriend and a neighbor's kid to the mall to see an Imax movie (wow!) and posted at the main entrance to the theatre side of the mall is a list of rules of behavior, one being a no-firearms rule.

An exception of sorts to the rule is at the Bass Pro Shops store, that of course sells firearms and ammunition. You may carry a firearm legally there, with permit of course, but must first surrender it to store staff unloaded to have a gunlock installed for while you are in the store. I did so and immediately removed my outer shirt, which I use to cover my rig, so that I was carrying openly. I figured if I was gonna go as far as put a triggerlock on my USP I might as well scare the anti-gunners while I shopped.

I've not been back to that mall since, and likely won't as long as these rules are in place. No other mall that I know of in the Nashville area has a no-guns posting, much less the triggerlock rule.
 
Well Gents.... Did you know that although VA has a CCW Law , open carry is completely legal, even in bars and public places !.....
Of course a private company may have as terms of employment, a restriction on that freedom, by contract as it were...you contract out of your Right....however that has been tested and won in some jurisdictions.

Just useful info.... Remember its better to be judged by 12 than to be carried by 6 !!!

If you are carrying concealed and don't need it for protection at that time , no one will know , and if by some misfortune you do need it , then use it and damn the rest of them!

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What part of "INFRINGED" don't they understand?
 
Yes open carry is legal almost everywhere here, except for Falls Church (unless you have a CCW permit) and Chesapeake, but almost no one does it. I spoke to the Arlington PD's "Public Information Officer" Cpl. Justin McNall, this past Friday on this very matter. Helpful and efficient, like most of the county officials I've dealt with in the past, he wasn't able to answer my questions to my or to his satisfaction. I got a lot of "I don't know" from him. I told him that I'd seen it done once in Arlington, at which he expressed surprise, saying he had never seen it. He wasn't as familiar with state laws on carrying weapons as I was (typical of police), and referred me to the Commonwealth Attorney's (our DA, for those of you outside of VA) office for an answer as to whether I would be charged with disorderly conduct for open carrying. All he could tell me is that in light of the "cultural makeup of Arlington" someone would call me in to the PD, and I would quite possibly spend some time with my hands on my head. Being held at gunpoint doesn't appeal to me, I'm afraid. Perhaps if I did it long enough, I could get to know all of the police in Arlington, and then they wouldn't bother me anymore (fat chance). It's unfortunate that someone who wishes to comply with the law is deterred from doing so by the prospect of being treated like an escaped murderer
 
From Roanoke, Va.,
I have not seen any "no guns/no ccw" signs at our malls. Perhaps the reason is that if they prohibit me from carrying, I will tell all my friends, they will tell their friends and before long nobody who carries will stop at that mall. Think of it this way...IT IS AN UNSAFE PLACE TO SHOP.
 
I was stopped at the door of Alexandria Hospital by some cops who know I carry and frisked because, they say, it is illegal to carry in hospitals in VA. I've checked VA code and there is nothing to this effect, but I'd rather not go to jail because of some local yokal's ideas of right and wrong.
 
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