Paul Top This

[Joe (SoCal)]

Paul Top This, Yesterday I went to the LA Auto show with my right wing, almost Q-Anon, paranoid, prepper, Trump loving, two tours of Iraq & Afghanistan Marine, country music loving buddy. I love this guy even though we are on completely different sides of the coin.


He drove to my place and we went to breakfast up at Silverado Cafe and then drove my Tesla to LA. Before we left he said he wanted to throw some stuff from his pick up in my trunk. When we parked in the LA Convention Center he asked how to open up the glove box, I showed him how it opens because EVERYTHING on a Tesla is through the main screen which I admit is DSE. He then he proceed to pull out a fully loaded Glock 9mm pistol, that I had no idea he brought with him to go to the **** AUTO SHOW !!!!


At the end of the night I watched him take out of my trunk a full Alice Pack, with God knows what other weapons he has, a bulletproof vest with four extra mags in it.


WHO THE **** TAKES A GUN TO GO TO THE AUTO SHOW WITH YOUR FRIEND ?

[George Jung]

Well.... RWW's, of course.

Gosh.

[JimD]

WHO THE **** TAKES A GUN TO GO TO THE AUTO SHOW WITH YOUR FRIEND ?

Short answer: The sort of person who takes a gun with him everywhere. The venues he attends and the company he keeps have little or nothing to do with it.

[Jim Bow]

PTSD?
I’m serious, did his time in the military implant a constant fear that at any time “they” might ambush?

[AndanteEd]

...he asked how to open up the glove box, I showed him how it opens because EVERYTHING on a Tesla is through the main screen which I admit is DSE. He then he proceed to pull out a fully loaded Glock 9mm pistol, that I had no idea he brought with him...

Jeez, I thought you were going to say he found the whole Tesla screen thing a bit complicated, so shot it...

My imagination was running a bit wild.

[sonofswen]

Well, didn't you ask him why?

[Tom Wilkinson]

And he leaves all those things in vehicles when he enters stores and venues leaving them available to be stolen. Hardly responsible gun ownership. I know many people that have had guns stolen from cars.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[birlinn]

Shoulda told him that, like the airlines, you have a no weapons on board policy.

[CWSmith]

WHO THE **** TAKES A GUN TO GO TO THE AUTO SHOW WITH YOUR FRIEND ?

I think you have answered your own question.

The big question is "Are you safer or in greater danger because of his behavior?" Sadly, I vote for greater danger.

The only time he had his weapon(s) with him seems to be in your car. When surrounded by strangers, they were in the car. What is the sense of that? Why did he think he needed them if he didn't have them with him?

[Paul Pless]

i dunno man

la is the frikking car jacking world capitol

I think you have answered your own question.

The big question is "Are you safer or in greater danger because of his behavior?" Sadly, I vote for greater danger.

The only time he had his weapon(s) with him seems to be in your car. When surrounded by strangers, they were in the car. What is the sense of that? Why did he think he needed them if he didn't have them with him?

[CWSmith]

i dunno man

la is the frikking car jacking world capitol

True. I suppose that can address the gun in the glove compartment, but not any in the trunk.

How about this? Would it be a matter of common courtesy to ask "Do you mind if I bring a gun?" I think that should be considered correct behavior.

And for the record, my father used to ride with friends who insisted on listening to Rush Limbaugh on the radio. I think that, too, should be asked before inflicting that garbage on another person.

[wizbang 13]

Why did he take it off his person?
I dint ask folks if they minded when I used to carry. They did not know.
so ,I recon he took it off and put it back on to show you how big his barrel is.

[Canoeyawl]

This guy is not your "buddy", keeping a loaded gun in a glove compartment is a (serious) criminal offense in California.
You should figure out a way to lose that guy asap.

[Joe (SoCal)]

ptsd?
I’m serious, did his time in the military implant a constant fear that at any time “they” might ambush?

^^^^^ this ^^^^^

[Joe (SoCal)]

Why did he take it off his person?
I dint ask folks if they minded when I used to carry. They did not know.
so ,I recon he took it off and put it back on to show you how big his barrel is.

There is MASSIVE security at the LA Auto Show with metal detectors and wands and police. So bringing a gun into the show would be a definite NO NO. As a matter of fact I forgot to remove my pocket knife last year and tried to hide it in a bush but someone must have seen me and it was gone when I left.

[hawkeye54]

Like Jake in post #13 above, my concern would be for YOU, if in the course of driving to / from the show, you may for whatever reason attract the interest of the 'local constabulary' - " No Officer, that is not my weapon / ammunition / ballistic armored vest . . . "

[CWSmith]

^^ Joe, I lost my favorite pocket knife at the TSA station years ago. I was stupid and paid the price. They actually offered to help me mail it back to myself, but I was running for a plane and figured it was a learning moment.

Then years later I had a laser pointer in the shape of a bullet that had gone through TSA many times, but it was confiscated. I showed them the laser and unscrewed the back to show them the battery, but all it took was the shape and it was gone. I didn't have a gun to fire it, and it wasn't a bullet, but none of that mattered. I didn't learn a lot from that.

[LeeG]

It’s not about you Joe. Where he goes the gun goes. My ex gf visited her dad in SC. When she was about to go for a jog on their country road he said “you want to take my gun?”. When he visited his estranged adult son who had little boys he left the loaded pistol in its holster on the bed. When she drove to the airport with her dad to pick up another family member he walked into the airport with his gun on. He’s a retired cop.

Your friends history is irrelevant. His history is not your car and company. Now you know what your friend carries.

[Garret]

I have a friend who always carries. We got stopped for speeding in NY state (his car, him driving) & as he pulled over he said "Put your hands on the dash & do NOT take them off it without explaining exactly what you are doing to the cop". When the cop came up to the window, Scott immediately said "Officer, I am carrying & the gun is on the seat". The cop totally tensed up, pulled his gun, told Scott to hand his to him holding it by 2 fingers and even after Scott had, the whole stop was formal & intense. Being NY, Scott needed a CC permit, so along with everything else, he had to show that as well.

Having the gun made the stop much more complicated (I even got asked for ID which it seems can be asked in NY if a gun in the car), added 10 minutes to it, and stressed everyone out. He still got a ticket too.

After we pulled away, I asked him if carrying was worth the hassle. "Yep." "Have you ever had to use it?" "Nope." "Then why?" "I feel safer".

I don't get it.

[Joe (SoCal)]

This guy is not your "buddy", keeping a loaded gun in a glove compartment is a (serious) criminal offense in California.
You should figure out a way to lose that guy asap.

This was running trough my mind the WHOLE time, and part of my reason to have him drive home. I was trying to work out the scenario where if we got pulled over he would be the one driving and I would just be the registered owner of the car with no clue as to what he was packing. I was nervous the whole way home because I knew all the holes in my plan and I really did not feel like having Renee come out and bail me out.

A day later I'm seriously kinda pissed at him and this is gonna be a longer talk between us. Oh and yes I fell a whole bunch less safe when I found out. I HATE GUNS.

[Canoeyawl]

You should let him go, he is not your friend and all the talk in the world isn't going to change anything.
He has stepped over the edge.
Better for you to just be "Too Busy" to have any further interaction.

[Joe (SoCal)]

You should let him go, he is not your friend and all the talk in the world isn't going to change anything.
He has stepped over the edge.
Better for you to just be "Too Busy" to have any further interaction.

A large part of me is in that camp. Not to mention he's become involved with a 1% SoCal motorcycle club, and has gotten increasingly involved in that lifestyle. He doesn't drink or do drugs but he increasingly paranoid. A lot of that does stem from some Sever PTSD he had a Humvee in front of him in his convoy in Afghanistan blow up from an IED, all his Marine brothers in that Vehicle were killed. He saw lots and lots of bad sh!t and thats why I've always been very compassionate, but we all have limits.

[wizbang 13]

There is MASSIVE security at the LA Auto Show with metal detectors and wands and police. So bringing a gun into the show would be a definite NO NO. As a matter of fact I forgot to remove my pocket knife last year and tried to hide it in a bush but someone must have seen me and it was gone when I left.

okay, i missed the sequence,sorry
i suppose a tesla is about the safest car vis a vis being stolen or broken into
One of the reasons I stopped carrying was that conundrum of stashing a gun in the car ...schools, courts,license beaureau/etc . I learned it is a big no no.

[LeeG]

. A lot of that does stem from some Sever PTSD he had a Humvee in front of him in his convoy in Afghanistan blow up from an IED, all his Marine brothers in that Vehicle were killed. .

maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. Something for his support group to ponder. Also irrelevant to what people carry in your car.

[Jim Mahan]

...I had a laser pointer in the shape of a bullet...

Were you in Texas? Maybe they thought it was a dildo.

[Garret]

Were you in Texas? Maybe they thought it was a dildo.

Or a Trump designed anti-Covid suppository.

[David W Pratt]

Not a big deal here. I see the occasional person in the grocery store with a gun; similarly, gun racks, with guns, in pickups. Of course, I don't know who is carrying concealed. You may disagree with the wisdom of carrying a gun, but if a person decides to carry, it is logical to carry everywhere. If you start making it a judgement call, inevitably, you will judge wrong.
In Rhode Island, the law is that if someone commits a crime to obtain your gun, the liability is theirs, not yours.

[George Jung]

I'd still like a law - nationally - that you were required to carry liability insurance, if a gun owner. Responsible if anyone else uses your gun in commission of a crime. Suspect folks would be much more responsible with their guns, and who had access to them.

[Joe (SoCal)]

Not a big deal here. I see the occasional person in the grocery store with a gun; similarly, gun racks, with guns, in pickups. Of course, I don't know who is carrying concealed. You may disagree with the wisdom of carrying a gun, but if a person decides to carry, it is logical to carry everywhere. If you start making it a judgement call, inevitably, you will judge wrong.
In Rhode Island, the law is that if someone commits a crime to obtain your gun, the liability is theirs, not yours.

All well in good, except it’s MY CAR, MY RULES !!!! Don’t like it don’t get in MY CAR. Not to mention rude and inconsiderate not to inform the owner of the vehicle.

Also as mentioned it could lead to an EXTREMELY tense traffic stop or possible legal actions in my state.

This whole incident reminds me of a forceful altercation I once had with my ex-father-in-law. He lived in a bucolic upstate town of Millbrook in an beautiful farm house, where we got married. He had an antique gun case with some beautiful shotguns and bolt action hunting rifles. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was the loaded Beretta 9mm handgun he hid in his unlocked nightstand. Again I have no problem with that EXCEPT he occasionally watched my daughter who was a toddler at the time. I confronted him and said unless he secured that weapon in a locked box my daughter will never cross his threshold. He became indignant and preached about his rights yadda yadda yadda. I said LISTEN TO ME from one Dad to another this is not up for debate you either conform or she never sets foot in this house again, simple. There was a long hard starring at each other and he got the point how serious I was.

Oh and every time I dropped my daughter by I double checked, and asked over and over again.

[Joe (SoCal)]

Joe, while you may not need this guy as a friend, he probably really does need you as one. Maybe it just might keep him slightly grounded in reality.
It's a hard ask though.
Set the boundaries and see how far he pushes.

Great insight Chris, thats been my modus operandi since day one, and trust me I can feel that pull from him. So I probably wont abandon him. I just have to set some stronger ground rules.

Once you are my friend you are my friend for life. Most of my best friend Ive had for a lifetime, I don’t give up on people.

Thank you for the reminder.

[Gerarddm]

This guy reminds me of the old Neil Young comment: " Sometimes you just have to kiss your junkie friends goodbye ".

[CWSmith]

Were you in Texas? Maybe they thought it was a dildo.

Or a Trump designed anti-Covid suppository.

Setting aside the fact that I have no need for either...

It was Boston and too small to be much of the former.

[CWSmith]

There are some amazing stories above about gun carriers (notice I did not say gun owners) making the lives of others stupidly unpleasant.

Joe, I would skip the show, turn the car around, and take him home. Then I'd inform him that in the future he comes unarmed or he stays home. You don't want to be around him when the fuse gets lit.

[Nicholas Scheuer]

Had a girlfriend who once pulled a 45 revolver out from under the bed just to show me. When I left next morning it was "sayonara".

[LeeG]

Had a girlfriend who once pulled a 45 revolver out from under the bed just to show me. When I left next morning it was "sayonara".

When I was in my early 20’s had an affair with an older woman who consulted the ICHING as to whether we would jump in bed. It was a relief to be on the road after that.