Drinking while carrying

[INGunGuy]

Hello everyone, I know we preach all the time about carrying and drinking, but I would like to get everyone's opinion on the chain of events this past Saturday night.

I would never normally carry if I were going to a bar to do any kind of drinking. So that evening my wife and I went out to do some shopping and get a bite to eat. She called a friend of her's who told her and I to come to eat with them. We proceeded to go meet them to eat. Well, we get there, and I was unprepared for the environment we were going into. Nothing bad, just lots of people. Well I still had no intentions of doing any drinking, just eating, and listening to the Bluegrass Band. Well, unknown to me, they had XX on tap, and quite honestly I LOVE XX on tap. Knowing full well I was carrying, I was at a crossroads, and here is where my question comes into play.

I decided to go ahead and order Uno más grande de cerveza por favor. Well the damn thing was 32 oz... way more than I would drink and be carrying a 12 oz can of beer is one thing, but 32oz of XX is another. OK, I excused myself and went out to the car and locked up my handgun. Went back in, drank, ate, listened to music, etc.... very enjoyable evening.

So should I have forgone the beer and had 100% of my wits because I was in care and control of a firearm. Or, the act of locking the gun in the car was separating myself from the firearm, and thus allowing me to drink if I so desire.

Oh and when we left the restaurant I was far from being drunk, but still chose to ride shotgun since the misses hadn't been drinking and didnt want to take any chances...

INGunGuy

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

Does she have her LTCH and was she armed?

 

[INGunGuy]

Does she have her LTCH and was she armed?

No, not yet, paperwork in process, and no. Firearm was locked in a gunvault in the car. She has no access to the gunvault.

INGunGuy

 

[rhart]

Better safe than sorry. I think you played it very well.
I think when your in a bar the chances of a scuffle increases like 300%. I would rather take a beating than risk someone getting a hold of my gun after rolling on the ground with them or whatever. Besides, if you did pull and use it, (to protect your or your girlfriends life) a good lawyer would make mince meat out of you if you were drinking pitchers of beer or whatever. Usually when you hear of a shooting in a bar, you dont hear about how it was self defense, I think they call it Manslaughter and the shooter was drunk!

 

[Que]

Sounds like you did everything right. Did you buy your wife a flower?

 

[Bigum1969]

Well done, at least in my opinion.

Having one beer (12 oz) is a lot different than a mucho grande cerveza!

 

[Scarnucci]

If drinking a beer worries you so much that you lay awake at night wondering if you did right, then you either need to drink more to learn your limits, or never drink again.

I mean really, such a freakin soap opera over a beer?

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

If drinking a beer worries you so much that you lay awake at night wondering if you did right, then you either need to drink more to learn your limits, or never drink again.

I mean really, such a freakin soap opera over a beer?

That view is a limited look at the totality of the situation, IMO. It fails to take into account:

- Situational awareness (specifically, loss of)
- Personal Security
- Security of those important to you
- "What if's" to include run-ins with LEOs
- Possible legal ramifications if forced to shoot an aggressor

There is more to this than, "Oh, I had a beer. Did I do wrong?"

 

[Shootin'IN]

Good call.

 

[Prometheus]

This is a question where the person needs to ask themselves...

Can I enjoy an adult beverage and remain in control of myself?

If the answer is no, then you probably shouldn't be drinking in public to begin with.

I will drink with a firearm on me. I don't get intoxicated in public anymore and even when I did, I wasn't a violent drunk and I used a deep concealment device (like a smart carry), I frequented night clubs and in a crowded environment, carry on the belt won't work.

If I ever needed it, I'd rather be drunk and alive than dead and unarmed.

If you're a scrapper when you drink, I'd suggest not drinking rather than drinking and locking up your gun.

If it was me? I'd have pulled my shirt over my XD and enjoyed the Dos Equis in a responsible fashion. Not that I would have HAD to cover my sidearm, I just choose not to drink and carry openly.

Did you do right? That's your call, not ours.

 

[WeAreNotAlone]

Better safe than sorry. I think you played it very well.
I think when your in a bar the chances of a scuffle increases like 300%. I would rather take a beating than risk someone getting a hold of my gun after rolling on the ground with them or whatever. Besides, if you did pull and use it, (to protect your or your girlfriends life) a good lawyer would make mince meat out of you if you were drinking pitchers of beer or whatever. Usually when you hear of a shooting in a bar, you dont hear about how it was self defense, I think they call it Manslaughter and the shooter was drunk!

Bingo, we have a winner!

Bar, Low light, crowded, lots of movement & Intoxicated shooter is recipe for disaster.


OP did the right thing by separating himself from the firearm.

For those that drink, and keep the gun on you.... Good luck on that, if you are intoxicated more than likely you will be disarmed, maybe getting shot with your own gun. If you get some shots off you are going to jail / would be in for many thousands of dollars in legal fees. If you hit a bystander which would be REAL easy to do in a bar you would be in so much do-do you'd never see the light of day.



PS: The below cams appear to be picking up IR /are low light cams so to the naked eye the ambient light level would be what you'd expect in a bar.

These are some lucky SOB's... Luckily no one was hurt or killed.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tkEFCAPgCA"]YouTube - Bar shootout caught on tape[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlW3A2eRKrA[/ame]


Now for those that say Drinking and Firearms mix, say for example someone had shot your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend in a Bar shoot-out.... killing or maiming them....

Shooter was intoxicated= Would you say "Hey, that's OK.... or would you pursue legal action against them?

(Remember, this is your "squeeze" we're talking about- Would you press charges?)

.

 

[clt46910]

A amateur practices until he gets it right, a profession practices until he can not get it wrong.

I drink at times and will have a firearm on me. I practice a lot.

Just saying that just because one drinks, does not always means they are not professional or aware of their responsibilities.

 

[Astrocreep]

OP, I think you made some good choices.
Especially not getting behind the wheel after having more than one drink at a bar.

No way would I ever leave my gun locked in the car at a bar though.
Bar parking lots are notoriously unsafe environments.
There are places that are more dangerous at night, but I don't visit them.

If I ever choose to drink more than I probably should, it's going to be at my house.
A bar is just like any other place to me: If it gets crazy or dangerous, I leave.

 

[SKSnut]

If drinking a beer worries you so much that you lay awake at night wondering if you did right, then you either need to drink more to learn your limits, or never drink again.

I mean really, such a freakin soap opera over a beer?

thats what i was thinking.

 

[E5RANGER375]

i dont realy drink anymore. i think i killed my liver off almost in the Army. lol.

i think you have to decide whats your limit. if just one beer will not make you impaired then keep your gun. its just like driving a car, you should know when youve had too much, so if youve had too much or know your gonna get over the legal limit to drive, then dont carry.

part of the reason i dont drink as much is now that I have a family i try not to sacrifice theirs or my safety by overdoing it, and being forced to leave my gun somewhere other than on me. so for me its a simple decision, do i wanna be unnarmed and not in 100% form, or do i wanna be ready at all times for every threat. i choose the 2nd option, but to each ther own. just dont carry drunk in my opinion.

 

[Prometheus]

Bingo, we have a winner!

Bar, Low light, crowded, lots of movement & Intoxicated shooter is recipe for disaster.

For some. Personally I spent several years many nights a week in such situations. If that were the case, there would have has to have been several incidents in S. Florida I'd probably be locked up for. No such incidents

Posting videos from "Gary nightlife" do nothing to bolster your argument.

There was post on here recently of armed bar patrons stopping a shooting rampage.

If (as you so liberally point out), the sky would be falling due to guns in Indiana bars/clubs.... how do you explain it not happening? It's been legal for decades here.

Your chicken little cries are falling on deaf ears. Your fears and phobias are just that.

Like I said earlier, take responsibility. If you can't hold your liquor, you shouldn't be drinking in public.

 

[INGunGuy]

OP, I think you made some good choices.
Especially not getting behind the wheel after having more than one drink at a bar.

No way would I ever leave my gun locked in the car at a bar though.
Bar parking lots are notoriously unsafe environments.
There are places that are more dangerous at night, but I don't visit them.

If I ever choose to drink more than I probably should, it's going to be at my house.
A bar is just like any other place to me: If it gets crazy or dangerous, I leave.

For someone to be able to get my pistol would have taken a lot more than your average junkie looking for a quick fix type of crook. The gunvault is attached inside the car and would need extensive time to remove.

To the other comments, I appreciate it. I do drink on occasion, and yes I have carried after drinking one 12 oz beer, I personally dont have a problem with that. As for being at a bar, we were are at a pretty nice place in a pretty nice part of town, but we all know crap happens everywhere. As for not knowing limits, etc. I do know my limit, and having a 32oz XX was my limit. I rarely go out drinking anymore, we usually walk 2 doors down to out neighbors house or they walk up to our house, and we drink at home. That way we avoid any hassles that happens when you go out drinking.

INGunGuy

 

[shibumiseeker]

Hello everyone, I know we preach all the time about carrying and drinking, but I would like to get everyone's opinion on the chain of events this past Saturday night.

...

So should I have forgone the beer and had 100% of my wits because I was in care and control of a firearm. Or, the act of locking the gun in the car was separating myself from the firearm, and thus allowing me to drink if I so desire.

Oh and when we left the restaurant I was far from being drunk, but still chose to ride shotgun since the misses hadn't been drinking and didnt want to take any chances...

INGunGuy

Thank you. I mean that sincerely as someone who has worked a lot of bad results from people with poor judgement. Both for not driving when another sober driver was available, and for having the maturity to know your limit and taking care of your weapon before your judgement was altered. The person drinking is the worst person to judge how affected they are.

 

[Sailor]

Choosing to be unarmed in a legal public place = fail to me.
Choosing to be unarmed cause you like the beer = fail to me.

I personally would have just had a smaller drink, with food and stayed armed.

I dont ever even think about this stuff. It goes with me always, and I stay in control (moderation) in public. Yeah it sucks sometimes, but so does carrying, it is uncomfortable, inconvenient etc. But that's what you sign up for when you make the decision to be able to protect yourself and others with a firearm.

 

[dross]

I don't believe use of alcohol and being armed automatically exclude each other.