Howdy,
As a relative newcomer to Texas, I was finally able to acquire my License To Carry. I got it earlier this year.
I have been carrying Beretta 84 (380).
I try to carry as often as I can to get used to wearing a gun.
Today, the Wife wanted to go out for early steak dinner.
Since we may be returning home near dark, I decided to carry.
The restaurant's entrance is down a narrow corridor where the hostess is waiting. While waiting for the hostess, I saw the signs that announced NO Concealed firearms even with a permit.
Being that it was still daylight, if I were to disarm, I would have a long walk back to our vehicle and I would have to disarm and put gun in vehicle.
I'm sure the Wife saw the signs and didn't say anything.
Being disabled, I use a walking stick and carry a man purse.
So going to the vehicle wasn't going to happen.
I just didn't say anything and requested a booth.
I sat with gun side, purse and walking stick on the inside so no one could see even if my shirt rode up.
This is the first time I have been in this situation.
Didn't say anything to the Wife and she didn't say anything about it to me.
Your comments about how I handled this incident.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: YogiBear,

As I understand Texas law, they require very specific signage, and it must be posted prominently at the entrance to the establishment, before you go into it. I'm reading this to understand you didn't see any sign until you were already inside. Even if you were "made" (which you weren't because you kept concealed), the sign would have no legal "teeth" to it.

Depends.
Were they actually 30.06 & 30.07 signs?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hudr,

I wouldn’t give it much thought, done the same.

What’s the adage, ‘always carry, never tell’.

Ran into same situation visiting Texas last year and did same thing you did and went in and ate then left.

My wife and I have been carrying daily for the past 35 years. We are both of the same mindset, if we walk up to a restaurant (or any business really) and they have a no firearms sign - we turn around and leave.

Why give money to people who don't support your rights? I will call and ask to speak to the manager/owner/supervisor and let them know that they lost out on our business and that we would inform our friends and family members too.

Luckily, there are lots of places to eat in this country.

This has worked for us for 35 years and I don't see it changing anytime soon.

As for me, I would have ignored the damn sign and enjoyed my meal.
Then I would dine elsewhere. If a business chooses to compromise my rights and safety, I choose to not patronize them.

Fortunatly, where I live, signs are just suggestions that management is ignorant when it comes to weapons that are carried by non-criminals.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
Fortunatly, where I live, signs are just suggestions that management is ignorant when it comes to weapons that are carried by non-criminals.

Yep, management can only ask you to leave if they find out you are carrying. If you refuse, the charge will be trespassing. I carry IWB concealed and never have had a problem. Don’t ask, don’t tell.

As my friend Warhorse likes to say, "Concealed means concealed."

These things just happen and you handled it well.

Edit your subject line to show a descriptive title which will let members know what your thread is about. "Ooops" could mean ten thousand things and such subject lines are never acceptable in this forum. Be specific, and let members know what your thread is about, please, so they can decide of they wish to open it.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
As for me, I would have ignored the damn sign and enjoyed my meal.
Then I would dine elsewhere. If a business chooses to compromise my rights and safety, I choose to not patronize them.

Exactly this.

What sign? I don't pay any mind to places that have a sign, with the exception of the forbidden places like banks, government offices, schools, ect.

In the instance you outline, you did right. IMO.
I have done the same as well.
In fact, I noticed the signs at my local bank were inside the little foyer, off to the side, and behind a table with a large plant on it.
Not exactly “Prominently Displayed”
I happen to know the branch manager so I asked about it. He said, “yeah, corporate said put’em up” as he shrugged, smiled, and peeled back his suit coat to show me his 1911 on his hip.

Next month, the signs were gone completely.

quote:

banks

Not necessarily. Because the funds are FDIC insured doesn't make them federal buildings. Only if the bank itself has proper no-guns signage and/or if a state law prohibits it would they be forbidden.

Also, and not that I would ever advocate breaking the law...

It only becomes an issue if they find out, ask you to leave, and you refuse. And even if you do get cited it's now a Class C misdemeanor which is the lowest level. It used to be Class A which basically meant you'd lose your LTC if convicted.

Others have covered it pretty well. But I’ll add that the “prominent display at the entrance” or similar langue used in the 30.06 statue was very much on purpose by those that crafted these laws in Texas. The intent was that an individual could see the sign from their car and disarm (if they so chose) inside the car without having to get out and walk back to do so. In this instance I’d say it wasn’t posted at the entrance so it could be viewed as non-compliant.

Was it in fact a true 30.06 sign or was it a generic “no guns” sign?

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
As for me, I would have ignored the damn sign and enjoyed my meal.
Then I would dine elsewhere. If a business chooses to compromise my rights and safety, I choose to not patronize them.

Same here.

I'm really not good at reading, much less random signs on glass / windows at businesses. In fact I don't even try to read them, so I would never know about a Thirty-Ought-Six sign, whatever that would mean.

As an aside, if you don’t already have it, go get the Texas 3006 app, makes keeping track of friendly establishments and not-so-friendly locations much easier. It’s all user submitted so make sure you add or edit any that you find out there.