Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

Are the signs posted at the entrance of business shops stating"no weapons allowed" or any other wording to that effect backed by law or are they just the policy of the store???

They are backed by Private Property statutes.

Private property owners are allowed by law to prohibit weapons from their property by posting signs at every entrance.


...and remember,

It is the policy of organizations such as the VCDL that we as gun owners never tell a business owner with a "No Guns" policy that they should put up signs.

18.2-308 (O)

O. The granting of a concealed handgun permit shall not thereby authorize the possession of any handgun or other weapon on property or in places where such possession is otherwise prohibited by law or is prohibited by the owner of private property.

what if the company is publicly traded on the stock market ?, but not a franchise store?

what if the company is publicly traded on the stock market ?, but not a franchise store?

Generally the owner or manager has the authority to make the decision on allowing guns. In a large coporate type setting, the decision could either be left to the local manager or be passed down from headquarters. The company's property is private even if ithe company has public stock ownership.

If it says "No Handguns" is my SKS allowed?

I never pay attention to those signs. If I am carrying concealed , I don't give it a second thought. If I am confronted by a manager or owner and they don't want my business, I'll leave, informing them they will never see me in there again.

GS78 wrote:I never pay attention to those signs. If I am carrying concealed , I don't give it a second thought. If I am confronted by a manager or owner and they don't want my business, I'll leave, informing them they will never see me in there again.

what?

ProShooter wrote:

GS78 wrote:I never pay attention to those signs. If I am carrying concealed , I don't give it a second thought. If I am confronted by a manager or owner and they don't want my business, I'll leave, informing them they will never see me in there again.

what?

what? what?, you seemed shocked.

I know of at least one incident where a citizen was arrested for carrying concealed in a business that had "no concealed firearms" signs on the doors.
Unless absolutely necessary, I'll just go somewhere else before I carry concealed illegally.

I should have clarified that last one, I don't go to bars, so the whole alcohol thing doesn't come into play, my understanding is I am not breaking the law, just bending the rules of management in some places. I don't go to gun safe zones, but if I happen to be in one unexpectedly...I do not disarm , I just don't see the sign on the way in.......but like they say in D.C., "don't do as I do, do as I say...."

GS78 wrote:I should have clarified that last one, I don't go to bars, so the whole alcohol thing doesn't come into play, my understanding is I am not breaking the law, just bending the rules of management in some places. I don't go to gun safe zones, but if I happen to be in one unexpectedly...I do not disarm , I just don't see the sign on the way in.......but like they say in D.C., "don't do as I do, do as I say...."

Are you familar with the statute posted above? 18.2-308 (O)

ProShooter wrote:

GS78 wrote:I should have clarified that last one, I don't go to bars, so the whole alcohol thing doesn't come into play, my understanding is I am not breaking the law, just bending the rules of management in some places. I don't go to gun safe zones, but if I happen to be in one unexpectedly...I do not disarm , I just don't see the sign on the way in.......but like they say in D.C., "don't do as I do, do as I say...."

Are you familar with the statute posted above? 18.2-308 (O)

nope.

As per the rule of thumb, if a store is not posted and than upon entrance I am singled out to leave, unless there policy changes I do not and will not go back. Personaly I wish some places would be clearer on their intentions up front. I hate giving my money to any buisness that does not allow me to carry in any manner as I I wish. I will not suggest they put up a sign, but there are so many places that like to play on the line of not allowing alowing and my thought is they should either support or not, no in-between. If someone gets hurt or killed because of their policy, I believe they should be held fully responsible as to if the person could have defended themselvs had their policy been differant.
Saying that we all take risks every day. If it is a case of a place you must go, I would say you must way the risk as to wether it is worth going or not. Personaly a no guns sign means just that, reguardless of if we like it or not. No buisness is worth the chance of me getting prosecuted over it.

GS78 wrote:

ProShooter wrote:

GS78 wrote:I should have clarified that last one, I don't go to bars, so the whole alcohol thing doesn't come into play, my understanding is I am not breaking the law, just bending the rules of management in some places. I don't go to gun safe zones, but if I happen to be in one unexpectedly...I do not disarm , I just don't see the sign on the way in.......but like they say in D.C., "don't do as I do, do as I say...."

Are you familar with the statute posted above? 18.2-308 (O)

nope.

Well what is your interpretation of that statute?

Not to split hairs on this topic, but if you are concealing properly and enter a location that has a GFZ policy, how would they know you are armed?

Earlier in the thread someone mentioned of someone being arrested for CC in a location that was posted GFZ by policy. I would have to say that if he was arrested for CC, he was doing it wrong. How can one get into problems if somthing is concealed?

The definition of conceal

Main Entry: con·ceal
Pronunciation: \kən-ˈsēl\
Function: transitive verb

Date: 14th century
1 : to prevent disclosure or recognition of <conceal the truth>
2 : to place out of sight <concealed himself behind the door>
synonyms see hide


While property owner can post such policies, that is fine, they are well within their rights to do so. I also have a responsibility to protect myself and my family. This responsibility is more important to me then a sign. Unlike VA, GFZ signs carry no legal weight here on the Eastern Shore (DE). If I am "caught' with a CC firearm in a location that posts a GFZ sign, all that can be done is for them to ask me to leave. If I refuse, then it is trespass.

Just saying....remember, one must be aware if a GFZ policy is backed-up by law or statue in a locality or state they may be in.
Around here, (DE) a GFZ sign posted on a store or shop carries no legal weight, IF I carry CC in that location, I am NOT breaking any LAWS, just a policy.

Just saying....Since I OC, 94% of the time, and GFZ postings are rare, it is not an issue for me around here.

I had to stop before reading the whole last post. As far as who would know, I would know if I was doing something knowingly against a company policy. If the issue is that bad, why would you want to give them your money in the first place? Two wrongs don't make a right, I feel them keeping up a policy that is anti self defence. Just because you may feel their policy is wrong dos not make it right for you to ignore. We talk much about how criminols do not obey laws, but yet you are not above breaking them your self and willing to publicly say so. What is wrong with that picture?

scampbell3 wrote:Not to split hairs on this topic, but if you are concealing properly and enter a location that has a GFZ policy, how would they know you are armed?

Earlier in the thread someone mentioned of someone being arrested for CC in a location that was posted GFZ by policy. I would have to say that if he was arrested for CC, he was doing it wrong. How can one get into problems if somthing is concealed?

The definition of conceal

Main Entry: con·ceal
Pronunciation: \kən-ˈsēl\
Function: transitive verb

Date: 14th century
1 : to prevent disclosure or recognition of <conceal the truth>
2 : to place out of sight <concealed himself behind the door>
synonyms see hide


While property owner can post such policies, that is fine, they are well within their rights to do so. I also have a responsibility to protect myself and my family. This responsibility is more important to me then a sign. Unlike VA, GFZ signs carry no legal weight here on the Eastern Shore (DE). If I am "caught' with a CC firearm in a location that posts a GFZ sign, all that can be done is for them to ask me to leave. If I refuse, then it is trespass.

Just saying....remember, one must be aware if a GFZ policy is backed-up by law or statue in a locality or state they may be in.
Around here, (DE) a GFZ sign posted on a store or shop carries no legal weight, IF I carry CC in that location, I am NOT breaking any LAWS, just a policy.

Just saying....Since I OC, 94% of the time, and GFZ postings are rare, it is not an issue for me around here.

BINGO. My point exactly. If anyone has the false sense of security that Law Enforcement's main purpose is to provide you with security they are sadly mistaken. Like I said, I usually don't go to any GFZ 's and try my best to avoid them, however, like you, I believe that when you CC, your weapon is not detectable anyway, so unless someone tries to frisk me at the door, which would be unadvisable at best, I continue about my business and leave that area as soon as I have accomplished whatever it may be that I set out to accomplish, I will make note of it, and not return.

jim wrote:I know of at least one incident where a citizen was arrested for carrying concealed in a business that had "no concealed firearms" signs on the doors.
Unless absolutely necessary, I'll just go somewhere else before I carry concealed illegally.

can you site this incident, I would love to research it.