My CCW came so close to being discovered yesterday

[Doug.38PR]

This is my first thread on this board, so I will start by saying hello (although I do recognize a lot of names in here from TFL)

I live in a motel room typically as my job often takes me away from home. The other day, I put my Official Police on my right hip and was about to put my sport coat on and leave when I realized I needed to do something on my computer. I sat down, without the coat on, and started working.
After a few minutes, the door clicked and opened. The maid unlocked my door and stepped in to see me sitting behind my room table in front of my computer. She didn't knock as they usually do, she was new and thought that my room was actually our office (the company I work for set up office in the room next to mine) and thought it okay to come on in. She apologized. I said "that's okay, just do what you need to do" or something like that. It was then I realized I had my gun on my right hip....but no coat on to cover it .
I then kept my right arm down to kind of cover it as best I could while and when her back was turned I slung the paddle holster around to the small of my back and turned my front in her direction pretending to look at some paperwork on the floor next to me. She was in and out in probably 1 minute tops getting towels and such.
That was a close one.
From a legal standpoint, I wonder what would have happen if she had seen the gun. Since I am staying in the room, it is a temporary place of residence and as far as I know, in Texas you can wear your gun inside your home. Not that I want anyone to know.
Typically I keep the chain on the door and bolt locked while I have my coat off in my room just in case the hotel people accidentally come in.

 

[Nio]

"From a legal standpoint, I wonder what would have happen if she had seen the gun."

The answer is: Nothing. You have a right to have it in your motel room. You could have been naked. Same thing. Nothing. If you'd have threatened her with anything, that would be different.

Believe it or not, people will not automatically burst into flame if they find out you have a gun. I walk around in my office building without my jacket from time to time and nobody cares because everyone knows.

Nio

 

[Mick_In_Texas]

Doug...

Well, as you know, we Texas CHL holders are required to keep our handguns concealed in public so that a "reasonable" adult cannot see that we are carrying. However, I believe as you do that a motel/hotel room, as long as we are inside that, is legally considered "our residence"; which, as you know, inside that we are not required to conceal a weapon, whether on our person or in our possession.

Stuff happpens. In a legal crunch, I think you'd be the winner. I don't answer my apartment door with one of my handguns VISIBLE: not to say that there's not one with immediate access... And I'm occasionally carrying in the apartment, as well as inside my dad's house, unconcealed. You seem to exercise reasonable caution in traveling situations within the boundaries of the rented/leased "residence". Like you, I make every effort to NOT let any motel/hotel employee ever see whatever handgun I may be carrying for the duration of the trip. A small note is that while you didn't have the deadbolt and "chain" deployed, the employee did enter your "residence" without knocking or giving you the opportunity to ALLOW her to enter your legally contracted "residence". Best thing is, to settle it all, though, is that she either didn't see it, or didn't feel the need to tell anyone that she had. Her embarrassment may have "covered" any possible issues you might encounter. Looks to me like, if the manager or law enforcement didn't arrive while you were staying there, you are okay all the way around.

But, agree that we do the best to "conceal" IN PUBLIC. I don't consider being inside a motel/hotel room when I travel, with the door locked regardless of whether I have the deadbolt or chain engaged, to be in public. I DEFINITELY hide my weapon in a drawer or other place, as I usually am not allowed to carry in the places I'm doing business on travel (TxDOT locations) as an employee; but, the minute I hit my room on my own time, that .45 or 9 is out for access... whether I'm going to dinner, or watching tv in my room, or sleeping in that room. With TxDOT, I've never been in that particular motel/hotel situation you found yourself in with that incident.

You and yours take care and be safe.
Mick

 

[gunsmith]

If I don't know

who is at the door I have my gun in my hand when I open it.

 

[TallPine]

I'm sure the maid has seen a lot more things than that

Casually putting your hand in you front pocket lets you pretty much cover a gun with your arm and elbow if it is at about the 3:00 position.

Though I think most people wouldn't notice you had a gun unless you duct tape it to your forehead

 

[Majic]

As you were not in public then no law was broken.

 

[Barbara]

If people weren't so unused to seeing gun used appropriately, we'd all be better off. I wouldn't have tried to hide it.

 

[Sistema1927]

Here is the question that comes to mind:

Hasn't our right to keep and bear arms already been infringed if we have to worry about stuff like this? (Even worse that we fret over it as well.)

 

[Zen21Tao]

Hasn't our right to keep and bear arms already been infringed if we have to worry about stuff like this? (Even worse that we fret over it as well.)

Actually, the thought that came to my mind was the hypocisy of some states only allowing the 2nd Amendment to be protected in private behind closed doors while at the same time fighting to ensure that the 1st amendment is so above reproach that free speech can not only be practiced anywhere but it allows profane and pornagraphic material to be pumped into everyones private homes.

Let me say that I do not support censorship in any form I am saying that the left needs to be consistant. Either allow the 1st Amendment, other chrished Amendments, and Roe v Wade to be eroded as much as the 2nd Amendment or protect the 2nd Amendment as much as the rest of our freedoms.