Safety concerns for new H/W team.
 

My wife and I are getting ready to get our CDL's and team drive. We are both carry permit holds and were planning to carry on the truck. I recently discovered to my great surprise that thisis illegal. I have read many a post that talk about drivers being armed when stopping at tryck stops at night for shower and what not. Not wanting to press our luck and carry anyway, I was hoping for some advise for me and my wife when it comes to personal peotection. Stun gun, bat, mase what do you do?

It isn't illegal to have a gun in a commercial vehicle. The problem can come when you go into some states, such as New York or some of the other communist states. You are not allowed to have a gun on a military base or port. Most military bases will hold the gun for you until you get ready to leave the base. I have heard of some problems on at least one New York base. If you have a carry permit you may already be aware that New York doesn't recognize any other state's permit. If they find one you could be arrested and charged with a felony. I spoke with one DOT officer who told me that he would not bother anyone who had a gun as long as the driver told him about it before he found it. I would not count on it. If you plan on taking a gun with you in the truck I would just keep my mouth shut about having it and stay away from the communist states that prohibit it. With what happened in DC I don't know if that changed the way New York, Massachusetts and some of the other communist states deal with those who have guns. There are some carriers who prohibit having guns in their trucks. It is company policy. You don't want to get caught with a gun if you cross into Canada, either. I had always kept a gun in my truck until a few years ago when I was going into Canada. I have not had a problem in any truck stops. We do deliver in some bad neighborhoods sometimes. Hair spray in the eyes can slow someone down. A stun gun is illegal in some areas. Canada also prohibits them as I recall. Before making a decision, you need to check with the company where you will be working and where you may run. Your biggest protection will be to be aware of your surroundings. Common sense goes a long way in keeping you safe.

When I drove for CFI ... I heard a story how one of our drivers went into canada with a gun. After a couple of years he was still seating in Jail in Canada. It's the law there - No Gun - and remember when you cross the boarder from here to Canada - - you've just lost alot of your rights. I decided after a couple of years it wasn't worth the risk. So I left my 357 magnum at home. As Gman said - - hairspray in the eyes, alcohol in a spray bottle, salt water in a spray bottle will slow someone down. I found I felt safer walking with my tire thumper - it had a strap on the end and could put my whole hand thru it to carry. With alot of companys You can't tell them where you will and won't travel ... not if your trying to make a living and nice paycheck ... so it would be wise to check out the laws on what you can carry. Your company will also tell you their rules for packin a gun. I know Oklahoma is trying to pass a law stating we can carry our gun on the 'outside' of our clothes .... but still yet - - alot of business say - - - " No gun / weapon permitted " ... I personally never had any trouble on the road - just make sure you park in a well lite area if possible - and walk together in Rest Stops ... use common sense. Walk with confidence and tell your wife NOT to carry a large purse .. only a backpack that you put both arms through ....You should be fine. ............Heck people are being robbed walking in the parking lot at Walmarts .... If your going to do this job - - learn all you can and enjoy it. :)

Thanks for the info. I dont intend to "carry". All the company's we talked to said no so I was just fishing for ideas. As new drivers, and obvious concerns for my wife I was just looking for exceptable/legal alternatives.

Like said before "commen sense" Lighted areas, walk in the drive isle at T/S and rest areasNOT between trucks, ect ect.
You like alot of other newbs are overly concerned about the horror stories, it's really not anywhere near that bad.

I've heard of drivers carrying paintball guns, and I've heard of drivers carrying flare guns. My own understanding is that they are both legal to carry, in the sense that one is a "marking device", and the other is a "signal launcher". Neither is actually classed as a gun. I don't know how much damage a flare gun will inflict, but a paintball gun will break the unprotected skin, and will bring up a pretty good welt through clothing. (On national television, some kids in CA were having fun shooting paintballs at people on the sidewalk. One victim went to the hospital with a hole in his face the size of a nickel.) You might keep in mind that if you kill them with a gun, they can't sue you for injuries.

For a few years, I carried a pick-handle through 48 states and Canada. No one said a word about it.

A flare gun would be your best bet, as it is a long-time, universally acceptable safety device that I doubt any state, even the Communist ones would frown on a driver carrying. Some states even have laws governing BB guns, Airsoft and paintball guns. I've never been concerned for my safety when I'm awake, and I used to do NYC LTL weekly which involved parking on the street overnight. My only fear has been what might happen once I go to sleep. A would be attacker can open your locked truck door in less than five seconds with minimal noise. Your best bet is carrying a one-inch or two-inch strap with snap hooks and before you go to sleep in a suspect area, run it through the door handles of the passenger side and driver side and snug it down. That makes it very, very difficult for a perp to break in and truck-jack you.

In 40 plus years I only ever filled my 'to go' cup with TS coffee, the stuff that takes two hours to cool down, as protection. Only had to use it one time in Pa. someone walked up behind me and said 'I have a knife give me your wallet', tossed it over my shoulder and he ran off screaming :) Got a real nice Buck knife out of the deal.

In 25 plus years I am yet to be concerned about where I am or who is around me. Most mornings I go in for breakfast/coffee @ 3am and NEVER worry about anything. Carrying a gun is foolish and may well do nothing but get you in trouble.

My biggest concern with carrying a gun is that you can just about be guaranteed that at some point, somewhere along the way, you'd be violating some law or ordinance somewhere and have the bad luck of getting pulled over and searched. I'm a big proponent of concealed handguns and think the more citizens who are proficient and armed the safer we all are. I'd like to see a national concealed carry program that would supersede local and state laws. While I'm also a "states' rights" believer, the right to arm one's self is a constitutionally guaranteed right, and like other such rights, the feds have the power (and duty, I might add) to ensure that the citizens' "right to bear arms" is not infringed on.