Not asking anyone to reply specifically, as to your situation, but I'm curious as to how many (might advise someone else
, that might consider carrying a concealed weapon (with proper license and in states that allow reciprocity), in your truck (as an owner operator) if you were carrying freight that might cause you to be targeted?
Is it worth the risk, as in my reading of the FMCSA regs, it's prohibited?
Would only a real DOT officer be aware of this, and be able to enforce it?
I would think, leaving the FMCSA out of the picture, a jury would most likely agree that a big truck operated by the owner would be much like his home, or as it is in Texas, where you can lawfully carry a gun in your car, even without a CC license.
I know that I had to use my truck on two occasions to prevent a truck jacking, which most likely saved my life. On one occasion I was being tailed through a seedy part of town (industrial district) in the middle of the night, and they kept pulling up beside me trying to pull me over, and unfortunately for them I left them no room between my truck and the dumpster they didn't see. In the other (in Oakland), they jumped on my running boards and I headed down a narrow street and they jumped off before the car mirrors took them off. I would have dragged them, the parked cars and the whole neighbor hood to the freeway if necessary to get away......I don't like that vulnerable feeling even though a truck and trailer is a formidable weapon if moving.
I don't EVER want to be in that situation again. I sometimes wonder if the FMCSA, who is supposed be concerned about safety, cares about the safety of the driver? They must not know where we have to go just to do this job.
I know this is a touchy subject.....
