Firearms in the bus?

[Tedsoldbus]

When I was about 25 travelling Montana in my truck, I came over the hill and in the road was a little Muley buck. Three broken legs and broken ribs sticking out. I had no firearm and watched a sad death. Never travelled again without tossing a pistol in the glovebox. Travelling in the RVs we've had and now the bus, I still toss in my Glock. Never gave it a thought until recently. A friend with fiberglass coach started last year full time with spouse going everywhere. He purchased the 2021 rules on firearms for each state. After he read the handgun rules for different states, i.e. "ammo must be stored separately, handgun can be in coach area because it is the home but must be out of reach of driver area. and bla, bla, bal.". And don't travel through NY / NJ with a handgun without a permit??
He gave up on handgun. Now just carries a shotgun. Part of that decision is that a shotgun can even go into Canada. I used my Glock for 8 years with a police department but I better not take it to New Jersey? Really? Well then how about a police escort as I travel through your sorry state on my way to Maine!
My father in law recently gave me his really cool bottom ejection short barrel Mossberg. I think I'll just do that and quit worrying.
As you respond with your solution, remember to say "A guy that looks a lot like me in a bus like mine....does this".

[dtcerrato]

Because we travel through Canada between Florida & Alaska we only carry long guns - preferably shotguns. Simple permit, small fee, easy peasy.

[bronson]

Saw a true show on cable about a couple who had just retired. They set out on their dream trip with their camper. The very first day they were eating lunch and were kidnapped by three scumbags. They both were murdered. Another show was about a retired couple living on a boat. They were selling it to move back to land and be close to their new grand baby. On a test drive for a prospective buyer, they were murdered. As a school teacher, I have learned of some local stories that I would have never thought would happen around here. Sadly evil is everywhere. How is it said, better to be judged by 8 than carried by 6?

[chessie4905]

Wow! Better move to low crime area or stay under the covers. Unfortunately with 340 or so million population bad things happen every day and the media is happy to exploit every incident  to increase viewers. Some of these trials going on or the travails of the royal family get press coverage every day. All the news anymore is like the National Inquirer.

[luvrbus]

It is really sad what is happening all across our country now,today is not the same as it was when I was growing up,the 60's where a little rough.I don't mind telling I carry now when traveling,I have a 9MM Glock by the seat ,a 9MM S&W in the bedroom and a AR-15 no shot gun yet.I do pay close attention to the areas I drive in more now than before 

[lostagain]

We carry 3 wasp spray cans: 1 up front, 1 in the kitchen, and 1 in the bedroom. A bad guy would be sorry he broke in, lol.

[dtcerrato]

Bear spray is much more effective with less than lethal results. We too have that stuff everywhere.

[Dave5Cs]

20 foot wasp spray everywhere because wife is allergic to bees anyway.

[freds]

My thinking is quick open handgun safe in the bedroom at the back of the bus behand a door so it's not readily visible with frangible ammo in it.

Even if you get pulled over I would think you would have to highly piss off the officer if you show something responsible like that.

I also like the bear spray idea!!!

[Tedsoldbus]

This was worth asking for the answers you gave me! Wasp spray is handy. We carried pepper spray when fishing in Alaska. And the only places for the shotgun in the bus are not easy access. We have a big dog and stay pretty aware but I am not hitting the road with nothing. I'm not paranoid but not ignorant to a changing America that wants to defund the police. There are consequences. And though I have 25 years in the Marine Corps, I know I am 65 and not superman. If someone grabs my wife's hair to steal her purse coming out of the Pilot Truck stop, I want more than nail clippers when I step out of the bus. Didn't mean for this to get political. Just trying to be smart about it. My years on the PD taught me that people rarely have a chance to get to their defense mechanism when bad things are happening. But better to have something.
This all started with the fact I could not shoot a deer....

[luvrbus]

Living close to CA because of the gun laws in CA we keep a Taser gun in the car.I had to use the Taser once on bad @$# dog lol

[sledhead]

wasp spray as well
as in Canada thats about all you can use

but I do carry a machete for the "zombe apocalypse"

dave

[Fred Mc]

I keep a flare gun in the bus.

[richard5933]

Interesting long-term study done in New England regarding perception of danger and violent crime, which started in the 70s looking at the degree to which parents allowed their kids to be free-range and play outside unsupervised.

Back in the 70s, in the community being studied, the actual danger and violent crime rate was actually higher than in recent years. However, the kids back then were allowed a much higher degree of autonomy and freedom by their parents. In recent years, as those kids became parents and had kids of their own they allowed their kids a much smaller amount of freedom in spite of the danger actually being considerably lower.

The study found that perception of danger has increased in recent years, even as actual danger dropped. Much of this was blamed on the constant nationwide news being blasted at all of us 24/7. Decades ago it was rare to hear about problems outside your own community. Nowadays, we all watch all these cases being dragged across the news, and the result is that everyone feels more at risk and as if all those cases are near to them.

Yes, there has been an increase in crime and violence in the past couple of years. But no, it's still nowhere near the levels it was decades ago.

When I was a kid and we'd go into NYC for dinner, my parents would never take us to Times Square. We weren't allowed to go in many of the popular tourist areas due to the real danger of getting mugged or accosted on the street. The subway was off limits due to the high levels of crime there.

Now? Times Square has become like a Disney attraction. The grime and raw crime is gone. What was once a very dangerous city is safer and it's possible to ride the subway without fear for your life.

I'm not saying that there aren't dangers out there or people wanting to do us harm. But, let's not buy into the horror stories being propagated on the nightly news to get ratings or blasted across social media as click bait.

All that said, the most lethal thing I carry in the bus is a tire thumper and a hatchet. There was a time I wouldn't have left home without something more serious, but after taking a concealed carry class taught by a Miami-Dade officer years ago and learning how the odds are stacked against a person trying to defend himself with a handgun I decided my best defense was not being in situations where I'd need to defend myself. I do my best to leave myself a safe escape and try and not put myself in danger. If the place where I'm camping seems like it might be a place a weapon was necessary for safety, I'm going to keep on rolling to somewhere safer.

[Van]

We carry wasp and bear spray for Wasp's and bears, for everything else we carry A few Howitzers Because anyone who has ever been in a gun fight will attest that throwing empty cans at those that wish to do harm does not win the day.

Stay armed my friends