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Suggestion for a change with the main map

mdak06

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2013
Messages
59
Location
Manchester, New Hampshire
I'd like to suggest a color change for the basic the open carry map on this site (I assumed it goes in this forum, since I didn't see any others that seemed appropriate).

Right now, the map has five colors:

gold -- Gold Star Open Carry
orange -- Open Carry Friendly
green -- Licensed Open Carry
red -- Non Permissive Open Carry
grey -- Rural Open Carry

The main problem that I have is with the list of "Licensed Open Carry" states. These are states that require a license to fully open carry (in at least some cases by not drawing a distinction between open carry and concealed carry). However, some of these states are "shall issue" states (e.g. Utah and Oklahoma) and some of them are "may issue" (e.g. Maryland and New Jersey). Given that in some states, getting a permit is very easy, and in others, it's virtually impossible, I would not label these states with the same color. Saying that Utah and New Jersey are the "same" for OC is misleading at best.

I would also reassign the green color so that it is used for the "Open Carry Friendly" states. As far as I can tell, the "friendly" states do not prohibit OC by default but have some restrictions (e.g. incomplete preemption, grandfathered laws, etc.). However, they do allow at least some loaded handgun open carry without a permit, which the "licensed" states do not - therefore I'd give them the green color first. I'd also reassign the orange color to be the licensed "may issue" states (as I see orange as "closer" to red ... IMO).

So in short, if I was making the map, I'd use this color scheme:

gold -- Gold Star Open Carry
green -- Open Carry Friendly
light blue -- Licensed Open Carry (shall issue)
orange -- Licensed Open Carry (may issue)
red -- Non Permissive Open Carry
grey -- Rural Open Carry

I'd also mark the map's caption as "Open Carry of a Loaded Handgun" (since Texas doesn't prohibit OC of long guns but does for handguns).
 

Mike

Site Co-Founder
Joined
May 13, 2006
Messages
8,706
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia, USA
It's on our list to update the map with category definitions like the map used to have - as for OC Friendly category, the main issue there is state law bans on unlicensed open carry inside vehicles.
 

mdak06

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2013
Messages
59
Location
Manchester, New Hampshire
Thanks for the response, Mike. I'm not sure what the map "used to have" but I'll take a look when it comes out.

I was presuming that the "OC Friendly" would deal with more than just a ban on unlicensed OC inside a vehicle, since in my state of Delaware, you can OC inside a vehicle without any permit/license. In fact, if you're carrying inside your vehicle and don't have a CCDW (carry permit), then you must display the weapon openly. One issue that Delaware does have, however, is incomplete preemption, allowing for grandfathered laws prior to 1985 to still be in force (which, AFAIK, there is only one law on the books regarding that - in Dover).
 
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