I remember reading about this new idea a couple of years ago when it made the News that South Florida branches of Bank of America instituted the No Hats/Caps, No Sunglasses policy. Pretty much everybody laughed at the policy and even though I go very little inside the banks, the few times I went in I was never asked to remove my cap.
Now this bank is upping the ante by adding guns and hoodies to the warning sign. I am sure criminals are going to stop and go “Oh damn, we can’t go in! It is forbidden…shit, we better go.”
And since Georgia GFZ signs do not really make it illegal for a legally permitted citizen to carry, I don’t see why would anybody even pay attention to the darned thing. More than likely, a bunch of overpriced lawyers came up with this stupidity because they needed to demonstrate that the retainer paid to the firm is actually being used, but by now they should know it is useless and more than likely give the bank a bad name among those clients who are actually making voluntary deposits instead of a forcibly withdraw.
Let’s face it, those signs have the same effect on stopping criminals as a “No soliciting” sign has on stopping Jehovah Witnesses from banging on your door on an early Saturday morning.
Reader Jeff A. sent me this last week, so apologies for the memory lapse and hat tip.
“… Georgia GFZ signs do really make it illegal for a legally permitted citizen to carry…”
That is not correct. The signs have no force of law, but if they determine you are carrying and ask you to leave or remove your firearm and you do not, it is trespassing (not a weapons violation).
From Georgia Carry:
http://www.georgiacarry.org/cms/georgias-carry-laws-explained/frequently-asked-questions/#Places_Off_Limits
“Q: What if a business posts a sign stating ‘No Firearms?’
“A: While there is no law against carrying a firearm into a business that posts such a sign, GeorgiaCarry.Org encourages its members to respect the private property owner’s wishes. Why support such a business with your hard-earned money? There are plenty of businesses that support your right to bear arms. They are more deserving of your support.
“Should a business owner or his agent ask you to leave while you are carrying a firearm, do so immediately, or as soon as reasonably possible. Failure to leave within a reasonable time, or refusing to leave, is a criminal offense known as “criminal trespass.” In addition, please maintain a polite demeanor so as to project a good image of yourself and other GCO members to the business owner and any witnesses even when asked to leave.”
Damn it.. it was supposed to read “Georgia GFZ signs do NOT really make it illegal…”
What a difference three letters make! 😛
Indeed and thank you 🙂
You are most welcome. 🙂
“Please remove:”
That’s a request, not an order / demand / corporate rule.
Trespassing doesn’t kick in until a person is asked to leave and they don’t.
Like the Starbucks fiasco a few years back, corporate did not make it a rule such as “no weapons allowed”, Starbucks stated that they ask that patrons not to carry firearms in their stores. So you still can, it’s only an issue if an employee tells you to leave.
In my state saying please remove does not matter. If aCCW holder goes in therecwith a gun,they are violating state law and if caught will lose thier rights and permit. We will not go in any place thats posted.
In TN, those signs do have the force of law. I switched from Regions Bank to Capital Bank when Regions posted (If you can’t trust me in your building, I can’t trust you with my money).
About 8 months later, Capital Bank put up signs. I sent an email to the manager explaining why I would be closing my accounts, and, well…
http://gunscarstech.com/2012/08/27/capital-bank-doesnt-care-if-you-live/
Funny epilogue to that story: The new manager for that branch called me about a year ago asking me what they could do to get my business back and she said that she was unaware that any signs had ever been posted. It was a very cordial discussion, and the next day she called me back to tell me that she had talked to her superiors about it.
Apparently, a LOT of people closed their accounts after they posted. So many, in fact, that the signs came down within a year of going up.
That actually makes their initial response even worse, if you think about it.
When CCW passed in my state, my favorite bookstore put up “No Guns” signs. I called the manager and thanked her for accepting full responsibility, on her company’s behalf, for my safety on her property. I then spent a fun few minutes running her through exactly what that would mean, if I was attacked on her company’s property. Less than a week later the signs came down. I’m not saying my call made that happen, I’m sure a lot of other CCW holders made similar calls, but it probably helped.
I do believe that the signage thing is something cooked by the lawyers following a recipe book at least 30 years old when almost nobody had a CWP and the conventional wisdom was that civilians were unsafe. Once a company figures out that the clients will walk away and with them the profits, they are more likely to change the tune.
Armed bank robbery near me a few months ago. Can you guess what was in the window? http://daysofourtrailers.blogspot.com/2016/09/armed-bank-robbery-charleston-il.html
The jewlery chain jarreds posted all of their store GFZs, some have been robbed since. GFZs making crime pay…
“Hat tip”? Miguel, can’t you read the sign?!?
Cap tip? Hoodie Tip?