— by Lin McNulty —
Last week we received a notification from Susan Slapin in which she related an occurrence in which a friend who had been aboard a Washington State Ferry observed another passenger openly carrying a “large gun.” This prompted us to look further into the legality of carrying a weapon on board a ferry.
Slapin related in her letter that “A friend was visiting the island last week. While riding the Ferry, there was a man walking around with an open carry large gun. My friend reported that she and many others … felt intimidated, scared, and uncomfortable.”
WSF follows Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 9.41.050 for carrying firearms and the regulations for carrying a “concealed weapon” on board a state ferry are well outlined HERE on the WSF website. No mention is made there, however, to openly carrying a weapon. So we made contact with the big guns at the ferry system to clarify that policy.
“Because WSF is considered a motor vehicle under RCW 9.41.050,” advises Marta Coursey, Director of Communications at Washington State Ferries, “Washington State “open carry” laws apply on board our vessels.”
WSF follows state laws which allow for carrying an exposed firearm without a permit if the firearm is not loaded or concealed in any way. However, unlawful carrying (RCW 9.41.270) prohibits “any person to carry, exhibit, display, or draw any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument, club, or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons.”
Slapin went on to say, “I am writing this, realizing that those with guns have “rights,” but those without guns must have “rights” as well, for emotional security and physical safety.”
“WSF crewmembers are available to provide assistance at any time,” Coursey continues, “and we encourage all passengers to notify a crewmember immediately if they feel unsafe or observe illegal or suspicious activity. Crewmembers are skilled at detecting unsafe activity and it is their job to safeguard our passengers.”
It is reported that the man with the weapon was approached by a crewmember and asked to leave his weapon in car. Because he was on a motorcycle, and he did not want to leave it unattended and observable (which would have been in violation of law), it seems that the decision to openly carry was the safest solution.
However, If you possess a valid CPL (concealed pistol license) you CAN have a loaded weapon in a vehicle, open or concealed. Perhaps this man had a CPL and decided to open carry instead of concealing, which can be difficult in riding gear. Washington is an open carry state, and one should not feel intimidated by a citizen carrying a tool on their belt for self defense.
Thank you for the well researched article. It’s always good to have the information from all sides. You do a great job Lin!
Leif makes an excellent point: how do we know that the rifle being carried on the ferry is unloaded? If we are going to permit this sort of behavior, ferry workers should at the very least ask the person with the rifle to prove it is not loaded, and in this case of the motorcyclist, store it in their office during transit. Unfortunately a certain percentage of gun owners actually use them to shoot other people, after all.
This article does not specify whether it was a long gun (shotgun or rifle) or a hand gun. “a certain percentage of gun owners actually use them to shoot other people, after all.” Is quite a low blow. Lumping psychopaths with the legal gun owners is no way to have an open debate on the subject. A certain percentage of people stab others, bludgeon others, and find many other horrible ways to do harm to their fellow humans. Remember folks- If someone intended to do harm to others on the ferry, they would not follow any law concerning firearms. Not once have any one of those mentally deranged mass shooters followed the “No guns allowed” sign.
Also, if it was indeed a rifle, there does not seem to be an easy way to carry that on a motorcycle…
And Leif, where are you finding these second amendment shooters that slam in their “extended clips” to blow people away? And as far as your average Joe protecting you on the ferry as opposed to the workers (Who I imagine would use radios), you should not dismiss them so quickly. CPL holders have a far better track record than the police.
Perspective:
A person can no longer carry drinking water on an airplane, because it might indicate there is a terrorist aboard, and could potentially cause great harm. Smokers cannot smoke anywhere they wish in public, because secondhand smoke, may harm another. I was detained on a recent flight to California, by the security guards, because my art supplies (chalk pastels) resembled something that could be used a a weapon, of some kind.
Now here we are, many years from: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed”. This very short sentence, in the U.S. Constitution, seems a reference to citizen soldiers/militia service~not just anyone walking around in a public crowded place, carrying a loaded gun~outside of their home.
The time to request a gun, and obtaining a permit, is short, and there is no current testing as to the mental stability of the gun owner. If protection is the reasoning, for some to carry a gun, it might be kinder to both self and society, to look at the underlying feeling, the need for safety, and work with that.
Peace of mind is a desire, shared by most everyone.
There is an excellent article in The Seattle Times, July 6, “The precedence of the modern gun fight”, by Michael Waldman. The article also refers to laws that were once in effect, regarding the location of “guns and gun powder storage”.
People’s voices have morphed history. I hope that the November Ballot re” Gun
Measures, will approve Initiative 594, which would require background checks on all gun sales. Let’s restore sanity and perspective in these times, for the sake of our children, for the sake of us all.
As I see it, how do we know if someone is legally allowed to have a weapon and who is someone with an agenda? How do we tell the difference between a ‘good guy with a gun’ versus a mentally deranged killer?
(Good guy with a gun? Sounds like an oxymoron)
Leif,
I too can give you numbers, dates, and times that a gun owner has saved a life, stopped a shooting or prevented a crime..For every shooting that you have quoted, there are so many more where a gun owner has been on the right side of the law. To say that the gun is the problem is like stating that the FORK causes a fat person to over eat, thus killing the individual. Less in the news will you see where a gun owner has stopped a criminal, or shooter…do you want to know why, I will tell you….the news is all about scare tactics and if it does not sell it will not be printed or reported.
I’m glad to see this issue being discussed in a public forum. As someone who supports both the right to bear arms as well as the need for safety on our ferries, I appreciate hearing everyone’s viewpoints. Here are a few questions rattling in my head.
1. Are guns are allowed on international sailings?
2. Why would guns be restricted on airplanes but not on other forms of transport where large numbers of people have no means of escape? Aren’t ferry passengers just as vulnerable and deserving of a safe environment?
3. Conversely, if there were a gun ban on ferries (with exceptions, of course, for police, et al), how would ordinary citizens be able to transport their personal weapons? Could they keep them unloaded in the trunk of an automobile? Would motorcylists be out of luck? Or could the ferry workers check weapons as passengers board and disembark? Are there other options that would respect the rights of gun owners while also ensuring passenger safety and peace of mind on the ferries?
I look forward to others’ thoughtful responses and ideas…
I have a better understanding of WSF rules and regs regarding open carrying of a gun, thanks for looking into this. We don’t know if the gun was strapped on his leg or in a holster either. You report that since WSF is part of the highway system it is legal to open carry on the ferries. I was told this as well by a representative of WSF when I emailed them about this incident. With all this gun violence and shootings going on it just seems like WSF might want to revisit their rules and regs for the ferries, being a different entity than cars driving on state roads. We are surrounded by people and children on a ferry. Also with terrorism plots being a threat in the past (Victoria and Port Angeles incident years ago) it just seems unnerving to see someone toting a gun around in a public place and definitely on a ferry where there isn’t that many places to hide if you do get a nut case….at least up in the passenger decks. No one knows if the gun is loaded or unloaded either. I think it would be a good idea to contact the Transportation Commission and Senator Kevin Ranker as well regarding this issue. I believe it is time to press WSF to make a change to their policy and realize the simple fact that a passenger ferry is NOT A CAR! Someone didn’t think that one out! Funny thing about this “Right to Bear Arms” issue. That is one sentence in our original Constitution and dealt with a well armed militia….A MILITIA, not private citizens. Most of the “citizens” back then couldn’t even begin to afford “muskets”. Thanks again for the clarification.