Legal to open carry a pistol on a bicycle in your state?

[JDgreen227]

No.

If they really want to mess with her, the will see her main line of defense and take action to remove it. If they do not know she is armed, and they decide to mess with her, she has surprise on her side. Surprise gets into their OODA loop and messes them up. If the bad guys see her weapon, they will do things to get inside her OODA loop. They would almost certainly do this anyway, and her main line of defense is the hidden weapon, not one that is open and obvious.

If she is going to carry, the weapon needs to be securely attached to HER, not the bike. If she is attacked, she and the bike will quickly be separated.

She also had better know the use of force laws.

Later,
Dan

I just messaged a good friend who a high ranking official of a local PD, asking him about the legality of open carry on a bicycle. Contrary to what I had been told from a Michigan Open Carry site, my friend told me, quote:

"Never heard that query before, but I would say it is legal. There is nothing specific about riding a bike and open carry in Michigan law. It would be illegal in a weapon free zone. A bicycle is a vehicle for traffic purposes but as long as the weapon is registered and visible it is okay. A car "conceals" the carry and makes it illegal without a CCW permit." Unquote.

He said he had never been asked that query before after 25 years of being a police officer. He further said he was going to pose the query to the State Police legal experts.

I MAY stand corrected on the issue here.

 

[RoyJackson]

I'm a proponent of open carry and I do on occasion. However, I always do suggest getting a permit and knowing the laws on brandishing.
If carrying openly, and one puts on a jacket (such as if the temperature drops when riding), now it can be considered "concealed". And, if that jacket goes on and one does have a permit, inadvertent display (jacket blows back while riding) can be considered brandishing.
Just things to consider....riding in a rural area, you probably wouldn't get a second glance...suburban or urban, with some of the fruit loop anti-rights lefties..they'll probably call the cops on you.
Another thing to consider is how the firearm is retained. With the exception of a pocket holster, all of my holsters have retention straps. Personally, I wouldn't trust any holster that depends on the fit of the holster for retention...especially when doing something strenuous like riding.
I don't have any shoulder holsters, but if I was riding a bike or motorcycle, that's how I'd want to carry. Easiest access...

And, of course, the persons carrying must be knowledgeable about that firearm...and have the will to use it (as well as the restraint to NOT use it unless absolutely necessary)

 

[JimRB]

A couple of anecdotes. I have a few friends that ride a lot of miles. I ride a few thousand a year and they ride more than me. They may race point to point events where you start here and finish there, or maybe a big loop. The race may be a couple hundred miles on a mountain bike. They race night and day. Sleep when they want to get an hour or two nap. Some folks finish in 2 days others may take 3-4 days. Anyhow they have come up on sketchy situations on mountain roads and swamp roads. These events can be run anywhere but the folks I know have done events in the north Georgia mountains and down in Florida. I know of at least one guy and one girl who carry when doing these races just for their own safety. No idea how effective the handgun would be around swamp creatures but I do not do those sort of races.

Another guy I know was bicycle riding in low traffic metro Atlanta suburbia. Some people came up in a pickup and robbed him of the bike at gunpoint. He gave them the bike and no gunfight. He was carrying in his fanny pack but he said a bike is not worth a gunfight. Pickup truck was later found to have been stolen.

If someone thinks that a cyclist should only ride in packs or in "safe" areas, there have been incidents of predators attacking people in well traveled relatively high traffic count "safe" multipurpose trails. That is kind of like telling a fellow he cannot go out in the woods in the fall because it is far from the police and there are people in the woods with guns. Well maybe a stretch but saying a person should not be able to be free to recreate on their own doesn't seem right to me.

For me open carry does not seem to be beneficial, the thugs just know they have to be more aggressive than just threatening.

 

[aczlan]

For me open carry does not seem to be beneficial, the thugs just know they have to be more aggressive than just threatening.

Agreed. Better to retain the option to pull the gun out and use it if you feel the situation requires it rather than advertising that you have it and making the thug aware that they need to control the gun first...
If its mounted on the bike, a stick through the spokes will get the rider down and separated from the bike and the gun in short order.

Aaron Z

 

[JDgreen227]

Agreed. Better to retain the option to pull the gun out and use it if you feel the situation requires it rather than advertising that you have it and making the thug aware that they need to control the gun first...
If its mounted on the bike, a stick through the spokes will get the rider down and separated from the bike and the gun in short order.

Aaron Z

When I open carry on my tractor or elsewhere, my weapon is NEVER anywhere except in a holster. NEVER. I cannot understand why anyone could carry a weapon mounted to a bicycle. Defeats the purpose of open carry, IMO.

 

[JohnR2]

After the training, u promise to start shooting extremist, liberal, absent minded, blood suckers? :laughing:

 

[PHIL850]

I live in Mass, NOTHING is Legal !

 

[GPintheMitten]

Thats correct I meant to say fill out paperwork for background check to purchase.

And if you buy a long gun from an individual, you do not need a background check to purchase. Buying a long gun from a dealer may be different... I don't recall.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I just messaged a good friend who a high ranking official of a local PD, asking him about the legality of open carry on a bicycle. Contrary to what I had been told from a Michigan Open Carry site, my friend told me, quote:

"Never heard that query before, but I would say it is legal. There is nothing specific about riding a bike and open carry in Michigan law. It would be illegal in a weapon free zone. A bicycle is a vehicle for traffic purposes but as long as the weapon is registered and visible it is okay. A car "conceals" the carry and makes it illegal without a CCW permit." Unquote.

He said he had never been asked that query before after 25 years of being a police officer. He further said he was going to pose the query to the State Police legal experts.

I MAY stand corrected on the issue here.

There are differing opinions on whether open carrying while peddling a non-motorized bicycle is legal or not. There is no case law that has tested it in Michigan. I don't know of anyone who is willing to be the test case or not.

I am not a lawyer. I would not seek legal advice from a policeman. Various LEO's are all over the map on their opinions on various gun laws. Seek the advice of a lawyer, and then ask them to site the law and including case law.

Also, there is a lot of debate among 2A supporters and gun owners as to the pros and cons of open carry in general.

 

[coobie]

And if you buy a long gun from an individual, you do not need a background check to purchase. Buying a long gun from a dealer may be different... I don't recall.

GPMitten,you are correct again.Buying from a private Individual you do not need a background check.