I remember being in line at a convenience store in Phoenix and the man in front of me had a Glock on his hip. Arizona is an open carry state, so this was not an entirely uncommon site. But the man was about 80 pounds overweight and sporting a heavy-duty knee brace. If he was a member of law enforcement, he would have been excused from active duty.
This man was open carrying. Everyone could see he had a gun. It’s likely that one swift, strong kick to his bad knee would have disabled him. His wife, or companion, was elderly and frail in appearance. I recall thinking: Does this guy really have any business carrying a gun? Of course he has the right. But is it the responsible thing to do? And as he purchased his items and limped out the door . . . yes, limped . . . I was convinced. The man had no business open carrying in his physical condition.
This begs the question: At what point are our physical limitations a liability when carrying a handgun? The answer: When they interfere with our ability to safely carry and use our firearm.
This man in the convenience store could have been taken down so easily due to his injured knee, coupled with his obesity. I’m not saying you have to have an ideal body to carry. But there are certain physical dynamics that come into play when drawing a gun—they simply can’t be denied. And in this case, someone could get to this man’s gun faster than he could. It’s an uncomfortable subject, but it should be addressed.
If you think for a moment your physical limitations could result in your gun being taken from you, then it’s time to leave your handgun at home.
