She's "Gun-free" in Chelsea.... (and deathly afraid)...

[GlockJock]

My best friend's wife got her unrestricted MA LTC last year....Always had "thought about it" and finally went for it and got it (she's 47). After "getting used to carrying" for a few weeks, she then carried literally everywhere, always...
Last month she got a well paying, career job, medical field (great benefits, retirement, perks, etc) at a company in Chelsea, which recently went the "gun free/metal detectors/no weapons allowed (not even OC spray/yada-yada" route...
Beautiful woman, she's often working late, dark, etc.. my friend can't pick her up since he works til much later every night, so she drives and parks in an adjacent garage. Dimly lit but it's the only place to park. Area is frequented by junkies, she's already been hooted at and accosted by some of Chelsea's finer citizens (many of whom will have a one-way ticket aboard the promised "Trump express in 2017), she was followed briefly one time by some punk asking her for cash then calling her every name in the book when she refused, she had to run to the car.. there is a methadone clinic a few buildings down, etc...you get the idea.
She's now scared bleepless, but says she would be nervous regardless since you never know where an incident is gonna haopen, even in a good town. But her dream job now comes with the caveat of "Oh, by the way, we need you to please be a good sheep and...". My friend told me she's now actually regretting taking the position, the career, etc. Loves her job, loves everything about it, BUT...

"Gun Free Zones". I feel so bad for her (and share her anger and frustration too).... Gotta love it, eh?

 

[DecOFlaherty]

I'd at least carry mace. Better to risk your job than your life.

 

[Alex9661]

I'd at least carry mace. Better to risk your job than your life.

I'm pretty sure it'd trip the metal detector.

 

[VetteGirlMA]

Maybe it might be a good thing for her to work with her employer to allow her to carry up to the metal detectors but check in the weapon once inside for work? You know court room style. I'd even be afraid of having a handgun stolen because of leaving it in the car thanks to these 'gun free zone' liberal idiots.

 

[frenchman]

Glock seven. A little pricey, but the metal detector doesn't stand a chance.

 

[Palladin]

that sucks. I'd ask for the lockup at the detectors also.

 

[Lank]

Thats too bad......Recommend her carrying hornet spray?

Actually, dont recommend this

 

[kalash]

No job is worth that level of risk, imho. Can't believe they went so far as to install metal detectors!

 

[spcantwell]

If you just carry the mace with no key ring I don't see why it would trip any detectors. Plastic case and no metal springs or anything.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[DrBurnsides]

Those metal detectors are not set very high. Otherwise they would go off at everything. They also don't turn them on all the time. Take a can of hair spray, same size as the mace. If that gets through. Consistantly for a month. You should be gtg. Alternatively, get an NES ceracoat pro to redo the mace can as hair spray.

 

[mtnbiker26]

I work at a small business with about 10 employees and the owner has his LTC but doesn't carry. One of our part time guys is also a full time police officer. I always carried at work and the LEO occasionally carried. A third guy is very knowledgeable about firearms and used to shoot with his father a lot but let his FID lapse while he was in college. A fourth guy is from down south, has been hunting, and wants his LTC but his fiance is anti. Two other staff members are neutral/mildly interested in keeping a firearm at home "just in case" and had no problems with the rest of us carrying. A few months ago one of the other male employees who always creates tons of drama decided that no one should be allowed to carry at work so he threatened to quit unless the rest of us were told we couldn't carry anymore. The owner kowtowed down to him and now none of us are allowed to carry there. I now leave my firearm in the car and I carry pepper spray clipped to one pocket and a Spyderco Endura clipped to the other pocket. I'm also half-heartedly looking for a new job.

 

[Palladin]

I work at a small business with about 10 employees and the owner has his LTC but doesn't carry. One of our part time guys is also a full time police officer. I always carried at work and the LEO occasionally carried. A third guy is very knowledgeable about firearms and used to shoot with his father a lot but let his FID lapse while he was in college. A fourth guy is from down south, has been hunting, and wants his LTC but his fiance is anti. Two other staff members are neutral/mildly interested in keeping a firearm at home "just in case" and had no problems with the rest of us carrying. A few months ago one of the other male employees who always creates tons of drama decided that no one should be allowed to carry at work so he threatened to quit unless the rest of us were told we couldn't carry anymore. The owner kowtowed down to him and now none of us are allowed to carry there. I now leave my firearm in the car and I carry pepper spray clipped to one pocket and a Spyderco Endura clipped to the other pocket. I'm also half-heartedly looking for a new job.

I'd carry anyway. who's going to search you?

 

[ToddDubya]

Those metal detectors are not set very high. Otherwise they would go off at everything. They also don't turn them on all the time. Take a can of hair spray, same size as the mace. If that gets through. Consistantly for a month. You should be gtg. Alternatively, get an NES ceracoat pro to redo the mace can as hair spray.

Meanwhile she should request an escort to her vehicle everyday and carry keys in hand ready to stab someone in the eye.

 

[In God We Trust]

Meanwhile she should request an escort to her vehicle everyday and carry keys in hand ready to stab someone in the eye.

Isn't there at least one guy there that gets out at the same time as her? Since you say she is good looking, I would imagine she wouldn't have a problem getting a dude to walk her to her car.

 

[Dream to Dream]

A cute, plastic kitty-cat keychain would be an excellent first step. It's just adorable, isn't it?

http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Personal-Safety-Keychain-Pink/dp/B00D7T4LX8

 

[goodzilla]

How about some nice new lipstick? It's an attractive new shade called Sabre Red...

 

[Mountain]

Tragedy waiting to happen!!!

She should either have a secure parking space or security escort to and from. Period!

 

[garandman]

We decided to completely remove the section on Weapons in out employee manual.

Chelsea has some bad areas and while heroin addicts aren't usually aggressive, meth and other users can be. I'd be looking at sometjing like Ju Jitsu, and something that can keep someone at a distance: cane, bull whip, stocking full of pocket change, whatever.

 

[Jason Flare]

Tragedy waiting to happen!!!

She should either have a secure parking space or security escort to and from. Period!

+1

Keys, keychain, pepper spray, co-worker, sock full of change, cane, bullwhip,...I was wondering what her resonable options were to go up against an armed and determined assailant.

But I got a great list of alternatives to carrying a firearm. If I were and anti and needed a list I'd come here.

 

[UNKUSR]

Insert small OC spray and take it out on her walk from the office. It's also something that can be brought everyday and I doubt would be questioned for tripping the detector.

On Amazon for $7 shipped.

 

[GlockJock]

No job is worth that level of risk, imho. Can't believe they went so far as to install metal detectors!

According to my friend, it was a result of (over?)reaction by building owners in the wake of San Bernardino plus the "other frightening things" that have happened thanks to the evil guns that keep going off in such a mean-spirited way in businesses all across the land.... (insert puke icon here). His wife wasn't aware that the facility was moving to Chelsea, to the gun-free-zone Shangri La that they're in now.

 

[GlockJock]

Those metal detectors are not set very high. Otherwise they would go off at everything. They also don't turn them on all the time. Take a can of hair spray, same size as the mace. If that gets through. Consistantly for a month. You should be gtg. Alternatively, get an NES ceracoat pro to redo the mace can as hair spray.

Maybe she could spray paint a Glock 43 to look like a can of hairspray too?

 

[DrBurnsides]

If you just carry the mace with no key ring I don't see why it would trip any detectors. Plastic case and no metal springs or anything.

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The internal canisters are metal.

 

[MachineHead]

It'd be nice if they made Mace that was made to look like an insulin pump.

 

[Brin747]

Do they not have security? There's nobody available to escort her out? I'm guessing they do, otherwise who is running the metal detectors?

 

[Silversnake]

In the short term, while either searching for a way to carry some self defense at work or searching for a new job, I would advise her to have an actual meeting with HR. Not to bring up the "I want my 2A rights" as that would be a quick trip to finding a pretext to fire her, but to give them official notice of "this is a very unsafe area and I've had close calls already. You need to protect your employees. I'll need an escort by a uniformed member of building security every night on the way to my car." It's decent enough stop-gap security against the junkies and it might get them to at least reconsider their stance on mace if it becomes too much of a pain in the ass.

 

[GlockJock]

Meanwhile she should request an escort to her vehicle everyday and carry keys in hand ready to stab someone in the eye.

In 2016? If you ask for an LTC escort every night they'd probably comply for a week or so, then tell you "sorry, enough is enough" or "see, nothing ever happens, don't worry" etc and if she persisted with a request for an escort they'd probably just have her escorted out - permanently - and find a sheep who's not as "difficult" an employee as my friend's wife. Especially in MA, where they'd just tell her they have 911 on speed dial... So just "Relax" or we'll speed dial an Uber car to take you home... for good.
If the company truly gave a sh*t about their employees or the potential threats in the area, they'd probably have never moved there in the first place.. But a better deal on the lea$e plus the close proximity of the commuter rail probably made it a "No Brainer" for the pencil pushers.... To hell with the security issues. Cuz after all, "It's what everyone has to deal with" in one of the ultimate sanctuary states in the US.
If she's a "fraidy cat" and a "pain in the a*s" for wanting to be safe?... The word from upstairs would probably be "Dump her and find someone who isn't!!"

 

[robjax]

gun free zones need to pertain to illegal possession only. Legal possession should not be restricted.

 

[GaryO]

Metal detectors are easily beatable for small knives. I always bring a knife when i'm at Fenway, haven't been called on it once. Get her a self defense pen, not great but might make a difference.

 

[GlockJock]

Isn't there at least one guy there that gets out at the same time as her? Since you say she is good looking, I would imagine she wouldn't have a problem getting a dude to walk her to her car.

That was one of my suggestions too but she said there are a couple of "guys" who work there and, in her own words, they are "about as tough and intimidating as Richard Simmons".... Not a surprising quote. Seems the norm in the Boston area..