Been pondering this since last night and thought I’d ask people what they personally do in order to get some better insight. I apologize for the wall of text.
Stopped at the local gas station last night and while at the counter some guy in a sports jersey with mirror shades swaggers in. You know the walk, similar to the strut guys at the gym use after doing reps with the really heavy weights (yet they complain if you ask them to help move a couch because its “too heavy”). After a quick once-over I just walked past as usual and exited.
His shiny, jacked up Jeep was parked in the handicap spot directly in front of the doors. Pristine winch and line, smoked covers on the lights, off road tires that only make sense if you are…well, actually off road somewhere like Arizona. Lots of auxiliary lights (covered). Not a bad looking Jeep if it was in a parts catalog or King of Hammers video. Well, not bad for being a newer one with plastic fenders (I’m a purist, REAL Jeeps don’t have plastic fenders).
As I get into my Jeep I notice by the driver side door the other guy has a decal of three .308 rounds next to two “bullet hole” decals split by a slash mark. Haven’t seen a 3%-er decal like that before, it was admittedly “cool” looking. Backing out of my parking spot I spy various “Kill or be Killed”, a smiley face with a bullet hole in the forehead, a “this is my safety” (just the words, nothing else), and something about houses & Glocks.
Personally, I’ve always preferred LOOKING non-threatening. I like being under estimated (the looks on people’s faces when they realize they just F’d up is amusing). I have often wondered are people like that guy just “posers” or can they back up their advertising? My default is to go with they can back up their claims as I’d rather over estimate than under. Given the slightly arrogant look of dismissal the guy gave me I don’t think he realized I have a CCW permit or understand practicality of Jeep mods vs actual use.
The whole thing makes me wonder, how much do you advertise your views/beliefs/support of the 2A/draw attention to yourself or vehicle?
I don’t advertise at all. No gun company apparel or stickers. No 2nd Amendment apparel or stickers. No USMC apparel or stickers. Etc. No tattoos either.
If I wished to be a douche canoe, I’d park my shiny Jeep in a handicap spot so some elderly person or war veteran missing a leg would have to walk. But I’m not, and I actually enjoy the exercise of walking in parking lots.
With the exception of my "US Air Force Retired " license plate frame, there is nothing. I wear nothing that would advertise or stand out. All my goodie stickers are saved for display on the cabinet doors on my reloading bench. I completely agree with SS above.
Same here- nothing on my car at all other than my Big Red front license plate, which most people don’t know what that is anyway. I don’t wear any logo shirts or caps, either. I am just an older, balding married guy. With hidden fangs.
I actually have considered getting two of those “U.S. Army RETIRED” stickers and cutting them up.
I just don’t know how some folks would feel about “U.S. ARMY RETARDED” on the back window of my Truck.
Most of those type of guys will grow out of it and see the value in being the grey man. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a rig like that owned by anyone over the age of 45.
We have the same issue with young guns in backcountry snowmobiling. They get their first high paying job and borrow the money for a jacked up diesel truck, a brand new $15,000 snowmobiles and $5000 of accessories to go with it. They run loud exhausts that draw negative attention to our sport and usually don’t make it 5 miles from the parking lot. All of the sudden they turn 40 and all that shit is gone. They either drop out of the sport or become one of the old dudes like me; riding deep into the back country, stealthily with stock exhaust (so nobody poaches your secret riding area), saving all our “bro” money for more gas, and becoming ambassadors for our sport.
Some reach the crotchety old dude level sooner than others. Some never have the gene to be a show off. Me, I don’t care anymore.
My wife’s truck has a couple stickers about dogs. my daughter’s car has a couple paw print stickers and my Jeep has nothing covering the dirt on it. I’m not advertising for someone unless they pay me, and nobody’s paying me…
I do not advertise whatsoever. No stickers on my car, no obviously tacti-cool clothing (5.11 pants, multicam combat shirts, etc.), nor do I go out of my way to walk/talk a certain way. I dress nicely, but not flashy.
At 6’2", 220 lbs, relatively fit, and a shaved head, I automatically stand out as somewhat intimidating. I keep my head on a swivel and maintain awareness of my surroundings. In short, I know I’m not going to blend in as a “grey man,” so I maintain the look of someone who probably knows how to handle themselves without being showy.
IMHO, among the people I ride with, loud exhaust on a snowmobile is more often an unfortunate side effect of the horsepower gains to be achieved. Often useful, especially at altitude.
You’re the opposite of me physically. I’m only 5’6" and maybe still 165lbs. soaking wet. Most people I work with/am around daily couldn’t tell you what color or how much hair I have, usually wear a plain generic ball cap without markings on it. Went to a funeral for a coworker many moons ago, wore a suit & tie and shaved. While smoking with a buddy one of the gals I was around a lot during most days approached and asked my buddy “who’s your friend?” I took it as a compliment. Out in public I tend to wear generic jeans/hoodie/t-shirts depending on time of year. At work its always chilly to me so either a grey fleece pullover or an older hoodie. The “retired” logo on my coffee mug is small enough that I’ve had people ask me on Veterans’ Day if I knew anyone who was in the service.
That’s hard core. Yet at the same time one of those “something feels off” details that would grab my attention. Fortunately I’m often told I’m in the minority for noticing really small stuff like that.
My gun club doesn’t require a sticker, other than that, pretty much the way I roll. I put all of my stickers on the garage door that divides my front garage from my back garage.
I’m retired and generally run around in a no tuck shirt and jeans, or a tee-shirt, ball caps are either college related or, something not overtly gun.
MY truck is pretty plain jane, daughters’ swim team stickers only. I don’t need a four-wheel drive, so I don’t have FWD. Having lived in the mountains and the desert where you actually use fwd, I kind of snicker at folks running around with their jacked 4-wheelers and their shiny, unused hi-lift/handyman jack in it’s neat little rack.
even back in HS days if I had to have parking stickers I would put them on saran wrap instead of the window and throw them on the dash then back in the glove box
mall cruiser trucks do give me a laugh though
we had a guy in our 4x4 club that drove a stock FJC with lockers never put on large tires etc… guy could drive though and would often go places so many here could never even get when on trails
but was told the IFS wont make that trail or you cant go up there your tires are not big enough etc…
Maui used to be funny for that since limited off road mostly mud roads and a small bit of homelands up Poli Poli way but nothing big
but every single Taco had to run a 6" lift with tires that stuck out hahahaaha
Ouch, dude… you’re giving me and my hemorrhoids painful flashbacks from going over there with my mother for her 40th or 50th birthday, when Her Boneheadedness insisted on doing the full-loop Road FROM Hana–in a freaking MINIVAN. My ass hurts just remembering it…
