Every issue of Tactical Weapons magazine, The Gunny, R. Lee Ermey, takes some time to talk to readers about his life, times and current events. In the upcoming January 2014 issue, he discusses his frustrations with living in California, a state choked with regulations.

One of The Gunny’s stories: “Until this past year, I had a Jeep Wrangler that I loved driving with the top down. Loved it, until it got me in trouble. And that, in turn, was just another nail in the coffin between The Gunny and the out-of-touch politicians who run California. I’d leave tomorrow if I could, but I’ve lived here too long now to pull up stakes… I related the Jeep incident in more detail in my new book, Gunny’s Rules, but basically what happened is that I got a ticket for driving my Jeep without a seatbelt on. The top was down, so I was an easy mark for the officer. I always drove my Jeep that way because it has no roll bar. I did not want to be strapped into a Jeep rolling over—just like I don’t want to be strapped down to my motorcycle.

“When I went to court, with a long explanation ready to explain to the judge why my seatbelt wasn’t fastened (and fully expecting to be acquitted), I got a shock. The judge accepted only ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ pleas. No explanations permitted! I was fined $350, and even as ticked as I was, my day of frustration wasn’t over. In the john at the courthouse I was exposed to toilets that flushed by themselves. In an area with water restrictions, the toilets often flushed unnecessarily… When I got home I was so pissed that I put a ‘For Sale’ sign on the Wrangler and watered my lawn to show the world how The Gunny really felt.”

To learn more about Gunny’s frustrations, check out the January 2014 issue of Tactical Weapons, available on newsstands and digitally December 3, 2013. To subscribe, go to https://www.tactical-life.com/subscribe/tactical-weapons/.