Which is precisely the conditioned reflex that the anti-gunners want you to have. And that reflex is precisely what the "rabid open carry" folks are trying to educate out of the populace. If the hypothetical "rabid open carry" individual is carrying the long gun slung over his/her shoulder, or in "hunter safe" condition (barrel down, action open), then neither you nor anyone else should get your knickers in a knot.
I don't think I would have any problem distinguishing the above situation from "potentially active hostile" at all.
I fully support the OC folks. Haven't had occasion to do it myself, but if I take up biking again, I will probably OC. Sort of hard to CCW in bike shorts.
Growing up in S. Louisiana as a teen, I routinely OC'd a 22 pistol (our farming operation at the time had some leased land a couple of miles from the home farm, and I would regularly motor farm equipment between the two sites). Pistol was loaded with "rat shot", as snakes were pretty common when cutting hay. I would often stop in at the local grocery (located about half-way between the two farm plots for an ice-cold small-bottled Coke). Nobody ever remarked on the firearm, nor the fact that I was carrying it, despite being will under 18 at the time.
Aarrgghh......”will” should be “well”. Coffee hasn’t kicked in yet.