Got stopped in a highway traffic check yesterday.

[armybass]

Here in VA they know you have a CCW when they run your plate....but something makes me think they might figure it out before they run the plate on my 4Runner?

 

[2Loud4You]

I've been stopped more times than I can count, thankfully not recently though. I was stopped once because it was 2:30am. He had nothing on me but said I was weaving and driving too slow. I had passed him when he had someone else pulled over and when I saw headlights FLYING up behind me I knew what was going to happen. I was driving the speed limit but he still pulled me. I had my Glock next to me but I didn't mention it and he didn't notice. Told him I was following the posted speed limit, not weaving and I don't drink. He had no choice but to let me go but I could see he was quite disappointed he didn't get a DUI out of me. In GA we don't have to present our ccw or tell the officer we're packing. Granted if he asks then yes, I would say so.

 

[m1gunner]

Weaving means "I'm going fishing and see if I can get the MADD bonus this month".

Heard a new one several months ago, the man said I took a turn "too wide". Oh, and I was weaving too.

 

[tripledipper]

The requirements of our individual states aside, it is just common sense to give a LEO a heads up that a handgun is in your vehicle or on your person. It takes away the element of surprise and puts everyone at ease so there can be no misunderstandings. Even if it was not required by law, the Officer will probably thank you for revealing this.

 

[rburg]

Originally posted by m1gunner:
Heard a new one several months ago, the man said I took a turn "too wide".

About 7 years ago there was a cop in a small suburb who required a 3 second stop for it to be a full stop. His theory was you can't come to a "full stop" unless you sit there backing up traffic. He didn't give tickets, just pulled people over for their transgressions. His idea was he would waste several times as much of your time making you stop and listen to his crap. Apparently I wasn't the only victim who burned his Chief's ears over it. He doesn't sit at that stop sign these days. In fact, I haven't seen him in a cruiser in years now. I'm guessing he found a more suitable line of work. "you want fries with that?"

 

[feralmerril]

When I was a guard I lived near work. I was a batchlor and worked graveyard. For some reason I once slipped home about 3 am to check the house. I got pulled over, deputy walked up and said, "oh, its you"! And walked back and drove off. I swear, I dont think I knew that particular deputy. Of course my uniform was the same as his. I belive in my close to 55 years of driveing I can only remember paying maybe 1 or two minor tickets. One was for not wearing a seatbelt. Beat one, and went to traffic school on another. Once I had a girlfriend call me in histerics when a family member died. I went to see her, driveing fast and got pulled over. Told the deputy why, and he let me go.
One time I started out for work a little late. I was just turning onto another street, saw a car turn its lights on and drift to my lane head on. I pulled to the curb and they blocked me off. It was two black men and I knew what was comeing off. To make matters worse, where I usualy carried my own gun, I was running late and had decided to get one from work and just had my belt and empty holster on! I got out quick with my body quartered away where they couldnt see the empty holster and said, "You two bastards sure made a mistake!" The driver was the closest, and said, "aw, we thought you wuz someone else, hee hee hee," and scratched out! I got to work and called the SO, but heard nothing. The next morning I found out my neighbors son from across the street was home on his first furlough from the 82nd. He was out jogging that early a.m., same two guys had pulled over, robbed and stabbed him in the process! He recovered.

 

[truckemup97]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets pulled over for bogus reasons. Like in Arizona, where the wind was blowing my mud flaps more than 10" off the road surface.

In the truck, it's always just an excuse to get me on the side of the road and check my paperwork. I've been pulled over at least three times in my car on the way to work early in the morning. More of that DUI fishing, or wrong kind of car for the neighborhood.

All in all, though, most of the LEO I've interacted with have been decent to me. I've gotten several warnings when I deserved much more.

 

[2Loud4You]

Originally posted by tripledipper:
The requirements of our individual states aside, it is just common sense to give a LEO a heads up that a handgun is in your vehicle or on your person. It takes away the element of surprise and puts everyone at ease so there can be no misunderstandings. Even if it was not required by law, the Officer will probably thank you for revealing this.

If I'm pulled for a legitimate reason then I'd be more likely to notify the officer. If, however, I'm pulled for no reason, like I posted earlier then telling him I have a gun would likely amplify an already unwarranted stop.

 

[HGWT]

I got pull over a couple weeks ago for speeding I wasn't really paying attention The State Trooper asked to see my paperwork and as I was pulling out my drivers license he notice my Police Board ID asked if I was a LEO told him no also inform him that I was carrying a conceal weapon. He told me sit tight and he would be back. Came back told me to slow down and be safe no other questions asked. Most officers that I encounter have no problem with a conceal weapon permit carrier.

 

[Racegunner]

Originally posted by tripledipper:
The requirements of our individual states aside, it is just common sense to give a LEO a heads up that a handgun is in your vehicle or on your person. It takes away the element of surprise and puts everyone at ease so there can be no misunderstandings. Even if it was not required by law, the Officer will probably thank you for revealing this.

No, sir, I disagree. It is not common sense. What is common sense is to be polite, cooperative and do what the officer says to do, not more or less.
Verbal diarrhea is something to avoid unless your state requires you to alert the police about your concealed pistol during a traffic stop or if your are asked to exit your vehicle. Adding unnecessary complexity to any situation is not common sense.

 

[Smitty500Mag]

Originally posted by feralmerril:
I must have lived a charmed life, reading how many times you all get pulled over etc. I am 68 years old, spent 40 years in southern calif, rode harleys over 200,000 miles, been in every state and maybe been pulled over 3 to 5 times in my life. What gives? I dont drive as slow as I am old either. Off the top of my head due to two accidents, and one "event" where I pulled a gun in a fraycis where a pair of guys hit and ran me, then I boxed them up, at least 3 different times I was given my gun and ammo back with no reprecussions, and that was in california! I am gonna find some wood to knock on though.

Must be because of your swave and de-boner demure and along with your Hollywood good looks.

Smitty

 

[Newfyman]

I'm 54 and last Monday I was pulled over for the first time in my life. I was on a trip and had just entered a 35 mile zone in a small town and had only got slowed down to 51. As the young officer walked up I put both hands on the steering wheel. He asked for my license and insurance card. The first thing I said was "I needed to tell you something." He responded with "You do?" I said, "Yes sir, in my left hip pocket is my driver's license AND my conceal carry license and in my right front pocket is a 38 Smith." His response was, "I just want see your license, not the Smith." I said, "Ok, but I wanted you to know." He said, "I appreciate that." He then ran my license, told me to slow down while going through town and have a safe trip. I thanked him and wished him a good and safe evening. The whole thing took less than 3 minutes. I really think that he would have wrote me a ticket if I had not been right up front about the gun. I was guilty of doing 51 in a 35 zone but for some reason he gave me a pass.

 

[X-RingDistroyer]

Locally we have DUI check points. We were instructed to keep the contact with the motorist to 15 seconds or less. If we needed to check if they were drunk we had them pull into a parking lot where they were checked. I came across a permit holder and sure enough he had a Beretta 92ish gun in a holster mounted to his dash near the the e-brake release. I thought man that sucks, I never woulda expected that to be there if this was a bad guy. I did watch for sudden movements, but thats just a safety measure on my part. However, I don't hassle people if they are carrying legal and just sent him on his way. Carry permits are not that uncommon these days.

Traffic stops are just that. If I feel a ticket is warranted, you get one.

 

[Dragonfly]

Due to the relative rarity of handguns around here you can basically be guaranteed of a tough time if you're discovered to have handguns in your car. We can't legally carry here but of course we can take them to the range--I make sure mine are well hidden in a case buried under a bunch of other stuff in the car. I won't lie about them if I'm asked, of course, 'cause that'll really get you in trouble, but unless I want to take an extra half hour explaining gun laws to the officer (or spending a couple of weeks trying to get my guns back after they're seized) I'll keep it polite and to the point without volunteering anything extra.

 

[Parker357]

For most LEO's honesty is your best friend. I would have let you go also without incident. Telling him where it is and that you have nothing on you eases his apprehensions just a tad.

 

[Smitty357]

Well ive had some good and some bad. The recent one, a few nights ago.

He pulled me over for speeding, but he was never near me on the street he said i was speeding on. I actually met him coming towards me on another street. He waited til i past him and he whooped around behind me and pull me over. I asked what i did, he said speeding. I asked where, and he gave me the name of a street that I had turned off of about 5mins earlier. A street in which he was never anywhere near, lol.

Anyways, so I handed him the credentials. He looked at them and said oh never mind. You have a nice night sir.

 

[MaximumLawman]

I know, with the recent ruling of the SC, once he's got me out he no longer has a reason to search the area under my control.

Wrong again, Richard. If you're grasping for "AZ V. Gant", once he has you under ARREST outside of the car, he can no longer search your car incident to arrest. Since you already said you don't know the reason for the original stop, you also do not know what reason he did or didn't have for searching. He could have had several exceptions to the search warrant rule. But if you don't know, why not just speculate and give us incorrect interpretations of case law like you usually do? And he didn't tell you to have a nice day. Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, as they say. If you're going to quote the law, get it right or at least post the case citation Richard. Otherwise you just look like a security guard who doesn't like cops for the usual reasons. As usual, you THINK you know.....but you don't.

Never heard of such a thing. Lived in MI all my life and from time to time have heard arguments about installing cameras at intersections that would be used to give tickets but I always understood that a stop by an officer was required to issue a ticket in Michigan. Maybe just that the officer had to witness the infraction. I don't know, but I've never been mailed a ticket or know of anyone who did.

The only place in MI where it's legal to issue tickets based on cameras is at railroad grade crossings. Speed and red light cameras are illegal in MI. But it's not illegal to mail somebody a ticket if a cop sees them commit the violation. Or to mail tickets for traffic crashes that the cop didn't necessarily witness. I've done it numerous times. A stop by an officer isn't required.

 

[foxeye]

Alabama used to be the land of Roadside checks. We have a few "dry" counties and the sheriff would always setup check points on any roadwayts that went into or out of those counties especially on a weekend looking for those carrying too much booze back or just being drunk. The other couties used to check for drunks and drivers lic and such, but never any stops to do a vehicle safety check since we do not have vehicle inspection here, The only time that comes into concern is if it ws part of what may have caused an accident they n ail you with failure to maintain your motor vehicle. But enough gripeing from the citizens and our lawmakers soon made it illegal to have check points setup, unless it was for a dragnet to catch a fleeing bad guy etc. So we here congtrinue to drive with bald tires (Maypops) and busted windshields, brakes that barely work, red duct tape tail lights, headlights that illuminate the undercarraige of the vehicle since they are hanging by the wires only, no hgood and plywood or plastic sheeting side windows, and fenders that flap in the breeze. But the State police and radar cameras and city cops are quick to pull you over if just a few miles over the speedlimit.

 

[Jyezahn]

No, sir, I disagree. It is not common sense. What is common sense is to be polite, cooperative and do what the officer says to do, not more or less.
Verbal diarrhea is something to avoid unless your state requires you to alert the police about your concealed pistol during a traffic stop or if your are asked to exit your vehicle. Adding unnecessary complexity to any situation is not common sense.

I agree with you. Unless it's required by the law, as it is in Michigan :

Proper Conduct During Encounters with Police

Responsibilities of Individuals With a Concealed Pistol License:
An individual licensed to carry a concealed pistol who is stopped by a police officer (traffic stop or otherwise) while in possession of a pistol shall immediately disclose to the police officer that he or she is carrying a concealed pistol either on their person or in their motor vehicle.

MSP - Proper Conduct During Encounters with Police

 

[foxeye]

I was pulled over on my way back from Florida on an Alabama back road. The trooper told me he clocked me at such and such speed and to get in his cruiser in the front seat. He got in thew drivers side and commenced to write me a ticket. I was trying to get a conversation up with him and perhaps talk my way out of it, but he did not seem to talkative. I then asked him what kind of revolver he was carrying. He said a .38 Spcl. I replied, man, if I w you I would b e carrying somehting sa lot bigger if I was allowed to. Not meaning that I was goiung to gun for him. He took it as a potential threat, and just like that whipped out his revolver and ordere3d me out to the hood of his cruiser, and he frisked me and cuffed me and tossed me in the back of the cruiser. He called on his radio for backup, and in no time they got there, and they started to pull everyhting out of my vehicle and go through it and just dumped it all o the ground. I might mention it was drizzling at the time but soon turned into a good rain. After they got finished pulling everything out of my vehicle he came and got back in the cruiser and finished writing the ticket. I asked what that was all about and he replied he had reason to believe I may have had a firearm and was threatening him. I can see his point in a way.