Posted on 12/31/2009 3:59:47 PM PST by majstoll
On numerous Internet forums, and some email lists, gun owners periodically report being hassled by police when pulled over for routine traffic infractions. . . . But often there is a common thread to these stories – the dorky gun owner brought up the gun thing all on her own! . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
Don’t forget to turn on the dome light at night.
Oh you sound like such a sweetheart. I bet you know all about me.
They are SO INTERESTED when I do that! They get really excited, too!!
“.... keep my hands on the steering wheel at 10 and 2, greet the officer and inform them that I have a CCW and where the weapon is located and then await instructions from the officer.”
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Good advice about keeping your hands visible then tell LE “for your safety and mine, I want you to know I have a weapon”.
YES! Someone finally recognized my true nature!
Article is BS.
Police in every State (I think) can tell if you have a CCW by your DL# when they pull it up. If you are driving your car by the plate number, which they have already ran before getting to your window.
Some States REQUIRE you to tell them you have a CCW if you have one even if you are NOT carrying at the time of traffic stop.
If you have a CCW the best thing to do is keep your hands on the steering wheel and first thing out of your mouth is “Hello before we go any further I have a CCW and I am (or am not) carrying a firearm today”
Oh and the hands on the steering wheel in “in white knuckled determination to refuses any temptation to move?” Yea don’t do this, but the article didn’t say to have that stuff ready for the police officer when he gets to the window.
To be fair the article is sort of correct, but only in verbiage to NOT say to the police officer. “I have a gun” first out of your mouth is BAD. Don’t do this unless you are an idiot.
“do you want to see my concealed handgun permit?”. Okay, but forgo the batting eyelashes. Police aren’t impressed with that (well unless you’re a really hot girl, but that might end up getting a free unwanted frisking)
Now if you don’t have a CCW and are properly transporting firearms locked up and unloaded keep your mouth shut, it’s not their business but if they do ask do not lie, because chances are they won’t ask unless something is amiss.
Open carry legally transporting without CCW with gun in plain sight they better also know it’s there. Cause if they don’t and happen to see it then you’ll be in trouble that way too.
The one stupid idiot cop might give you problems, but the rest of the police force will appreciate you if you let them know.
Professional courtesy? It doesn’t exist, but, every time I’ve said “I have a CCW and I am (or am not) carrying today” right away I’ve gotten let go with a warning on the speeding, tail light, or whatever I originally gotten pulled over for in the first place.
One veteran police officer (guessing by his age) even told me he loves pulling over CCW’s because it tells him chances are he just pulled over a law abiding citizen instead of walking into a blind traffic stop.
Exactly. many states have crossreffed CCW with DLs for the cops to see when they run your tag. Even if they don't ask, tell 'em, for the reasons outlined by others.
Agree.
I think you make an excellent point. Well stated. Conservative principle apparently sails over a lot of heads. Judicial law and morality are two very, very different things, yet I think a lot of people who pride themselves (rightly) on being law-abiding and respectful of legal authority, wrongly assume that if it's illegal, it's immoral. Such thinking enables soft tyranny.
The Second Amendment, like the First, at its core addresses a moral issue: it is immoral to restrain people from their right to self defense. IMO, a moral, good cop would never presume to ask the question in a routine traffic stop; if a cop asked such a question in a routine traffic stop, I'd consider it a sign that the cop was more interested in inflicting authority than justice, and probably shoudln't be in the cop business.
It depends on the state. In some states, you are required to state whether you are armed when stopped by an officer, other states you are not.
There are also good and bad ways of disclosing your status. Quietly handing your CCW license is a good way. Screaming out "I've got a gun!" is a bad way.
Not Pennsy.
I was stopped once while not carrying. The cop went back to the patrol car and came back and wanted to know if I had a gun on me. It takes two seconds for them to see I had a permit. If you don't inform them and you're carrying you will lose your CCW and probably your ability to ever conceal carry.
This guy is a putz.
Try living in IL, although truth be told our local States Attorney seems to relish sticking his thumb in the eye of State Government. He's already publicly announced that he won't prosecute anyone caught carrying a concealed firearm as long as it's unloaded and completely enclosed in a 'case'.
So it's perfectly legal to carry a concealed firearm in a fanny pack or backpack as long as it isn't loaded.
Yea, I know it isn't he ideal, but this is an elected States Attorney telling the rest of the State of IL to go f*** themselves.
I've met this guy, and I like him.
L
Not till I get part of his ear.
Back when the CCW law was being debated here in Michigan, our county sheriff was having people sign the petition against it before they left the jail (Illegally of course) Fortunately it appears that most cops are OK with the law.
For what it is worth, a compilation of videos and articles from around the web is available here:
http://johnjacobh.wordpress.com/category/a-traffic-stop-and-police-encounter-tutorial/
Best regards,
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