> You do not want to play lawyer when a cop asks you for your ID. <
To each his own. But first politely ask what crime you are suspected of. There is no need to ID if there is no crime. A cop can ask for ID, but can require it only when there is probable cause (and a legitimate traffic stop counts). But mere “suspicious behavior” is not a crime. It doesn’t count.
Yes, you can give ID up voluntarily. It would save you some hassle, probably. And I say “probably” because you never know how the cop will enter the stop into his database.
“But first politely ask what crime you are suspected of.”
I think that is very bad advice.
Let me explain.
If a cop walks up to you what is the outcome you want?
You want the encounter to end as quickly as possible with no adverse consequences to you.
The best strategy for that is to politely comply—with your mouth shut.
That increases the odds of reaching your goal.
Being right can equal being street-dumb. This is a good example of that rule.