Speding Ticket with CCP

[noffy]

Well I got pull over this morning by a State Trooper. I was speeding and he pulled me over on the way to work. I had my hands on the steering wheel and when he came up to the door and asked me for my license and reg. I told him that I was a Concealed Carry Holder. He asked me where and then told me to get out of the car, keep my hands visible and "get up against the car", I then did what he asked, put my hands on the car, he then patted me down and took my weapon at my ankle. We went back to the car and he proceded to write the ticket. He then ran my plates, license and permit. After writing thte ticket he asked me if I had a rason to carry a gun. I responded that "Its for my personal protection." he didn't respond. He gave me the ticket and we got out of his acr going back to mine, he told me to get i nthe drivers seat and for me to unlock the rear door. He said that he was going to put the gun in the rear seat floorboard. He shut the door and I went on my way. Still got the ticket with no breaks. End of story. I felt like a common criminal, being patted down on the side of the road!

[ProShooter]

Sorry that this happened to you but that's the potential of what can happen when you break the law. Hopefully you weren't going so fast that the ticket will kill your wallet.

[scampbell3]

Well I got pull over this morning by a State Trooper. I was speeding and he pulled me over on the way to work. I had my hands on the steering wheel and when he came up to the door and asked me for my license and reg. I told him that I was a Concealed Carry Holder. He asked me where and then told me to get out of the car, keep my hands visible and "get up against the car", I then did what he asked, put my hands on the car, he then patted me down and took my weapon at my ankle. We went back to the car and he proceded to write the ticket. He then ran my plates, license and permit. After writing thte ticket he asked me if I had a rason to carry a gun. I responded that "Its for my personal protection." he didn't respond. He gave me the ticket and we got out of his acr going back to mine, he told me to get i nthe drivers seat and for me to unlock the rear door. He said that he was going to put the gun in the rear seat floorboard. He shut the door and I went on my way. Still got the ticket with no breaks. End of story. I felt like a common criminal, being patted down on the side of the road!

In Va, you do not have to inform a LEO that you have a concealed handgun. Just like here in DE, I have been stopped for minor traffic infractions in the past, and at no time have I ever disclosed my concealed firearm in such situations.

[viiiball]

I really think it all has to do with the trooper that pulls you over. A little over a year ago I was pulled over for an expired registration tag. When he hit me with his lights it took a bit to find a safe place to pull over so when he came to the window the first question he asked me was why I did not immediately pull over (I am thinking Oh Crap, bad attitude). I told him I wanted a safe place to pull over. He asked me for license and registration and told me why he was pulling me over. I had actually already renewed the registration online so I had the temporary reg printout. As I was handing him the documents I explained to him that I was a VA CHP holder and was currently carrying. He asked where and I told him right side hip. He asked me to remain in the car and he'd be right back. I assume he went and ran everything through the computer. He came back, handed back my documents and asked that next time to pull over a little sooner and send me on my way. He was professional in every manner. Other than the question about where the gun was located never made another mention of it.

[Vahunter]

Why tell him at all that your'e carrying ? He'll find out on his own.

[Username]

That cop seems a little paranoid, but yes, if/when I get pulled over I will not be announcing to the officer I have a concealed carry permit. If he wants to ask, that's his business just like me carrying a weapon is mine.

If asked why I carry a gun, I always respond the same.

"Because I have large amounts of cash on me at all times."

[MountainCat]

My situation was different. I was pulled over after dusk in Richmond South side in a light rain with no rear running lights.

I had the interior lights on, both hands on the wheel with my DL and CHP in my hand. The officer told me why he pulled me over and invited me out of the car to look at my tail lights. Then we discussed a burnt fuse. The entire time, I still had my DL and CHP in my left hand.

I knew I had to root around under the dash to find the fuse box and I knew he was going to see the imprint of a gun on my hip so rather than have his muzzle stuck in my ear, I said 'officer you should look at this.'

His response was 'I already know and I don't care.'

He tried to help me find the correct fuse box to no avail. Finally he told me to put my flashers on and drive the 1 mile to my destination.

BTW, I've seen comments from people who say that there is no excuse for an equipment failure on a vehicle. Maybe those people inspect their vehicles at every stop. I dunno. This car was put on a lift and received a full State Inspection 9 hours earlier.

All in all, he was very cool, helpful, and professional. He may have even saved my butt from getting rear ended. (No pun intended.) The small town cops are the ones I worry about.

The next day it was real easy to find the fuse panel in the daylight.

[gregj]

Agreed with earlier post about it all depends on the officer. Who knows the trooper that stopped you may have just come off a bad call, or had a friend that did, or ..... Whatever the reason, sounds like he was professional about it.

The two times I have been stopped, I wasnt carrying but informed the office of my CHP and that I wasnt armed. Wasnt an issue with either one. The last one was by a FCP, stopped me for running a red light (wasnt yellow long enough, durn it). I handed him my DL and informed him I had a permit, but wasnt armed. His response ok thanks, then asked if there were any other weapons in the vehicle, which I responded no. He said "thanks, I appreciate that."

I got a warning that time. Not sure why, but maybe announcing my permit helped put him at ease, may not have had any impact at all. Either way, IMO they have a tough job to do, and if I can help make the interaction a less stressful one for both of us, then I'm gonna do it. Putting myself in the officer's place, I would appreciate the driver announcing their permit and carry status. But that's just me. You gotta do what you gotta do.

[noffy]

Sorry that this happened to you but that's the potential of what can happen when you break the law. Hopefully you weren't going so fast that the ticket will kill your wallet.

Yes, a Moving Violation is "breaking the law" but does it mean that you get padded down for do so. Overkill in my opinion. I think that if I didn't tell him and when he came back to the car he would have been more aggressive about it.

[viiiball]

Why tell him at all that you're carrying ? He'll find out on his own.

I know there is going to be some dissenting opinions on this but if I am carrying and stopped by a LEO I will always inform him that I am in possession of a firearm. I think its the professional and courteous way to approach it. I'd rather him have more information than less. I don't want any assumptions on his part. He's going to find out you have a CHP anyway. FLAME away boys.

[OakRidgeStars]

I think that if I didn't tell him and when he came back to the car he would have been more aggressive about it.

There's no way to know what could have happened. Some cops are going to go through this pointless exercise regardless of whether you inform them or not. It's unfortunate, but this is all part of the deal when we chose to be a lawfully armed citizen. Best to just shake it off and chock it up to another lesson learned.

[ProShooter]

Sorry that this happened to you but that's the potential of what can happen when you break the law. Hopefully you weren't going so fast that the ticket will kill your wallet.

Yes, a Moving Violation is "breaking the law" but does it mean that you get padded down for do so. Overkill in my opinion. I think that if I didn't tell him and when he came back to the car he would have been more aggressive about it.

Its officer discretion at that point in the interest of his safety and yours. There's a thousand stories out there where cops have secured someone's firearm and a thousand more where they didn't. It sounds as if you didn't object to the pat down and removal of your weapon.

Chalk it up to a life experience, learn from it, and move on.

ETA - Let's just say for arguments sake that you were one of these folks we see on tv. You know the one who's late for work and gets mad that they got pulled. The officer comes back and hands you a ticket that'll cost you $150 and you go bananas. You rip up the ticket and start screaming and cursing....we've all seen those videos on tv.

Now, let's say that you are the cop in that situation. Would you want you to still be in possession of that gun? Or would you as the cop rather be the one holding their sidearm. What if he ran your info and you were wanted. Then he comes back to the car and states that you are under arrest for some warrant you forgot about. You still have a gun. Is that something that you as the police officer wants to deal with?

[ProShooter]

Why tell him at all that you're carrying ? He'll find out on his own.

I know there is going to be some dissenting opinions on this but if I am carrying and stopped by a LEO I will always inform him that I am in possession of a firearm. I think its the professional and courteous way to approach it. I'd rather him have more information than less. I don't want any assumptions on his part. He's going to find out you have a CHP anyway. FLAME away boys.

+1

[wylde007]

He's going to find out you have a CHP anyway. FLAME away boys.

There's no need for flaming, fun as it can be sometimes.

It's your personal preference.

The other side of that argument is that it is his JOB to investigate things. That's the official duty of the police. When they pull you over they are investigating a traffic infraction. At the end of their investigation they decide whether or not to issue a summons. Unfortunate as it is, more often than not they decide you're guilty of some crime and you become a arrestee.

If you choose to give them any information... any information at all... beyond that which is required by law I say you do so at your own risk and peril. As is evinced by numerous other posters, the outcome is unpredictable as the weather in Hampton Roads. Depending on the officer, his experiences and his training... and, like it or not, the kind of day he's having... you could be faced with any number of responses from apathy/disinterest to detention and disarmament for "officer safety".

You have to calculate just how secure you are in your own ability to handle yourself and to react to a situation in a manner that will not find you face down on the tarmac with a knee between your shoulderblades... simply for exercising your God-given rights.

[MountainCat]

If asked why I carry a gun, I always respond the same.

Because I can't carry a cop.

[ProShooter]

If asked why I carry a gun, I always respond the same.

Because I can't carry a cop.

Because my order of 40mm grenades is on backorder!

[Reverenddel]

Like someone said, "It's personal preference." If asked about it? I'll tell them, but in truth? I sometimes forget I'm carry a weapon. It's like a list in my head "Keys, wallet, lighter, flashlight, pistol, etc."

I don't think about it. It's just another tool in the belt.

It's mainly the LEO's disposition that varies. I have a friend on RPD, that she does a "Terry Stop" every time she hugs me. I don't mind, she laughs about it, and it's funny when I don't carry.

She'll hug...stop... and whisper "Where the hell is yer gun?"

Regular cops seem to realize "Back up is 5 minutes away, this law-bidding citizen is standing right here." So let's not give them attitude, or flack, if they're generally on our side.

[Username]

If asked why I carry a gun, I always respond the same.

Because I can't carry a cop.

Because my order of 40mm grenades is on backorder!

YES!

No, but this has made me think. And I still tend towards not announcing it because of this reason:

I think when you announce "I have a gun!" or however you say it, you make a big deal out of something most of us want to be a very little deal. I don't tell the officer because hey it's my right to carry a gun, I've done the necessary work to make it legal to conceal, and hey it's another part of my routine like the good Reverend said, it's just another tool in the belt.

If you had a knife in your pocket, you wouldn't say "Officer, I've got a knife!" because it's making a big deal about something that shouldn't have to be a big deal.

If everyone who carries goes around every time they get pulled over saying hey, I've got a gun, lets make a big deal about it, nervous nervous, agitate agitate the LEO is gonna leave with a bad taste in his mouth and it might affect the next guy down the road.

If he says, hey Sir, are you carrying tonight? I'll say yes, and if he asks to see the gun, w/e great here you go, drop the clip, clear the chamber, whatever you say Officer and move on.

With all that said.... I DEFINITELY see Doug and ProShooter's point, and could very easily be convinced in the right situation to announce it rather than let it be a point of confrontation in the event I get pulled over.

My ultimate plan: Don't break the law = Don't get pulled over.

[wylde007]

My ultimate plan: Don't break the law = Don't get pulled over.

One thousand lashes for daring to introduce logic and reason to this conversation.

[noffy]

So am I the only speeder on this site?? For some reason I believe I have been behind some of you who neglect to put your turn signal on when changing lanes or those who leave it on. We all make mistakes but treatment should be fair and consistent accross the board. It was my first ticket with my CCP so its just an example of one troopers reaction to mine.