Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
Page 1 of 8 12345 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 79
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
    (Northampton County)
    Posts
    3
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Traffic Stop while Carrying

    I was pulled over the other day, for the first time since I started carrying. I have thought about this a bit, and read how to act on this forum, so I was prepared -- a bit nervous but prepared.
    I kept my hands on the steering wheel as the cop came to the door, and when he ask if I knew my inspection was expired, I told him I didn't, but I wanted him to know that I was carrying my sidearm and asked how he would like to proceed. He asked for my license, registration and insurance card, and do I have a CC permit. I told him that I do have my permit, it is in my wallet with my license, on the same hip as my sidearm. "I just want you to know -- I don't want to make you nervous, I'd like it if YOUR sidearm stays in it's holster". He laughed a bit, said no problem, just get your wallet.
    I think he might have had his mike open the whole time, as there were several additional cops on scene before he got back to the car. All but one of the extras left right away, but an older guy with more brass on (the watch commander?) came to my door. I still had my hands on the wheel, and he thanked me for letting the first cop know, that I was completely within my rights, just keep my hands in view as I had been doing, sorry for all the extra cops, they like backup whenever there is a firearm, I'm completely within my rights (again) -- then he told me that I was just going to get a warning, wished me happy holidays and shook my hand!
    I have been stopped a few times in the 35 years I have been driving, and I don't think I have ever just gotten a warning. Three years ago I was ticketed for an inspection that was two weeks overdue in exactly the same spot! A warning, happy holidays, and a hand-shake? Wow!

    Points:
    Hands in plain view.
    "I'm carrying my sidearm, how would you like to proceed?"
    NEVER use the word gun.
    Oh yeah -- have a permit!

    Take care,
    Pete
    Last edited by paugello; December 16th, 2009 at 11:44 AM. Reason: typo in Title

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Delco, Pennsylvania
    (Delaware County)
    Posts
    1,203
    Rep Power
    384228

    Default Re: Traffic Stop while Carrying

    Why did you feel obligated to inform him? There is no requirement to do this.
    I think what I see here is your need to let him know you are a good guy!
    Were you in Ohio?

    No need to notify in PA!

    But I think I know why you did. Newbies always do this! And I do not mean that in a bad way!
    NRA Training Counselor, Chief Range Safety Officer, NRA Benefactor Member



  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Greensburg, Pennsylvania
    (Westmoreland County)
    Posts
    1,706
    Rep Power
    8133

    Default Re: Traffic Stop while Carrying

    You were not obligated to inform the officer, but I'm glad it ended well for you.

  4. #4
    PANRA Guest

    Default Re: Traffic Stop while Carrying

    I was involved in an auto accident about a year ago. Someone rear ended me and my car needed to be towed. I remembered as they were pulling my car up on the roll back that I had a handgun in a storage compartment just below my radio. I didn't want to go digging it out with police, firemen, and by standards all around however I did not want to leave it unattended and unsecured in my vehicle knowing it was going to be towed to a garage. I told the police officer writing the report that I had a firearm in my car that I wanted to retrieve. He asked several times what I was saying. At one point he said there’s a fireman in your car? I finally said I have a pistol in my car and I don't want to leave it unattended. He asked me if I had a permit at which point I replied yes Sir. I gave the permit to him and told him where the gun was. He retrieved the gun and wrote down the serial number then handed it to me fully loaded at which point it quickly shoved it in my front pocket. He seemed to be fine with it after he knew everything was legal. He was a municipal police officer.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
    Posts
    33,571
    Rep Power
    21474887

    Default Re: Traffic Stop while Carrying

    Quote Originally Posted by PANRA View Post
    I was involved in an auto accident about a year ago. Someone rear ended me and my car needed to be towed. I remembered as they were pulling my car up on the roll back that I had a handgun in a storage compartment just below my radio. I didn't want to go digging it out with police, firemen, and by standards all around however I did not want to leave it unattended and unsecured in my vehicle knowing it was going to be towed to a garage. I told the police officer writing the report that I had a firearm in my car that I wanted to retrieve. He asked several times what I was saying. At one point he said there’s a fireman in your car? I finally said I have a pistol in my car and I don't want to leave it unattended. He asked me if I had a permit at which point I replied yes Sir. I gave the permit to him and told him where the gun was. He retrieved the gun and wrote down the serial number then handed it to me fully loaded at which point it quickly shoved it in my front pocket. He seemed to be fine with it after he knew everything was legal. He was a municipal police officer.

    Note that you are likely to get more grief over your post than the OP will...
    "permit" and "writing down the serial number" will get a reaction in 3-2-1...


    I called to check my ZIP CODE!....DY-NO-MITE!!!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
    Posts
    33,571
    Rep Power
    21474887

    Default Re: Traffic Stop while Carrying

    Quote Originally Posted by paugello View Post
    I was pulled over the other day, for the first time since I started carrying. I have thought about this a bit, and read how to act on this forum, so I was prepared -- a bit nervous but prepared.
    I kept my hands on the steering wheel as the cop came to the door, and when he ask if I knew my inspection was expired, I told him I didn't, but I wanted him to know that I was carrying my sidearm and asked how he would like to proceed. He asked for my license, registration and insurance card, and do I have a CC permit. I told him that I do have my permit, it is in my wallet with my license, on the same hip as my sidearm. "I just want you to know -- I don't want to make you nervous, I'd like it if YOUR sidearm stays in it's holster". He laughed a bit, said no problem, just get your wallet.
    I think he might have had his mike open the whole time, as there were several additional cops on scene before he got back to the car. All but one of the extras left right away, but an older guy with more brass on (the watch commander?) came to my door. I still had my hands on the wheel, and he thanked me for letting the first cop know, that I was completely within my rights, just keep my hands in view as I had been doing, sorry for all the extra cops, they like backup whenever there is a firearm, I'm completely within my rights (again) -- then he told me that I was just going to get a warning, wished me happy holidays and shook my hand!
    I have been stopped a few times in the 35 years I have been driving, and I don't think I have ever just gotten a warning. Three years ago I was ticketed for an inspection that was two weeks overdue in exactly the same spot! A warning, happy holidays, and a hand-shake? Wow!

    Points:
    Hands in plain view.
    "I'm carrying my sidearm, how would you like to proceed?"
    NEVER use the word gun.
    Oh yeah -- have a permit!

    Take care,
    Pete
    Pete,
    Glad it all worked out in your favor. I used to feel the same way about informing the officer. After learning of the potential nightmare that could just as easily result, I've changed my mind a bit... I'm not in the "NEVER INFORM" camp, but I'll play it by ear. I lean more to the side of "don't inform unless it looks like it may be discovered".

    These threads are always fun. There's no right answer aside from the legal fact that you don't HAVE to inform. After that, it's entirely up to you.
    I called to check my ZIP CODE!....DY-NO-MITE!!!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Westminster, Colorado
    Age
    37
    Posts
    563
    Rep Power
    670282

    Default Re: Traffic Stop while Carrying

    I haven't come across this situation, and hopefully won't have to, but I think I'd lean more toward informing them during a stop. I don't think it should matter either way since a gun isn't involved, nor do I think it is the officer's business to know, but I do think that many officers appreciate the honesty and it shows that you are both knowledgeable on the laws and your rights and willing to cooperate.
    My dad had a similar scenario play out while he was carrying (his stop was for speeding though, not for inspection sticker), and after he let the cop know he was carrying he was told to slow down and have a good day.
    This is all depending on the type of stop and the officer you get. I'm young and look even younger, so police often find that as an excuse to treat me like shit right off the bat. The last 2 opinion enforcement officers (not LEOs, because their view of the law wasn't on par with reality) I had to deal with probably would have locked me up if I told them I had a gun, and the encounter was in my own home... after I called them.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    somewhere, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
    Age
    50
    Posts
    6,911
    Rep Power
    3039377

    Default Re: Traffic Stop while Carrying

    Pete,

    I'm glad that everything ended well for you. But IMHO, what happened as you described it was exactly the reason why you shouldn't inform unless there's an explicit reason to do so.

    Telling him you were armed changed the tone of the entire encounter. Doing so cause turned a routine traffic stop into a full-blown scene with backup. And again, while it turned out well, any situation where multiple officers are on the scene has the potential to turn ugly for the law-abiding citizen very quickly.

    I'm sure there are many who will disagree with the following opinion, but IMHO going out of your way to keep hands in view is a plain-as-day signal to the officer that you have something to hide, or at least something they won't like. You should act casually and not like a criminal, because you're not. Again, I'm sure some will disagree with this, so take it FWIW.

    If you're interested, here's an older thread in which I discussed my encounter with a LEO during a traffic stop; you might find some other information and opinions there as well:

    http://forum.pafoa.org/concealed-ope...iscussion.html

    Note that some of the information and opinions in the above thread may be a bit dated. In general, municipal LEOs are better trained this year than last due to the efforts of many across the state (and some here on this forum).

    Again, glad to hear it worked out for you.
    "Political Correctness is just tyranny with manners"
    -Charlton Heston

    "[The Constitution preserves] the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation...(where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms."
    -James Madison, Federalist Papers, No. 46.

    "America does not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy." [sic]
    -John Quincy Adams

    "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies."
    -Thomas Jefferson

    Μολών λαβέ!
    -King Leonidas

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    E. Greenville, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
    Age
    51
    Posts
    1,579
    Rep Power
    16742

    Default Re: Traffic Stop while Carrying

    Quote Originally Posted by paugello View Post
    I have thought about this a bit, and read how to act on this forum, so I was prepared
    Perhaps you didn't read the many threads on this forum saying not to inform the officer you're carrying.
    You got a good officer, and I'm glad for you. But search around the forum a little and you'll see what can happen if you had a bad officer.

    and do I have a CC permit
    No you don't. You have a License to Carry Firearms. This license allows you to do many things other than CC.
    The right to bear arms isn't for hunting bear. Subliminal Messages

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    ..............., Pennsylvania
    (Chester County)
    Posts
    5,441
    Rep Power
    18796216

    Default Re: Traffic Stop while Carrying

    As the OP stated "it is in my wallet with my license, on the same hip as my sidearm", IMO it was wise to advise the officer that he was carrying. The potential consequence of the officer seeing the firearm as the OPs hand was reaching in that direction could have been disasterous.

    It would have been more prudent not to carry the credentials in the vicinity of the firearm or take out the wallet before the officer approaches the car (although this could be misconstrued as a furtive movement by some).
    IANAL

Page 1 of 8 12345 ... LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Traffic Stop
    By 4XLT in forum General
    Replies: 24
    Last Post: June 11th, 2009, 10:41 PM
  2. Traffic Stop
    By ggig in forum General
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: March 2nd, 2009, 08:57 PM
  3. Traffic Stop RT 80 1.8 miles from 115
    By Fraggle09027 in forum General
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: February 16th, 2009, 12:34 PM
  4. During a traffic stop ................
    By Big Dog in forum General
    Replies: 44
    Last Post: July 26th, 2008, 02:21 AM
  5. Texas Traffic Stop
    By LorDiego01 in forum General
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: April 2nd, 2008, 04:40 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •