PSP encounter today

[headcase]

The wife and I were returning from a morning out, when the car suddenly died. No warning, no nothing, just died as we turned off of 611 on to Rt33. I coasted over to the left side and parked. Tried re-starting to no avail. We called her aunt to come get us and called AAA to come get the car. While we were waiting, someone rammed the back of a truck down below on the opposite side. No one appeared injured, and we watched them walk around taking pictures of the damage. The aunt showed up and sat in our car, while I stood outside, and we waited for the tow truck.

A few minutes later, a PSP trooper drove up and parked about 50 feet behind us. I started walking toward him as he got out of his car. I greeted him and told him that our car had just died, that we were just waiting on the tow truck, didn't need any assistance, and that we were not involved in the accident. He confirmed that we were OK and then walked down the embankment to get to the accident scene. I favor long sleeveless shirts when it gets this hot, and I was printing horribly, but he didn't say a word. I thought, as I sat there waiting, "Hmmm, I should post this when I get home.".

After about ten minutes, he walks back up the embankment and goes to his car and sits in it for a minute before getting back out. He heads toward us, just as the tow truck driver calls me to make sure of our location. "You have got to be kidding me.", I thought. Sure enough, he approaches us, waits for me to finish explaining where we are, and says, "Which car is dead?".
"This one is Trooper. The car in front is my aunt's, like I said we are just waiting for the tow truck and she is going to give us a ride home.".
"Oh, OK... You have a permit for that?".
"Of course I do."
"Can I see it?".
"Why would you ask, I haven't done anything criminal."
"You had it concealed when you were in the car getting here, so you need one.".
"And I told you that I have one.".
"Well, now I want to see it.".

Here is where I had a decision to make. I got the sense from him that while he was being "professional", he was under the impression that somehow since I was obviously in a vehicle with my firearm just prior to him being there, he had the right, or maybe the duty, to demand my LTCF. He seemed to understand that I was versed in the law, but believed that he was within the law to demand my license. We were all smiles and friendly, but after I answered "Why would you ask...", he seemed to get tense and when he said, "Well, now I want to see it.", it wasn't a request. Things seemed like they were one more question of his authority away from turning ugly, so I flipped my wallet open and showed it to him. He looked at it, through the plastic, for about a good minute, then said, "and the expiration date is...uh huh, 2012. OK.". And then he walked away, got in his car, pulled it down and around, and parked behind the rear car that was involved in the accident.

My wife said, "I knew he was going to say something.". I knew it too.

Maybe one of our resident PSPs can shed some light on just WTF? Do we no longer qualify to be secure in our papers and possessions, just because we carry a firearm? Why do we need to choose between remaining free, and standing up for our rights, and why does that choice always seem to be thrust upon us when we have other concerns to think about, not just our singular persons?

No, the Trooper wasn't being "obnoxious". No, I wasn't giving him "an attitude". The fact of the matter is that we told him he did not need his assistance, yet he insisted on injecting his presence unnecessarily. He created conflict where none need exist. I chose to dispel that conflict by showing him my LTCF, but I did not want to do so. Once again, I am feeling a bitter taste in my mouth after interacting with a State Trooper. The guy stopped to offer assistance.... great, kudos. He was "Professional".... great, good job. But he also, for no good reason, put me in the position of having to do something I should not have had to do. Yes, I understand that it will be argued that he never actually "demanded" anything, but the reality is that he did. He did so with his posture and bearing, making it clear to me, who was right next to him, that if the next words to come from my mouth were, "No.", I was going to be against the car, handcuffed, frisked, disarmed, and would have had my wallet forcibly taken, and my LTCF and weapon run. Hopefully my wife would have held her tongue while this was going on, and not wound up tazed and writhing on the new pavement.

Why?