There's no reason for someone who is not driving to ID themselves unless they are under arrest. In Texas, you can only be charged with Failure to Identify if you fail to provide ID or your name, address (and maybe birthdate?) once you have been arrested. If you haven't been arrested, you have no obligation.thunderarms wrote:Your not required but you probably should...Being Leo I want to know who and what I'm dealing with during every stop. Lets face it its all about going home at the end of the day. Make the officer at ease an disclose before he finds it himself.
Far too many times have I been watching COPS or a video on youtube where the officer asks everyone in the car to ID without probable cause, and one or two of them show up in the system that gives the officer some cause to further detain or arrest the person.
So, I think of it just like consenting to a search - because that's effectively what it is. If you're not required to, I don't think you should do it. It can't hurt you, except the cop might get mad because of the challenge to his/her authority.