TexasCHLforum.com

Morgan wrote:Except the officer probably doesn't want them in such a device.

I'd think that the questions you'd CREATE in the minds of your passengers with a statement like, "if you have any questions about my ID i would prefer not to answer them in front of my passengers" would be far worse in many cases than getting outed. Just my tuppence.

I got pulled over last night... I don't have my CHL yet. I had my Beretta with me in my back pack....that's where my wallet was. The DPS officer never asked, I told him where my wallet was "In my backpack" when he asked for my license. of course getting it out my had was RIGHT BY my gun...he couldn't see it, and didn't ask if i had any weapons. It was a surreal moment, but of course I had less than zero intention to harm the young man.

Bad move.

If he had turned his flashlight on to watch what you were doing and saw the gun, he wouldn't have been amused and you would have found yourself chewing on asphalt and contemplating just how big the bore of his firearm looks from the business end.

Don't keep ID and gun in the same location, or even the same area.
Example: If the gun is in the backpack, keep the wallet in the glove box or console.

If you do have both in the same area, explain that to the officer and ask how he would like to manage that situation. He'll appreciate it and you'll come out of the stop with a lot less trauma than you might otherwise.

smyrna wrote:I agree with Flint that some LEO tend to get nervous when you exit the vehicle.

I don't have a good solution for keeping passengers from learning you're armed, but I can tell you for sure that it is a really bad ideato exit a vehicle during a traffic stop unless ordered to do so.

It rings major alarm bells with officers because good guys usually don't, and bad guys often do. Both sides know it places the driver in position to initiate an effective attack much more quickly than when seated in the car. Many officers will respond by taking a position of cover and will use the PA to order you back inside your car before they will approach, and some will unholster or call for backup at this point. The extra adrenaline you put in the officer's system this way won't be at all helpful, and for sure it won't reduce your chances of getting a citation.

On the plus side, many officers aren't really interested in if or where you're carrying once they know you're legal to do so. The question often doesn't come up at all once they see the CHL.