TexasCHLforum.com

razoraggie wrote:A guy hit my wife on the freeway from behind with no insurance. After the investigation, HPD let him drive away with a ticket!!!

That stinks. I guess in Houston they're too busy arresting people for UCW.

I was basing my information on a recent conversation with a Galveston police officer. He said he hated stopping someone with no insurance, because it took so much time and the motorists tended to get angry.

This was part of a story that I found amusing: A citizen had complained about drivers making left turns during rush hour at a particular intersection. He had raised a huge stink, all out of proportion to the problem. The police stationed a couple of cars at the intersection the next day and gave about 50 tickets. One of the people they ticketed for making an illegal left turn was the guy who had complained.

- Jim

CHL/LEO wrote:

If you are caught with a handgun and no ID, you will almost certainly be charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon, and arrested.

Not necessarily, I would just check and see if he had a valid CHL (takes just a few seconds) - if he did I would probably listen to his story again and if it made sense cut him loose.

You're a good guy. Can you check based only on the person's name and address?

I for one do not know my license number by heart.

- Jim

Here is the relevant law:

GC §411.205. DISPLAYING LICENSE; PENALTY. (a) If a license holder is carrying a handgun on or about the license holder's person when a magistrate or a peace officer demands that the license holder display identification, the license holder shall display both the license holder's driver's license or identification certificate issued by the department and the license holder's handgun license. A person who fails or refuses to display the license and identification as required by this subsection is subject to suspension of the person's license as provided by Section 411.187.

So you could have your license suspended on the first offense. If you are caught with a handgun and no ID, you will almost certainly be charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon, and arrested.

If you were driving, you could also be charged for failing to have a driver license and insurance.

However, to be found guilty of violating a law, you must violate it willfully or negligently. Most judges will give you a break if you honestly forgot your wallet.

This biggest problem for most people is that if you are driving without an insurance card, your car will be towed. It will cost you several hundred dollars to get it back. You might be arrested or left standing on the sidewalk.

- Jim