TexasCHLforum.com

gigag04 wrote:

Fangs wrote:I know I've read that officers don't get your CHL info just from running your plates. How hard it would be to look up the name on the registration (and now insurance, since I believe they can check that) and then get the owner of the car's license info, then check for CHL?

That would certainly take some time (making it impractical for using it as a reason to stop someone), but it seems quite possible if you ask me. Then again, I'm not a LEO.

While safely driving a patrol car, listening to both radios, looking for violations, or going to call? Impossible IMO. Plus...who cares if they are a CHL holder...that's not the crowd that LEOs are after. And you don't get DOB from QV (veh registration).

Thanks for clearing this up for me. I think I must have misunderstood my CHL instructor on this point.

This is really good news (just in case I ever do forget for some reason). Of course, I keep my CHL right behind my DL in my wallet, so its pretty easy to remember. I have actually caught myself almost handing my CHL with my DL when a store clerk or someone else asks me for ID.

LarryH wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:Most speedometers are fractionally optimistic. 65 mph on the speedo might only be 62 mph on radar. I happen to know from comparing the displayed speed on my speedo to the displayed speed on my GPS that 65 mph on the speedo is exactly that on the GPS. But that is because I have slightly oversized tires on my car compared to the original equipment tires. The OEM tires caused an optimistic speedo reading.

But the difference between me and the OP is that, even if I knew my speedo was 2 or 3 mph optimistic, I would still set the cruise control to 65 - not 67.

Our recent cars have mostly been about 3 mph optimistic. The new Civic is within 1 mph of the GPS readout. I, too, am now setting the cruise to the speed limit.

Actually, from that point on, I have consistently set the cruise at the speed limit. My daily commute is 20 miles each way, so its the difference of a few minutes each way, but is also the difference between giving them a reason to pull you over versus not giving them a reason to pull you over.

On another note, my LEO CHL instructor actually told me that their system will show a CHL alert if the car is registered to a CHL holder. He specifically said that some of his buddies who are anti-CHL make it a practice to sit by the side of the road and run tags. Then, when they see a CHL holder, they will follow until they have a reason to stop the person, hoping to fluster them into not showing their CHL. Maybe the guy was just trying to scare us into always making sure we give our CHL to the officer.

lkd wrote:

Officer: "Where are you coming from?", then "What were you doing in Dallas?"

Me: "That would be none of your business, officer. Can you please tell me why I was pulled over?"

Your probably right. I was trying to be cooperative and polite, as that has helped me avoid tickets in the past. This time, I was really caught off guard and was also a bit concerned because I wasn't sure why he pulled me over. Plus it was the first time I had ever been pulled over when I had a loaded gun in the car.

Also, to answer the other question, he looked young to me, but I'm a terrible estimator of age. My best guess would be 25-27.

3dfxMM wrote:

I honestly can't remember the town. It was somewhere at least an hour+ south of Dallas and an hour+ north of Huntsville.

Driving at 65 mph or 67 mph? :)

For the sake of the math experiment, assume 66.8 MPH. Also, I took a pit stop before this for about 10 minutes.

gigag04 wrote: To the OP, how were you profiled?

I was using the term "profiled" a bit tongue in cheek. I'm pretty sure that he chose to pull me over because my license tag showed a "CHL" flag in his computer.

Yes, I was guilty of speeding, if my speednometer is really accurate to within 2 miles per hour. I have since noticed using my Garmin that my speednometer seems to be spot on, so I'll concede the 2 MPH difference. I also was a bit dishonest, but this came after I realized that he might think I was a drug courier, although going the wrong way I think (don't drugs move North from Houston?).

For the record, I just thought he was bored, and he was doing his job after all. Must be a very low crime town if the highest law enforcement priority is someone traveling 2 MPH over the limit on a Freeway.

I honestly can't remember the town. It was somewhere at least an hour+ south of Dallas and an hour+ north of Huntsville.

Warning - Long.

A little background. I took my CHL class in May 2009, but didn't get around to finalizing and sending in all my paperwork until early September. When I took my class, the instructor said that they were running way behind in processing applications and that it could take up to 6 months to get my actual CHL. Doing the math, and with my luck, this meant February or March 2010. Also (since it is somewhat relevant), I am a 40 year old professional, and when the below happened, I was driving a Chrysler sedan while wearing a suit (minus the jacket and tie).

In late November 2009, I drove from Houston to Dallas to attend a conference. I took my weapon with me as this is legal even without a CHL. Drive up was uneventful. Stayed in Dallas for 3 days. On the drive back to Houston, I locked the cruise control at exactly 2 MPH over the posted speed limit since I had caught myself losing focus on my speed as I drove through the same scenery over and over again. As I passed a small town, I noticed a police car sitting in a gas station parking lot off the freeway, right next to the access road. I thought to mysely that he was probably manning a speed trap and patted myself on the back for deciding to use the cruise control and for my patience.

Right as I passed the cop, he turned on his lights and rapidly pulled onto the access road. I thought this was odd since I was traveling in a pack of 5-6 vehicles and none were obviously speeding. I could only think that he must be going to a call. Since he was probably getting on the freeway, I slowed down and moved to the right lane between two cars that I had been in the process of passing (and which were going at least 5 MPH under the limit). I went over a small rise and expected to see the cop go flying by me on his way to fight crime.

I was very surprised when the cop slowed down and moved into position right behind me. I have been pulled over a fair amount (mostly when I was younger), and this is the first time that I was ever pulled over without knowing why. The possibilities in this situation are potentially scary (my car matched that of a triple murder suspect perhaps?). At any rate, I was feeling pretty good about the fact that I was in fact innocent.

I pulled over to the shoulder and rolled down my drivers side window as I gathered my registration and proof of insurance from the glove compartment. When I looked up, the officer was standing on the passengers side, so I unrolled that window as well. He seemed to be very interested in my back seat where I had an assortment of clothes, bags, and assorted stuff thrown about. The exchange went something like this:

Officer: "Whats that smell"
Me (absolutely clueless): "I think its the cows" - I honestly thought he was talking about the smell from the pasture to our right. It took me a minute to realize that he was implying I might have drugs in the car.
Officer: "License and registration please" - I hand them over.
Officer: "Where are you coming from?", then "What were you doing in Dallas?"
Me: "I had a work conference. I was there for a couple days. Just going home. Sir, I honestly don't think I was speeding. I had my cruise control set at exactly 65 (white lie)"
Officer: "Wait here"

He comes back in a bit, walked around to the front of my car, and appeared to be studying my license plate. At this point, I have no clue what is going on. He comes back to my passenger window, hands me my license and registration, and tells me that he has decided to cut me a break on the speeding, but that I need to slow down. I politely thank him and he starts to walk away, when......

He turns back and says, "hey, I noticed that you have your CHL, do you happen to have your..." - I interjected that I have APPLIED for my CHL, but I have not received it, and allowed for the possibility that it might be sitting in my mailbox at home since I have been gone for a few days. He seems a bit flustered by this response. Thinks for a minute and says, "so you have not received it?". I reiterate that I have not physically received it, but if it came in the last couple days, it could be sitting in my mailbox at home. Officer says "OK". I then ask him if his system shows that my CHL has been granted, since this would be good news. He doesn't respond, and just tells me to watch my speed.

The funny thing is that my CHL instructor (who is a full time deputy sheriff) warned us about this exact encounter, down to the part about handing everything back and then casually inquiring about whether you have your weapon on you. It seems that some of his LEO buddies are anti-concealed carry, and they will purposely try to trip up CHL holders and get them on failing to show their CHL license.

So in short, I was profiled, detained, and ultimately allowed to go on my way. Normally this kind of thing would really irritate me, but I just found it funny. Maybe it was my happiness at learning that my CHL had arrived 2-3 months ahead of expectation.