TexasCHLforum.com

steveincowtown wrote:I am sure there is a wide scope of technological prowess on this forum, but for those of you that have a camera phone, the best photo you can ever keep with you is a picture of your license and CHL. I have only had the opportunity to present this way once while boating, but in addition to giving the officer a chuckle, he was able to surmise the information he needed quickly so that we could both get on our way. Is it a replacement for carrying ID….of course not. Is it a reasonable back up….I think so.

My only concern is if the phone were stolen, the thief knows where you live and that you have guns, and you can't call ahead.

But I'm wondering if there is some way to secure the photo, perhaps in another phone app.
For example, my GPS app lets me append photos to waypoints.

Of course, I think I've run off without my phone as often as I've forgotten my wallet

steveincowtown wrote:I am sure there is a wide scope of technological prowess on this forum, but for those of you that have a camera phone, the best photo you can ever keep with you is a picture of your license and CHL. I have only had the opportunity to present this way once while boating, but in addition to giving the officer a chuckle, he was able to surmise the information he needed quickly so that we could both get on our way. Is it a replacement for carrying ID….of course not. Is it a reasonable back up….I think so.

Good idea. I've been meaning to scan all my important documents to en encrypted Micro-SD card for similar reasons.
Having an identity document on your phone may be a security risk if your phone falls into the wrong hands - they know where you and that you own guns, and you can't call ahead.
If your phone has an ebook or PDF reader, you might scan it into a format and filename that looks like a boring ebook.
"Joe Biden - an Autobiography" perhaps.

Rex B wrote:
My only concern is if the phone were stolen, the thief knows where you live and that you have guns, and you can't call ahead.

But I'm wondering if there is some way to secure the photo, perhaps in another phone app.
For example, my GPS app lets me append photos to waypoints.

Of course, I think I've run off without my phone as often as I've forgotten my wallet

I use an Iphone which is locked with a 4 digit code. If the code is incorrectly entered 4 times the phone is locked until you go to "Mobileme" and unlock it through the web. In addition, if the phone is lost I can locate it via the web and also wipe all information off it. I also have a small sticker on the back with a picture of the bullet and the words written below it "If you think you can run faster than this, please help yourself to anything you like."

Ok kidding on the last one. I can see how phone unlocked with the pictures easily accessible could be a risk, but no more of a risk than losing your wallet.

steveincowtown wrote:I use an Iphone which is locked with a 4 digit code. If the code is incorrectly entered 4 times the phone is locked until you go to "Mobileme" and unlock it through the web. In addition, if the phone is lost I can locate it via the web and also wipe all information off it. I also have a small sticker on the back with a picture of the bullet and the words written below it "If you think you can run faster than this, please help yourself to anything you like."

Ok kidding on the last one. I can see how phone unlocked with the pictures easily accessible could be a risk, but no more of a risk than losing your wallet.

I have a Palm Pre and can issue a wipe command either by logging into my profile through Palm or via Outlook as part of the Exchange functionality.

You can set a password on a Blackberry and set it to lock after xx minutes of non-use.

If someone puts the wrong password in 3 - 5 times (user settable) it will totally wipe itself and become a brick.

steveincowtown wrote:

Rex B wrote:
My only concern is if the phone were stolen, the thief knows where you live and that you have guns, and you can't call ahead.

But I'm wondering if there is some way to secure the photo, perhaps in another phone app.
For example, my GPS app lets me append photos to waypoints.

Of course, I think I've run off without my phone as often as I've forgotten my wallet

I use an Iphone which is locked with a 4 digit code. If the code is incorrectly entered 4 times the phone is locked until you go to "Mobileme" and unlock it through the web. In addition, if the phone is lost I can locate it via the web and also wipe all information off it. I also have a small sticker on the back with a picture of the bullet and the words written below it "If you think you can run faster than this, please help yourself to anything you like."

Ok kidding on the last one. I can see how phone unlocked with the pictures easily accessible could be a risk, but no more of a risk than losing your wallet.

You don't have to unlock the phone to get to the pictures. You can plug it into your PC and the photo directory of the iPhone will show up as a drive under My Computer (in windows).

dicion wrote:You were not committing a UCW crime, You do not need a CHL to carry in the car.

Next time, ask the officer why you need to keep it in the trunk when TPC 46.02 Clearly states it is not a crime to carry one in a vehicle.

The only 'crime' you committed was failing to give the officer your CHL, which has absolutely no penalty.

Not quite correct. He also did not have his DL with him which is an arrestable offense. Not just a ticketable offense. Check the latest update of the Uniform Act. That is the basis for traffic laws in the municipal codes and is what the DPS and County Sheriffs operate under.

rexinthecity wrote:You don't have to unlock the phone to get to the pictures. You can plug it into your PC and the photo directory of the iPhone will show up as a drive under My Computer (in windows).

If you have a smartphone, you could use an app like Evernote to store the images. This would make them easy to 'transfer' with any new smartphone you get.

No biggie....

People forget their wallet all the time.

Most decent in car computers can search dl/id cards by name/dob OR by #.

The dispatcher can verify the CHL.

Even if some golfball wants to write you for fail to display it's a cheap class C charge (although featherleg IMO).

Only time I use it is when somone is lying about their name (Fail to ID - false info, which is a Class B). I can't PROVE they are lying on the side of the road. So, i sack them for fail to display and do a two finger lookup at the jail.

Now I have the class b too.