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Pulled Over In PA

4K views 25 replies 19 participants last post by  .45acp 
#1 · (Edited)
So I was pulled over today about a tenth of a mile from my house :22a:. Turns out I had an expired Registration that I was not aware of. The cop was down to earth and I notified him I was carrying and it didn't seem to concern him at all. He went back to the cruiser and for about a minute and then came back to give me my id cards and information. He told me he was going to let me off with a warning. Don't know if the CHL influenced this or not. He proceeded to ask what gun I was carrying and how I liked it. After about five minutes of Gun Talk I was on my way home without a ticket.:danceban:
 
#3 · (Edited)
I didn't know what to expect. As this was my first time being pulled over while carrying. Also the reputation the local cops get here in Manheim Township. This was my first incident with their department in my three years living here. I was shocked at how well the officer handled the situation compared to the information I was lead to believe.
 
#4 ·
Did he ask if you had any weapons ?? I didn't think you had to tell them you are carrying in PA. State or local cop ?

All the staties I've run into are pretty cool. Most of them were curious as to what I carried and why. Local cops are hit and miss. There are a couple in Mechanicsburg that are real good guys that shoot at the clubs alot. Then there are a few others that.... well lets not go there.
 
#5 ·
It was a local cop. I don't have to legally inform the officer unless asked. I figured I would want to know if I was in his shoes and usually after the license and registration they ask if there are any drugs or weapons in the car. Regardless it was curtious to let him know that I was armed. I don't think I would ever handle it any differently regardless of the state law.

There are a couple in Mechanicsburg that are real good guys that shoot at the clubs alot. Then there are a few others that.... well lets not go there.
We have a few of those around here too...:gah:
 
#6 ·
Awesome. IMO you did the right thing in notifying him. State law or not, I would want to know if I was in his shoes and I would rather find out by you telling me than me seeing it or having to prompt it out of you. Not to mention you are going to pop up as a CC permit holder when he calls in your info.
 
#7 ·
Glad you got off with a warning. It's nice to hear about the positive encounters, thanks! :hand36:
 
#9 ·
He told me he was going to let me off with a warning. Don't know if the CHL influenced this or not.
I doubt whether this influenced the officer's decision.

Expired registration is not exactly the crime of the century.
 
#11 ·
good job. I think I would even if my state did not require it. Which it does. And most of the cops around here are fed up with all of our crime that has really sparked up in the last 2-3 years. so i think that they would really not appreciate it if it was not mentioned.

I think some cops would even go "power trippin" and do what ever they thought right if not informed, maybe even if your state did not require it.

I think if I was a officer and someone was carrying I would want to know. LEt's just think about if he happened to see you weapon???? and you had not informed him.....maybe a shoot out.....:blink:maybe not:blink: think about it
 
#13 ·
If the law does not require one to notify, one should not unless asked.
I disagree 100%

IMHO there is nothing to lose by handing the officer both my ID and my permit. I have warned my kids that if we are ever pulled over I will alert the officer that I am carrying.

As mentioned in a previous post - I do not need the officer to see my hand reaching for my license and he somehow sees my weapon.

It just so happens that about 50% of the time I carry near my front right hand pocket. My license and other required information are in my front left hand pocket. How is he/she to know what I am truely reaching for if she sees the gun. They would not be doing their job if they DIDN'T draw on me if they saw my hands THAT CLOSE to my weapon. They are not mind readers - All they know is that my hands are within 6 inches of a gun (again, the assumption is that he/she sees my weapon). I for one am not willing to take that risk!!

I feel for my safety - if for no other reason - I will always inform an officer that I am legally carrying.

And I agree w/ the previous mentions - If I was the Cop, I would DEFINITELY appreciate knowing there was a weapon in the vehicle.

I realize this example is anticdotle (sp) but there are so many posts where the person pulled over warns the officer WHEN THEY DO NOT NEED TO LEGALLY and the traffic stop tends to go in the favor of the driver.
 
#15 ·
I have to disagree with Capt Crunch depends which state you are in as to it's seriousness if it had been Kalifornia I'm not sure how many hundreds fine would cost plus towing plus walking home, but thats only if you are a citizen.
 
#21 ·
Well, I guess I have to stand corrected!:rolleyes:

I should have known that California would treat expired tags as a major felony.:aargh4:

Might explain the prison overcrowding in that State.:biggrin2:
 
#18 ·
You're patting yourself on the back because you dodged a ticket?

If you're responsible enough to obtain a CHL and are carrying, you should be responsible when it comes to keeping your tag/registration/permit.

Sorry guys, I don't get it. It seems about once every couple of months somebody logs on and complains about getting rousted for a traffic violation.

Having a CHL, CCP, FP or whatever it's called in your state does not give someone carte blanche to violate traffic laws.

IMHO.
 
#19 ·
I wasn't complaining. I was making honest conversation. No one is perfect and everyone makes a mistake or forgets about something every now and then. I wasn't technically aware that I was violating the law. As soon as I was issued the warning I did the registration online within 15 minutes. I guess that you are saying that if we have a CHL we are not allowed to ever forget something? Just because I didn't get a ticket doesn't mean I am patting myself on the back. It isn't like I said "Officer I carry a gun... please give me a warning." I am not trying to pick a fight or offend you. I am just stating the obvious. Your post makes it sound like I intentionally didn't renew my tags. It was only expired since may 31st.
 
#20 ·
Since some of you are happy to divulge info for no reason, I could use your SSN, credit card info and the three digit number on the back. I am a nice guy, and I think I should know...anyone, anyone...The law doesn't say you have to give it to me, but, it would be a nice thing to do. I must be a dinosaur, but I don't give out anything including my phone number at Best Buy or other places that ask.
 
#24 ·
I wonder why the law doesn't require people to notify the officer that their car is equipped with a reverse gear -- since the officer is almost always going to approach from the rear, and return to his vehicle at some point, most likely with his back turned. Think of the damage that someone could do! And I also think that people who have been drinking or doing drugs should be required to inform the officer that they have done so. I mean, since we're expecting bad people to tell the officer what kind of threat to him they might be, and all... :rolleyes:

My point is that since bad people will not notify a cop that they're bad people who have weapons and intend to hurt him, good people are not telling the cop anything he benefits from knowing when they inform him they're carrying. All it does is tell him that a person who doesn't mean him harm doesn't mean him harm. It's kind of a tautology.
 
#22 ·
Biloxi Bersa

I think you're reading a lot more into this members post than he actually typed in there.

jcheinaman was not patting himself on the back because he "dodged a ticket" - he just happened not to get a ticket.

The normal human reaction is not to be sad when you don't get a ticket.

He also did not complain about being rousted.

I believe that he handed the officer his PA LTC as a courtesy to the officer to inform him that he was carrying.
In Pennsylvania he is not legally required to do that but, I can understand why he did it.
He did not present the officer with his LTC with the hope or intention of avoiding a ticket.

In fact he admitted that he inadvertently allowed his registration to lapse.

You do have a right to be upset at firearm carry license holders who present their CWP thinking that it might help them dodge a ticket but, (in this instance) jcheinaman obviously did not do that.

He stated that he did not know if presenting his LTC helped him at all with regard to him only getting a warning as VS a ticket.

I know for a fact that some PA. "small town" and borough Police Officers are not aware of the fact that PA motorists that are licensed to carry are not required to inform. I found that out first hand by chatting with two borough police officers in a courtroom during a trial break.
 
#25 ·
hmmm. I just posted on this very topic on another thread. On that thread i was against it. But peacefuljeffery has given me a revelation (i think inadvertently) If bad people do not let the leo know that they are carrying guns or drugs, then if you tell the leo that you have a ccw and are carrying, you would be percieved as being honest and have nothing to hide.
If the gun is exposed accidentally, the cop is going to be grumpy (rightly so) and you will end up on the pavement in cuffs for a while.
I think i WILL let the officer know to avoid surprises. (because it WILL benefit both of you to have that out there in case his partner is on the other side of the car and sees alittle of your holster sticking out of the bottom of your cover garment)
-MAC
Wow sorry to be so polititionlly pancakey.----->flipflop
 
#26 ·
I will notify an officer.
The reason being that I don't want someone just coming off a bad call to be jumpy if they see my gun. Informing the officer can make things much less stressful for myself and the officer.

It is a tough job that they perform and the vast majority perform it with honor and dignity.
 
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