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my CPL saved me from a ticket!...

4K views 43 replies 23 participants last post by  ncglock 
#1 ·
I'll try to make this short....

I'm in a parking lot traveling in the left lane of a 2 lane one way. The guy in the right lane suddenly decides he wants to turn left, and I slam on my breaks and honk, avoiding him by inches, but blocking him from being able to finish his turn.
I back up, go around the *******, and speed away...a couple hundred feet away, I stop completely for some pedestrians in a cross walk (who totally did not appreciate my stopping for them, heh), continue on my way, turn left towards the exit, and right onto the main roadway.
...needless to say, I was kind of peeved, certainly driving faster than necessary, and this apparently drew the attention of some of the area's finest, who proceeded to turn on their lights and pull me over.

Immediately upon stopping, he orders me out of the car. I follow all orders, tell him I have a weapon in the car (an M&P compact w/ a crimson trace) and a CPL, at which point I get patted down and handcuffed....a first for me, heh.

One of the other guys goes to the passenger door, asks my fiance out, gets my piece, unloads it, and carries it back to his car to run the serial number.

As they're running my info, I ask one of the other guys to remove my cuffs which he does.
The other guy gives me back my driver's license, tells me he saw the whole thing happen, and understands I was upset, but that I would be better off pulling to the side of the road for a few minutes to blow off some steam instead....duly noted.

The other guy hands me back my piece, and says "nice piece of hardware, I've only ever seen the wraparound crimson traces before." :image035:
So we wax on for a few seconds about how the M&P has a removable backstrap, which is why the crimson trace fits so flush with the grip.

Anyway, I suspect that they had ran my plates while I was stopped at a red light, and knew I had a CPL before pulling me over, which is likely the reason I was ordered out of the car immediately upon stopping.
I was absolutely compliant, did not show any signs of aggression, etc, but it was likely the shared interest in firearms that got me out of a ticket, heh.
 
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#3 ·
If you're carrying a gun, no matter what the other guy or gal does, you cannot afford to get angry, irked or peeved.

It has to roll, like water, off a duck's back as you continue on your merry way. :smile:

Biker
 
#4 ·
+1

I drive around the DC Beltway, and as long as I am on the VA side of the river I am carrying. The driving is absolute mania on most days. My ccw has made me more conscious of the fact the goal is to get there safe, not get there first. When I was younger, I would roar around people who cut me off, I'd occasionally present someone with the single-finger salute, and my horn got a good workout.

When I was in college, I was upset with an encounter I had just had, I backed out of a parking space too briskly (because of my temper) and got into an accident that was my fault.

One day, it simply dawned on me:

1) I rarely, if ever, cowed the other driver or made them feel sheepish,

2) in most jurisdictions, the pedestrian HAS the right-of-way, so expecting friendly waves wasn't reasonable,

3) I only made myself annoyed, and put my personal safety at risk - not to mention my wallet and driving record.

I'm not trying to pile on here, but you were straight-up with your story, and if someone else can learn this lesson before they had the experiences I did, then it was worth posting.

Although your encounter was good, had you managed your temper and response to the bad driver, you could have avoided the LEO encounter, the cuffing, and maintained your role as the gray man.
 
#5 ·
I guess it is all in the way you look at it my headline would have read "I was unnecessarily handcuffed and detained just because I had a CCL"Just because the driver has a CCL is no reason to do a felony stop.There was no need to remove you or your gun from the car and definitely no need for the handcuffs.Glad you got out of the ticket but it is the least they can do for treating you like a criminal for no reason.
 
#8 ·
+1, cuffs are for criminals.

If they did run you at the light and saw you have a CCL then they should know you have a clear background. I understand they see the worst of society most of the time, and you are armed, but I honestly think that was over the top in what they did.
 
#6 ·
I think I would have to make some phone calls and complain about being cuffed. A minor traffic violation is no reason to handcuff someone who is co-operative. So I am assuming the cuffs were because you have a carry permit, which is total BS.
 
#7 ·
Sounds iffy to me as well. Considering the outcome, I am not sure I would carry on about it though. They could have tagged you for reckless driving at the very least from the sound of it. Chalk it off to life experience....lessons learned
 
#10 ·
I've heard about other people getting cuffed too...I'd be pissed if it happened to me. We, as carriers, are already often scrutinized by the general public as vigilante wackos, we don't need those that are supposed to help uphold the law make us look like criminals in public like that. If that happened to me, and people from work saw it or something, I'd be super ticked off.
 
#13 ·
I agree with Biker… You need to work on your anger management, and I suspect that’s the reason they put you in cuffs.

Citizens who are upset and outraged do things they normally would not do, and knowing your armed, the officers took precautions to insure, you where give a chance to “cool off” before you did something you might regret.

Overall, I’d say you had a good experience with the LEO’s, and you lucky you do not live in Florida.

We have so many old retired people from up north, that will look right at you then pull out, or make other unbelievable traffic lane changes, that we have to not only get use to it, we have to expect it and drive defensively 24-7.
 
#16 ·
........... I suspect that’s the reason they put you in cuffs.
Citizens who are upset and outraged do things they normally would not do, and knowing your armed, the officers took precautions to insure you were give a chance to “cool off” before you did something you might regret.
+1.
 
#14 ·
I appreciate the responses...

Mac, you're absolutely right. I'm chalking this up as a life lesson; I need not let the idiots get to me...at least for the enxt few months :ziplip:
(dumb-ass is filtered here? really?)

I'll concede that handcuffs probably were excessive, especially after having been removed from the car and patted down; I was showing zero signs of aggression at that point, and being out of the car and unarmed is as good as being neutralized.
BUT, I'll take that potential embarrassment over a ticket anyday.
I certainly could have gotten hit for speeding, and an at worst reckless driving...which I'd fight, but anyway, I'm glad I don't have to.
 
#22 ·
the thing is, I was cuffed after being removed from the vehicle and being patted down.
At that point, there was zero threat to them.

I was more scared for my fiance who was then sitting in the car w/ a weapon...
Things could have turned out much worse for us. I've heard stories of cops backing away while drawing as soon as they find out you are armed or have weapon...precautionary, yes, but jeezus, there is no threat being posed in that or this situation.
Some coworkers suggested I file a complaint for being cuffed...I'm not sure that would be inappropriate in this situation, but I'm tempted to just put it behind me.
 
#23 ·
the thing is, I was cuffed after being removed from the vehicle and being patted down.
At that point, there was zero threat to them.....
Apparently they didn't think so. I'm guessing it was based more on your driving than anything else.

You have to understand, YOU know that you are not a threat, THEY don't. Remember, you were angry enough to drive the way you did, how would they know how long it takes you to cool down?
 
#26 ·
My point is just because someone has a gun either on them in a holster or secured in a vehicle is no reason for a LEO to panic and do a pat down and clear the weapon.I have read of to many incidences here and other places where the officer upon finding out the driver is armed basically overreacts JUST because he happens to be armed.I would not panic and get scared if I knew someone around me was armed and so why should they?
 
#27 ·
I think you're all missing the point, it's what he did prior to being pulled over combined with the permit that probably resulted in the LEO's actions.

If you're barely over the speed limit and get pulled over, no need for cuffs.
If the light just turned red as you went under it, no need for cuffs.

Driving like a bat out of he&*, dead stop for pedestrians, take off like a madman, maybe. But that was their call wasn't it?

Context, people, context. There is no "one size fits all" situation for being pulled over with a CHL. It all depends on the circumstances.

If he genuinely waved "hi" to the LEOs and they pulled him over and cuffed him, then he would have a legitimate complaint.
 
#28 ·
My only thing is that through the progression of this thread it went from "driving a little faster than should have" to "driving like a bat out of hell." A picture is being painted of someone swerving in and out of traffic with their head out the window like a furious mad man (okay maybe a tad excessive picture there, but still), when it was not originally explained like that.
 
#29 ·
From the OP:

I back up, go around the *******, and speed away
No indication of speed given. Squeeling tires perhaps? Okay, an assumption. Then:

...needless to say, I was kind of peeved, certainly driving faster than necessary
Again no indication of how fast.

We're all reading his side of the story. Think about it, if it were you would you say, "..I sped away burning rubber, jammed on my brakes for the stupid pedestrians in the crosswalk, then bolted again." Of course not.

I'm not crucifying anyone here, but there was obviously probable cause to be pulled over. And then the rest of the story.
 
#31 ·
Neither, there is no cross reference in NH that I know of.

Besides, the OP states:

Anyway, I suspect that they had ran my plates while I was stopped at a red light,....
An assumption on his part, I don't know the procedure for FL. They might have had him get out of the car based solely on his driving, nothing else. He's ASSUMING it was related to his CPL.
 
#40 ·
+1 highvoltage. If the LEOs percieved from his actions that he was likely to be violent, then I have NO PROBLEM with them searching and cuffing the OP. It's about officer safety.
 
#42 ·
"Hindsight is 20/20 and you weren't there. Also, at the time of the stop the OP was doing a pretty good job of a criminal by violating traffic laws. If the OP, or any of you want to avoid being placed in handcuffs it's real simple, don't do things that bring unwanted attention upon you by your local LEO."

Not a matter of not liking what you said, Biker. it's an opinion, and I have no problem with it. I do, however, disagree. IF violating traffic laws HAS become a reason to cuff someone, then why aren't there more people seen cuffed on the side of the road? Now, I'm willing to grant that we only have one side, but that's all we have. Anything else is pure conjecture. Based solely on the story discussed, I think that the officers were out of line. Asking him to step out? No problem. But as he got out he told them that he has a CCW, and where the gun was, and was polite. That's being pretty cooperative. It shouldn't have gone farther. Cuffing him was completely out of line, and had it been me, I would have been on the line to Internal Affairs as soon as I got home. So anyway, that's MY opinion.
 
#43 ·
Squawker;1129184: I would have been on the line to Internal Affairs as soon as I got home. So anyway said:
Just a quick note about this last line: if it's not in writing, it never happened. I know we live in a time when we endeavor to manage our entire life via a cell phone, but complaints to/about the police, excuses for jury duty, car/appliance warranty disagreements, etc., really require you to write a letter - either on your PC or long-hand.

When you have to deal with a potentially litigious situation, you want to be on-the-recond, and that means it needs to be in writing.
 
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