[Tirfup]

So , as of my first thread , i have been doing more research as i will be taking my CCW course soon , i reside in florida ,in the "not so great" area , and will leave it at that
So recently i have been reading (about how to react when you are pulled over for traffic stop) and i see alot of people posting "dont ask dont tell" kind of responses , as in "my state does not require me to tell a officer i have a weapon on me unless they ask"

now currently (please correct me by all means if i am wrong) my state does not require me to inform the officer

HOWEVER , I personally feel more comfortable doing so , now heres my question.
even if i do feel more comfortable with doing so , Am I in essence "digging my own grave" ? , as i know some officers are little to "gung ho" so to speak

Then I go on to read things like "If the officer doesnt ask dont tell blah blah blah it's your legal right blah blah" and , in my personal opinion i think these kind of people are what make some officers so upset when they pull someone over
then later find out they have a conceal carry. Now please note i am NOT bashing people that excersise their rights , I am however , pointing out people that (in body language and manner of speaking with said officer) are more agressive with their rights than need be (tone of voice/ manner etc)

Now , The way i feel about it.

Yes. IT IS , my legal right to not tell them unless they ask , however , I feel if i were to tell the officer as soon as they approached with my hands on the wheel etc etc the outcome would be better for both of us.
not because i am in fear of the officer being a "bad apple" but to avoid all of the unnecessary confrontation

So basicaly , what are your thoughts on this.

 

[Crowman]

There is no one right answer to your question..... Basically in don't obligated to inform states it becomes a personal choice on whether to tell or wait to be asked.... It also depends on why you feel you are being stopped......

 

[Tirfup]

There is no one right answer to your question..... Basically in don't obligated to inform states it becomes a personal choice on whether to tell or wait to be asked.... It also depends on why you feel you are being stopped......

Right, much as i figured, well i guess i should have added that but i see your point , i've only ever been pulled over twice , and both was for a tail light out (Something about the new mexico dry humidity did something to my tail lights!)
but then again who knows, im not a wreckless or careless person but as the saying goes "stuff" happens". luckily not in my case yet -knocks on wood-

 

[Phaedrus]

It does depend on the law, and why you're being stopped. Where I live, most of the time a routine traffic stop (eg speeding, failure to yield, etc) the cop takes your license, registration and insurance card and you stay in your vehicle. In that instance I probably wouldn't say anything about being armed. Occasionally the cop will see my CCW permit and ask, and if so I answer truthfully. Now, if for whatever reason the cop was to ask me to come back and have a seat in the cruiser I'd probably inform him first that I'm carrying (if I am). Just common sense to me.

 

[varob]

I don't think there is a one answer fit's all response. For minor traffic infractions, maybe not. But, if you're asked to step out of your car, then maybe yes.

 

[Tirfup]

I see. thanks for the input i would most definately announce that i do if i was asked to step out , no doubt, i guess from what im reading its down to choice (obviously) i was just curious on personal experience , time will tell i guess
maybe im just being to over zealous on announcing straight off the bat from some horror storys i've read. hehe...

 

[Phaedrus]

My practice is to be straightforward, courteous and honest, if not always open. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the officer. Don't give him a reason to worry and you'll be okay most of the time. I can't control the actions of other people, just my own.

 

[rutcrazed]

So , as of my first thread , i have been doing more research as i will be taking my CCW course soon , i reside in florida ,in the "not so great" area , and will leave it at that
So recently i have been reading (about how to react when you are pulled over for traffic stop) and i see alot of people posting "dont ask dont tell" kind of responses , as in "my state does not require me to tell a officer i have a weapon on me unless they ask"

now currently (please correct me by all means if i am wrong) my state does not require me to inform the officer

HOWEVER , I personally feel more comfortable doing so , now heres my question.
even if i do feel more comfortable with doing so , Am I in essence "digging my own grave" ? , as i know some officers are little to "gung ho" so to speak

Then I go on to read things like "If the officer doesnt ask dont tell blah blah blah it's your legal right blah blah" and , in my personal opinion i think these kind of people are what make some officers so upset when they pull someone over
then later find out they have a conceal carry. Now please note i am NOT bashing people that excersise their rights , I am however , pointing out people that (in body language and manner of speaking with said officer) are more agressive with their rights than need be (tone of voice/ manner etc)

Now , The way i feel about it.

Yes. IT IS , my legal right to not tell them unless they ask , however , I feel if i were to tell the officer as soon as they approached with my hands on the wheel etc etc the outcome would be better for both of us.
not because i am in fear of the officer being a "bad apple" but to avoid all of the unnecessary confrontation

So basicaly , what are your thoughts on this.

Follow all the traffic laws and you may never find out the right answer,,,,

 

[oldman45]

An officer suddenly seeing you are armed might over react or cause more discomfort for you. Telling hurts nothing but not telling could hurt a lot.

 

[suntzu]

This time of month again for this topic LOL........same answer as before. Do what ya want as long as it is legal. I just don't want to be lectured by folks on this forum explaining why it is rude and not courteous to not inform a LEO just to make him comftorable. The LEO is not trying to make folks comftorable during a stop and he is looking inside your vehicle and examining you to see if you might be a BG or if you are acting suspicious.

He does not inform me he is getting a divorce, his finances are in a mess and he got ppassed up for promotion which puts him in a bad mood.

I can be courteous and polite and exercise my right while the LEO does his job. I expect the LEO to be professional and courteous and understanding later during the stop if for some reason I need to inform him of my carry status. He needs to rememeber that is a decision left legally to me.

And for those that say it is professional courtesy I will just reference this:

Law enforcement
Since approximately 1990 the term has been used to refer to the practice by law enforcement officers allowing other officers to engage in traffic violations and some crimes without being reported or arrested.

Professional Courtesy in Law Enforcement

So, as you can see, it is not professional courtesy.

 

[archer51]

Basically it comes down to your state law. If required to inform, then yes, you inform. If your state does not require you to inform, then no need to. If you do decide to inform, even if not required, no foul/no harm done. If on the other hand, your state requires it, and you don't BIG FOUL/ LOT'S of HARM.

 

[jake1]

An officer suddenly seeing you are armed might over react or cause more discomfort for you. Telling hurts nothing but not telling could hurt a lot.

There is a you tube clip of a Florida deputy conducting a traffic stop. He asks the driver to get out and he notices the gun under the drivers shirt. Driver claims to be a ccw holder and you will see the deputies reaction to the situation. I will try to find the link

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[RickyD]

Reading the thread, it appears the OP has read and understands the law. That is the first rule - always follow the law. As everyone else has posted, from there it is up to you.

Tirfup, it sounds like you are looking for validation of your opinion to inform if you are ever stopped. If that is what makes you comfortable, then that is what you should do.

I had an instructor who SUGGESTED we hand over our GA Weapons License along with our drivers license if ever pulled over while carrying, just to let the LEO know. His logic was that GA is a pretty gun friendly state and it is better to be proactive in that situation just to ensure things don't get sideways in the middle of a stop. I have never been pulled over while carrying (and I just jinxed myself), but my thought is that if I am in GA and the gun is on my person I will probably proactively disclose. If I am out of state, or the weapon is stored in the counsel or anywhere not on my person, I will probably not disclose unless asked. But that is just my opinion.

I can certainly see both sides and I am comfortable with either.

 

[Lish]

I'm in FL too & like you said we have no duty to inform. I've got a good cop friend who will disarm you if she's told about a weapon, I know of others who won't. I've debated to myself on whether or not I'll tell. I don't like the possibility of being disarmed - not for any other reason than it's safer for everybody if it stays in the holster. I've only been involved with the police once since I've been carrying and that was a traffic accident last fall. I was rear ended, hard - it was a 3 car accident with serious injuries to one of the other parties. When the police arrived I handed over both my license and my permit with no internal debate. The officer handed the permit back and said with a hey little lady type tone "I'm only interested in that if you're carrying" I gave him a grin and said "yes sir, that's why I gave it to you" He asked where my gun was (on my hip) and said as long as it stays there we have no problems. After he'd been working the scene for a bit and there was a calm moment, he walked up, leaned next to me on my van and said "so, what do you carry?" we shot the bull for a few minutes and that was that. It was a good first experience for me. Now will the next time go so well? Who knows. I haven't had a ticket in 15 years so I'm not overly concerned about getting pulled over. I'll likely inform again, even though the law says I don't have to. For me it seems courteous.

Just don't be the guy my friend pulled over at Sun n Fun several years ago. When she pulled him over, he waved his gun back and forth over his head for her to see!! Turns out, he was just trying to inform her he had a weapon, but a simple conservation would have handled it better! LOL!!

 

[OldVet]

Welcome from a little way north of you (PSL) and I know what you mean about your area. As others mentioned, you are not required to inform in FL, and it's entirely your call. I doubt any BG, especially in your area, has casually announced to an LEO who's stopped them that they are carrying. Ain't gonna happen.

My general feeling is not to inform unless asked. Then inform. Also, if asked to get out of the vehicle (and I've never been asked to exit), I would certainly inform at that point so there is no surprise, no misunderstanding. If you do choose to inform, you've done nothing "wrong" and are perfectly legal as long as you have your CWFL.

As for the above mentioned video of the stop gone bad, that was long before the recent passage of the change to accidental exposure and the officer involved is no longer a member of that outstanding PD. Nuff said on that topic.

 

[Darrow75]

So , as of my first thread , i have been doing more research as i will be taking my CCW course soon , i reside in florida ,in the "not so great" area , and will leave it at that
So recently i have been reading (about how to react when you are pulled over for traffic stop) and i see alot of people posting "dont ask dont tell" kind of responses , as in "my state does not require me to tell a officer i have a weapon on me unless they ask"

now currently (please correct me by all means if i am wrong) my state does not require me to inform the officer

HOWEVER , I personally feel more comfortable doing so , now heres my question.
even if i do feel more comfortable with doing so , Am I in essence "digging my own grave" ? , as i know some officers are little to "gung ho" so to speak

Then I go on to read things like "If the officer doesnt ask dont tell blah blah blah it's your legal right blah blah" and , in my personal opinion i think these kind of people are what make some officers so upset when they pull someone over
then later find out they have a conceal carry. Now please note i am NOT bashing people that excersise their rights , I am however , pointing out people that (in body language and manner of speaking with said officer) are more agressive with their rights than need be (tone of voice/ manner etc)

Now , The way i feel about it.

Yes. IT IS , my legal right to not tell them unless they ask , however , I feel if i were to tell the officer as soon as they approached with my hands on the wheel etc etc the outcome would be better for both of us.
not because i am in fear of the officer being a "bad apple" but to avoid all of the unnecessary confrontation

So basicaly , what are your thoughts on this.

I agree with your thought process on this...just don't blurt out, "I have a gun!" when the officer comes up to your window:blink:

 

[ccw9mm]

When you've been asked a few times, and when you've gotten the opinions of a variety of police/sheriff officers and deputies on the subject, you'll have a better idea of what goes for "standard" in your community. If you feel most comfortable divulging at the outset at all times, by all means do so. There are pros/cons to each encounter, as the officer/deputy and the circumstances will vary from incident to incident.

 

[Snub44]

...my state law requires me to notify the officer at the point where he asks for (law says demands) my ID...on a traffic stop...I have my DLic and CHL out and ready to hand him...both hands on side window sill...after handing them to him, I get my insurance, which is over my sun visor...no surprises...totally within the law...

...in another situation, I have not offered either my ID or CHL until the arrest had been made and it was requested by the officer who had to write the report of the incident...I was legally concealed, my firearm had nothing to do with the situation, and there was nothing to be gained by announcing that I had one...

 

[robhic]

In Louisiana you MUST notify. I haven't been stopped (I am a very good driver! :danceban but a friend got nailed for speeding. He gave the officer his license and permit together. The cop told him "thank you and be careful" and gave both back to him without a ticket! Did the CCW permit influence the cop's decision? Who knows, but my friend thought it might've had a tiny impact.

 

[1MoreGoodGuy]

If you feel the need to inform at first contact, you might want to try something like this:

Good evening Officer, I'd like to inform you that I am legally licensed to carry a concealed firearm in Florida and for our safety my firearm is located on my right hip in an inside the waistband holster. How would you like to proceed?

If the Officer asked you to disarm, I'd say something like this:

For our safety the firearm is completely safe if remains untouched and not manipulated so that the firearm has zero chance of a round being discharged. I have no intention of touching the firearm during our interaction. How would you like to proceed?