Haven't had a 'guns+Murica' thread in a while

Manic Moran

c_man wrote: »

As a matter of interest, how would you go about telling the police man that you have a gun in the vehicle in such a situation without freaking them out?

Edit: A legal one!

Depends on the State. In States which require that you have a permit to have a firearm accessible in the car, a commonly accepted technique is to hand over the permit at the same time as the license, while keeping the other hand on the wheel. The theory is that if you say "I have a gun in the car", the officer will fixate on the word "gun" and not process things himself.

In a State like Nevada, if the firearm is kept, say, on a console mount, you don't need to say anything, the cop will see it. Since it's not uncommon there, it won't freak out the cop, he's probably used to looking for one anyway.

The last option, if there's no other way of dealing with it, to simply say "Just so you don't get surprised, I am informing you that there is a firearm in the car", which is what I've done in the past. Again, with hands on the wheel. The next question will be "Where is it?" and we take things from there.

There is usually no absolute requirement to inform the officer of a weapon, but usually it's better to defuse the problem before it becomes a surprise.

Reindeer

In Texas, your concealed carry permit is tied to your driver's license. If your ID is swiped through their magnetic reader, it will show all pertinent details, including the note you have a weapons permit. In the DPS when they swipe your card for renewal etc, the printer will go if you have a permit. Another clerk is supposed to nonchalantly check that printer as it will also show warrants, etc, and inform the DPS officer if he needs to arrest you. SO, if you are in Texas renewing, and the printer goes off after your ID is swiped - RUN(jk).

The officer will know you have the permit before he approaches your vehicle if it is registered to you. You are required by law to inform the officer if you have a gun on you, but not if you are unarmed. However, you are not required to have a permit if you have a gun in your car. That is a right to any traveler in a vehicle in Texas(citizen or not) to be armed if you are not a felon, or otherwise allowed to own a firearm.

The officer that pulls you over in Texas will ask if you have a firearm if your license states so. The last time I was pulled over was 2003. When the officer asked, I said, "I might have one in the glove box, I'm not sure." and he said, "OK, just make sure it stays put", and I nodded. He gave me a warning as school was about to let out and the speed limits were about to change. Had he wanted to, he would have been within rights to ticket me.

Manic Moran wrote: »

Depends on the State. In States which require that you have a permit to have a firearm accessible in the car, a commonly accepted technique is to hand over the permit at the same time as the license, while keeping the other hand on the wheel. The theory is that if you say "I have a gun in the car", the officer will fixate on the word "gun" and not process things himself.

In a State like Nevada, if the firearm is kept, say, on a console mount, you don't need to say anything, the cop will see it. Since it's not uncommon there, it won't freak out the cop, he's probably used to looking for one anyway.

The last option, if there's no other way of dealing with it, to simply say "Just so you don't get surprised, I am informing you that there is a firearm in the car", which is what I've done in the past. Again, with hands on the wheel. The next question will be "Where is it?" and we take things from there.

There is usually no absolute requirement to inform the officer of a weapon, but usually it's better to defuse the problem before it becomes a surprise.