Open Carrying on your hip while driving.

I have read that it was perfectly legal to carry in your holster on your hip openly, while driving right? I was just wondering if anyone has ever been pulled over while doing this, If so what happened?

I open carry my XD40 compact(rt strong side) in my F250 everyday. Being that it is the short barrel model might make it feel so comfee while driving. I was pulled over for a yellow light and let of with a warning yesterday. He didn't even see it on my hip. My console in between the seats blocked his view. He didn't ask and I didn't volunteer. I think he was more concerned with what was in the glove box and didn't notice when I leaned over to get insur. and reg. out of the box. I think he was more looking at my eyes (DUI) and what my hands where doing.

I've only been stopped once while carrying and I was CCW. I made the choice to inform him I was legally armed, to which the NHP trooper simply asked for the CCW card. At no point was I asked to disarm, step out of the car, nada. He came back with my info and let me off with a warning.

The infraction was driving with an expired registration sticker on my previous company vehicle. He ran the info, saw that it was actually paid up and they just hadn't given me a sticker and let me on my way.


Unless you run into an officer with a strong anti stance toward armed citizens (and there are more than some), I expect you'd be treated well. Stand by your knowledge of the law, know that you're not breaking a law and handle your encounter with professionalism so the officer is forced to do the same.

I was pulled over not too long ago. (Less than two months ago, I think.)

I had the gun holstered on my right hip. Officer pulls me over for speeding. The first thing I told him was that I was openly carrying a firearm in a holster on my right hip. He asked me if I had a concealed carry permit and I told him I did not. He didn't ask to see it or anything. He asked me why I was going so fast, and I told him it was because I thought the speed limit was too low! He asked to see my driver's license and insurance and registration, so I complied. He went to his car for a moment, came back, told me to drive slower and didn't give me any tickets. He thanked me for being upfront about my firearm.

Since then I've been careful to make sure I am driving 5 mph under the speed limit.

GLOCK 23 said:

I have read that it was perfectly legal to carry in your holster on your hip openly, while driving right? I was just wondering if anyone has ever been pulled over while doing this, If so what happened?

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I was pulled over by the Boulder City Police on US 95 just after turning off of the 93/95 junction. The police officer saw the pistol in it's holster with the seat belt partially covering it, he asked me if I was in law enforcement, to which I replied I was not. He didn't make any fuss over it at all, returned with a citation that was quite a bit less than what he could have charged me with as I was going 19 miles an hour over the posted limit. The citation he wrote was for failing to obey a posted speed limit, which was under the Boulder City Code and only cost me $67 and didn't count as a moving violation or result in points on my license. I think he gave me such a minor citation because he determined my speed by pacing rather than by Radar/Lidar.

There was no talk about my firearm, no panic and none of the Rambo super cop BS that you hear about when police encounter an armed citizen. He was respectful to me and I was respectful to him.

cool thanks for the responses. I just wanted to be reassured that I would be in the clear if I was stopped.

Felid`Maximus said:

I was pulled over not too long ago. (Less than two months ago, I think.)

I had the gun holstered on my right hip. Officer pulls me over for speeding. The first thing I told him was that I was openly carrying a firearm in a holster on my right hip. He asked me if I had a concealed carry permit and I told him I did not. He didn't ask to see it or anything. He asked me why I was going so fast, and I told him it was because I thought the speed limit was too low! He asked to see my driver's license and insurance and registration, so I complied. He went to his car for a moment, came back, told me to drive slower and didn't give me any tickets. He thanked me for being upfront about my firearm.

Since then I've been careful to make sure I am driving 5 mph under the speed limit.

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Awesome story, thanx for sharing!