Dahwg
Regular Member
imported post
This post is not so much about OC per se, but it does demonstrate the value of this website, and I'll tell my story as a way of thanking all of the people (especially LEOs) on this site for all of the awesome information.
As I was on my way to pick my wife up from work yesterday, I notice a police cruiser behind me. Started to get a bit closer than normal so I figured he was running my plates. Sure enough he lit them up and pulled me over. At this point I'm thinking, "of Course!"Oro Valley has more cops per resident than just about any place in AZ, and they are notorious for traffic stops, they are also notorious for being very hard core- very by the book and they take no lip. This is the very first encounter that I've had with LEOs since I started carrying a gun on a regular basis. I hadmy holstered CZ P-01 stowed away in the center console in condition 2 (which is standard for decockers).
I pulled over- not just to the side of the road, butintothe parking lotof a strip mallturned off the engine and (as advised by members on this board) kept both hands on the steering wheel until the officer approached my car. He informed me that he was pulling me over because I had an invalid plate (long story- an issue that has prompted yet another angry call to my insurance salesman). He asked to see my license, registration and proof of insurance, and knowing that they were in the center console where my gun was, I informed him "for his safety" that I was armed.
The officer (couldn't have been more than 23 years old) asked me to step out of the car, asked where the weapon was and then asked if I minded if he took it for his safety. I said, "of course not officer" The black ribbon across his badge a striking reminder of the death of Officer Hite just one week earlier made me respect this young guy for what he did, and I was not about to put up a stink. He made the gun safe and placed it in his patrol car.
Here's the best part. Come to find out that I didn't have my latest insurance cards in the car, was driving with an invalid plate and one other "technical" violation and he could have seized my plate and written me up for three separate tickets. Instead he came up to me and said, "thank you for being honest with me, I'm going to cut you a break..." To make a long story short, the only ticket I got was for failure to have proof of insurance (no fine- just have to stop by city court and show them my current insurance card).
That's it! The good advise I got on this board saved me at least $200+ worth of traffic tickets. Oh and the kid and I had a nice conversation about guns and holsters afterward when he learned I preferred OC to CC.Asked him about his duty holster Safariland SLS- said it was ok, except the gun was a bit too tight for his taste- suggested he loosen the retention screws-I had to laugh at his response:"Huh?What screws?" Ipointedthem out to him and he was genuinely appreciative. After my conversation with him, I'm thinking of getting the concealment version of that holster.
:dude:
This post is not so much about OC per se, but it does demonstrate the value of this website, and I'll tell my story as a way of thanking all of the people (especially LEOs) on this site for all of the awesome information.
As I was on my way to pick my wife up from work yesterday, I notice a police cruiser behind me. Started to get a bit closer than normal so I figured he was running my plates. Sure enough he lit them up and pulled me over. At this point I'm thinking, "of Course!"Oro Valley has more cops per resident than just about any place in AZ, and they are notorious for traffic stops, they are also notorious for being very hard core- very by the book and they take no lip. This is the very first encounter that I've had with LEOs since I started carrying a gun on a regular basis. I hadmy holstered CZ P-01 stowed away in the center console in condition 2 (which is standard for decockers).
I pulled over- not just to the side of the road, butintothe parking lotof a strip mallturned off the engine and (as advised by members on this board) kept both hands on the steering wheel until the officer approached my car. He informed me that he was pulling me over because I had an invalid plate (long story- an issue that has prompted yet another angry call to my insurance salesman). He asked to see my license, registration and proof of insurance, and knowing that they were in the center console where my gun was, I informed him "for his safety" that I was armed.
The officer (couldn't have been more than 23 years old) asked me to step out of the car, asked where the weapon was and then asked if I minded if he took it for his safety. I said, "of course not officer" The black ribbon across his badge a striking reminder of the death of Officer Hite just one week earlier made me respect this young guy for what he did, and I was not about to put up a stink. He made the gun safe and placed it in his patrol car.
Here's the best part. Come to find out that I didn't have my latest insurance cards in the car, was driving with an invalid plate and one other "technical" violation and he could have seized my plate and written me up for three separate tickets. Instead he came up to me and said, "thank you for being honest with me, I'm going to cut you a break..." To make a long story short, the only ticket I got was for failure to have proof of insurance (no fine- just have to stop by city court and show them my current insurance card).
That's it! The good advise I got on this board saved me at least $200+ worth of traffic tickets. Oh and the kid and I had a nice conversation about guns and holsters afterward when he learned I preferred OC to CC.Asked him about his duty holster Safariland SLS- said it was ok, except the gun was a bit too tight for his taste- suggested he loosen the retention screws-I had to laugh at his response:"Huh?What screws?" Ipointedthem out to him and he was genuinely appreciative. After my conversation with him, I'm thinking of getting the concealment version of that holster.
:dude: