Strange LEO Encounter This Weekend

[tleeocinca]

The one time that I didn't have my go pro on in the car, this happens. I could have put that on youtube. Then next time I got stopped and started reaching for the radio and my phone, I could say, sir, I didn't want to make you nervous, so I just acted like you weren't there

[Sohum63]

My guess is the cop was wondering how much LE contact you've had since you "knew the drill."

EDIT: And why is this is General Gun Discussions? Did somebody pull a gun out?

.

Saw a comment somewhere that the only people who behave like that are concealed carriers and people on probation (or with a lot of experience with traffic stops) guess he just figured you were somebody who had been through this many times instead of just somebody that wanted to make someone else's job as easy as you can. Fortunately my Leo contact has been limited sense actually putting thought into how I will respond but I think being as relaxed and natural would help as much as some of the robotic responses recomended (hands on wheel, ask permission before every move). I think I will try and be as relaxed as possible while still allowing them to see my hands and not make any sudden moves. I think right hand resting on the steering wheel and the other either on the window sill or even hanging out the window with the palm back would look a lot more natural and relaxed and still allow them to see your hands.

[deckhandmike]

Figures you're an experienced perp and knows the 'Drill'!!!

Normal John Q. Public who has never been pulled over before wouldn't know the 'Drill'!

That's my first guess. Anyone time I hear someone use the term "boss" I am on guard as they are usually a felon if from around here.

[kjv146]

What if it got weird?

then LET'S GET WEIRD!

[Hardwarejunkie]

A friend of mine who is LEO once told me I should always:
1) Turn on the dome light if at night
2) Do not roll down window until directed by officer
3) Keep both hands on top of the wheel
4) Clearly state where license and registration are located and ask if it is OK to retrieve them

The three times I've been stopped where I followed his advice I've been treated like a long time criminal.
Officers have put their hands on their weapon while speaking to me, one said "get pulled over a lot, huh?" another said "I see you're familiar with the drill" .
After running my license the last one said something like "why were you acting all suspicious?" - I told him why and he laughed.

They were all pretty cool after they ran my license, I think I only had one citation out of the three stops. I still do #4.

[Bansh88]

Good thing you didn't have an NRA sticker on your car. Cop would have tore your car apart looking for illegal guns then taken you straight to prison.

[barrage]

That's my first guess. Anyone time I hear someone use the term "boss" I am on guard as they are usually a felon if from around here.

Takin' it off, boss?

[flyingcaveman]

If you want out of a ticket, you need to get a conversation started before pen hits paper

Dome light on
Windows all down
Hands on dash

They come up and normally ask why the odd behavior.

Then it is time to talk about friend or family who is Leo and the concern on every traffic stop.

You do this to make the approach as easy as possible for the officers safety.

It gets the conversation going and shows that you are a good guy.

Lots of ways to show respect for the job and to show that you are human long before a pen hits paper.

Whoah, Whoah, Whoah!!!! Enough with these half-measures. Why not just get out of the car and prone yourself out to show you're not a threat?

[barrage]

^ Made me "lol" for being genuinely funny. You're absolutely right in your sarcasm, of course.

[deckhandmike]

Personally I go with the "Fear and Loathing" technique. Keeps them on their toes.

[sl0re10]

So, Saturday I am visiting family in the bay area and I get pulled over for a break light being out. The officer was really nice and told me why he had pulled me over and asked for the usual documents. I told him that I had my DL in my travel bag and my registration and insurance card were in the glove box and asked if I could reach to get them. Of course the officer responded sure and so I slowly proceeded to get the documents and gave them to him. He goes back to his car to run info, so put my hands on the steering wheel and keep them there. He comes back and hands me a fix it ticket and all my stuff, then asks why I kept my hands on the steering wheel the whole time? I told him that I always felt that was the safest place to keep my hands during a stop and he tells me not to do that because it makes cops nervous... I'm wondering is this the general feeling? I figured that was proper place to keep my hands.

sounds bs.... I've been thanked for doing it....

[tleeocinca]

I'm glad you've been thanked, wish I would have had the same experience, considering I did what I thought he'd appreciate. I could have been one of those buttheads and tried to go all lawyer on him. I could have flipped out my phone and said I'm recording this and made him answer questions so I could post on youtube. But instead, I tried to make the stop go as easy as I could and my goal was to be safe, as well as make the officer feel safe. Guess that trying to be cooperative means you are guilty, or suspect or logged lots of stops and LEO interactions.

[smle-man]

When I was a pup going through driver's ed, we were told that if we were pulled over to get out of the car and walk back to the officer and his car as a sign of courtesy and respect. Do that today and you'd get tased!

[AceGirlsHusband]

[Gun Kraft]

He comes back and hands me a fix it ticket and all my stuff, then asks why I kept my hands on the steering wheel the whole time? I told him that I always felt that was the safest place to keep my hands during a stop and he tells me not to do that because it makes cops nervous.

Agencies differ, cops (who are people) differ, and of course the location of the stop and time of day differ. I think it's fair to say this Officer felt uncomfortable with your actions, but I prefer drivers keep their hands in plain sight.

Here's one that recently happened to me--I make a traffic stop on a car that blows a stop sign. It takes me a little longer than normal to finish my initial radio communication with Dispatch, and the fact I'm standing next to my driver's side door instead of approaching made the driver feel nervous. As a result he sticks both hands out his window as far as he can reach to show he's not a threat. Of course that's unusual so after making my approach I ask him about it. He tells me he got nervous because I was taking so long, and I reassure him everything's okay. By the end of the stop he's calm and we're both smiling as friendly as we can be.

Of course he is going to give you a fix it ticket. That is $20 "fee" to help the revenue coffers.

I think fixits are $25 now, and none of that goes to the local agency. It went up a few years back from $15 for a single ticket regardless of how many fixits you had, to $25 for each. That increase went to pay for court building maintenance and upkeep. If you think all Officers write fixits to help their city/agency's general fund, you're sorely mistaken. Personally, I write fixits when I think the driver won't take care of it, as a means to make sure they do. That's it.