Stopped in Alabama
Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2017 12:41 pm
A couple weeks ago the Family and I were enroute to Pensacola from Gatlinburg. I had done my homework and determined that my Ohio CHL was valid in all the states that I was passing through but I couldn't remember notification requirements.
Well as I was headed South through Alabama, I saw those ever so familiar blue lights coming up behind me. Now I had seen the trooper coming all dukes of hazard out of the woods but I was playing it cool. You know, don't act overly guilty by slamming on your brakes or pulling over before he gets to you. I knew I had been speeding so it wasn't much of a surprise when he didn't pass me lol.
So, the trooper approaches me, I've got my flashers on, window rolled down, hands on the wheel, etc.. I didn't turn the vehicle (okay, it was a minivan, please don't pull my man card, it's the wife's) off because it was really hot outside and I had my wife and three young children in the car.
He starts in with that ever classic southern draw, "Boy, I got you at 81 mph..." I cut him off, "Officer, I need to tell you that I'm armed and that my weapon is on my left hand side."
He kinda takes a second look at me, then takes a half step back. Right about now, I'm thinking I'm gonna get pulled from the car and tossed through the ringer of getting patted down and what not.
So I offered to the officer, "Sir, would you like to take possession of my weapon while we are taking care of this?"
He's silent for a moment...
Then he speaks, "Son, that won't be necessary, and since you let me know when you didn't have to, you've earned my trust, I really appreciate that."
He asks for my Drivers License, I let him know that I need to reach for my wallet but that my weapon is on the opposite side, he says, no problem.
So I'm getting my license out and I keep my CHL directly behind it. He sees the top portion of my CHL and immediately says, "are you an officer?!"
I'll admit, for a mere split second, I was thinking, will it get me out of a ticket...
So, I tell him "No sir, that's my concealed weapons license" and offer it to him with my license.
He hands it back to me and says something about how all they get down there is a piece of paper.
He walks back to his cruiser and fiddled around for what seemed like a long time. I'm keeping an eye on him through my mirrors when I see him pull a piece of paper. I look at my wife with the oops and aww crap look.
A moment later he's back at my window and I have my hands on the steering wheel, he kinda smiles and then hands me a warning. THANK YOU JESUS!
I don't know if it was because of the trust I earned or maybe he felt sorry for me having to drive a minivan with kids and all that over a long distance, but in any case, he shook my hand, thanked me again, and told me to have a good trip.
Did some looking, that warning saved me $225. They don't fool around in Alabama when it comes to traffic fines!
He did say something in there along the lines of the people that want to shoot police officers don't typically announce they are armed and commended me on being able to defend my family.
Well as I was headed South through Alabama, I saw those ever so familiar blue lights coming up behind me. Now I had seen the trooper coming all dukes of hazard out of the woods but I was playing it cool. You know, don't act overly guilty by slamming on your brakes or pulling over before he gets to you. I knew I had been speeding so it wasn't much of a surprise when he didn't pass me lol.
So, the trooper approaches me, I've got my flashers on, window rolled down, hands on the wheel, etc.. I didn't turn the vehicle (okay, it was a minivan, please don't pull my man card, it's the wife's) off because it was really hot outside and I had my wife and three young children in the car.
He starts in with that ever classic southern draw, "Boy, I got you at 81 mph..." I cut him off, "Officer, I need to tell you that I'm armed and that my weapon is on my left hand side."
He kinda takes a second look at me, then takes a half step back. Right about now, I'm thinking I'm gonna get pulled from the car and tossed through the ringer of getting patted down and what not.
So I offered to the officer, "Sir, would you like to take possession of my weapon while we are taking care of this?"
He's silent for a moment...
Then he speaks, "Son, that won't be necessary, and since you let me know when you didn't have to, you've earned my trust, I really appreciate that."
He asks for my Drivers License, I let him know that I need to reach for my wallet but that my weapon is on the opposite side, he says, no problem.
So I'm getting my license out and I keep my CHL directly behind it. He sees the top portion of my CHL and immediately says, "are you an officer?!"
I'll admit, for a mere split second, I was thinking, will it get me out of a ticket...
So, I tell him "No sir, that's my concealed weapons license" and offer it to him with my license.
He hands it back to me and says something about how all they get down there is a piece of paper.
He walks back to his cruiser and fiddled around for what seemed like a long time. I'm keeping an eye on him through my mirrors when I see him pull a piece of paper. I look at my wife with the oops and aww crap look.
A moment later he's back at my window and I have my hands on the steering wheel, he kinda smiles and then hands me a warning. THANK YOU JESUS!
I don't know if it was because of the trust I earned or maybe he felt sorry for me having to drive a minivan with kids and all that over a long distance, but in any case, he shook my hand, thanked me again, and told me to have a good trip.
Did some looking, that warning saved me $225. They don't fool around in Alabama when it comes to traffic fines!
He did say something in there along the lines of the people that want to shoot police officers don't typically announce they are armed and commended me on being able to defend my family.