Hey Fudgie, here is my story on CCW in VA.
A few months after the "shall issue" law is passed here, I have a permit (and pisol) and am pulled over at O'dark thirty going to work. Hand him my license & reg, he's gone a long time, and when he comes back he is very wary and stands by the passenger door so I have to talk to him over my shouder. He says he sees I have a CCW (this is where I find out in VA, if you have a CCW, his police computer blinks red (or some kind of indication), and asks if I have a weapon. I tell him yes, and he yells at me "why didn't you tell me when I first came to the car" I answer, 'Sir I have read the law and all the rules, and it nowhere tells me I am to announce a permit or weapon when stopped.' He says 'I know that but we expect you to tell us as a courtesy.' I say "I can understand that, it makes sence, but I ask you, having just gotten pulled over where I may or may not get a ticket, how do I announce I have a weapon in the car without sounding like a threatening azzhole?' He doesn't care, I get a ticket.
I work with many VA permit holders, and we have a discussion on this at work. We decide the best course of action is just to hand over your license, reg, and permit all at the same time and make no statement at all, until asked. This is the least threatening way to announce you (may be) armed.
Fast forward...two years later I am again pulled over at O'dark thirty going to work, and this time produce license, reg and permit. The cop is perterbed with the permit, and asks "why did you give me this?' I explain, my earlier experience with an officer getting angry cause I didn't tell him up front, that I am just trying to do what I have been told in the past, and that I know of no less threatening way to announce I am armed.
I ask him "don't you guys (county police dept) have an SOP or something where you always want a permit holder to announce as soon as you approach the car, and he says 'never heard of it.' I say 'look, I made an officer mad when I didn't announce, and now you are perterbed when I did. I am just trying to be a good citizen, and anyway, having just got pulled over and hoping to get a break or warning by being the nice law-and-order guy I am, how do I verbally state I have a pistol in the car, and not sound like some kind of threatening azzhole??' He thinks about this and start laughing, 'I see your point.' When he comes back to the car, he tells me he appreciates my letting him know I was armed up front, and my humor, and he's not giving me a ticket. Go figure.
I don't get pulled over or tickets very often, but when I do, I hand over the permit with the license and reg (if I have a pistol, which is 99% of the time).
Since the PDs around here are trying to balance the budget on moving violations, no one gets a walk anymore. Don't even ask.
How about $98 for an expired safety inspection on the bike. And where I go there is no inspection of any kind....I pull in, we BS a few minutes, he fills out the paperwork, I go pay the cashier, and the tag goes on. I could have no horn, no signals, no tail or brake light, no brakes, bald tires, etc. Course I am quite happy to have no inspection, I have already inspected my bike.
Intersting story. I always planed on giving the permit at the same time as everything else. But since the 2 were side by side I figure I better not go digging around! I did have it on my side but after we stopped i decided to put it in the bag. I keep it in my truck in the door so if I get stopped I'll tell him where its at before I go finding my wallet.
