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A few nights ago, I was heading home from my MIL house, with my son riding shotgun. I was obeying speed limits, and had signaled properly with every traffic maneuver I made, so I was somewhat surprised, when the SUV behind me suddenly turned on its red and blue flashing lights. I pulled over, turned on my interior light, rolled down my window and waited for the officer. A very young male officer, came up to my window, and informed me that I had a tail light out, and asked for my DL, and insurance. I told him they were in my left hip pocket, and he said ok. I handed him the requested items along with my LTC, since I was OC my full size M&P 9. The officer asked if I was carrying, and when I answered yes, he asked where it was, and I told him. He went back to his vehicle, and in a few minutes returned, with a warning citation( which he said was required by State law) he then said he would show me the offending, malfunctioning, tail light. I opened my door, and got out. The officer, I assume to put as much space between himself and my gun, backed up so far, I was afraid he was going to step back into traffic. I told him to be careful, not to get hit. I never put my hand near my gun, nor made any sudden moves, but he stayed well away from me. He pointed out the tail light, and I promised to get it repaired. The stop went well, and the officer was polite, but I found it somewhat amusing that he felt so threatened, that he nearly got hit by a car. If I had made any sudden moves, he would have definitely gotten hit.

I'm surprised he had you get out of the car. I was pulled over several months ago for a bad headlight, several years before that for a bad headlight, and a few years before that for a bad license plate light. All warnings, and I was never asked to leave the vehicle. I suppose if you were issued a fine then it makes sense for you to see that the bulb is in fact not functioning, but otherwise I believe it is safer for everyone to keep the driver in the vehicle, whether they are carrying a firearm or not. I am glad it all ended well!

Boxerrider wrote: ↑Tue Jun 12, 2018 6:54 pm I'm surprised he had you get out of the car. I was pulled over several months ago for a bad headlight, several years before that for a bad headlight, and a few years before that for a bad license plate light. All warnings, and I was never asked to leave the vehicle. I suppose if you were issued a fine then it makes sense for you to see that the bulb is in fact not functioning, but otherwise I believe it is safer for everyone to keep the driver in the vehicle, whether they are carrying a firearm or not. I am glad it all ended well!

Yeah I though it was unusual as well, but this particular LEO was very young probably just 21, and was very nervous. I don't know if he forgot that I told him that I was carrying, or not, but as soon as my right side came into view, he backed away very quickly, and I was seriously afraid he was going to back into traffic. I don't know if he thought I might draw on him, for giving me a warning, for a bad tail light, but it struck me as funny. Fortunately, where I pulled over there was a wide shoulder, in front of an abandoned gas station, so I was pretty far off the road. but he backed up about 15 feet, just as a car was passing

We’ve got a dim license plate light and a crooked registration sticker, time to call the K-9 unit and our drug dog “Lex”. -LivePD

I'm also curious about why he had you get out of the vehicle. Seems to be an invitation to unnecessary problems.

It's obviously not the case here, since you got a warning, but I wonder if this would help prove the case against you in court if you claimed that the tail light had in fact been fully functional. Something along the lines of being able to say that he had you observe the non-functioning light and you didn't raise any objections at the time, etc.? Of course, a dash cam would solve that issue.

Soccerdad1995 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 26, 2018 12:57 pm I'm also curious about why he had you get out of the vehicle. Seems to be an invitation to unnecessary problems.

It's obviously not the case here, since you got a warning, but I wonder if this would help prove the case against you in court if you claimed that the tail light had in fact been fully functional. Something along the lines of being able to say that he had you observe the non-functioning light and you didn't raise any objections at the time, etc.? Of course, a dash cam would solve that issue.

Chief: "Be especially polite to the locals"

Leo might have wanted to show you he didn't make up a reason for pulling you over.. since you had a local address and probably had to vote for his boss come reelection time.

Differently a unusual stop.