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My four experiences are a mixed bag but none worse than slighty unpleasant. The first was the result of being tail-ended by a driver who had himself been tail-ended too close behind me. The reputation of the Austin PD had me worried. But when I handed the policeman my DL and CHL, he only asked "You have it with you?" I responed in the affirmative. He asked if what he thought was my holster was in fact a holster and I confirmed that too. "Okay, thanks", turned and interviewed the other drivers. Having been prepared for an unpleasant experience, I was surprised. When he came back I expressed my appreciation for his manner and he gave a courteous and well reasoned reply.

Of the next three experiences two were completely neutral. The policeman looked at the CHL and handed it back without a word. But one of them was slightly negative. On this occassion I was pulled over for some minor thing like a tail-light out or such on the way home from taking my daughter to a school function. I had disarmed to enter the school building. And put my pistol in the pocket of the car door, since in the school parking lot, re-holstering discretely was not possible. The policeman seeing my CHL asked where my pistol was. Also his manner went from gruff to defensive. I pointed out the location of the pistol. He asked me to leave the car door open. And, though slightly offended (did I actualy seem stupid enough to shoot my way out of a fix'er-up ticket? [don't answer]), this turned out to be the way the encounter turned more positive. I didn't think the door swung open was safe. We were parked near a corner, occluded to drivers from one direction; the policeman's vehicle further obscuring visibilty of my car. Possibly resulting in my door being struck. So I suggested that I leave the car and close the door. He saw this as sensible, and his manner went from defensive/suspiscious to paid-to-be-friendly. Good enough for me.