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This occured about four years ago, the week before Christmas. I was driving to Memphis, Tennessee, on I-40 east of Little Rock. I was pulled over by two Arkansas Highway Patrol, for a "license check". Broad daylight. I drive a standard-cab pickup, so there were several lidded plastic containers in the bed (clothes for me and Christmas gifts for the family. I'm also in my 50s, and don't look like a stereotypical drug runner.

I told AHP #1 that I had a concealed handgun in a bag behind the seat, and he asked to see it. He removed it (.40 Glock) from the fanny pack, fumbled around for a few seconds, then asked me to unload it. He looked at my CHL. He then asked my girlfriend and I to step out of the truck, and asked me to sign a consent to search form so that he could go through the truck and containers. I just looked at him funny, and he added "so we don't have to wait here several hours for a warrant". So I thought about what I might have that could get me in trouble (couldn't think of anything), thought about how late I'd be to my family reunion if I were delayed four hours, and signed. AHP #2 then asked me if I had any drugs. I wanted to say "no, would you like a donut?", but I just said "no".

After thirty minutes of poking through my stuff, they gave back my license and let me go. AHP #1 gave me a stern lecture about carrying a loaded gun - he said concealed carry requires that you keep the chamber empty. First I'd ever heard of that, but since I didn't know Arkanas specifics I just thanked him for the info.

Martin