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I got stopped for speeding tonight on SH 71 in Smithville. I was less than a mile from my exit when I saw the flashing lights of a state trooper in my mirror.

So I pulled over, turned on the inside light, put both hands on the wheel and waited. In a moment, he came up on my passenger side window and motioned. I put the window down.

He tells me he is from the Highway Patrol and that he stopped me for speeding. (I was going about 75 in a 65 zone.) Then he asked for my license and insurance.

Before I handed him my license I told him that I had a CHL and was carrying a handgun. He then thanked me for the courtesy. As I gave him my license and CHL I realized that my insurance had just renewed a few days ago and I didn't have my new card among my papers. So I showed him where it had expired on the 8th and told him that while I didn't have the new card, I certainly did have insurance.

He said it was OK because he was just giving me a warning anyway. He went back to his cruiser, wrote the warning and came back in a couple of minutes and gave it to me.

I thanked him for extending me courtesy and I was on my way.

No harm, no foul, no problems.

Sounds like a good stop.

Good stop. Glad you didn't meet the same trooper I met in Bowie Co., who didn't care that I had a 10 year stack of continuous insurance slips in my hand. He wrote the ticket while telling me that they would dismiss it at the court with proof of current coverage.

Yeah... after taking a day off and paying a $15 dismissal fee.

Stay out of San Antonio (or at least don't get stopped) if you don't have a current insurance card. San Antonio impounds cars whose drivers can't come up with proof of insurance... Cost you more than $15 to get it back.


elb

ELB wrote:San Antonio impounds cars whose drivers can't come up with proof of insurance...

Same in Galveston. They put you on the sidewalk and tow the vehicle. Minimum fee more than $100.

- Jim

Don't worry guys. I printed out new insurance cards for all of our family vehicles last night.

I just think that for a nighttime stop, putting the interior light on and putting both hands on the wheel made the whole experience much better for the cop.

And for saving him that short period of anxiety that most likely accompanies almost every stop, he 'returned the favor' by giving me a warning.

And I also think that having a CHL didn't hurt either. I don't know if it is really true or not, but I think that when you have a calm and courteous attitude and announce that you have a CHL, the cop knows that you're one of the good guys.

And cops of all people, appreciate the difference between the good guys and the bad guys.

And oh, did I mention it? I had ONE beer with supper that night, approx. an hour and a half before the stop.

You should know better, I always see DPS on 71 and especially Bastrop-Smithville, glad he was a friendly