Excellent Traffic Stop in Tomball

[Vol Texan]

I was up in Tomball yesterday visiting cousins, and left town headed south toward home on 249. They're doing lots of construction on the highway - turning it into an expressway - and the speed limit was down to 40 due to the construction zone.

I had my 6-year old daughter and 9-year old niece in the truck when the local PD lit me up for going too fast. I pulled to the side and told the girls what had happened as I retrieved my wallet and rolled down my window.

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I resisted the urge to wave my Sig out the window while saying, "it's OK officer, I've got a license for this!". Instead I kept it holstered on my side.
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I had both licenses in my hand just outside the window for the officer as he walked up - CHL in front and DL showing underneath. He thanked me for showing the CHL and handed it back. I started to hand over my insurance, but he told me he'd already seen that. (I don't know if he had seen it when running my plate, or he saw my days-old inspection sticker on the window, but I was surprised by that).

He went back to his car and spent no more than 20-30 seconds there before he came back and issued me a verbal warning. I thanked him and off we went!

Why was this a great stop? No, it's not because I got a warning - although about that I will not complain. I was speeding and I deserved the ticket, and I did not 'expect' any special treatment because of my CHL any more than for any other reason (e.g. 'Veteran' on my license or anything else). It was a great stop because the officer was very professional and efficient, and because it was a great chance to talk with the girls about what had just happened.

My niece is in visiting from SC, and she had previously told me that she thought it was 'weird' that my wife and I carry, but this was a great chance to share with her that the officer thought very little of it, and considered it to be somewhat normal. She told me that it once had taken about 35 -45 minutes for them to leave a traffic stop once, and she was surprised by how well this one went. Her dad (my brother) is a great guy, but he looks like the quintessential biker, and that may or may not have had anything to do with it. This experience was a good way to show the girls that (a) what I'd done was wrong, (b) the officer was absolutely justified in pulling me over, (c) a little courtesy with officers (or anyone else for that matter) goes a long, long way, and (d) it helped 'normalize' CHL to my niece at a very young age. I hope all those lessons sink in just a bit.

[tomdavis]

Glad it worked out well for everyone. You are right that it is often that first moment when you meet someone that sets the stage.

[Jumping Frog]

That stretch of 249 is dangerous these days. With all the construction traffic, the concrete barriers, narrowed lanes, lane shifts, etc., it can be like driving an obstacle course in heavy Houston traffic. On top of all that, I regularly see people doing 60-65-70 in a 40 mph construction zone.

I sincerely hope you take the warning to heart and slow down in that dangerous stretch of road. Leaving yourself aside for a moment, you may save your daughter and niece from serious injury or death. Ponder that thought.

[brhalltx]

Same here, Froggy; I drive it regularly (from Jones to Tomball and back); many speeders, very few police. I've seen a constable or two, but no Tomball police.