So I see Christmas lights but wasn't sure if they were for me, but I had started to pull to the right lane. The DPS Trooper stayed with me so I pulled into the shoulder, lowered my two front windows, and kept my hands on the steering wheel.
The Trooper was talking on a cellphone as he approached the car and stopped at the rear of the car and asked for me (the driver) to exit the vehicle. I unbuckled and met him at the rear passenger side where he asked for my license. I kept my left arm free and noticed he was looking at my left side as I retrieved my wallet and handed over my license and CHL. He asked me if I had my gun on me which I answered in the affirmative. At this time, he asked me where it was and I said left shoulder as I lifted my lift arm up clear away from the firearm. He disarmed me and asked if I had anything else to which I replied just ammo on my right side. He said I could keep that, advised I was clocked doing 81 in a 60, and to hold tight.
So I hung out while he cleared my weapon in his car and ran my info. All I could really hear was my name and the word 'current'...everything else was gobbledy-gook from my vantage point. So He comes back with his clipboard and tells me off the bat that I'm getting a citation to which I reply, "That's cool" -- he had me, I knew it, there was no fighting it and no excuses.
It was a pleasent exchange as he was writing the ticket. He asked me how I liked the Kimber and I replied that I thought it was a nice weapon and felt nice to handle. Later he asked me how often I shot it to which I told him with the traffic in my area and my work schedule, I maybe get out once a month, at least once every other month. He remarked that Kimber makes a fine gun and asked me to sign the citation.
At the conclusion, he told me some administrative stuff after I told him this was my first ticket and didn't know the ins and outs as far as just paying it or if I had to show up for court. He then advised he was going to retrieve my weapon. He did so and as he was heading back, he said he'd place it in the back seat to which I replied my wife and baby were back there. No problem, he placed the chambered round and magazine on the passenger front seat and stuck the weapon with the slide open underneath the diaper bag that was on the floor of the passenger side and said I could reload and reholster at a rest area down the road. Cool. We shook hands, I apologized for speeding, at that was it. Maybe 10 minutes of a contact, if that...it went fast.
I was a little bummed about getting a ticket but like I said, he had me and I wasn't going to try to offer excuses. Very pleasent, professional, and personally, I couldn't ask for a more friendly contact. Kudos to Texas DPS...much different experience than getting stopped in New Jersey where I used to live. So now I have to call the court and get the info about taking a defensive driving course and put this little faux pas behind me. Dang VW Passat and its turbo engine.
