Another "Got Pulled over while open carrying" thread

[ADulay]

All,

For those of you who are relatively new here in the Florida section, I'm an open carry advocate and practitioner. What the means is that I open carry every day and ride a motorcycle in the process, which makes me a very visible part of the open carry movement. With this in mind, I do tend to keep from speeding and generally making myself too obvious in daily traffic.

However, today I made a nice U-Turn at an intersection where I have done this about 500 times but today I did it in plain view of a local sheriff's department officer. Really, I thought it was OK as it was a safe U-Turn.

Nope, it's evidently not legal. Ooops. Got pulled over shortly down the road and a very nice traffic stop began.

Remember, I'm still open carrying and on the motorcycle.

I sit on the bike and ask the officer if I can "dismount" and he OK's it. He asks me if I know why he pulled me over. I just offered up "because I've got an ugly gun?". I think that broke the ice.

Anyway, he explained the status of the U-Turn and I mentioned some traffic things which he politely corrected. Yep, I was in the wrong and just never realized it for all these years. In the mean time, nothing is said about the Glock 30 on my belt. Very cool.

License and registration and that whole schtick and then we discuss open carry and concealed carry. He's a pro-2A guy and realizes that somebody like me, open carrying, is obviously NOT the problem!! He said his worries are about guys with guns under the seat, HIDDEN, and things like that.

So, after a nice discussion, I was sent on my way with a warning and a good hand shake.

I was headed to the range so there was no problem with the open carry part of it for anybody.

Another very good traffic stop by the Charlotte County Sheriff's Dept. They have always been professional and courteous when I've interacted with them "on the street", and in every event, I was open carrying.

Why post this up? To show that not every encounter with the local LEO's needs to end in a shouting match on YouTube for one's 5 minutes of "fame".

I've been doing the full time open carry for over three years now. It's not rocket science. It's legal under the Florida statutes and it is my preferred method of carry.

AD

 

[2OLD2W8]

I'm extremely envious of your daily open carry routine.. Continued good luck to you!

 

[BB62]

I thought OC in Florida was a no-no unless fishing? (and maybe some other specific activities)

 

[ADulay]

I thought OC in Florida was a no-no unless fishing? (and maybe some other specific activities)

BB62,

Actually, it is!

However, with the "fishing, hunting, camping and shooting" statute, I'm able to do pretty much any or all of those every day. It's one of the benefits of retirement!

In this case I was actually on my way to my local shooting range after leaving a local RV dealer where I had gone to pick up a boat part (go figure).

I shoot several times a week and toss a fishing line or two out when I need break from the road. I ride the motorcycle almost exclusively so the open carry exposure is pretty good. No problems with the citizens while on the road at all. Quite a few questions asked from motorists at stop lights from time to time.

AD

 

[77zach]

I'm jealous you have ammo to burn.

 

[ADulay]

I'm jealous you have ammo to burn.

77Zach,

Well I wouldn't say it's "ammo to burn" as more as it's ammo to shoot regularly.

I'm one of those guys who always looked in at the Wal-Mart sports area and picked up a box or two while the wife was buying that house stuff.

A box here, a box there and it adds up in the closet over the years.

When I got into the shooting sports a bit more, I ordered up in bulk from the various online suppliers when their prices were still cheaper than Wally World.

I still buy it online, when I can find it at a price I can live with, but in smaller amounts now. Usually limited to 500 rounds per order.

So, as I shoot it up, I slowly replenish the supply. If worse comes to worse, I'll cut back on the shooting to once a week.

AD

 

[rvrctyrngr]

I don't see how these stops end well with out you endlessly shouting 'AmIBeingDetainedAmIBeingDetainedAmIBeingDetainedAmIBeingDetainedAmIBeingDetainedAmIBeingDetainedAmIBeingDetainedAmIBeingDetainedAmIBeingDetainedAmIBeingDetainedAmIBeingDetainedAmIBeingDetained?'

 

[WalkingWolf]

Good for you, or more importantly good for him! I am glad it was not one of the small percentage with chip on the shoulder. BTW there is one of those in every profession, it is not just cops.

I don't remember FL statutes, but are U Turns all illegal, or was there a sign posted? I believe they are pretty much illegal on interstates and tollways. Because of divided roads we pretty much do U Turns here everyday, but then there is no law against it.

 

[ADulay]

Good for you, or more importantly good for him! I am glad it was not one of the small percentage with chip on the shoulder. BTW there is one of those in every profession, it is not just cops.

I don't remember FL statutes, but are U Turns all illegal, or was there a sign posted? I believe they are pretty much illegal on interstates and tollways. Because of divided roads we pretty much do U Turns here everyday, but then there is no law against it.

U-Turns are "legal" in Florida, of course.

It's just this time I made a U-turn on a red light, which I've done for about 20 years.

I "assumed" I was legal to do so as I never actually enter the intersection, just make a u-turn from the light SHORT of the intersection.

Nope, evidently it doesn't work that way and even though I was short of any walkway, which I determine to be "entering the intersection", it was pointed out to me that I had, in fact, made an illegal u-turn at a red light.

No sense to argue it and as it turns out, I learned something and the exchange was a good one.

AD

 

[WalkingWolf]

U-Turns are "legal" in Florida, of course.

It's just this time I made a U-turn on a red light, which I've done for about 20 years.

I "assumed" I was legal to do so as I never actually enter the intersection, just make a u-turn from the light SHORT of the intersection.

Nope, evidently it doesn't work that way and even though I was short of any walkway, which I determine to be "entering the intersection", it was pointed out to me that I had, in fact, made an illegal u-turn at a red light.

No sense to argue it and as it turns out, I learned something and the exchange was a good one.

AD

OK that makes sense, we have never made a u turn on a red light, though because of the divided roads it is necessary at times to make them at lights. We had to do it twice yesterday. After leaving IHOP in Spring Lake, NC it was necessary to make two u turns to get to Guns Plus on the same side of the road, just the opposite direction from IHOP. Grrrrrr, hate those divided roads, especially in town where they are not needed in the first place.