Personal Defense Pro Tip: Don’t Show Officer Friendly the Muzzle of Your Gun During a Traffic Stop

The good news for most of us is traffic stop numbers have generally declined across much of America since the 2020 Summer of Love. That decrease, however, hasn’t entirely ended cops pulling people over for traffic violations. And if you fail to mind your Ps and Qs when interacting with the local constable, you could have a very bad day.

We all know what we’re supposed to do when we’re pulled over. However, wearing a gun tends to up the potential for less optimal outcomes. What should you do?

First, you should have thought through the situation in advance, but staying still and keeping your hands in plain view — preferably on the steering wheel — will start things off on the right foot. If the stop is at night, turn on the interior lights and if the weather permits, lower your windows.

Next up, after an introduction from Officer Cautious, politely inform him or her that you’ve got a carry permit and you have “it” on you. Don’t say the word “gun.” That tends to elevate the officer’s blood pressure and can elicit responses that are unfavorable to you. If you’re in the (more than) half of America with constitutional carry and don’t have a carry license, tell the officer that you’re carrying per the permitless provisions of state law.

Again, keep your hands visible and don’t make sudden movements or get nasty. Be polite. Be respectful. Be sweet as pie. You can add also add, “How would you like to proceed?” to your notification of the officer to let him know that he’s in charge.

At that point, things will almost always go uneventfully. In my experience, I have gotten away with only warnings on traffic stops by being kind, courteous, and acknowledging that not only do I have a carry license (as he or she almost certainly knew before approaching my car), but that I have a gun on me.

On the other hand, if you opt instead to play incredibly stupid games, you’re likely to win some astonishingly stupid prizes.

Take, as an example, an incident in New York State where Trooper Richard Albert pulled over a car traveling about 100mph on the interstate. It happened in 2023, but the authorities only recently released the very dramatic bodycam video.

As the trooper approached the driver’s window to chat, Nelson Troche, aged more than old enough to know better (32), greeted Trooper Friendly with the muzzle of a pistol. No, Mr. Troche didn’t have a license for the gun and in fact possessed it illegally. Go figure.

An instant later, the driver began shooting. By the way, is it too early to mention that the driver was just recently paroled from prison from serving an 11-year term for manslaughter?

From Fox NewsChannel 13:

NewsChannel 13 has obtained body camera footage from an officer-involved shooting in Duanesburg in June 2023.

The incident happened on June 16, 2023. New York State Trooper Richard Albert pulled over a car that he saw going over 100 mph on I-88. That traffic stop quickly turned violent.

Albert is seen getting out of his car and approached the vehicle. Then, Nelson Troche, 32, stuck a handgun out of the window and began firing.

Troche shot Albert in the shoulder. He had minor injuries. There was a shootout, and Albert continued to fire back after he was shot…

Troche and his girlfriend, Alicia Eriole, attempted to get away, when the log truck driver intentionally rammed the vehicle to stop it. Eriole and Troche fled on foot…

Eriole and Troche then ran into the wooded area off Darby Hill Road in Duanesburg. As troopers closed in on their location, Troche died by suicide.

Seems Mr. Troche opted to suck start his pistol instead of heading back to see his buddies in the New York prison system.

Here’s the less-sanitized version of the bodycam video.