getting my papers during a traffic stop

[gadphto89]

Hypothetical.

I keep all my papers (insurance/registration/etc) in my glove box (or whatever they call it now-a-days). I have a lot of papers in there, and it takes time to dig through it and find the insurance and registration.

Let's say I get stopped by the police. They usually want me to have my insurance/regstiration/license ready for them when they knock on the window.

But let's say I can't finish finding the insurance/registration in the glove box in time before the officer walks up. What would be the best thing to do?

A) Continue digging through the glove box looking for the insurance/registration as the officer walks up to the car, until I find it.

B) Stop looking for it, and tell the officer I couldn't find it and that I am now going to continue looking for it while he patiently waits.



I would think A) wouldn't be a good idea, wouldn't he think I was looking for a gun or something to shoot him with?

Then again, officers hate waiting, so B) wouldn't be a good idea either?


I've only been stopped twice, and both times I got stopped, I have only managed to get my driver's license out of my wallet before the officer walked up, not had time to get the insurance/registration.


I know the best solution would be

C) Keep the registration and insurance where you can easily get to it, like in your wallet with your license, but let's assume this isn't an option.


thanks

[Fuzz]

I dont like people digging around while I am walking up. Just wait until the officer talks to you and asks you for what he wants. Then you can look for it.....the 60 seconds you save by trying to dig through your papers before the officer walks up isnt going to save you much time, but it will have the officer wondering what your doing.


And for gods sake people.....clean out the dang glove box....you do not need old insurance from 5 years ago, stacks of napkins, smog receipts from other cars, etc in the glove box..... clean it out

[exComptonCop]

A) Continue digging through the glove box looking for the insurance/registration as the officer walks up to the car, until I find it.

Why do people find it necessary to help cops manage their time?

Digging through the glove box as an officer is walking up to your window is a bad idea, a VERY bad idea! I don't know where you got that information from, but it's a good way of getting yourself killed, or at the very least draw down on!

Turn off your engine, and sit there with your hands in plain sight...that's it. Once the officer contacts you, he/she will tell you what to do, and how to do it.

[CityCopDC]

I dont like people digging around while I am walking up.

Ditto. It makes me pull "Mr Happy" out of his holster to look in your general direction. Be guided by the officer then let him/her know what you are doing.

[LA DEP]

Best suggestion: Just keep your hands on the steering wheel until I walk up and talk with you.....

Digging around in the glove box (or under the seat, in the center console) makes me nervous.....you are liable to get a close look at the business end of an USP 45.......

See, YOU know that you are a good guy.....I dont.....so, in order to go home with the same number of holes I started with, I have to assume that you are up to no good while you are reaching in your glove box ect.....

[L-1]

FWIW, on the few occasions that you do need your registration or insurance papers, its probably polite not to keep the person who needs them waiting, whether it be the cop who stopped you, the person who's car you just smashed into, or the guy at the smog check center who is performing your annual registration inspection. To avoid being embarrassed, I keep those documents in a 4" X 6" manila envelope in the glove box. Along with it, I also have a blank form to fill out containing all the information my insurance company needs about other drivers and vehicles in case I get into a crash. Because of its size and color, when asked, I can find that envelope among all the other papers in a heartbeat.

You might think about doing something similar. It will save you a lot of time and trouble in the future.

[CUPD14]

To repeat:

1. Clean it out
2. Be prepared .... in the event you are ever stopped again
3. Hands on steering wheel
4. Don't go digging around the car looking for "papers"
5. Listen to, and comply with, the officers' requests

No problems!! DAN

[Only 4 to go]

Keep your hands on the wheel until I approach you and ask for your papers. As for you seaching for your papers, you should have them readily available. I refuse to wait while people search around through hundreds of papers only to find nothing or expired documents. I've had motorists get angry when I wait a reasonable amount of time while they produce nothing and then when I walk away to write a summons for speeding or whatever and also issue for failure to produce their documents suddenly they found it and are upset because I will not take back the summons and inform them they must go to court. I've even had a judge find someone guilty for failing to produce an insurance card even though they said they did produce it but when I informed the judge how long I waited so the summons was issued he agreed that I should not have to wait. KEEP YOUR PAPERWORK ORDERLY AND READILY AVAILABLE.

[CruiserClass]

Keep them over the sun visor. It won't get mixed up with the rest of your junk and you don't even have to open the glove box or rummage in an area that could have a weapon to get them.

[Looker]

Only thing I can add is to not block the entire view of the glove box when you open it. That's kind of a jittery moment.

And... don't get nervous because I put my hand on my gun when I first talk to you. Action is faster than reaction, so I need a head start.

[gadphto89]

Keep them over the sun visor. It won't get mixed up with the rest of your junk and you don't even have to open the glove box or rummage in an area that could have a weapon to get them.

Yeah I can't do that though, I'm too afraid that when the window is open they will blow out, and I will lose them

[gadphto89]

So I'm understanding this right, officers would rather have my hands on the wheel with no documents, rather than me digging through the car looking for the documents? That would not irritate any of you that I didn't have my documents ready for you as you walk up?

because when I got my license and was in traffic school, they told us to always have the documents ready when an officer walks up. But common sense tell me, if I were an officer I would be nervous about someone digging around their car, they might be looking for something to kill me with.

[CruiserClass]

Yeah I can't do that though, I'm too afraid that when the window is open they will blow out, and I will lose them

I've actually never had that happen. Ever, in any car, including two with T-tops. Put some useless paper up there for a month and see if it moves, then go from there.