If asked for an ID during a traffic stop, what should I do?

[legaldummy]

Jurisdiction

Washington

This is a hypothetical question:

If I was stopped by a cop and he ask for my ID, should I stick my hand in my pocket to retrieve my wallet? Wouldn't that give him an excuse to shoot me, should he be in a bad mood?

 

[Zigner]

This is a hypothetical question:

If I was stopped by a cop and he ask for my ID, should I stick my hand in my pocket to retrieve my wallet? Wouldn't that give him an excuse to shoot me, should he be in a bad mood?

You ask the officer if it is ok to reach for your ID and follow his (or her) lead.

 

[zddoodah]

If I was stopped by a cop and he ask for my ID, should I stick my hand in my pocket to retrieve my wallet?

If your wallet is in your pocket and your ID is in your wallet, you don't have much of a choice. FWIW, I was told by a doctor many years ago that sitting on your wallet is not good for your back. Of course, if you keep your wallet in a front or jacket pocket, that's a different story.

Wouldn't that give him an excuse to shoot me, should he be in a bad mood?

No. If you're really feeling paranoid, feel free to preface your pocket reach with a comment along the lines of, "ok, I'm going to reach into my pocket to get my wallet." Last time I got pulled over, I did that with respect to reaching into my glove compartment for my registration.

 

[adjusterjack]

FWIW, I was told by a doctor many years ago that sitting on your wallet is not good for your back. Of course, if you keep your wallet in a front or jacket pocket, that's a different story.

Or carry a murse.

 

[Tax Counsel]

I agree with zddoodah on this. The best thing is to make sure the cop knows what's going on. Explain to the cop where your license is and then don't make any sudden moves or try to hide your moves from the officer. That way the cop knows he's not about to get shot by you. If you consider what the officer's concerns are and act in a way that soothes that concern you're much better off. It's not hard to do, you just have to think it through and make sure your actions can't be interpreted by the cop as you reaching for a weapon.

 

[flyingron]

TC is right as usual and that's doubly true if your wallet is someplace like inside the center console of your vehicle. Frankly, I extract it from my wallet before the officer even approaches my car.

 

[mightymoose]

This is a hypothetical question:

If I was stopped by a cop and he ask for my ID, should I stick my hand in my pocket to retrieve my wallet? Wouldn't that give him an excuse to shoot me, should he be in a bad mood?

More often than not, when I've approached a driver they have already had their ID and other papers ready to go.

No, simply reaching for your wallet does not give an officer reason to shoot you. Most people can manage to pull their wallet from their pocket without making it look like a "furtive movement" that looks like a weapon being drawn.

Yes, some really stupid officers have shot people for stupid reasons, but I'd bet you have a better chance of being struck by lightning.