"You know, I have to feel sorry for those guys - if/when there's another revolution in this country, they'll be the first ones to die - cops and DOT officers - and they don't even know it." The preceding is a paraphrasing of a comment I heard another driver make one day along the way.
My mental reply ran something like this: "Oh, yes, they do - that's why they, all law enforcement, among others, want us, the public, completely disarmed." My thoughts went on along those lines, expanding on the establishments, supported by the foolish, terrified and/or misinformed/misled, continuous attack on our single most important freedom; attack on the one freedom that guarantees all the rest; the second amendment. It was the recollection of the officer shouting that I should slowly place my hands on the steering wheel before me, actually the memory of the chilled feeling that ran through me at that moment, which shook me from my thoughts momentarily. After a quick three-sixty reality check, the next few moments of that late night traffic stop replayed mentally:
Obeying exactly, I rested my hands slowly on the top arc of the wheel. Only when I heard the officer move did I voice, "Is there some reason I'm a threat to you?" and slowly turned to look his direction.
"No. I'm just protecting myself; from the possibility you may intend to shoot me."
"Over a traffic stop!" I really was incredulous - shocked.
"It's happened before."
"You're paranoid - which makes you dangerous." I thought, and said, "I wouldn't do your job, any job that makes me that paranoid."
The officer relaxed a bit, stood up from his half crouch, his hand remained on his weapon, but the situation was defused.