Got pulled over for the first time today.

[SquawkVFR]

A friend and I were discussing checkpoints the other day and we both agreed that we would cooperate with checkpoints believing that it’s our civic duty to help keep drunk drivers off the street, hinder illegal drug trafficking, assist with finding missing children and search for fugitives etc.

Having said that, we believe that to be the 51% solution meaning that if the next person refuses to cooperate, that being the 49% solution, we fully support that person asserting their Constitutional rights to not be searched or identified without probable cause and so on. If I’m being honest my friend was more like 55/45 in support of the uncooperative person.

I’m curious what people on here think, both LE and non LE.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by SquawkVFR

A friend and I were discussing checkpoints the other day and we both agreed that we would cooperate with checkpoints believing that it’s our civic duty to help keep drunk drivers off the street, hinder illegal drug trafficking, assist with finding missing children and search for fugitives etc.

Having said that, we believe that to be the 51% solution meaning that if the next person refuses to cooperate, that being the 49% solution, we fully support that person asserting their Constitutional rights to not be searched or identified without probable cause and so on. If I’m being honest my friend was more like 55/45 in support of the uncooperative person.

I’m curious what people on here think, both LE and non LE.

I'm not going to waste my time searching a car unless I already have PC. Might still ask for consent just to see what you say, but if I already have PC I'm doing it anyways.

[sherob]

I've been thru one checkpoint in my life on the way to my inlaws in TN from TX... it was in MS, I mean in the middle of NOWHERE!

They are illegal in TX, so I didn't know what it was at first... and it was ~11:30pm. Wife and kiddo's were snoozing as I roll up to this thing. LEO starts asking me where I'm coming from and going... As this is the first time I've seen one of these things, I ask him what this is. He starts to get all snooty to me. I respond back that where I'm going and where I'm from is none of his business at that point. That's when I'm told it's a sobriety check, and he needs my license, insurance, and registration. Hand him license and insurance, tell him I'm from TX and we are not required to carry registration in our vehicles. He starts to walk around the Expedition, looks at everything, hands back my stuff and says I can go.

They had several tow trucks off to the side of the highway, and several vehicles ready to go... must be a happening place.

They are legal here in CO, and I've lived here for over 10 years so far and have never seen one yet. I have no problems with them as long as they are done correctly and within YOUR rights.

[FenwickHockey65]

Isn't your registration on the windshield in Texas...?

[NC_SS]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Isn't your registration on the windshield in Texas...?

It is in Virginia

That said I've never been through a check point

[sherob]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Isn't your registration on the windshield in Texas...?

I think it is now (2015)... wasn't then. The only thing on the windshield then was the inspection sticker.

[batman53201]

last time I got pulled over, I was doing 80 in a 35 zone. not only did I get off with a warning, I got escorted to the hospital. good thing he didn't see me a couple miles sooner, when I was doing 120 in a 55 zone. This was in the middle of nowhere, and no other cars present.

[Royal Tiger]

There’s nothing wrong with sobriety checkpoints when run correctly. We had mandatory training and updates just to make sure we were always doing it properly.

[Iron Lung Jimmy]

Got stopped at a checkpoint coming out of an Oktoberfest once. As we are rolling up to it the driver kind of panics and grabs a tin of Altoids out of the console and puts a whole handful in his mouth... and starts chewing.

The car instantly smells like a wintergreen bomb has exploded in it.

I'm thinking that probably isn't the best thing but too late now and though the hilarity is impossible to ignore giving in to laughter would be an even worse idea than the Altoids.

Cop comes to the door, driver rolls down the window, cop starts to look into the car... until he runs into the escaping wall of wintergreen. At that point he kind of pulls back, asks a few questions and, for whatever reason, sends us on our way.

[KJZ28]

Originally Posted by yzinger

what about the vette?, he got away?

That always confused me, I never caught up to him.

[KJZ28]

Originally Posted by Royal Tiger

Nope. In fact numbers of tickets was never used. Even the hint of a “quota” can get your department in big trouble.

Have a friend in NYPD, says that they dont have quotas either....but they have "performance evaluations" and do a lot insinuating and wordplay. Gotta love NY.

[swampcritter]

Originally Posted by NC_SS

It is in Virginia

That said I've never been through a check point

In Virginia,your registration is on a piece of paper you keep in the glove box.Inspection sticker is on your windshield and you used to have a County sticker also on there.But most places have now done away with the county sticker.You just better pay your county taxes or they won't give you your piece of paper saying you paid to keep in your car and they also notify DMV so you can't get your stickers for your plates.

[Skirwin]

Originally Posted by Moto-Mojo

With all due respect, do you have breasts? Sorry, I’m not sure I know a male that’s ever gotten off with a warning. Good banter about football or cars, yes. But I still got cuffed and or ticketed. Jus sayin...

I am a male and have been given a warning everytime. Most of the time I try to drop that I am a teacher in the county (we live in a VERY small rural area) or make a joke about having a Camaro and that they must be a Ford guy, and we end up sharing a laugh and talking for a bit. I have only gotten a speeding ticket once and that was because I was doing well over 80 in a 55. Even then, he only got me for doing 10 over the limit.

[JD555]

Originally Posted by Royal Tiger

Nope. In fact numbers of tickets was never used. Even the hint of a “quota” can get your department in big trouble.

I got pulled over last year. 45 on one side of a bridge and 50 on the other. i got up to 54 my 50 speed before the bridge and got hit by a cop hiding in tall marsh grass at the base or it. He told me he was told to get as many people on that road as he can. He apologized saying he had to but still gave me a ticket.