10 Ways a Roadside Police Stop Can Go Wrong

[Rick Mason]

10 Ways a Roadside Police Stop Can Go Wrong

Once police stop you, a ticket is the least of your worries. Here is a guide to some of the roadside hazards created by giving cops the discretion to mess with just about anyone who dares to travel in an automobile.

I told a cop a couple of months ago who stopped me for a broken headlight that her question, "Where are you going to?" was the single most stupid thing a cop can possibly ask, only matched by "Where are you coming from?" She was not amused.

 

[churchmouse]

10 Ways a Roadside Police Stop Can Go Wrong

Once police stop you, a ticket is the least of your worries. Here is a guide to some of the roadside hazards created by giving cops the discretion to mess with just about anyone who dares to travel in an automobile.

I told a cop a couple of months ago who stopped me for a broken headlight that her question, "Where are you going to?" was the single most stupid thing a cop can possibly ask, only matched by "Where are you coming from?" She was not amused.

I am a bit put off by the fishing expeditions they enter into like this as well. Where I have been and where I am going is no ones business period. I understand the what and why of this but again, no.


Now, this will not go south as a way to beat up on LEO. Seriously.

 

[femurphy77]

I am a bit put off by the fishing expeditions they enter into like this as well. Where I have been and where I am going is no ones business period. I understand the what and why of this but again, no.


Now, this will not go south as a way to beat up on LEO. Seriously.

Oh. Well. . . . .never mind then.

 

[walleyepw]

Oh. Well. . . . .never mind then.

Wow! There goes all the fun.

 

[WebSnyper]

10 Ways a Roadside Police Stop Can Go Wrong

Once police stop you, a ticket is the least of your worries. Here is a guide to some of the roadside hazards created by giving cops the discretion to mess with just about anyone who dares to travel in an automobile.

I told a cop a couple of months ago who stopped me for a broken headlight that her question, "Where are you going to?" was the single most stupid thing a cop can possibly ask, only matched by "Where are you coming from?" She was not amused.

Where are you going? : Here
Where are you coming from? : There

 

[HoughMade]

There are an infinite number of ways a traffic stop can go wrong for anyone involved in it.

So....what to do? ...cause after reading that article I'm left asking that question.

Me, I'm going to pull over, be polite and try not to be stupid, but I knew that before reading the article. And that article has more in common with late March corona scare-tactic "news" articles than one might think. Essentially: "a lot of bad things can happen[SUB] (but probably won't)[/SUB] but we want you to think they are super common."

 

[JettaKnight]

10 Ways a Roadside Police Stop Can Go Wrong

Once police stop you, a ticket is the least of your worries. Here is a guide to some of the roadside hazards created by giving cops the discretion to mess with just about anyone who dares to travel in an automobile.

The whole article can be summed up as "you might be XXXX, but it's highly likely you'll be sent on you way, maybe with a ticket." Just don't be a dick to the officer.

Yeah, it's fishing, but once it's obvious you're a duck and not a fish...

I told a cop a couple of months ago who stopped me for a broken headlight that her question, "Where are you going to?" was the single most stupid thing a cop can possibly ask, only matched by "Where are you coming from?" She was not amused.

Why is that stupid?


"Where you going to" and "where you coming from" seem pretty innocuous, it's the, "how much have you had to drink tonight" that's best left unanswered. The question isn't about the answer, but how you answer it, and possibly how you answer it later on.


Here's an example of those "stupid" questions give the officer probable cause to search and turning up a bunch of drugs.
[video=youtube;FybPeG-2ojc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FybPeG-2ojc[/video]

PS - that YouTube channel has a ton of bodycam videos of cops just doing their job the right way.

 

[bwframe]

Guess I'm just a weirdo...

...when I'm pulled over for something that is truly my fault, I'm kissing all the ass I can. Hoping for mercy.

Speeding pull over always gets my pink paper along with the license. So far so good, 100%.

 

[Rick Mason]

Why is that stupid?

When someone ties in a nexus with a broken headlight, where I've been, and where I am going, then perhaps it is not stupid. Until then, it is stupid.

 

[Rick Mason]

we want you to think they are super common."

How uncommon do they have to be so we can't call them wrong anymore?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Why is that stupid?

When someone ties in a nexus with a broken headlight, where I've been, and where I am going, then perhaps it is not stupid. Until then, it is stupid.

I once got pulled over on my way to a Halloween party. I was in full clown makeup, minus the nose. First thing the cop said when he walked up was, "Going to, or coming from?" I said, "Going to." and that was the end of the encounter. I had actually cut him off accidentally - got off onto a surface road from the interstate and had to immediately cross 3 lanes of traffic to make a left hand turn and just didn't see him in my blind spot. I apologized and was on my way in a couple of minutes.

 

[KLB]

The whole article can be summed up as "you might be XXXX, but it's highly likely you'll be sent on you way, maybe with a ticket." Just don't be a dick to the officer.

Yeah, it's fishing, but once it's obvious you're a duck and not a fish...

Why is that stupid?


"Where you going to" and "where you coming from" seem pretty innocuous, it's the, "how much have you had to drink tonight" that's best left unanswered. The question isn't about the answer, but how you answer it, and possibly how you answer it later on.


Here's an example of those "stupid" questions give the officer probable cause to search and turning up a bunch of drugs.
[video=youtube;FybPeG-2ojc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FybPeG-2ojc[/video]

PS - that YouTube channel has a ton of bodycam videos of cops just doing their job the right way.

The key question to answer was the "is it OK if I serach your car?"

Nope.

 

[rob63]

I once got pulled over on my way to a Halloween party. I was in full clown makeup, minus the nose. First thing the cop said when he walked up was, "Going to, or coming from?" I said, "Going to." and that was the end of the encounter. I had actually cut him off accidentally - got off onto a surface road from the interstate and had to immediately cross 3 lanes of traffic to make a left hand turn and just didn't see him in my blind spot. I apologized and was on my way in a couple of minutes.

Picturing you in clown attire being stopped by a police officer just made my day! Thank you.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Picturing you in clown attire being stopped by a police officer just made my day! Thank you.

Happy to oblige! As Steve Martin used to say, "I was a wild and crazy guy!"

 

[JettaKnight]

The key question to answer was the "is it OK if I serach your car?"

Nope.

Drug runners aren't the smartest.

Not sure if he thought he bluff his way out, or had no choice.

 

[JettaKnight]

How uncommon do they have to be so we can't call them wrong anymore?

No one said that.

 

[churchmouse]

 

[Rick Mason]

No one said that.

Didn't say anyone said it.

 

[rosejm]

I once got pulled over on my way to a Halloween party. I was in full clown makeup, minus the nose. First thing the cop said when he walked up was, "Going to, or coming from?" I said, "Going to." and that was the end of the encounter. I had actually cut him off accidentally - got off onto a surface road from the interstate and had to immediately cross 3 lanes of traffic to make a left hand turn and just didn't see him in my blind spot. I apologized and was on my way in a couple of minutes.

"Not a problem at all. I'll wait right over there for you and we can meet up again, when you're 'coming from'. That's got better odds and a better payout! See you later!"

Not sure if he thought he bluff his way out, or had no choice.

Ya really don't have a choice. Ridin' dirty or not, the dog was coming and the search was going to happen.
Hell, I can't really ever recall a case where there wasn't an "alert" providing cause for a search. Even when nothing is found, it's called trace/lingering odor.

This is one of my biggest problems with "open air sniffs". The dogs' behavior is trained. It can have issues both in behavior (mis-)reinforcement, and in "evaluation" by the handler. As the only expert present, who's to argue against the handler's opinion even with video evidence?

The only real difference made is the amount of time sitting in a patrol car waiting.
I'm not going to roll over and give up, but this is a foregone conclusion if the desire to search is there. An "incontrovertible" piece of evidence to provide cause vs. officer suspicion.

 

[HoughMade]

I’m fine with criminals being stupid. That police take advantage of that....it’s exactly what I would hope they would do, within the law.