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only in australia!
Mameotron:
--- Quote from: danny_galaga on December 12, 2004, 10:36:31 pm ---well, over the weekend they started random drug-testing of motorists in Victoria. a world first i think. they caught someone after only FOUR cars!
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DrewKaree:
I must have been WAAAAAAAAA-AAAA(did I say "AAA")AY too subtle earlier ;)
Anyhoo, on to this
--- Quote from: Mameotron on December 13, 2004, 07:58:19 pm ---This kind of thing really annoys me, but only because of the illegal search done by the police.
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it's not an illegal search if they feel they have probable cause, that's why they use these checkpoints. See, they use the checkpoints for some reason (let's say they use the mythical "people are driving too fast on that street") that may be valid. If, in the process of administering the checkpoints, they feel a need to check a vehicle, they will ask the driver. If they believe the driver is impaired enough, they do the search no matter what.
--- Quote ---In the US, the cops must have "probable cause" to search you or your car. These damn checkpoints (we have them here, but just for alcohol) are clearly not probable cause. Probable cause is seeing you driving badly or having a bunch of people call and complain about how you drive.
They get away with it because they announce where the checkpoints will be a few days in advance. Still, that doesn't help someone who is just passing through while on vacation.
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If probable cause is having a bunch of people call and complain, think about how utterly swamped the phone board would become if this was known.
My question is this - if they announce where the checkpoints are, how wasted/stupid would you have to be to either drive around that area in without ensuring that you were clear of "stuff" - OR - how wasted/stupid are you that you can't figure out an alternate route around the checkpoints?
If you can't evade or ensure you have nothing to hide, isn't that Darwin just a little bit right?
Also, they aren't just looking for alcohol. How would you feel if at the checkpoint they caught the alcoholic driving without his license because it was revoked after he ran over Meemaw and Pop Pop and killed them, perhaps after his second or third DUI?
I ask this, because I lived in a city where it happened.
Anybody ever hear a story in the news about the alcoholic with two or three DUI's (OR MORE! :o) who is now in jail after running someone over and killing them? (mameotron, no sarcasm towards you, just general use here) Riiii-ight, because that happens all the time ::)
The point I'm getting at is this - THAT is the chucklehead who can't figure out how to evade the cops. While I don't condone those who DO evade the cops, at least they have enough of a grasp on reality that they know what to do to NOT get caught that particular night! If they were infringing on rights so egregiously, you'd have to be insane not to think that lawyers wouldn't be all over that. I know it's a fine line, which I think leads to your other point:
--- Quote ---It is just way too easy for the cops to overstep their bounds. I know that in Louisiana the laws had to be completely rewritten because the cops realized that anything they confiscated in a "drug related crime" did not have to be given back, even if the person was found to be innocent of any crimie. So they would pull over fancy cars for little things like not using your turn signal and confiscate them for a "drug related crime" and not ever have to give them back.
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I agree that it's easy to overstep their bounds.
That said, mebbe it's the guys who write the laws in each state to fix that. Change begins with you, and it's your exercising your right to vote that will change these things for the better (sometimes) or for the worse (sometimes).
I'm DrewKaree, and I approved this message ;D
Mameotron:
Nah, Drew, I would NEVER accuse you of being too subtle! :D
I really should clarify what I said.
DrewKaree:
--- Quote from: Mameotron on December 13, 2004, 09:21:34 pm ---I'm Mameotron, and pending review by my legal team and image consultant, I approve this message. 8)
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LMAO! Trying to jump the gun on the new "campaign reform bill"?
I dunno, I'll have to muddle through that one. So far I see it as not obtrusive to me, working, and within the law.
Dartful Dodger:
--- Quote from: Mameotron on December 13, 2004, 09:21:34 pm ---I guess what I'm trying to do is point out that I think the line between legal and illegal searches is pretty clear, and people (not just police) these days are saying it's OK to cross that line if you catch the bad guys.
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