brother went through first state police checkpoint yesterday

[The Chicken Lady]

Quote:
Me either.

Me neither.

I went through customs right after 9/11, though. Now THAT was interesting.

 

[Godsgrl]

I've been through many of them. It seems they have them about every other week around here. Not a problem, just have your insurance and license ready.

 

[Godsgrl]

Quote:
If we did that, we'd be arrested. I'm glad it worked out for you though.

 

[Whispering Winds]

I have never been though one; Illinois is notorious for them. I was helping DH work on barn today and just happened to look at his plates and he expired in AUGUST!! I gotta get to the license bureau pronto!!! I sure don't need a check point do I??????

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Me neither. Just the thought of going thru one gives me a case of the hives.

I'm so weird.

 

[wombat]

I don't like them at all. I've never considered being on a given road at a given time to be probable cause for being stopped, no matter how well-intentioned the reason for setting them up.

I used to work late hours as a telecom engineering manager, and I got pulled over all the time just for being on the road on my way home at 3am.

 

[GrayDragon]

I've been through a few. I hate them. They are simply a way around the 4th amendment a lot of time, and are simple revenue grabs the rest of the time. They don't actually do much to cut down on drunk driving, they just serve to make people late and occasionally get loads of money from someone who forgot their purse or can't find their insurance card.

Trying to avoid one is considered 'probable cause' for them to search your entire vehicle and put you in handcuffs. Cause, ya know, the only possible reason you could have for wanting to avoid one is 50 pounds of crack and a murdered prostitute in your trunk. Couldn't possible have anything to do with you are on your way to an appointment and don't have a half hour to spare.

 

[Boyd]

Quote:
Yeah, I agree. I've had LEO buddies tell me that those were great ways to restock their coolers for sunday night football..........

But where I live we have 1 cop.... he works part time..... and although he isn't quite as old as Moses, it has to be close. So um.......... no road blocks in Gaines Michigan

 

[gaited horse]

Quote:
That sounds like fun.
Never been throw a check stop yet but I have'nt ever driving.

 

[Equus5O]

Quote:
DUI isn't the only reason for check points. Those are usually done around the holidays.

Your average, every-day check point is done to summons and remove from the road those that shouldn't be on the road. Most of the drivers ticketed at check points are those that are unlicensed, suspended, unregistered, uninsured, or operating unsafe vehicles. Some of those operators may have warrants, or be DUI.

The spot where we usually do day-time DMV stops/check points is at a location that is heavily travelled by tractor trailers. There's an incredible amount of unsafe tractor trailers on the road at any given time. My husband is a driver, so I'm not a tractor trailer driver basher. Those that are unsafe are removed from the road. Your daily shopper or commuter may lose some time due to the delay from the checkpoint. Get over it. Stop to think about how many drivers and vehicles that shouldn't have been on the road in the first place were taken off the road during that checkpoint.

Is revenue generated from the check points? Of course it is. But, drivers and vehicles that shouldn't be on the road are removed from the road. Many of the people ticketed are unlicensed or suspended. Many of the vehicles are unregistered, uninsured, over-weight or otherwise unsafe. It's not just about not having your documents in hand or your vehicle inspected (both of which are required by law in many states).

Why is it that people complain about enforcement of the law when it isn't convenient? If you're required by law to be licensed, registered, insured, inspected, safe, etc. and you're not, who are you to complain when you're not in compliance with those laws? Many of those who complain about the inconvenience of check points, and motor vehicle stops in general, would be first in line to complain about an unlicensed driver if a loved one were injured or killed by that unlicensed driver. "Why wasn't that driver taken off the road?!"

And no, avoiding a check point isn't probable cause to search your vehicle for decomposing bodies and mass amounts of controlled dangerous substances. It's just probable cause to stop you, man-power allowing, and make sure that all is in order. We wouldn't want to allow that serial killer to get away by avoiding a check point.

If you do have huge amounts of drugs and many dead bodies in your trunk, that would just be bonus points for me in my personnel file, and if I were really lucky a photo op in the local paper <gag>

I won't address every single line of the individual posting above, because it just sounds too much like simple cop bashing to me, and we all know that I don't address those