Your Opinions on Sobriety & Narcotics Checkpoints.

[Philosoraptor]

In the city where I live in the midwest, they often have sobriety checkpoints, and occasionally narcotics checkpoints. Sometimes they even publish where they are going to be in the local paper, but usually they are surprise checkpoints.

I've even been through a couple recently, always a hassle, always kind of scary. They even pop people for outstanding warrants if they are in the system. And of course if you're smoking something you shouldn't be, you're busted.

What is your opinion of these checkpoints?

[Maraya1969]

1. I like them. Driving is a privilege not a right. And drunk drivers

scare me. Of course I have been one and when I look back on how dangerous I was it freaks me out. I am thankful I never hurt anyone. I think the worst car crashes involve drunk driving.

[saigon68]

2. How about blood tests too or pregnancy checks

Hey if that woman is going to have a kid-- let's watch her to make sure she doesn't have an abortion.

Also a way to deal with guys wearing diapers on their heads for Green Cards.

Cooksey, an arch-conservative Republican, is planning to run against Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat nearing the end of her first term. Cooksey made news last week for some bone-headed comments about airport security and racial profiling in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"If I see someone comes in that's got a diaper on his head and a fan belt wrapped around the diaper on his head, that guy needs to be pulled over," Cooksey said during an interview with Louisiana Radio Network.

Cooksey's comment came last Monday, the same day that President Bush, a fellow Republican, visited an Islamic mosque and praised mainstream Islam as a religion of peace.

[EFerrari]

6. "Everyone who is not sixteen, is now sixteen."

"Underwear will be worn on the outside, so we can check."



:rofl:

[arcos]

8. Landrieu is a second term Senator..

I don't know Cooksey, but anyway I agree with your point.

[saigon68]

11. Well it is a quote from a site in 1992

Before Landrieu won her second term

I use it because some people here have gotten upset thinking I invented the term

A DIAPER HELD ON BY A FANBELT ON HIS HEAD.

LOL

[readmoreoften]

3. Well I guess they're good if you're white and straight.

But if you're black or queer or if you look like whatever their idea of a suspect is that week, it's not much fun.

I think that if a driver is driving erratic they should be pulled over. Check points are beyond an unnecesary intrusion. Where's the probably cause?

[DanCa]

4. We should have them in the oval office

And on board air force one. The results of course are to be made immeadiately to the public.

[fordnut]

17. How about drug testing in the white house

[no_hypocrisy]

5. I have conflicting opinions as a citizen, a driver, and a traffic attorney

The checkpoints have occasionally taken DWIs off the road, but that has been due to the DWIs not being able to take a side road due to the surprise inspection. I have shared the road against my will with drivers who should not be operating a vehicle and somehow there has been no law enforcement in the vicinity at the time.

On the other hand, I have also seen the checkpoints used as a system to issue tickets having nothing to do with DWI like late vehicle inspection stickers, not having all documents (license, registration, insurance), impromptu searches, etc. I'd be fine if the checkpoints stayed focused on one thing. I see it as an opportunity for the cops to meet their ticket quotas. The checkpoints also have the effect of government monitoring of otherwise "innocent" drivers like the Soviet Union ("Your papers, Comrade . . . ").

On the whole, it's a necessary evil and there isn't a better alternative until something like a "hotline" is established for drivers to call in witnessed and suspected DWIs.

[calico1]

7. I have mixed feelings.

I think they can help discourage people from driving drunk. Here they put your name and address in the paper if you are caught. And the police log is the first thing a lot of people read in the paper so everyone finds out!

I worked with a gal once who had had a bought with encephalitis when she was a child. The long term affect it had on her was that it made her speech somewhat slurred sounding and she walked a little off balance which could look like staggering. If you didn't know her you might think she might be drunk. One night she was stopped, made to walk the yellow line, etc. and a few people that knew her saw her. The breathalizer proved she was fine (she didn't drink at all) but it was still an embarrassment for her.

[Greyhound]

9. Surprise! I am, as with all of these police/nanny state measures,

completely against them. there are many reasons why these are a terrible idea, but I'm going to get some sleep now. Maybe a lawyer will take a whack at it.

[NNN0LHI]

10. Funny you should mention that

I had to drive through one of them yesterday. It reminded me of the checkpoints we set up all over Iraq minus the gun play.

I don't like it.

Don

[dsc]

12. The simple problem is they don't work

on top of being violative of the spirit of the Constitution. I would prefer they simply patrol the roads.

[Minnesota Libra]

13. I don't have a problem with them, a car can be a...............

....very deadly weapon. So anything that keeps people from a war into a moving deadly weapon is fine by me. In fact I wish there were more checkpoints.

The part about arresting people for something that has nothing to do with operating a car (shoplifting, child support, etc) is a little much, in my book. On the other hand if the arrest warrant involves drugs of any kind/any place then yea, the person is fair game because that does/could affect driving.

[jimshoes]

14. Just how does a narcotics

checkpoint work? They make you take a urine test? Seems very intrusive.

[acmejack]

15. Firmly against.

Too Police state for me. No place for any of these type of mass inspection type tactics, there is no probable cause which I was taught is a big part of the process that limits the police's ability to mess with you. In the new improved America the steadily diminishing rights of the citizen are allowing the rise of a police state.

They are now allowed to demand your papers for no reason at all & you must present them. I was forced to purchase a State of Texas Identification Card, a VA ID was insufficient & I was told I could be arrested w/o having "proper" ID, this from the State DPS HQ.

[ThomWV]

16. It Is A Search Without Probable Cause

Why don't they just stop everyone walking down a sidewalk and demand to know their religion and how faithfully the practice it?

How about stopping everyone and determining each person's stance on abortion?

Kids on bicycles could be stopped to inquire as to their parents sexual preferences.

Many things can be done when you can simply stop and question - and hold - people with no good reason what so ever to suspect they have committed a crime, many things indeed. Every god damned one of then an affront to the 4th amendment to the Constitution.

[chemp]

18. they have been illegal here for quite some time

In Rhode Island we have something called unlawful search and seizure laws.
Without a reasonable doubt, the police have no reason to pull you over. Unless a massive crime has been committed, they have no right to pull EVERYONE over.