Vans such large targets for the police

[webbmac]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

Lightening things up, did you ever watch The Man Show, where the hosts circulated a petition to repeal Women's Suffrage? Maybe it was just made for TV drama, but it was amazing how many people were willing to sign the petition, without knowing what it really was.


Herb

I loved that one and also the petition they had people sign banning the use of dihydrogen oxide (water). Pretty much says it all.

As Jefferson said, 'If a country expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.'

[macmcintire]

Speaking of Sportsmobiles . . .

[tildadog]

As a former driver of a 1976 VW Camper, I drove for almost ten years with very few hassles by the police except the occasional warning for a tail light or quick chat by a park ranger to size me up in a campground. A lot of it has to do with attitude, in my experience as long as you give the police no reason to feel unsafe and chill the attitude they will be cool.

Having said that, I now own a large white van and the first time I was driving down I-10 between Houston and New Orleans I was subject to a multiple car felony stop with guns drawn. After a few minutes of a tense situation they all let except one officer who was left behind to explain that there was a lookout for a large white ford van driving from New Orleans owned by a biker gang loaded with machine guns etc....

Sometimes you are the profile...

[jage]

Originally Posted by macmcintire

Speaking of Sportsmobiles . . .

I have a genuine SMB story- not sure if I've shared it before. Last time I was headed back to Indiana on I-70, in the middle of nowhere, aka Kansas, on a rolling stretch where there are almost no exits and where there are nothing but a farm road.

About 10 miles from the next exit there is a workzone type sign with a flashing yellow light: Drug Checkpoint Ahead. Then more in increasing frequency with messages like "Be prepared to stop" "Drug sniffing dogs in use" and my especial favorite: "se preparan para detener de drogas por delante".. don't want to be misunderstood after all.

Anyway with increasing frequency of the signs, construction lights, and warnings- no doubt designed to increase agitation, I fell victim to that same agitation. Not over drugs but a combination of my outrage over constitutional violations and the fear and stress it would put my cat under to have dogs, however well trained, sticking their noses in the van.

At the end of the 10 miles there were two things, the first was an exit. "That's the dumbest thing I ever saw, to leave an exit just before the checkpoint!" and I knew it was the checkpoint because just over the next ridge you could see the blaring blue and red flash artifacts of what looked like an army of police. I was briefly tempted to take the exit, only to avoid the dogs, when I realized what was really going on.

No surprise then when I passed the notably empty exit and the light show was one abandoned cop car with everything on, positioned just perfectly to give the impression of lots of activity over the hill.

They almost got me, for fear over the dogs effect on my cat and rage over being forced to stop. I don't want to think about what would have happened if I'd taken the exit to nowhere, but I imagine any paranoid idiot with a trunk full of dope would have acted similarly, which of course was the whole idea.

[macmcintire]

Those LEOs are so smart. In Boulder City, Nevada, they have a fully uniformed mannequin they place in the driver's seat of a patrol car and put the car in the medium just over a rise right after the reduced speed sign. It's how they get all those tourists speeding to see Hoover Dam to slow down. It nearly gives me a heart attack every time I see it, even though I know it's there and always slow down before approaching that spot. Because, sometimes it's no mannequin sitting there.

And now for a funny story of a somewhat similar vain. Last year I had a guy come to my office and hand-deliver an envelop from the United States District Court of Nevada. My heart nearly stopped as my brain raced to figure out what I could have done or why I was being sued. Imagine my surprise and relief to open the envelop and read that I had been given the Silver Beaver Award, the highest award given to an adult volunteer by a local council of the Boy Scouts of America. Apparently, the federal judge was the chairman of the awards committee. I saw the judge last night at a Scout meeting and told him this year he may want to consider putting the notices in a plain white envelop.

[oldbonesclimber]

Congratulations from an OLD Eagle Scout. However my wife says she has one, and doesn't understand the big deal.

Paul

[Scalf77]

Paul,
Now that was funny..

Mac,
Congratulations on the award. My son is currently a life scout, I hope that he will be looking to do his eagle project this year. My most rewarding trip as a scout leader so far, was getting a group of kids on the summit of South Sisters in Oregon. Not a technical feat by any means, but up until then our troop did little outside of car camping, The look on their faces as they took in all the views was well worth the effort. The best reward that I received, was a multitude of thanks from people on the trail, thanking us for getting young kids out in the mountains. That makes all the effort and time that I have spent, supporting my son in scouts well worth the effort, of course if/when he gets his eagle will be the topping on the cake.

Greg

[daveb]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

Yes the DUI issue is a major problem affecting our country. Punish those involved and not the 99% of the country that is not part of the problem. Permanent revocation of their licenses. Prison time. Even now, the amount of consequence for DUI is minor. As you mention, it's a privilege not a right, but my rights are guaranteed by two little documents call the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The US Constitution and the Bill of Rights guarantee me certain rights, rights that no local jurisdiction has the ability or right to take away. Not the 'right to drive' but the right against unlawful search and seizure.


Herb

I got stuck in a traffic stop that kind of surprised me. I was sure it was a DUI check point but they were flagging several vehicles through without even having them roll down the windows. Then I saw the sign, all diesel vehicles pull off to be inspected. The CHP stuck a stick down into the fuel tank looking for farm fuel. I was a little worried because I had a couple beers earlier. I agree with getting drunks off the road but with a CDL I'm in violation by just smelling a beer. I'd bet that I can drink six beers and drive better than a large percent of stupid drivers, those being the ones shaving, reading, putting on makeup, phone talkers & texters plus the huge amount of plain lousy drivers out there. What ever happened to sobriety? If I'm drunk, I got what's coming to me, but this crap of over the limit has become a joke to me. I was stuck in dead traffic on the highway when the dumb a** girl ran right into me cause she was talking on the phone. My big gripe is that DUI check points get some of the bad drunks off the road for a while then they are back but they also net people that drive better than your common lousy driver and ruin their lives. Well actually they themselves ruined their lives by drinking in the first place. Get the drunks AND lousy drivers off the road and I'll feel better but I still feel I shouldn’t get nailed for having a glass of wine after leaving the restaurant.

[twogone]

[Mahukaawe]

Originally Posted by Wildhare

Veijo,Your comments on the Maricopa County Sheriffs office are uncalled for.They may have some problems that need to be addressed but they do a pretty could job in difficult times.Do not beleive everything you see in the news.The liberals in Washington have been on a witch hunt since sb1070 was passed.Since they cannot or will not do their jobs they need to attack anyone trying to do it for them.These recent allegations of racial profiling are a joke.Having many family members in the Phoenix PD they will tell you why so many Hispanics get stopped.It's because if you drive around Phoenix you will see that most of the cars that have vehicle violations are driven by Hispanics.This in part is a low income problem as well as a cultural problem.As anyone who has been to Mexico will tell you vehicle maintance is not a priority.This results in a greater number of Hispanics being stopped for vehicle violations.Now when stopped if you cannot speak English or you drivers license is not good is it not resonable to ask your immigration status?Those of us who have lived in Arizona for a long time have seen the damage that unchecked illegal imigration has done to our state.Sheriff Joe is not perfect but it least he's doing something.

Word!