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So the tip was...visit your friends early and wear a coat when you are getting out to do your field sobriety test?[sm=confused06.gif]

 

I may be a bit jaded, but I think the tip was that too many officers, overstuffed on do-nuts, fail to go after the REAL criminals, and continue to harass honest citizens just because it's easier. Aint that the way YOU read that?

nogood o~`o

 

Nope, at that time of night a car drifting out of theri lane just might be a drunk driver. They don't know who's driving that car when they pull it over. Nothing wrong with cops doing their job. If they sit in their patrol car and say "well the car did drift but he looks to be an okay guy" and let them go, it just might be a drunk that kills someone. I've been pulled over many a time late at night and each time I know why they're actually doing it and I'm totally fine with it.

 

Right on Sleepman...and for the record, drunk drivers are REAL criminals...contrary to how the justice system views them.

 

Maybe it would be a little more "sporting" of the police to wait until a driver was obviously drunk before stopping them. Better yet, they could just wait until the someone else is killed and then determine whether the driver was intoxicated. Then you could fuss about the police not doing anything to prevent the traffic fatalities.

What do you want the police to do...be proactive and stop the drinking driver before the crash occurs or wait until they are positive the driver is drunk?

Research indicates that minor traffic clues are the easiest way to detect drivers who have been drinking. Those clues include failing to dim headlights, wide turns, weaving within the lane, etc.

Sounds to me like your stop happened exactly as it should have. The facts you stated are that you had consumed alcohol and you were driving during a time period when DUI's are common. You were stopped and checked on the basis of a clue. The horizontal gaze nystagmus test is very accurate, when properly performed, and does require the physical cooperation of the person tested. You were shivering due to the cold and that probably did interfere with the test. The officer determined that your shivering interefered with the test and asked you to perform it again. Would you have been happier if he had arrested you based on the first result that he didn't trust? If I saw you get out in the cold without a coat, I would also wonder whether you had been drinking.

You didn't state that you were arrested, so it sounds to me like the ending was perfect. Asking the police to follow you further only increases the odds of a truly drunken driver being involved in a crash. If the police are following a suspected DUI, would you want them to follow that driver an extra mile if a member of your family was out on the highway at that time? I doubt it!

Sounds like you had an encounter with some officers that were doing their job properly. In return, you are criticizing them for doing that job well.

Be careful what you ask for....you could live in a place where the police do nothing to prevent traffic crashes.

Andy

 

Dam, I guess I better stop weaving in the lane with the bike....I might get pulled over for DUI....lol. I weave in the lane all the time when traffic is busy. It wakes the cagers up and keeps them off my butt. At least in San Antonio it works about 95% of the time.

 

Bottom line is cops are looking for drunk drivers more, these days. Right wrong or whatever, they're gona stop ya if you do anything slightly wrong and evenings might be worse. ****, I got stopped for going right of center in the middle of the day, sober and driving a co. vehicle. He didn't think I needed a sobrietytest, I guess,but he did give me a ticket for it!

 

Funny that you mention that... I was pulled over for weaving in my own lane in traffic. Cager on cell phone crosses line into my lane, I weave to avoid being crushed, cop stops me for "erratic driving" WTF? Long story short, I was sent on my way after LEO had me dance on the side of the road like a circus performer for twenty minutes. It was 4:45pm and I was on my way home from work. Hadn't even had a chance to get a beer at home and relax yet.

 

Of the many times I've been pulled over only once haveI been guilty and let go and twice I was guilty and admitted it up front. The others were pure harassment in my car. Was issued citations for every one and finally got tired of it so I went to court which required me to take 2 days off from work asI travel throughout the US. Drive 3 hours one way only to be mocked in the courtroom by the female officer and female judge in attendance. Total cost was around $1165.00 for lost wages and expenses including the fine for speeding. I started video taping patrol cars on the freeway before I went to court flying past me at high rates of speed, some up to 15 over the speed limit and still pulling away from me. I also offered this after the verdict and the judge stated that she could care less what the officers were doing on the road. I then asked what the rules were on patrol cars without emergency and without lights flying down the freeway and she told me ifI wanted to know the library upstairs was full of law books and I was more than welcome to go start reading. She then ordered me to not say another word and leave her courtroom and pay on the way out. Now lets recap......been broken into 6 times only to wait 6 hours for a patrol car and then no evidence was ever taken. Stolen items never recovered from home or cabin or an update or report. Letters in the mail stating I need to take drivers training classes( I drive 50Ka year plus work at least a 40 week) Never been in an accident that was caused by me. To protect and to serve indeed.............

OK I feel better now..................pssst, wanna by tickets for the ball?