[cdbeaver]

This is firearms related . . .

Last evening my friend and I, just returned from prairie dog hunting with five rifles in our pickup, were stopped at a city roadblock for safety and license check.

I had my S&W Chief's Special .38 lying on the front seat between my friend and me.

As the police officer checked my registration, insurance card and driver's license, I said: "Officer, I must tell you; I have a revolver sitting in plain sight on the seat here." In Nebraska, concealed carry is illegal; open carry is okay.

The officer never flinched, never stopped checking my driving credentials, and said, "That's nice. Thanks for telling me. You're in good shape to continue on. Have a nice evening."

Great officer, in my book.

[Carlos]

Wow, wish they could all be like that.

Hopefully won't run into any roadblocks this weekend.

:)

[cordex]

Hate the concept of "Just checking!" roadblocks. Put 'em up if you're trying to catch a killer, fine. Don't put 'em up because you think I'm not wearing my seatbelt (I do, but what frickin' business is it of the police?).

Glad you had a decent experience at this particular one, though.

Pathetic that we've gotten to the point that we are relieved not to be harassed and assaulted for living our lives.

[geekWithA.45]

Road Blocks Are Evil.


That being said, glad it worked out, the cops sound like pros.

Of course, in Jersey, it'd be 15+ in the slammer, and no guns for life. :scrutiny:

[El Tejon]

cordex, yes, but we do not have roadblocks how is our little state to receive any of our federal gas tax money back? If we did not have roadblocks, all of our money (instead of 70%) would be used to buy votes in Florida, New York, Texas and California.:uhoh:

[Standing Wolf]

We don't need no stinkin' Fourth Amendment civil rights!

[tyme]

Yeah, the 4th is antiquated and not well suited to modern society where people have cars and tinted windows and could be carrying lots of stuff like lots of cash or illegal leaves or any number of other socially unacceptable items.

[Ryder]

The last road block I encountered was in Northern Ontario, Canada. For some reason I don't think that things would have gone as well for me as they did for you. :D

[Bowlcut]

Well im rather used to roadblocks. Getting to my house back home ment you went in basicly on one road. There were a few backways, but fewer than there were police. So the county setup dui roadblocks on all the major holidays on these roads and occasionaly on other times like near election days and stuff. So more than once while growing up, and still happens now, I get stoped on the way home to get basicly a "mmm looks good go ahead". Most the time they just do the simple are you leagal stuff.

More of an annoyance than anything else. But I dont mind, rather them catch one or two people than not. Yea just standing around when they could be doing something else....but visiable deterants do a lot to criminals, atleast the common ones. The nights they setup these roadblocks usualy were the quietest nights in the county

[CZ-75]

The nights they setup these roadblocks usualy were the quietest nights in the county

That must've done a lot of good.

[dakotasin]

roadblocks irritate me to no end...

last one i went thru, i was fishing in my wallet for my license. the officer saw my weapons permit and asked if i had a gun in the truck. i said 'yep, 1911 in my holster and it is cocked and locked. would you like to see it?' he said 'nope, just curious what you carry. have a nice day.'

i was a little bewildered about why he asked about the gun, but nothing ever came of it, and i was never harrassed further at any time down the road.

[firestar]

I have only been stopped at 2 road blocks in my life. If I can see them in time, I will drive for miles to go around them even if they are just seatbelt road block checks. I don't do anything wrong but why take a chance? When you put yourself at the mercy of the cops, you never know how it can turn out. They never chase you around here if you avoid a road block like that, so many people do it that it is funny. The last one I got stopped at, 50% of the people were making U-turns and just going to the next road.:D

You can take your road blocks and...:neener:

[Bowlcut]

Well my uncle is a sargent on the city police and my cousin is a dective in the county....so i got to know most the police officers around home. So I dont mind road blocks there. Down here in nashville it might be a different thing, but ive not see any yet*knock on wood*. I currently dont have anything to hide...currently ;) . So getting stoped doesnt bother me. I do try to make it go as quickly las possible and smoothly.

Guess im one of the few not bothered by them and try to help the cops out.

[Kharn]

On my way home from college last semester (with a minivan full of crap and my dad driving) we got stuck at a drunk driver road block. What fun, three hours to get two miles down the road; they'd put the roadblock at the one spot in the county where there is only the main highway, no roads below that point connect to roads above that point.

Luckily I didnt have any guns with me (and they didnt ask) or it would have been a much longer night.

Kharn

[faustulus]

Bowlcut,
I bet you aren't black or hispanic.
Just because you don't have anything to hid doesn't mean they won't find something.

[WonderNine]

Here's what I think of roadblocks:

:cuss:

[Flashpoint]

I have only ever seen two roadblocks. They were set up at the edges of a dry county line trying to catch drunk drivers going to the wet county line to buy liquor. I was in my route truck and all they did was wave me through with a nod. I was glad; DOT can really put the hurt to you if they wanted to.

[BlkHawk73]

In most cases here, the police have to - in advance - publically announce that there will be one "someplace".

Don't like 'em 'cause they take up your time, leave a few minutes earlier. Would you rather have them not conduct them and stop a drunk or have that drunk out there still as a hazzard to your friends and family?
If you've got nothing to hide, they should'nt worry you. And memba, the leos aren't always crazy about them either.

[AV1611]

"If you've got nothing to hide, they should'nt worry you."

That's not the point. Unless you've commited a crime/ traffic violation/etc. or they have reasonable cause to question you they've got no business stopping you.

What if beat cops in the city stopped every hundredth person walking down the street and asked to see his driver's license to make sure there wasn't a warrant out for their arrest? Would that be okay too?

AV1611 out...

[BlkHawk73]

BlkHawk73 in...

That's not the point. Unless you've commited a crime/ traffic violation/etc. or they have reasonable cause to question you they've got no business stopping you.

How they gonna know you're being naughty unless they check? You think criminals are going to wave thier "I'm a criminal" flag?

What if beat cops in the city stopped every hundredth person walking down the street and asked to see his driver's license to make sure there wasn't a warrant out for their arrest? Would that be okay too?

If it helps getting the crooks, criminals, bad guys, etc off the streets...sure.

That one @$$ hole that could be stopped buy a check could be the one that would've injured/killed someone close to you. I just hope that these checks keep getting these people off the roads/streets so that this won't happen.

[Baba Louie]

Another minor inconvenience in lifes little journey.

Don't ya just "hate it" when the police get all proactiveated and tell people beforehand that over the holiday weekend, on the way to Lake Mead and up to Mt. Charleston (this is Las Vegas), they're going to have "checkpoints"? And to "Expect some delay"? Kinda like going to the airport nowadays, eh?

They still actually nail a lot of people. Scary. I hate it when they take impaired drivers off the road like that.

I guess I don't HAVE to drive. Not like its a "Right" or anything.

I'm privileged to drive on publicly funded roads only after being tested, agreeing to certain things, paying my privilege tax and having my photo and SSN put on my "papers please"; providing state-mandated proof of insurance and proof of paying yet another registration tax on the vehicle in which I get to be "Checked".

Kinda like "Deer Season" checkpoints only different.

Just another minor inconvenience in life's little journey.

Adios

[DrPsycho]

At least your county/city/state/country's law enforcement officers care enough about the public to even bother putting up random road blocks.

Instead of playing computer games at their station like I've seen them do here (here is western Sydney, Australia BTW).

[sctman800]

Unless you are doing something that gives them a reasonable suspision you are doing something illegal, they have no reason to stop you. That is how we are losing our Constitunal rights, not by one huge act but a little bit at a time. "I don't _______, so It doesn't bother me if they stop everyone and check." This is like bird hunters saying "I don't care if they outlaw handguns, because it wont bother me." Or handgunners saying "I dont have any semiauto rifles so it won't bother me if they are banned." When the government takes from any of us they take from us all. We have roadblocks here in Illinois, in fact my wife was stopped last nite on her way home from the hospital about midnite. She was perfectly legal, but still annoyed. IIRC in Illinois, this went to the Illinois Supreme Court where it was ruled as UNCONSTITUNAL, but a reasonable price to pay for highway safety. I want the highways safe also, but I think this is too high a price to pay. Mabye some of you who think it is allright to do these roadblocks will change their mind when they are made late for work or an importaint meeting because of them. Or mabye they will have a "drug dog" in attendence that "hits" on your vehicle because it picks up on powder residue from your last trip to the range. Mabye you will change your mind after they spend a couple hours tearing your vehicle apart looking for non-existing drugs. Thanks for listening, Jim.

[Oleg Volk]

These days, I am tempted to speak Russian to the militzioneri operating roadblocks. That would be appropriate to the situation and I can always claim to have just had a flashback to 1984 USSR. Probably wouldn't go over well though.

When did the concept of preventive rather than reactive policing become popular int he US? Or was it always around, just not applied to the non-swarthies?

[El Tejon]

Mr. Wolf, since federal money became at issue.

During Prohibition the Supreme Court held that roadblocks violated the Fourth Amendment. During the War on Drugs, when federal money is used to have the states and cities do as the .gov tells them, roadblocks do not violate the Fourth Amendment.

[BamBam]

That one @$$ hole that could be stopped buy a check could be the one that would've injured/killed someone close to you. I just hope that these checks keep getting these people off the roads/streets so that this won't happen

BlkHawk73:
Sounds reasonable but what if the next step is for them to go door-to-door checking for "infractions"?
Or how about drug testing every person at these road blocks? Just give a few ounces of blood and they can test it on the spot.
Maybe portable lie detector tests, too; they could catch all the people who have improperly disposed of waste oil or used the term "homo" or "******" and bust them for hate crimes.

Big Brother is watching.

BamBam

[glockten]

I've been stopped twice while armed. I handed over my carry permit with my DL. The first officer, in Nashville, didn't even comment on my carry permit; he even let me go with a warning because he liked my anti-Clinton bumper sticker!

The second time, in a smaller Tennessee town, the officer merely asked if I was armed. I answered "yes" and that was that. I did get a speeding ticket that time, though.

At the only roadblock I've encountered while armed, they didn't ask for my license.

Tennessee=good.:)

[STW]

You all need to live south of one of the border patrol check points to have a real appreciation for these. I'm 40 miles north of the Mexican border and 10 miles south of the border patrol. You have to allow an extra fifteen minutes or more when headed north just in case the check point is operatng. It can be worse. I've seen the back-up go five miles with four freeway lanes full.
The impound lot next to the check point is always full. It makes you wish for a truly defensible border if only so the hassle factor would decrease for the rest of us.

[CZ-75]

The impound lot next to the check point is always full.

"Free" cars for the po-po! :mad:

[Bowlcut]

Well yes I am a white and probaly fall into that GOB section (Good Old Boy, the kind that sit around the country store telling hunting stories type person). So yes I catch little flack from the local police back home. And down here I try to be nice courtious to all officers, if they offer up I get a little chatty if I can. Most of them are decent people.

If they wanted to "find" something on me they would have to either dig deep or find something that is only questionable. I am pretty clean, Rod says Im too clean as Ive never done any bad in my life pretty much. But yea some road block officers may tend to take it too far. But if its the usual quick stop look at your licesne and plate type deal where they are basicly just sniffing ya or looking for a few specific people they usualy go well back home. Then again its a small town and most everyone knows everyone.

Now down here in nashville Id be a little more leary to go though a road block. from the simple fact alot of the officers seem disconnected from the community and lot of the time very rude. oh well i guess im just really lienate toward such things....the democrat in me sneaking out i guess.....even tho im slowly converting

[Bruce in West Oz]

Fact of life here. Your motor vehicle is not regarded in the same light as your home. If you get pulled over for, say, a blown tail light, the cop can search your car from stem to stern if he so desires; he doesn't need a warrant.

We have "random breath testing" too for DUI (0.05 nationally; zero for "probationary" drivers (first two years of a licence)); police set up a mobile breath testing station, then check about 10 drivers at a time. They operate for about an hour in that location, then move on. Depending on traffic flow, they pull over about 25% to 50% of the traffic. So if you're lucky, you just get waved through. I've seen them operating at 8.30 a.m. on a weekday.

In the "war against drugs" and the "war against bikies", our police have been known to put up roadblocks over major highways leading into and out of Perth over holiday weekends and stop every single vehicle to run a sniffer dog over it, looking for "drugs and guns".

Agricultural checkpoints between state borders are common; they check for fruit or vegetables being transported illegally interstate -- they check the car and caravan (trailer) etc. (It's to stop the spread of fruit fly etc. A pain -- but I do agree with this one.)

Fisheries inspectors set up roadblocks, too. They have more power than the police. I've been stopped and had to unload everything out of the back of my 4WD on the side of the road, and open the Eskys (ice coolers?), plastic carry crates, everything. Get caught with under-sized lobster or abalone out of season, for example, and they can seize your vehicle, boat and trailer on the spot. If it appears you have been selling the fish/abalone etc., they can also seize your home. Everything is then sold and the money "forfeited to the Crown" (aka given to the government to waste on some socialist program).

Bruce

[mdsteele]

What sctman800 and Cordex said.

I've been through a few. Never had a problem with State patrol or deputies.
The city police always seem to bug out. The last one took offense to the idea that I could out shoot him with his own gun.(long story)

He wouldn't take me up on the contest. Hmmmph! go figure.
(and yes, I got a ticket)

[WonderNine]

Would you rather have them not conduct them

That's correct.

[faustulus]

When did the concept of preventive rather than reactive policing become popular int he US? Or was it always around, just not applied to the non-swarthies?

circa 1980 -- see 'war on drugs'

I'm privileged to drive on publicly funded roads only after being tested, agreeing to certain things, paying my privilege tax and having my photo and SSN put on my "papers please"; providing state-mandated proof of insurance and proof of paying yet another registration tax on the vehicle in which I get to be "Checked".

See Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany, et cetera.

Now down here in nashville Id be a little more leary to go though a road block. from the simple fact alot of the officers seem disconnected from the community and lot of the time very rude

With Metro cops I am just happy to get away from them without getting shot.

[PATH]

Drunk Driving Road Block, Seatbelt Compliance Roadblock, Terrorist Roadblock(trucks and vans), Roadblocks Checking for Expired Registrations and Emissions Inspections. You name it and New York State, especially NYC, has got it.

I love it when they ask where you are going. I said home. Wonder what would have happened if I said I'm driving around looking for a spot to dump the bodies I have in the trunk!:D

I just told the officer home as I was not sure if he had a sense of humour. My wife would have been a tad upset too!:D

[CZ-75]

Whole rest of post.... Everything is then sold and the money "forfeited to the Crown" (aka given to the government to waste on some socialist program).

Bruce, why'd you bother posting? We believe you and wouldn't expect anything less from Australiastan. The commie/fascist gun laws are the tip of the iceberg. This sounds like Klinton, Feinstein, Schumer, Kennedy, Davis, Gore, Lautenberg, et al.'s wet dream.

Take your house, car, etc. for catching fish under the limit? :uhoh: :barf:

[Bruce in West Oz]

Australiastan
I should hate that-- but I love it!! :evil:

Take your house, car, etc. for catching fish under the limit?
Well, mostly they'll just fine you -- I've seen recent fines of $40,000 for undersize lobster and more for undersize abalone or abalone taken out of season. (The abalone season is one day!)

:eek:

Bruce

Hey, if I didn't keep posting, you wouldn't know how good you have it, now would you??

[45-auto]

Roadblocks are a clear violation of the fourth amendment.

ANY gun law is a clear violation of the second amendment.

The rights outlined in the first ten amendments are beyond the reach of government and really free people will exercise their rights despite the actions of outlaw politicians.

We no longer have a government based on constitutional prinicipals.

[OEF_VET]

CZ-75, fish and wildlife authorities having the authority to confiscate your property related to a crime is not limited to Australia.

When I lived in Maine, a co-workers father-in-law found out the hard way. He and a friend decided to go fishing one afternoon, and for fun started going 'grenade fishing' with homemade grenades made from toilet paper rolls, gunpowder, wax and fuzes. Well, ole' Dad goes to toss one but the fuse burns too quick and explodes in his hand. His buddy rushes him to the hospital but the docs were unable to save it. When the wardens were called, he also lost his boat, the trailer, the truck he used to haul the trailer, all his fishing gear, all his guns, and his right to ever hunt or fish in Maine again. The kicker of it is he was the Chief of Police for his hometown on a leave of absence after a heart attack, and his buddy was the Constable from the next town over.

Sorry for going off the topic of roadblocks, which I'm kind of wishy-washy on. I think they are pushing the polices search powers, but I do believe they can be good. If they take criminals off the street or inspire people to reconsider drinking and driving, then it's an evil I can tolerate.

Frank

[makdaddy03]

Im glad that they are out there. I have never had a problem with LEOs and traffic stops. Hell I dont tell'em squat unless they ask.

[CZ-75]

I'm not.

Too reminiscent of every banana republic and fascist dictatorship. I'm waiting for internal passports and work permits next. :barf:

[sm]

Only reason a road needs to be blocked is in the event of "forces of nature". The road/bridge is unsafe due to being washed out, flooded, debris from tornadoes, hurricanes ice or snow...etc.

Driver Safety- OK
Gestapo-NO

I also avoid speed traps --or turn around. My mom caught flack and interrogated...just a warning, no ticket...but she felt like they were not after speeders, as so much an excuse to bust you for something else. Had her open her friggin lunch carry tote....arrrgghh

[faustulus]

Had her open her friggin lunch carry tote

And she did it?

[Dave P]

Kinda Scary reading this thread - I am surprised that so many think that roadblocks are OK. If they catch the criminals... If they find the drunk ... If it saves just one ...

Are we forgetting about "innocent until proven guilty"?

These rules and laws should not be put in place to make the job of the LEO easier. Let them do the required leg work to find the real threats to society, and leave the typical citizen and his possesions alone!

[sm]

faustulus:

No, she refused to open it.
Mom is in her 70's. Who knows how long it's been since she has been pulled over for anything...30, 40 years??

Startled at first, the officer was condecending, a real smart aleck, cocky. "Lady...[excuse me young man, I'm probably old enough to be your grandmother, respect suggests Ma'am]...Ma'am, Klinton is in town and there is college down the road...what's in the small ice chest?"

Mom. " Klinton should have stayed in DC...and he needs keep his pants zipped when he gets back, my son attends that college, and its no business of yours what I bring for lunch...so either ticket me or let me get on to my office...I've a meeting to attend...and I resent the implications".

Mumbled something about the speed, a verbal warning, and Mom quipped he was probably trying to impress someone --more likely himself...or the college girls buying gas adjacent to the stop. Something else about driving and knowing the speed on this road before he was born...

Mom said he picked his jaw off the pavement, got back on his motorcycle and left.

Not sure which , the 'lady' or " klinton" got her goat...I'd bet the latter.

[Erik]

Back when I lived in an area known for the regular use of roadblocks I minded them quite a bit. Lots of folks did. Then a PR campaign citing all sort of things like arrests, accidents, driving fatalities, driving injuries, DUIs etc came out and you know what? Most folks didn't seem to mind so much. I also noticed that nearly everyone buckled up after deciding to drink less.

1980s - see MADD, not WOD. (Though of course druggies get busted. They arenlt too bright, as it turns out.)

[BamBam]

Then a PR campaign citing all sort of things like arrests, accidents, driving fatalities, driving injuries, DUIs etc came out and you know what? Most folks didn't seem to mind so much.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

As a PR major in college I can tell you that this dosen't mean much, if anything. "Facts" and "Statistics" support what the presenters want them to.

Consider:
The vast majority of homocides are committed at night. Would this fact justify a dawn-till-dusk curfew for all citizens?

OR:
A "Chip" embedded in everyone's skull could track criminals. No problem if you do nothing wrong.............Ever have an overdue library book, unpaid parking meter ticket.......ever say anything negative about the government on the Internet?

[benEzra]

Speaking of statistics, the NHTSA counts every fatality in an accident where ANY driver or pedestrian victim has ANY detectable alcohol in his system (e.g., over 0.02% BAC) as "alcohol related." Hence, if a sober driver runs off the road and plows through a bus stop, killing himself and 4 pedestrians, and one of the pedestrians had just had a beer, that would have been 5 "alcohol related" deaths.

The true alcohol-related deaths, of course, are those in which the at-fault driver had a BAC of ~0.10% or more, which are the real problem. However, budgets are driven by (bogus) statistics, hence . . .