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Click Here. It's pretty funny.
Ok, the dancing part is funny. But please tell me this is NOT common practice for the USA policeforce to determin wether or not a person has been drinking. (I mean the ridiculous touching the nose and walking a straight line thing)
Great clip from Reno 911, that show is wild.

Later,
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Ok, the dancing part is funny. But please tell me this is NOT common practice for the USA policeforce to determin wether or not a person has been drinking. (I mean the ridiculous touching the nose and walking a straight line thing)




Yes. But with circumstances. They also have a breathalizer test where you blow into a tube and it measures how much alcohol you've got in your system. It's pretty accurate too.

I kind of think that one shown here is more of a performance than anything else. All the silly dancing and such ... I don't think that would really be allowed. And the officer is a pretty woman in the video. ;-)
Fake, but funny.
Quote:

Ok, the dancing part is funny. But please tell me this is NOT common practice for the USA policeforce to determin wether or not a person has been drinking. (I mean the ridiculous touching the nose and walking a straight line thing)




The nose touching and straight line thing is indeed part of the standard sobriety road test. Flunk that and you may move up to the breathalyzer test next.

Celebrate diversity, man.


--Mac
They always want them to say the alphabet backwards. I can't do that sober. Most cops I know can't even say it forward. You're best off to refuse to do any of these tests.
Yeah,
That's Reno 911, it's a television show. It's supposed to be a take off on COPS, which is a reality show, but Reno 911 is pure comedy.

It's funny, though.

Mike, as Mac says, the nose and straight line test are part of it. What that does is to determine if your balance is impaired. You tilt your head back, close your eyes, and try to touch your nose. If you are drunk, usually you will fall down...or miss, significantly. The heel to toe straight like also tests balance. Again, if you're drunk, you can't do it, you'll fall over. They are very effective tests at determining if you are 'impaired' whether alcohol or drugs.

Gary
Russ,

I hope you know that is fake?

They have disposable pre-breathalizer testers they can use as well. But, they need probable cause to stop you in the first place. In Cali, you can't refuse to take the test, unless you want to automatically get your driving privilege suspended for a year. The DMV can also suspend your license just for being arrested for DUI now, no need for a conviction;)

The officer should have some ammo for court, that is why they do several different types of tests.

But, that was funny to watch Russ.

Trax
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In Cali, you can't refuse to take the test, unless you want to automatically get your driving privilege suspended for a year. The DMV can also suspend your license just for being arrested for DUI now, no need for a conviction;)





That doesn't sound like the land of the free where we are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

Oh.

It is Califoreignia.

I remember when you guys used to be free.



--Mac
Over here the cops don't need probable cause, they can pull anyone over at any time & breath test them. Randon breath testing.
Often a number of police cars will line up on a road and pull a line of cars over & breath test every driver. They don't use the plastic tubes & bags anymore, it's a small handheld machine (similar to a multimeter) that you must speak into (usually a count from one to ten.)
I've seen this before ... funny as heck, but what is the funniest part of the whole thing, is the cop asking "Are you a dancer?" - Man replies "No, I'm just drunk!" Off to jail! LOL!

Anyway ... cool to see that one again ... it solidifies the fact that drunks are very smart and inventive, until they slip up! He could have just said "YES, I am a dancer!" He may have been driving home that night! LOL!
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That doesn't sound like the land of the free where we are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.





Here in Oz the presumption of innocence holds true - like anyplace that has England as the progenitor of its legal system (thanks to Runnymede) - EXCEPT for the motor traffic act in each state, and all TAX legislation. In matters concerning these legislations you are presumed guilty on the accusation of the officer (police or tax). I.e. you must prove your innocence, they do not have to prove guilt.
Unfortunately, I have lived to see things become much the same here, too...
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Over here the cops don't need probable cause, they can pull anyone over at any time & breath test them. Random breath testing.
Often a number of police cars will line up on a road and pull a line of cars over & breath test every driver. They don't use the plastic tubes & bags anymore, it's a small handheld machine (similar to a multimeter) that you must speak into (usually a count from one to ten.)




Very similar laws here. I've been through at least two roadblocks. First they ask you a few questions and look you over carefully. If there are any suspicions, you would be "invited" to step out and produce your op's license. Then if you fumble a bit more, they might ask for the vehicle registration, while further sizing you up. The law requires that the op license be carried while driving and the vehicle registration must be produced within 24 hours.

If you fumble some more, the "invitation" to a small breathalyzer test is offered. If you refuse the offer, you get a free car ride to the station. Then it gets worse.

Glenn

PS: On both occasions, they sized me up, and said, "have a good evening sir". I don't ever drink and drive. Too dumb and potentially far too expensive.

Getting serious about drunk drivers has taken a long time, and hopefully the "good ol' boys" will catch up with reality. Serious drunk driving that results in another person's death, is sometimes called manslaughter or criminal negligence, not an infringement of the drunk's freedoms.
I am reformed. I once passed out with the car nose in the snowbank, door open, engine running and they drove me home, went and got my truck and told my wife to have a nice night.

The old days.

Now one beer and someone else drives. I had my son bringing me home from a Band practice one night and I was really loaded. The cops at the time all knew me, I was the arson and explosion investigator for the FD. The female cop leans in the window and goes wow John someone has really been drinking, my 19 year old son says ya, but he probably still drives better than me and all I had was a coffee....

I guess I told her she was sexy in that uniform and something to the effect she could handcuff me anytime, which ended up being a running joke. I was involved in a rear end accident where some moron hit and run me, and she was the investigator, and she shows up at my door, and asks if I want to give a statement with or without the handcuffs. I just got a tad red, I would never say sober anything to her like I did that night at the stop and blow, or Ride check. Ride stands for Reduce Impaird Driving Everywhere.

Someone asked me if I wanted to join Mothers Against Drunk Driving or MADD, and I said that ...I have been called a mother a few times but I belong to DAMM, Drunks against mad mothers...oh well bad taste runs in my cheap vino.....
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In Cali, you can't refuse to take the test, unless you want to automatically get your driving privilege suspended for a year. The DMV can also suspend your license just for being arrested for DUI now, no need for a conviction;)





That doesn't sound like the land of the free where we are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

Oh.

It is Califoreignia.

I remember when you guys used to be free.



--Mac





When you apply for a license, you give up that right.

Trax
In most states that I am aware of, in the U.S., failure to take a breathalyzer is an automatic arrest, and suspension of your license for one year. Of course, failure to pass the breathalyzer, or blood test is also an automatic arrest and suspension of your license for a year, so they get you coming or going.

The best way to avoid it is not to drink and drive.
In some locales drunk driving accidents that result in injuries or fatalities they are attempting to go after the establishment, and even the individual bartender, as an accessory to the crime.

Gary
A Driver's License is legally a privilege (sp?) and not a right.

There was once a time when in some states, the State Trooper or even a Traffic Cop could confiscate your Driver's License and you would have to appear in a court of law to try to get it back! That was a long, long time ago.

Pennsylvania started the roadblock thing where every car is stopped on the pretense of looking for drunk drivers about 8 or 9 years ago while I still lived up there.

I don't drink, but there's more to it than just the annoyance of waiting in a long line of cars that have been funneled down into a single lane checkpoint where a young cop sticks their face in your window and asks if you've been drinking while sniffing the air.

They also have other cops front and rear validating Inspection Stickers, License Registration stickers, plus a cop with a radio calling in your particulars in a random search for any outstanding warrants or other violations they can apply. Phishing at its finest, a regular fishing expedition.

Then comes the kicker, the ultimate question: "Do you have any drugs, weapons, firearms (and as one cop once asked us, 'nuclear devices') in the vehicle?"

If you say "no" to the above, the next question is the clincher: "Mind if I search?"

Just. Say. Yes.

As in, "Of course I mind if you search."

That little matter of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, dontcha know.

No warrant, no searchee.

I would just hand 'em my Driver's License AND my Concealed Carry Permit all at the same time.

There once was a time when I could badge 'em...

I'm sure John knows what that means.

They usually look at those two pieces of information and hurriedly wave you on by.

Then they're on to the next poor citizen.

"Papers, bitte!"


--Mac
Mac,

Badge em- we call a fishing license

Trax
I've called it much worse'n that at times -- and that's when I had a badge in mah pocket...
Mac's right on.

Nobody should drive impaired - by booze, drugs, cell phone, or anything. But the cops should have to have a reason to stop you. If you're driving ok, nothing wrong with your plates or car, they should leave you alone.
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Mac's right on.

Nobody should drive impaired - by booze, drugs, cell phone, or anything. But the cops should have to have a reason to stop you. If you're driving ok, nothing wrong with your plates or car, they should leave you alone.




What? Reduce the revenue stream..?
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