Warning to anyone who might be driving on I-85 south of Durham: There are cops out there ticketing people almost every day. Mostly around mile 170, right around where the speed limit changes. I guess they're nabbing people who fail to slow down (or people going the other way who speed up too soon).
I've gotten used to the traffic cops, but the thing that still confuses me is the searches. Three times in the past couple of months I've seen someone pulled over in the median, with cops searching their car. Always around mile 170, always going south. I wonder what they're looking for?
at a recent neighborhood license check sgt. gunter said they confiscated cocaine (powder and rock), illegal guns, and made several arrests.
so maybe they pull someone for speeding then think they have a reason to search the car, and if the person lets them, they might find stuff.
interestingly, all the responses on my neighborhood list have been compliments to the police for their good work with no complaints about the impromptu checkpoint. perhaps we have no libertarians in the neighborhood, or very quiet ones.
i have to admit that i'd just as soon not have people with guns who are taking crack driving around my neighborhood.
where is mile marker 170?
Lisa: Does a person who's been pulled over for speeding have the right to refuse a search? I've often wondered about that.
Xta: It's just south of Durham, where the speed limit changes from 55 to 65.
you do have the right to refuse the search of your car.
here's a nice summary:
http://www.flexyourrights.org/frequently_asked_questions
in short, it seems like if you refuse, they can detain you while they call a dog to sniff around the car.
also, they're only "probably cause" to search your vehicle is if you're acting suspiciously (whatever) or they can see something suspicious in plain view inside the car.
over here (http://forums.officer.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-15663.html ) they're saying that they even need probable cause to *ask* to search your vehicle.
They're looking for my camera that got stolen a few weeks ago. The cops really like me :-)