Deadly accident prompts call for engine limitation, age restrictions for boaters
 

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:11:01 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:08:58 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

Which is now why they call checkpoints "safety checks" or "enforcement
checks" instead of whatever they were called at the time.

I believe the issue is "probable cause". If you run an explicit DUI
checkpoint you are stopping people without probable cause.

That too.

Deadly accident prompts call for engine limitation, age restrictions for boaters
 

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:11:01 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:08:58 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

Which is now why they call checkpoints "safety checks" or "enforcement
checks" instead of whatever they were called at the time.

I believe the issue is "probable cause". If you run an explicit DUI
checkpoint you are stopping people without probable cause.

That too.

Your son should be able to shed some light on all of this.

Let's say there's a burglary in my neighborhood, and the homeowner is
roughed up a little bit by the perp. So, the cops aren't there just to give
the victim the 7th-layer illegible pink carbon copy. They're interested in
whoever touched the victim.

It's dark, and they see 3-4 people out for walks. Aren't the cops allowed to
stop their cars and ask pedestrians a few questions? They don't know which
pedestrian, if any, may be the perp, but they do know that some people walk
regularly and may have seen something unusual. (Here, they ignore such
information, but that's another story).

Extend this to DUI checkpoints. How are they supposed to ask questions
without stopping cars? Searching cars is another story. I'm talking about
just asking a question or two.

Just wondering.

Deadly accident prompts call for engine limitation, age restrictionsfor boaters
 

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:11:01 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:08:58 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

Which is now why they call checkpoints "safety checks" or "enforcement
checks" instead of whatever they were called at the time.
I believe the issue is "probable cause". If you run an explicit DUI
checkpoint you are stopping people without probable cause.
That too.

Your son should be able to shed some light on all of this.

Let's say there's a burglary in my neighborhood, and the homeowner is
roughed up a little bit by the perp. So, the cops aren't there just to give
the victim the 7th-layer illegible pink carbon copy. They're interested in
whoever touched the victim.

It's dark, and they see 3-4 people out for walks. Aren't the cops allowed to
stop their cars and ask pedestrians a few questions? They don't know which
pedestrian, if any, may be the perp, but they do know that some people walk
regularly and may have seen something unusual. (Here, they ignore such
information, but that's another story).

Extend this to DUI checkpoints. How are they supposed to ask questions
without stopping cars? Searching cars is another story. I'm talking about
just asking a question or two.

Just wondering.




Down here, the sheriff calls 'em what they are, and more power to him,
too. There's little more pleasing in the area of local law enforcement
than busting drunk drivers.

Deadly accident prompts call for engine limitation, age restrictions for boaters
 

"HK" wrote
There's little more pleasing in the area of local law enforcement than
busting drunk drivers.

That being the case, why don't they simply post cops next to bars and shoot
fish in a barrel, so to speak?

Deadly accident prompts call for engine limitation, age restrictions for boaters
 

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:06:54 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing penned the
following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:11:01 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:08:58 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

Which is now why they call checkpoints "safety checks" or "enforcement
checks" instead of whatever they were called at the time.

I believe the issue is "probable cause". If you run an explicit DUI
checkpoint you are stopping people without probable cause.

That too.

They don't need probable cause.... that battle was fought and decided
over the issue of Terry Stops. Roadblocks are legal; random stops are
not.

The stops have to be "consistently applied", if I recall the words
correctly. All cars, or every 4th car, something like that. Of course, you
can make yourself into the 4th car by having expired registration or
inspection stickers on the windshield. That's like having a "kick me" sign
on your back.

Deadly accident prompts call for engine limitation, age restrictions for boaters
 

On Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:15:59 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:11:01 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:08:58 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

Which is now why they call checkpoints "safety checks" or "enforcement
checks" instead of whatever they were called at the time.

I believe the issue is "probable cause". If you run an explicit DUI
checkpoint you are stopping people without probable cause.

That too.

Your son should be able to shed some light on all of this.

Let's say there's a burglary in my neighborhood, and the homeowner is
roughed up a little bit by the perp. So, the cops aren't there just to give
the victim the 7th-layer illegible pink carbon copy. They're interested in
whoever touched the victim.

It's dark, and they see 3-4 people out for walks. Aren't the cops allowed to
stop their cars and ask pedestrians a few questions? They don't know which
pedestrian, if any, may be the perp, but they do know that some people walk
regularly and may have seen something unusual. (Here, they ignore such
information, but that's another story).

Extend this to DUI checkpoints. How are they supposed to ask questions
without stopping cars? Searching cars is another story. I'm talking about
just asking a question or two.

Just wondering.

I don't know.

I woudl suspect that if they were responding and after obtaining
information, they would stop and ask the walkers if they had seen
anything at such and such a time.

Other than that, I just flat don't know.

Deadly accident prompts call for engine limitation, age restrictions for boaters
 

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:15:59 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
. ..
On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:11:01 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:08:58 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

Which is now why they call checkpoints "safety checks" or "enforcement
checks" instead of whatever they were called at the time.

I believe the issue is "probable cause". If you run an explicit DUI
checkpoint you are stopping people without probable cause.

That too.

Your son should be able to shed some light on all of this.

Let's say there's a burglary in my neighborhood, and the homeowner is
roughed up a little bit by the perp. So, the cops aren't there just to
give
the victim the 7th-layer illegible pink carbon copy. They're interested in
whoever touched the victim.

It's dark, and they see 3-4 people out for walks. Aren't the cops allowed
to
stop their cars and ask pedestrians a few questions? They don't know which
pedestrian, if any, may be the perp, but they do know that some people
walk
regularly and may have seen something unusual. (Here, they ignore such
information, but that's another story).

Extend this to DUI checkpoints. How are they supposed to ask questions
without stopping cars? Searching cars is another story. I'm talking about
just asking a question or two.

Just wondering.

I don't know.

I woudl suspect that if they were responding and after obtaining
information, they would stop and ask the walkers if they had seen
anything at such and such a time.

Other than that, I just flat don't know.

Well, I wish they would, although that's based on an experience I had here.
One night, around 1:00 AM, I saw two people on bikes at the end of my
neighbor's driveway. I'm sure they heard my screen door open & close, but
they didn't split especially fast. Just left "normally". Next morning, the
neighbor says his cars were broken into.

Next night (or maybe 2 nights later), I see two bikes again, a few houses
down in the other direction. I call 911, tell the ****** "It's dark. No, I
can't tell you if they're Puerto Rican, Venezualan, Mexican...just get a cop
here. And, ask them to stop at my house after they check it out".

What does the cop do? He stops at my house FIRST, and tells me he can't just
question people because they're on bikes. I explain reality to him, but the
guy just doesn't get it: Robbery that probably involved 2 people on bikes.
Neighborhood streets all go in circles, so nobody here is going from one
part of town to another. If it's 1:00 AM, they either live here, they're
visiting, or they are "anything unusual", and "Your chief keeps saying
citizens should help the police by reporting "anything unusual".

Blank stare.

Deadly accident prompts call for engine limitation, age restrictions for boaters
 

On Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:43:06 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:


Well, I wish they would, although that's based on an experience I had here.
One night, around 1:00 AM, I saw two people on bikes at the end of my
neighbor's driveway. I'm sure they heard my screen door open & close, but
they didn't split especially fast. Just left "normally". Next morning, the
neighbor says his cars were broken into.

Next night (or maybe 2 nights later), I see two bikes again, a few houses
down in the other direction. I call 911, tell the ****** "It's dark. No, I
can't tell you if they're Puerto Rican, Venezualan, Mexican...just get a cop
here. And, ask them to stop at my house after they check it out".

What does the cop do? He stops at my house FIRST, and tells me he can't just
question people because they're on bikes. I explain reality to him, but the
guy just doesn't get it: Robbery that probably involved 2 people on bikes.
Neighborhood streets all go in circles, so nobody here is going from one
part of town to another. If it's 1:00 AM, they either live here, they're
visiting, or they are "anything unusual", and "Your chief keeps saying
citizens should help the police by reporting "anything unusual".

Blank stare.

Can't tell you how many times the cops nabbed me for breaking curfew
when I was a kid. Used to duck behind bushes, in gangways,
behind cars, etc, if walking home after 10 PM.
Different world now.
But your story doesn't ring true. One AM and the cop can't check
these guys out?

--Vic

Deadly accident prompts call for engine limitation, age restrictions for boaters
 

"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:43:06 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:


Well, I wish they would, although that's based on an experience I had
here.
One night, around 1:00 AM, I saw two people on bikes at the end of my
neighbor's driveway. I'm sure they heard my screen door open & close, but
they didn't split especially fast. Just left "normally". Next morning, the
neighbor says his cars were broken into.

Next night (or maybe 2 nights later), I see two bikes again, a few houses
down in the other direction. I call 911, tell the ****** "It's dark. No, I
can't tell you if they're Puerto Rican, Venezualan, Mexican...just get a
cop
here. And, ask them to stop at my house after they check it out".

What does the cop do? He stops at my house FIRST, and tells me he can't
just
question people because they're on bikes. I explain reality to him, but
the
guy just doesn't get it: Robbery that probably involved 2 people on bikes.
Neighborhood streets all go in circles, so nobody here is going from one
part of town to another. If it's 1:00 AM, they either live here, they're
visiting, or they are "anything unusual", and "Your chief keeps saying
citizens should help the police by reporting "anything unusual".

Blank stare.

Can't tell you how many times the cops nabbed me for breaking curfew
when I was a kid. Used to duck behind bushes, in gangways,
behind cars, etc, if walking home after 10 PM.
Different world now.
But your story doesn't ring true. One AM and the cop can't check
these guys out?

--Vic

Believe what you like, but it's true. The same cop later hit a pedestrian. I
don't recall if the person died or not. It was big news on the day it
happened, but I never heard any more about it. He's still on the force,
though.

Our police chief likes to stand around our seasonal farmer's market and
smile at people. I related the bike story to him, and asked him if he could
give me a good reason why anyone should call the police for things like
that. I won't even describe the rest of the conversation. You probably know
it already.

Deadly accident prompts call for engine limitation, age restrictionsfor boaters
 

Ernest Scribbler wrote:
"HK" wrote
There's little more pleasing in the area of local law enforcement than
busting drunk drivers.

That being the case, why don't they simply post cops next to bars and shoot
fish in a barrel, so to speak?



The local sheriff post cops on the one road leading from the Sailing
Club after all of their regattas and parties. The word gets out quickly
if you are going to drink, either get a DD or spend the night in your boat.