From: John De Armond
Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.rv-travel
Subject: Re: 20 Questions for Class A Experts
Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 12:40:21 -0500

GBinNC wrote:

> On Wed, 31 Jan 2001 23:49:42 -0500, Neon John
> <johngdDONTYOUDARE@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
> >Unless they've changed the law, and I doubt it since TN is the
> >champion of chickenshit laws, you better dig out your shoes if you
> >drive in Tennessee.  I got rousted for that when I was a teenager. I
> >got stopped for DWY (driving while young) and after the cop couldn't
> >find anything else, he busted me for being barefoot.
> >
> >Hey GB, is this the kind of police presence that gives you the warm
> >fuzzies?
>
> I don't quite understand what you're implying here about "warm
> fuzzies."
>
> Maybe it has something to do with a comment I made here not long ago
> that seeing lots of cops on the road (presumably helping to make the
> highways safer) doesn't bother me like it apparently does you.
>
> But then, I don't have a guilty conscience -- nor have I never even
> thought about (much less mentioned it on a newsgroup) murdering a
> police officer or other public official.

How's that old saying, " a libertarian is a conservative who's been
rousted by the cops."  I imagine your attitude will change after
that happens.

I have a friend who's pursuing a lawsuit against the state of
Alabama over just that.  He was stopped one night near Scottsboro,
AL in his Class B because, as it has come out in discovery, he was
profiled.  His incriminating profile was driving 5 mph under the
speed limit.  They literally tore his van apart on the side of the
road "looking for contraband".  He's in settlement talks now so he's
going to be compensated for the damage.  But he's lucky that the
Alabama cops are a bit slower than those around here, where cops
routinely "find" a little baggie of pot under such circumstances.
How do I know, GB?  I used to train these guys in radiation safety
and heard them discussing techniques.

I believe your state of mine is called ignorant bliss.  I hope
you're lucky enough to get to remain that way the rest of your life
but the odds aren't with you.

John

From: John De Armond
Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.rv-travel
Subject: Re: 20 Questions for Class A Experts
Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 16:40:37 -0500

Todd Kattelman wrote:

> > I have a friend who's pursuing a lawsuit against the state of
> > Alabama over just that.  He was stopped one night near Scottsboro,
> > AL in his Class B because, as it has come out in discovery, he was
> > profiled.  His incriminating profile was driving 5 mph under the
> > speed limit.  They literally tore his van apart on the side of the
> > road "looking for contraband".  He's in settlement talks now so he's
> > going to be compensated for the damage.  But he's lucky that the
> > Alabama cops are a bit slower than those around here, where cops
> > routinely "find" a little baggie of pot under such circumstances.
> > How do I know, GB?  I used to train these guys in radiation safety
> > and heard them discussing techniques.
>
> Don't persecute me if I am wrong but I understood that they needed a search
> warrant to search a motor home or travel trailer?  after all it is your
> house while you are traveling.

They have a new scam to get around that.  They bring a dog to the
scene, let him walk around the vehicle, claim that he indicated a
"hit" and proceed on that.  Once the dog "hits" (though they won't
tell you exactly what sign the dog gave), they give you the choice -
voluntary search or have the vehicle impounded until a search
warrant can be obtained.  My friend assumed that it would be a
cursory "feel under the seats and look at the glove box" deal.  He
didn't realize that they intended to rip the insides out of his RV
and leave them laying on the side of the road.  Fortunately for him,
his wife was with him and they had a camera.  If anything, that
probably is what kept them from "finding" anything.

I had a cop pull the "let me search or else" trick during a traffic
stop a few years ago in Marietta, Ga.  This was before the Supremes
said that turning a drug dog loose on a vehicle doesn't constitute a
search so all he could threaten me with was inconvenience.  I told
him "I have all day and whatever time it takes for you to get a
warrant is time you can't harass others."  After some huffing and
puffing he backed off.  Of course that was also before cops were
allowed to dress up like terrorist thugs in their ninja or camo
pajamas which makes them feel like the MEN they aren't.

John