If a police officer asks to search you car...

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Would you consent to a police officer searching your car?

  • Yes

  • No


Results are only viewable after voting.

XZeroII

Lifer
Jun 30, 2001
12,572
0
0
I would first ask if he/she has a reason to search my vehicle. If they give me a good reason, then I would say yes. If they didn't give me a good reason, I would say no.
 

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
13,357
7
81
You guys saying "yeah I have nothing to hide" are probably the same ones who go ballistic about wiretapping, right? Well if you have nothing to hide, why would that bother you any either?

Now I'm not the sue-happy type at all - and the vast majority of lawsuits out there make me want to punch someone in the face - but if I got pulled over (hasn't happened yet) and they wanted to search my car, and I said no, and he forced the issue anyway, you bet I'd sue for wrongful search, trampling my rights, and any property damage. I do know a lawyer really well and I'm sure he'd help in a case like that. He's one of those rare good lawyers that actually care about the law and rights and so forth.

All you people giving in only make things worse, reinforcing the mentality that they can get away with it.
 

dud

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,635
73
91
I refused one ages ago, 2 cops said the area I was in was the wrong area for Caucasian people. So by their logic I had to be up to something illegal. I told them to get a warrant if they wanted to search my car. It was pretty cold outside and all I had on were shorts and a thin tee. They made me sit on the curb for about 45 minutes while they went back to their car and sat in there what looked like eating and laughing. They came back and said "we got the warrant" I knew they didn't. But I didn't want to find out what would happen if I questioned them.

So I let them search, they took everything in my trunk and scattered it all over it in the front of my car. And did the same with the shit in my my center console and glove box. Then they took my keys right in the middle underneath the drivers seat. After they said I was free to go it took me another 20 minutes to find my keys, I asked them what they did with them and they said nothing and just got back into their car. I was given no ticket, when I got where I was going I told the girl what happened. I wanted to contact their superiors to report them, she said not to bother because the cops in that area did a lot worse and it would be a waste of my time. I learned that night if you're in the wrong area you can in fact be pulled over for driving while white lol.



The 4th amendment's important but when a cop wants to be a dick nothing is going to stop them. I think if I had questioned them about seeing the warrant they got, I would have gotten arrested or smacked around. The lesson I learned is cops have power and sometimes you have to give in even if their requests have zero basis.




You sure showed them!
 

dud

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,635
73
91
You guys saying "yeah I have nothing to hide" are probably the same ones who go ballistic about wiretapping, right? Well if you have nothing to hide, why would that bother you any either?

Now I'm not the sue-happy type at all - and the vast majority of lawsuits out there make me want to punch someone in the face - but if I got pulled over (hasn't happened yet) and they wanted to search my car, and I said no, and he forced the issue anyway, you bet I'd sue for wrongful search, trampling my rights, and any property damage. I do know a lawyer really well and I'm sure he'd help in a case like that. He's one of those rare good lawyers that actually care about the law and rights and so forth.

All you people giving in only make things worse, reinforcing the mentality that they can get away with it.




Your logic is impeccable. Question authority till it hurts ...
 

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
You guys saying "yeah I have nothing to hide" are probably the same ones who go ballistic about wiretapping, right? Well if you have nothing to hide, why would that bother you any either?

Now I'm not the sue-happy type at all - and the vast majority of lawsuits out there make me want to punch someone in the face - but if I got pulled over (hasn't happened yet) and they wanted to search my car, and I said no, and he forced the issue anyway, you bet I'd sue for wrongful search, trampling my rights, and any property damage. I do know a lawyer really well and I'm sure he'd help in a case like that. He's one of those rare good lawyers that actually care about the law and rights and so forth.

All you people giving in only make things worse, reinforcing the mentality that they can get away with it.

I don't care about wire tapping... tap away...
 

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
13,357
7
81
Your logic is impeccable. Question authority till it hurts ...

That's not what I'm saying. The point is they have NO authority to search your car without a warrant to do so. So no, I'm not questioning authority, I'm questioning their power trip.

But like I said, I've never been pulled over for anything since I started driving 6 years ago. I behave myself on the roads, so there is no reason to pull me over in the first place ;)
 

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
That's not what I'm saying. The point is they have NO authority to search your car without a warrant to do so. So no, I'm not questioning authority, I'm questioning their power trip.

But like I said, I've never been pulled over for anything since I started driving 6 years ago. I behave myself on the roads, so there is no reason to pull me over in the first place ;)

I'd say they are in a position of authority, whether that authority is justified in this case is another matter. In the UK I'm fairly confident in saying they have the right to search your car no matter what, no warrant required (I'm actually almost 100% sure that's right) makes no difference to me.
 

dud

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,635
73
91
That's not what I'm saying. The point is they have NO authority to search your car without a warrant to do so. So no, I'm not questioning authority, I'm questioning their power trip.


I understand (and respect) your position but do not necessarily agree with it. Your position (from your post) is that if a police officer asks to search your vehicle then they are on a "power trip". Right? The police are not supposed to stop/search a vehicle unless they suspect (have probable cause) that illegal activity is associated with the vehicle and/or it's occupants.

Go back a page and read Quebert's post where he declined to allow a search of his vehicle. I answered "yes" because (A) I have nothing to hide and (B) because I am not into pain and agony. As you get older (like I am) you're just happy to survive the day ...
 

amdhunter

Lifer
May 19, 2003
23,329
246
106
Assuming the officer doesn't have probable cause:

Popo: "Do you have anything in your car I should know about?"
You: "No."
Popo: ""If you don't have anything to hide then you wouldn't mind me searching the vehicle right?
You: "Yes I do, I don't have anything to hide and do not give you permission to search my vehicle."

Fourth Amendment rights exercised and the officer now requires a search warrant before proceeding otherwise anything found is not permissible in court. He may or may not get one...and if you have nothing to hide then it won't matter anyways. You never just let them do it because it's "inevitable", that's un-American :)

Hahaha.

If I tried that shit in the Bronx - they'd get a warrant instantly, get a dog to sniff out the car (ensuring the dog scratches the paint, and damages the interior), plant a bag of weed and a crack pipe in the glove compartment, proceed to arrest me, handcuff me, lie me face down, shoot me in the back, and find me guilty of assault if I survive the bullets.

In NYC Amendments mean nothing.
 

911paramedic

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2002
9,448
1
76
Hahaha.

If I tried that shit in the Bronx - they'd get a warrant instantly, get a dog to sniff out the car (ensuring the dog scratches the paint, and damages the interior), plant a bag of weed and a crack pipe in the glove compartment, proceed to arrest me, handcuff me, lie me face down, shoot me in the back, and find me guilty of assault if I survive the bullets.

In NYC Amendments mean nothing.

That's what you get for resisting. :p
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
After the first time I let it happen, no fucking way. Whether I have anything to hide or not.

I don't care if I am there all day waiting for the paperwork.
 

xanis

Lifer
Sep 11, 2005
17,571
8
0
Hahaha.

If I tried that shit in the Bronx - they'd get a warrant instantly, get a dog to sniff out the car (ensuring the dog scratches the paint, and damages the interior), plant a bag of weed and a crack pipe in the glove compartment, proceed to arrest me, handcuff me, lie me face down, shoot me in the back, and find me guilty of assault if I survive the bullets.

In NYC Amendments mean nothing.

Stop pretending to be black and try being whiter.
 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,090
136
Do you declare that you have a CCP when you get pulled over? My instructor told me that was the smart thing to do even when you weren't carrying.

You MUST in some states. If I'm not carrying I do, if I AM carrying, I would simply had my CCW to the officer along with my license. A little easier/safer than just saying "Oh yeah, BTW, I've got a gun." As for the OP, I would absolutely NOT consent to a search, and if he claims probable cause I will absolutely say that I want my objection taken into record.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
38,157
18,647
146
Hahaha.

If I tried that shit in the Bronx - they'd get a warrant instantly, get a dog to sniff out the car (ensuring the dog scratches the paint, and damages the interior), plant a bag of weed and a crack pipe in the glove compartment, proceed to arrest me, handcuff me, lie me face down, shoot me in the back, and find me guilty of assault if I survive the bullets.

In NYC Amendments mean nothing.

It saddens me to hear that.
 

Triumph

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,031
14
81
Yes because, why not its no real inconvenience and if they feel it's something that needs to be done let them get on with it, why cause a fuss and complain if you dint need to, the police are there for our protection and saftey why make their job more difficult.

I see you are in England. No wonder you have such a messed up concept of what powers the police can and should have.
 

OBLAMA2009

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2008
6,574
3
0
ive been pulled over for traffic offenses lots of times and theyve never asked to search my car. does that really happen?
 

l0cke

Diamond Member
Dec 12, 2005
3,790
0
0
No, because my glove box lock broke off and I know they would brake that open so they could search in it.

Also, because they don't need to search my car :colbert:
 

grrl

Diamond Member
Jun 21, 2001
6,204
1
0
troll troll troll your boat...

Leave Mini Gayner alone. Don't let his cache of three fill-in-the-blank replies fool you. It's unlikely you'll ever meet a better-informed agoraphobe. Plus he'd have no online identity if he couldn't troll about the country he proudly says he'll never visit.
 

novasatori

Diamond Member
Feb 27, 2003
3,851
1
0
I've had my car searched twice, and I said yes both times because I was more afraid of what would happen if I said no, than anything they could possibly find in the car.

Edit: Both times were kinda like QueBert's. Lets just say one time when I was stopped the cop said I ran a stop sign (which I didn't because I damn well saw the cop in my rear view mirror). Then when I told him I didn't he said, "you could also have a tail light out", and tapped the butt of his mag light against my tail light, implying he would smash it.

I'd rather just say yes than deal with whatever could have transpired there with some asshole cops who were looking to pocket some drugs.
 
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zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,125
30,076
146
If a cop wants to search your car he can claim he smells smoke or he saw you shove something under the seat. Inventing probable cause is easy and the judge will always believe it if he claims he had cause to search. Might as well just consent, it will happen whether you like it or not. Just don't transport illegal stuff and you'll be fine.

the only time that I was asked for a search--

My buddy and I just drove into Fort Lee, NJ from NC--we were planning to tool around in NYC for the weekend--and we made a few strange U-Turns as we were trying to find our hotel. Just coming off the expressway, near a junction to the GW bridge, cop followed us in the the hotel parking lot.

He separated us and asked a few "you boys ain't from around here" questions, then asked to search. We were like, "No problem. Any reason why?"

he explains that it's a major drug-trafficking area, people jumping on the bridge into and out of the city, they look for "non-locals" making strange unfamiliar-with-the-area driving maneuvers.

I suppose that is probable cause. But, you know--Any traffic corridor can be a major drug trafficking area.

...It's kinda sneaky, when you think about it. If you were on your shit and for whatever reason, found yourself in court with such a refusal, you would have to look up numbers and prove to a judge that this isn't even the top 30 major corridors in the country--in the state, the city, whatever, if they stopped you out in some odd area. :\
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
Not without a warrant like Constitution says. If he says something like I have probable cause, I will reiterate that I do not give him permission and ask for his Sergeant or watch commander. His choice then. I'll be polite but succinct in my opposition.

It's never came up though in over 20 yrs of driving. I've only had 1 ticket hard to get searched when you don't get pulled over.
 
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guyver01

Lifer
Sep 25, 2000
22,135
5
61
Not without a warrant like Constitution says.


Courts have established an "exigent circumstances" exception to the warrant requirement. Typically, this is because police have a reasonable belief that evidence is in imminent danger of being removed or destroyed.

Certain limited searches are also allowed during an investigatory stop or incident to an arrest. These searches are called refined searches.

If you do not wish to consent to a search of your vehicle, you should make two things clear to the officer. First, that you do not consent to a search of your vehicle, and second that you will not physically obstruct him if he believes that he has probable cause.

This is so because even if you refuse consent to search the officer might search anyway. If the officer searches your car without your consent he will have to justify to a judge why he thought he had probable cause to search in the event contraband is discovered. If you are charged with a crime based upon items seized from the car, your lawyer may be able to challenge the admissibility of this evidence with a suppression motion.
 
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Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
Oh I'm sure they have. Constitutional Amendments have been butchered all to hell but I'd still say that.