Duty to Inform when stopped by police

[JAKIII]

Can*t stop for a primary offense the following:
Expired registration
Improperly displayed reg or temp reg
Single brake light out
Item hanging from rear view mirror
Minor bumper issues
Driving with an expired inspection sticker
Driving with an expired emission sticker

Everything else is still enforceable as a primary violation.

It is not hard to avoid being stopped for the above. I don*t understand how it is harder for a minority in Philadelphia to comply.

1. You didn*t ruffle my feathers. By saying I don*t have a lot of time for this, I meant stopping for extremely minor violations, looking for DUI*s. Not sure how you interpreted my response.

2. I am sure there is a lot of fishing. Some departments focus on DUI*s, other departments on criminals with guns.

3. Getting stopped for a light out isnot really a courtesy advisement. It is a minor motor vehicle code violation. It can end with a simple warning to get it fixed. A citation for the violation. Or much more. I usually leave it up to the driver to decide.

Now I'm confused. Do you initiate the stop or not?

[R L Suehr]

The vast majority of impaired drivers drive just fine, you should know that. The reasonable suspicion occurs when they get pulled over for a courtesy advisement of a blown tail/headlight.

p.s. sorry to have ruffled your feathers.
p.s.s. I loathe drunk drivers and advocate fishing for them, but don't deny that it occurs.

The vast majority of impaired drivers, think they drive just fine. That's kinda the problem, when it goes from "just fine" to "ran head first into that family." The distinction can be pretty close and not at all apparent to the person who was "just fine" the last 20 times he drove impaired. That's coming from someone who's only DUI was from a busted tail light. I never fought it, since I figured I had gotten away way more times when I wasn't "just fine".

[free]

The vast majority of impaired drivers, think they drive just fine. That's kinda the problem, when it goes from "just fine" to "ran head first into that family." The distinction can be pretty close and not at all apparent to the person who was "just fine" the last 20 times he drove impaired. That's coming from someone who's only DUI was from a busted tail light. I never fought it, since I figured I had gotten away way more times when I wasn't "just fine".

True story here......

In 1995, was driving from Kansas City, MO to Winchester, Virginia, straight through (with stops for gas, food, bathroom, etc.). It was right about the 24 hr mark, a few miles from the end of the trip, when I was driving on I-81 southbound, and I got flagged down by another car.

It turned out to be a high school buddy who had just gotten off night shift from his job. He noticed my WAY out of state tag, and realized it was me (he knew I was coming to town). What are the odds of that??

Anyway, he said I was WAY all over the road. Back and forth over both lanes. He thought I was a drunk driver. Then he noticed my tag...probably because he couldn't get past me.

I was stone cold sober...but very sleepy...and I had NO IDEA that I was all over the road. Neither did my awake passenger.

So yeah...I don't expect any better from drunks.

[JAKIII]

The vast majority of impaired drivers, think they drive just fine. That's kinda the problem, when it goes from "just fine" to "ran head first into that family." The distinction can be pretty close and not at all apparent to the person who was "just fine" the last 20 times he drove impaired. That's coming from someone who's only DUI was from a busted tail light. I never fought it, since I figured I had gotten away way more times when I wasn't "just fine".

Well duh, I would actually say all.

One can be impaired beyond the legal limit and have no problem operating the vehicle though... that was my point.

[theduke]

I had a friend who drove drunk a lot, especially during the day. He called me after being out with family for lunch slurring his words. He eventually got caught and I think its funny. I havent driven drunk in decades and I only did it a few times.

[R L Suehr]

Well duh, I would actually say all.

One can be impaired beyond the legal limit and have no problem operating the vehicle though... that was my point.

And my point was, most people don't know where that limit is. Especially after drinking, it gets tough. Personally, I'm a truck driver so the legal limt for me is way lower than most. Could I drive over .02, sure most people wouldn't even know I drank 1-2 beers to get there. Could I probably be safe at .08, most likely, I have a pretty high tolerance after drinking most of my life. Could I tell you the difference between when I was.08 and .12, probably not and would I be safe at that? I don't know, but we'd be getting into sketchy territory then and I wouldn't risk it with all the shit I've seen. Driving drunk or even after a few, when you might be "just fine" is a choice that doesn't make sense to me anymore. I can't believe people still do it and that's probably why the limits are so low.

[Walleye Hunter]

Our idiot local media doesn't even bother to ask why she wasn't charged with hit and run after they publish an article wit the headline "Amish man dies after teenager flees".

The extent of investigation our local news does any more is they get the police press release and barely re-write it for publishing.

Mrs. Walleye knows a woman who turned left in front of a motorcyclist, who died of his injuries. Her car was totaled by the hit. Thus far, she has not been arrested for anything but has received two traffic tickets. I'm surprised that they didn't arrest her but I suppose they could be working on an investigation first. I wonder how fast the MC was going and if that plays into it at all. This happened about a month ago and other than from her, I haven't seen anything in the news on it while other MC accidents are reported. But then, I'm not exactly combing the MSM these days either. Maybe one of our locals knows more.

[free]

And my point was, most people don't know where that limit is. Especially after drinking, it gets tough. Personally, I'm a truck driver so the legal limt for me is way lower than most. Could I drive over .02, sure most people wouldn't even know I drank 1-2 beers to get there. Could I probably be safe at .08, most likely, I have a pretty high tolerance after drinking most of my life. Could I tell you the difference between when I was.08 and .12, probably not and would I be safe at that? I don't know, but we'd be getting into sketchy territory then and I wouldn't risk it with all the shit I've seen. Driving drunk or even after a few, when you might be "just fine" is a choice that doesn't make sense to me anymore. I can't believe people still do it and that's probably why the limits are so low.

If you don't drink a day (24 hrs) before driving, you know what your BAC is.

Easy rule to follow too.

[PickingPA]

Looking again at the thread title reminded me of the irony that there’s no duty to inform attached to sobriety either

[Carson]

Now I'm confused. Do you initiate the stop or not?

Short answer, now, no. Can*t per city council edict.

Before, depends on how busy it is. It still is a minor MVC violation. But how many people check their brake lights? (I do whenever I can see the reflection in a store front window.) Pulling up alongside someone, rolling the window down and saying *hey do you know you have a brake light out?* Would be my preferred method, but today that could get one shot.