Anyone go by the "Papers, please" checkpoint outside RDU this morning? (Youngsville: insurance, attorney)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It's not my "right" to drive that I'm concerned with.(and I agree, it's a privilege to drive, but I've been granted that privilege by obtaining a license and having my car properly inspected and the proper license plate affixed to the car) It is the right to go about my business unimpeded by the law that is troubling.
How does law enforcement know you are properly licensed, your license plate is the one that belongs on the car and that you are properly inspected? If you choose to carry a handgun in a visible place you are still subject to be stopped and checked to make sure said handgun is legal, as some people are not allowed to own firearms. In the same way some people are not allowed to drive because they have lost the privilege to do so. I know of no better way for law enforcement to check this other than checkpoints.
When the illegal immigrant caused the big accident on 40 last month a lot of people jumped on it. "Oh he was driving without a license! Blah Blah Blah", so the Highway Patrol in a major CYA can say "Well we do random checkpoints once a month to try and stop such things from happening."
This is my concern as well. I find it eerie that people are warm and cozy with this idea. Be that as it may, I was just hoping that since it was a busy road near the airport, someone from CD would have some information as to the purpose of (perhaps they weren't as tired as I am and actually challenged the officer to explain themselves). A former candidate for city council is quite alarmed and has been asking very specific questions to me about it, probably so he can bring it up in some town hall meetings or some such.
sacrificing privacy for the illusion of safety is how freedom disappears
...and leads to the type of absurd security pantomime I witness every time I go to the airport and see giant bins of confiscated soda bottles and contact lens solution. Ah, but we're "safer," so who cares? Quit whining, citizen!
sacrificing privacy for the illusion of safety is how freedom disappears
You know I can't really get to a place where I see a lawful checkpoint as an erosion of peoples liberty to live unimpeded by the police. The constitution goes a lot further to protect individuals here than in other countries , the UK being one.
In England a police officer does not need to have a reason to stop you and ask questions of you, neither does he/she need a reason to stop you when driving. The fact that you are driving a motor vehicle on a road is sufficient justification. Of course England does not require probable cause merely the lesser ' reasonable suspicion'. The flip side to protecting your freedom is that it also protect the wrongdoer.
Personally I prefer a balance of individual rights -v- police. I am willing to sacrifice some of my rights to live unmolested for greater security (be that real or imagined)
In my experience the people that complain most about police interference are those that demand the police interfere greatly with others when they have been victims of crime. res ipsa loquitur
Status:
"Made the Retirement Run in under 12 parsecs!!!"
(set 24 days ago)
Location: Cary, NC
43,177 posts, read 76,845,086 times
Reputation: 45534
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve54
You know I can't really get to a place where I see a lawful checkpoint as an erosion of peoples liberty to live unimpeded by the police. The constitution goes a lot further to protect individuals here than in other countries , the UK being one.
In England a police officer does not need to have a reason to stop you and ask questions of you, neither does he/she need a reason to stop you when driving. The fact that you are driving a motor vehicle on a road is sufficient justification. Of course England does not require probable cause merely the lesser ' reasonable suspicion'. The flip side to protecting your freedom is that it also protect the wrongdoer.
Personally I prefer a balance of individual rights -v- police. I am willing to sacrifice some of my rights to live unmolested for greater security (be that real or imagined)
In my experience the people that complain most about police interference are those that demand the police interfere greatly with others when they have been victims of crime. res ipsa loquitur
Yep.
They do stuff different in England.
And we drink a whole lot more coffee here, since that little party in Boston Harbor.
...and leads to the type of absurd security pantomime I witness every time I go to the airport and see giant bins of confiscated soda bottles and contact lens solution. Ah, but we're "safer," so who cares? Quit whining, citizen!
Again, you have no right to fly, you volunteer to follow the rules when you buy your ticket. Don't fly, it is really easy.
Fighting for your rights and others is a great thing, but please, make a case that is worth fighting for and not one that is at best an inconvenience involved with having a privilege. You pay for the privilege to have inept people perform inept checks every time you buy a plane ticket, so by purchasing the ticket you submit yourself to those inspections.
Personally I prefer a balance of individual rights -v- police. I am willing to sacrifice some of my rights to live unmolested for greater security (be that real or imagined)
I'm not willing to sacrifice one iota of my rights - take a little away today, a little more next year, again more later on .......no thank you.
A former candidate for city council is quite alarmed and has been asking very specific questions to me about it, probably so he can bring it up in some town hall meetings or some such.
I'm trying to find a nice way to say, "Whoop de doo," but nothing is coming to me. What's the big deal about a "former candidate for city council"? Is that supposed to impress us? He can bring it up all he wants, but since it has been found to be constitutional, what the heck is the City Council or Town Hall or the Durham Glee Club going to do about it? Again, if you're really that upset about it, put your money where your mouth is and challenge it in a court of law.
My guess is that the people complaining about this are the sames ones whining when there are no cops around and people are weaving in and out of traffic and speeding. Anyone ever heard of a preemptive strike?
Isn't it better to make sure that people are stopped from doing bad BEFORE they have a chance to do it? The only way for Cops to see if a DL is suspended, voided etc is to have checkpoints....otherwise they have to wait for someone to actually do something wrong. Do you complain when you fly and they check you? This is similar but you are not used to it so all of a sudden it's a violation of your rights.
I would rather be late to an appointment or work or whatever for a checkpoint than because some unlicensed goon or a drunk crashes into me or someone else. There are things happening to people that are much worse than this and you have the b***s to complain? Suck it up.....it doesn't happen that often.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
