if you are stopped by the police why do they ask what is the purpose of your journey how it is relevent?

Question

to what you have done

Answer 1

if they stopped you in the 1st place, THEY thought they had good reason, so it makes it their right to ask you. Now, what you tell them is up to you. But they're trained to know if you are on drugs or lying and might have something on you. All they want to do is probably give you a ticket for some traffic violation, or catch you w/ drugs.... if you didnt do any thing though... what do you have to wory about :) ?

Answer 2

Usually, drivers are stopped because they violated a driving law, such as changing lanes without signal, speeding, failure to stop at a red light, etc.

If you have a good reason for being in such a hurry, chances are you'll get off if you're telling the truth.

I've been stopped leaving a nightclub for changing lanes without a signal ( and mine was the only car in sight). The cop was fishing for a drunk leaving the club of course. When he saw my sober 60-year-old face and that my companion and I were well dressed, he ran the obligatory license check to make sure the car wasn't stolen, then let me go.

Poor guy was so disappointed. But I was driving a 1987 Olds Cutlass 442, and I'm sure the guy thought he had a drunk kid ...

Answer 3

They ask you this for a few reasons. One thing they are trying to do is get you to talk to see if there is any signs of possible intoxication. Another is to make a mental note of who is out on the road at a certain time.

Say after you get pulled over, there is a burglary in that area with no discription of the actor or any vehicles, the officer can think back to anyone that he has made contact with in that area and around that time. That way it might get him some leads as to someone that have been done it, or someone that might have been in the area and saw what happened or got a description of the actor or a vehicle.

Answer 4

It gives the driver an opportunity to mitigate what he/she has done, be it speed etc. If the 'excuse' is good enough, the ticket may be waived. It also covers the event whereby the driver may come up with a defense later at court where excuses are readily manufactured to lessen the penalty.

Answer 5

It's a field interrogation, or in shorthand, an FI. Investigating technique. As one Sergeant used to tell me, the only ones out past 3 AM are bad guys and working people. It might sound kind of simplistic, but it seems to be a truism in my experience. Better to know what a person has been up to and where they have been than to not. Officer is just doing their job and that is to know who, what, when and where.

Answer 6

Law enforcers are not always aware of the reality of the situation. Many of them will interpret a nervous motorist as one who is breaking the law.

It is very difficult for me to remain objective for this question. There is a reason I chose TarKettle as my screen name.

I will simply say that I was harassed by a Mississippi state trooper a **year and a half** ago while driving my very first U-Haul truck and even though I wasn't arrested, I can't let it go!! If you want my advice as a civilian, don't get nervous.

Answer 7

Maybe they just want to get you talking to see if perhaps you have been drinking. You are within your right to not answer such questions, but it wont make your "visit" end any sooner. If I get stopped, I always get my registration, insurance card and wallet out and put them all on the dashboard before the cops walks up...I dont want some trigger happy rookie cop shooting me thinking I am reaching for a gun.

Answer 8

Cuz the piggies are nosey sometimes. lol.. No seriously I think because it gives them an idea of why you might have been doing something like if you get stopped for a DUI there looking for I'm on my way home from a bar. Or speeding you could be on the way to the hospital. I dunno. Say something stupid next time they ask. Like... I thought I would just drive around aimlessly until you pulled me over. Expect the ticket though.

Answer 9

I've never been asked that, actually. Technically, you can refuse to answer as it doesn't have anything to do with your performance on the road.

UNLESS you are in a state/city that has a curfew on minors and you're a minor (or look like one). Then they're asking to make sure you going home.

Answer 10

I dont think they really care where you are going (unless you admitt your going to pick up some crack, or murder someone), they just ask that to see how you respond, see if you hesitate on your answer like your hiding something, or maybe to see if your under the influence of something.