If I am Stopped by the Police and They Ask Me Where I Am Coming From, Do I Have To Tell Them Where I've Been?

Question

Am I legally bound to tell them where I've been? Maybe I just don't want them to know that I'm returning from a burger joint or my girlfriend's house.

Answer 1

You don't have to give them any information! In fact, if they don't tell you why they pulled you over, you don't have to give them your license either. That said, cooperation goes a long way in how they treat you.

Answer 2

No, you are not legally bound to tell him. Can the officer pull you in for questioning, make you pay hundreds or thousands of dollars on an attourney (if you so request) to answer the question?Oof course. Why? Perhaps the officer was asking because there was just a shooting two blocks away, or is just trying to make simple small talk.

Someone suggested lying- which is the most irresponsible thing I've ever heard. First, if you are lying, and they decide to pull you in for further questioning for whatever reason, and it comes out that you were lying, you're going to get in more trouble for not wanting to tell the officer you were getting a Big Mac.

Unless you've actually done something wrong, why does it matter?

Answer 3

Man you people must have some pretty bad run in with cops! If you have nothing to hide answer the question, unless you are coming from a drug buy or some other illegal activity why would you care? The reason officers ask that question is so we know right away if your gonna lie to us and we need to look further or if you are honest and we can believe what you say. REALLY SIMPLE. Don't listen to this crap about you dont have to answer, the reality is you don't, HOWEVER cops do not HAVE to tell you why you are being pulled over to correct another answer, if you had a warrant and we came up and said I'm pulling you over cause you have a warrant, you are 50% more likely to run than if we confirm who you are and THEN tell you. Stop thinking of police as the bad guys and start realizing that they are doing a job to keep (presumably) honest people like your self safe. we use certain tactics to give us certain answers that work on a reactive level, in other words we pose a question so we can gauge how uncomfortable you are answering it, how long it takes you to come up with some BS story etc, if you arent doing anything wrong, then just answer the question. Probable Cause goes a long way, if we ask you direct questions and you continue to refuse to answer, we can remove you from your car, detain you and search your can all on the basis that you were acting suspicious and we had reason to believe you were hiding something, again especially depending on where you are driving, know drug/prostitution area, etc. then if we DO find some thing we can arrest you for that, tac on interfearing with an investigation and providing false information to an office... NOW which is the more pain in the *** route here? Most of us, again MOST, are not looking to lock ya up, we are doing a job and that is a function of it. do ourself a favor and just cooperate.
NOW there is a line, if you feel the officer is being overly pusy after you have answered and you really have nothing to hide, get his badge number and supervisor and report him, trust me Departments don't like/want "young dumb and full of ***" cops out there ruining the departments reputation.
and if you question is totally legit, why wouldn't you tell them yeah I just came from my girls house, or the burger joint?
trust me, the more honest you are the better, nect time you get pulled over (if) the cop may be like, oh it's you, hey just slow it down a bit and let ya go all because you didnt BS him last time.

Answer 4

A person like you has just robbed the convinience store, or a bank and murdered the clerk.. The officer suspects you are coming from the scene of crime.. you refuse to answer him... He will detain you even if you later claim you were at the burger joint bcause he thinks you have made up a lie.....

Answer 5

My dad is a police officer and now he does homicide investigation. He is actually very mild mannered and in his career has been on thereceiving end of much verbal abuse. Nevertheless he keeps his cool "most of the time". He says that if someone refuses to cooperate with him he usually takes it in stride and smiles a lot and try s to make the person feel comfortable. Lets say my dad stopped you and asked you that question. If you refused to answer he would tell you that you are within your rights to do so but he needs to confirm where you came from becasue your car fits the description of a car used in a homicide and he would have to detain you for further investigation. Now if he had no reason to ask the question he wouldn't ask because he realizes its none of his business.

Recently my dad did blow his cool and was yelling and screaming. I was in the car driving it and my dad was seated next to me. I had just gotten my Learner's Permit and for some reason I couldn't stop the car when he was showing me how to drive. He got really upset and I got really traumatized by him (sniff sniff). Anyway later that day he apologized and hugged me and said he loved me and said it was wrong for him to yell like that. He and my mom started me on driving lessons and I'm in the process of getting them now. They decided to pay for extra hours just in case. He's back to being his happy self again.

Answer 6

I have found that it's sometime best to answer a question with a question. If they ask you "where have you been?" You might respond by politely asking in return "With all due respect officer, why do you ask?" or "Why do you want to know that?" or "I don't suppose you stopped me just to find out where I spend my time,. Is there a problem?" or "My whereabouts is a personal and private matter. Have I broken any laws?" You don't want to come off argumentative or "get in his face" that will only show disrespect and could anger him. Be polite but answer his question with your own question.

Answer 7

Well, I guess you don't have to answer the officers questions. I would wonder why you would want to antagonize the officer who has stopped you by trying to be a smart-a**.

It has been my experience that those who give officers a lot of lip and a hard time are those who are familiar with breaking the law - and can end up on the ground, handcuffed.

Answer 8

In the UK ?

No but then they will make a cock and bull story up simply to arrest and detain you for 3 hours, the police seem to be on a win win situation in the UK at the moment, they have carte blanche to arrest without any suspiscion at all, in fact its now a police state in the UK so beware.
www.all-about-britain.com

Answer 9

If you were stopped, they already have a reason to ask. Refusing to answer a simple question will just cause delay, and arouse suspicion. The last time I checked, it wasn't illegal to be coming from a burger joint, or your girlfriend's house.

Answer 10

Certainly you don't, ESPECIALLY if it would incriminate you. 5th amendment. The kicker is that if you don't it gives them probable cause to search you and your car. Also it might piss them off. So if you were doing nothing wrong and have nothing ever so slightly illegal (non illuminated license plate) go ahead. Otherwise, just be nice to them.

Once my dumb boyfriend got pulled over and told the officer we were going to the liquor store. It was campus police though and they're super nice.

Answer 11

Well, if it's a city cop in most towns, they think they're a god. You don't have to answer, but you'll get hassled beyond belief. In this town, make a cop mad and they'll plant things on you if they have to. Just don't be rude like saying,
"From your wife's bed" like a friend of mine did.
Big mistake. Be polite and move on.