Hi all. It just occured to me that the media is blasting the airwaves and TV Commercials about NOT Drinking and Driving this Holidays. Like always have a designated driver or call a cab. My question is, if Cops wanted an easy solution for their problems, all they gotta do is park discreetly at any Local Bar or Restaurant and when they see somebody walking out eraticaly or driving off suspiciously, GOTCHA pull him over! Or is that illegal.
2007-12-19 04:45:18 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I don't know if it is illegal, but most police departments don't have the man power to station a squad at every bar in town, and still perform their other duties.
2007-12-19 04:50:24 · answer #1 · answered by Mutt 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The legality issue is not the fact that the police are "shooting sitting ducks" or entrapping. It stems to the fact that they could potentially be costing a bar owner lost revenues. When a cop is sitting in front of a bar people may decide to go somewhere else. So, a bar owner could fight that in court. If you get pulled over by a cop that is staking out a bar and you get a DUI you have no defense based on him watching the parking lot. Also, a cop will not pull you over unless there is a valid reason, and believe me they can come up with some crazy stuff. The key is to make sure your car is "tip top" and you are driving according to the laws and you won't get pulled over.
2007-12-19 05:03:30 · answer #2 · answered by Fred M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not illegal and it is not entrapment. Police regularly set up road blocks/sobriety check points near the bar district in town. Most of the residents know that the cops do this and do not drive when going there. the cops get all of the out of towners/tourists who do not know better than to drink and drive.
They broadcast warnings because the cops cannot catch every single drunk driver and they are hoping the public service announcements will prevent at least some of those who might otherwise drink and drive.
2007-12-19 05:35:21 · answer #3 · answered by Eric D 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Illegal has hell. In the small town where we live our local cop has been trying this, as well as many other illegal tactics. He is not long for his current job or the town. Last Saturday night he was calling in every plate parked outside of the bars in town. No cause, no suspicion, just harassment. The dispatcher told him to "go home."
2007-12-19 05:30:15 · answer #4 · answered by trunorth 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Illegal or not they do; I had a PA state trooper tell me they "Chalk mark" the tires of cars in bars after 1 AM and just wait for the tires with the white rings as they pull out to keep an eye on.
Drunk drivers kill.
2007-12-19 04:51:51 · answer #5 · answered by wizjp 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This was addressed in today's (or a very recent) edition of the Mr. Roadshow column in the San Jose Mercury news (Mercury.com).
I twas explained that the goal is not to catch drunk drivers, it is to deter them from drinking and driving in the first place.
After all, you can drink plenty of places besides a bar and drive.
2007-12-19 04:52:06 · answer #6 · answered by Barry C 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They already do that where I live. They post an undercover in a bar and wait for drunk people to leave and get in their cars.
Not sure on the legality of it though since it seems to be similar to a speed trap, which has been deemed illegal.
2007-12-19 04:51:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Since walking out erratically is an indication of public intoxication, a violation in itself, they should certainly have the duty, not the right, to pull over anyone walking that way who tried to drive.
Saying they can not watch near where alcohol is served is like saying a Game Warden is not allowed into the woods.
2007-12-19 05:00:29 · answer #8 · answered by Tom K 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's completely illegal for them to do that.. That was passed years ago.........
There best bet is to just keep sitting at the bar as they do now and hand out tickets to all their co-workers and buddies before they go off driving... I'm 100% against drunk driving BUT I am more against the ones policing it getting special favors and being "just as if not more so" guilty of the same crime. The Police Club Courtesy is just wrong...
Mr Right... IT MOST CERTAINLY IS ILLEGAL... where do you get your facts?
2007-12-19 04:49:43 · answer #9 · answered by Ditka 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Too many legal arguments to do "stakeouts" on bars. Here in Arkansas, they use the checkpoints. They get more people for no insurance than DUI's.
2007-12-19 05:43:40 · answer #10 · answered by sensible_man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋