Posted on 01/24/2009 10:16:42 PM PST by Domandred
Buying a new house and today while we were over at the new place painting my wife backed our minivan into the next door neighbor's volvo. Great way to meet the new neighbors right?...ouch.
Anyways I was in the passenger seat watching right (wife pulled out left so I never saw the car).
When the police showed up the officer asked me for my driver's license.
I said "Sorry officer, I was a passenger, not driving, you don't need to see my driver's license." Yea she didn't like that.
The officer said "the DMV requires us to enter the driver's licenses of everyone in the vehicle that is involved in a traffic accident. I'll need to see it."
Being that the neighbors (including the guy across the street that wasn't involved at all) were all standing around now watching I decided to not press the issue as our neighbor approval rating is already sub-congress. I handed over my drivers license (reluctantly) and said "you really don't need to see my driver's license, but here it is anyways".
She tried to speak up some more and I said "it's fine you have it already it's done". Yea she didn't talk to me again.
I used to carry an ID on me (not driver's license) for times that I wasn't driving or planing on driving...like when I was planning on drinking, but don't have it anymore.
Now I know without a doubt that since I was not driving I had no legal obligation to produce a driver's license. The question is did I have to legally produce any ID or would name and such have been sufficient?
I seem to remember a supreme court case about this a few years ago.
She didn’t like you and wanted to see if you had any outstanding warrants. ;)
“You need to conduct yourself in such a manner not to want to hide you ID from any legitimate request to produce it. Excuse me for not being more gentle...”
If you or your grandchildred have their teeth are kicked by jack booted thugs hope they don’t hear
“excuse me for not being more gentle.”
There are times when I don’t even carry an ID on me when I’m not driving.
You must have had some bad experience with the police. I have always treated them with very much respect and have always been treated well. I always try to build a rapport with the police regardless....maybe you should try this and you will get along better.
Yes and if she had asked for my name I would have gladly volunteered it.
Perhaps I could have said "My name is Domandred, this is my cell phone number, but since I wasn't driving you don't actually need to verify my Driver's License".
And as jokingly mentioned in the post below yours, yes the officer did run my drivers license through the computer. I watched her do it. She didn't just enter it into the accident report.
Don’t assume.
I have personally never had a bad experience with the police.
FYI: In my state it is a state law that says you can receive a ticket for operating a vehicle however, if you don’t have a lisence but the ticket MUST be waived upon presentation to a judge.
Keep licking everyone’s boots.
I have no doubt that you are an honest person and would never lie to a police officer. But many, many people lie or use aliases.
I.E., how many aliases does our new President have?
Yes, that's right. If someone is in the US illegally they will at some point have to show legal US ID for a job, an apartment, a credit card, a license, etc. It should be the responsibility of those entities to report this person to immigration or call police while the person still sits there, IMO, if such a person cannot produce an ID. A person just walking down any US street should not have to fear being accosted by the police and forced to show they are legal. What if you don't drive? What if you don't carry ID every time you walk out of your home? Like someone else posted, are we to become like Nazi Germany afraid to be caught without our "papers"?
“So, any one can cruise the country without having the fear of having to produce a picture ID? “
Now that you mention it, and I have seen the light I have reconsidered...
I now say let’s put up checkpoints at every county line. To cross the county border valid, stamped and dated ID must be politely presented to the guards at the checkpoint. Crap, think of all the crime that would be eliminated. It would be Utopia.
Wouldn’t it?
There was a time some years ago that I didn't drive, didn't own a car, and subsequently didn't bother renewing my driver's license as I didn't need one. I rode my bike everywhere including to the grocery store. I also didn't have any form of legal ID. Got paid in cash and paid my rent/bills in cash. Went about two years like that with no problems.
Never did get stopped by police for anything but always wondered what that conversation would be like.
I guess some people here think you should have to be able to show proper ID if you’re walking to the store to buy a gallon of milk or the Sunday paper and paying cash for it!
I don't think that is such a good idea.
We will have to produce an id for the sole purpose of making us feel like criminals, but they will also be radio frequency ID coded so we can be id'ed at a distance.
Sorry. I’m tired too and all of us have been grouchy lately. Thank God we have Free Republic and all the FReepers. Sleep well.
I have heard (read) people say that. Which I never understood. There are so many “what ifs”. What if I am talking a walk around the neighborhood and have no pockets in my clothing? Or if my husband and I go to the store with the same scenario. Unless I am driving, making a purchase, or getting a drink, I don’t want to have to find someplace to stash my i.d.
Hard to tell from your post.
By the way, you could tell I forgot to add the /sarc/ at the end of that post right?
Didn't take it that way at all, I assure you! :~) Yes, I think this whole election and the O has everyone on edge to some extent.
There was NO indication that this person was engaged in any wrong doing at all. The cop just thought she'd take the opportunity to wander through his driving record anyway.
Glad she came up with nothing. Getting taken away in handcuffs is no way to increase your standing in the neighborhood Domandred! LOL!
Didn’t take it that way at all, I assure you! :~)
>> Yes, I think this whole election and the O has everyone on edge to some extent.<<
For sure. We aren’t like the sheeple.
Yes, I thought and hoped you were kidding. ;)
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