Posted on 08/30/2009 7:55:17 PM PDT by claymax
Here is the story of what happened. Last night, my wife was driving to Wal-Mart to get another vacuum cleaner, ours had died on us. I asked her to pick up some beer on the way home. Well driving home she had it in the front seat. There was a DUI traffic stop on her way home. The cops pulled her to the side and said that she needed to put the beer in the trunk and that is her warning or she would get a ticket. This sounds so stupid to me. Does anyone know if this is true that you cannot transport un-opened containers in your car in California? I have been searching all over and can not locate if this is true!
California has an open container policy, but no laws associated with closed containers in the passenger compartment that I am aware of.
Just stick with weed.
I’ve lived here over 20 years, never heard that, and I doubt very much it is true. An open bottle, like a whiskey you are taking to a party, and whose seal is broken, must be in the trunk.
Right, as you said.
BUT: it is Kalifohnia, and some ‘agencies’ tend to bend a bit so to let you know they have the power... and they will show you if you call them on it.
Formerly from KA.
You are lucky you weren’t in a dry county in Mississippi. The LE would have confiscated your vehicle, arrested you and your wife and it would have been Tuesday before you were allowed to make a phone call.
...A container of liquor, beer, or wine carried inside the vehicle must be full, sealed, and unopened. Otherwise, it must be in the trunk or in a place where passengers don’t sit...
I was told by a guy that loves to embellish stories that he was stopped with several bag of cans for recycling and he was told to put them in the back seat.
I heard that it was that rough there, but she was picking some up for me. WOW, I am glad I don’t live there
I’m aware of the open container rule, even if it’s a bottle cap and/or the bottle is empty, but I’ve never heard of this.
I buy beer and put it in my front seat all of the time. Of course, I’ve never been pulled over in California in over 25 year, that is, since I’ve lived here.
Louisiana and Texas on the other hand ...
Unless the laws have changed since I lived there you can have unopened containers anywhere in the car. Opened containers, like whiskey bottles, need to be in the trunk.
Kali is weird. You have to have a certain brand of tire to drive to the mtn’s in certain months. I toss my case of brew on the passenger side floor because I can’t be bothered with lifting it out of the bed.
Thank you for the information, I printed it out and going down there tomorrow. Roseville police need to stop acting like Nazi’s
Cop was wrong. Only alcohol containers that have been opened need to be in the trunk....
I'm not exactly sure how the law works but I think it is pretty much accepted that if the quarter lands in the glass, you have to drink it one gulp.
You got me.....I sure do miss that game from college. Maybe I should break out the old shot glasses for “poker night”, just to re live the memories.
If the ping pong ball lands in your beer cup, you have to chug it down.
Same here in Michigan, no open bottles, I think also no empty’s on the floor..Unopened is fine.
Glad to know that about dry counties...When my kids and I went to arkansas, we had to drive 50 miles so son could get some beer...Didn’t know you couldn’t even have it in dry counties...When we asked at the drug store where to get beer, the guy looked at us like we had just gotten out of a space ship...
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