While MS-13 builds our dufus LEO's run seatbelt checks. Taxpayer money at work!
Posted on 12/06/2005 12:30:15 PM PST by paulat
State trooper or panhandler? Drivers fooled By Jennifer Sullivan Seattle Times staff reporter
In the three years since state lawmakers gave cops the go-ahead to pull over people for not wearing seat belts, the State Patrol has become creative about spotting scofflaws.
But one new approach has raised a few eyebrows — while providing results troopers call impressive.
On Saturday, a trooper stood on a street corner in Spanaway, Pierce County, and helped bust 30 people for not wearing their seat belts. The trooper, wearing plain clothes and a cardboard sign around his neck that read "Happy Holidays Buckle Up," was able to keep a close eye on passing traffic from the southeast corner of Highway 7 and 112th Street East. When he spotted someone who wasn't wearing a seat belt, the trooper radioed fellow troopers parked nearby who pulled over the offender.
In four hours, 41 cars were stopped and 30 seat-belt tickets, costing violators $101 per infraction, were handed out, Trooper J.J. Gundermann said. Troopers also made one drug arrest and six outstanding-warrant arrests.
Some motorists, seeing a man on the roadside wearing a sign, offered him money, apparently figuring he was a panhandler, the State Patrol said. The trooper refused the money.
[SNIP]
John Strait, a law professor at Seattle University, said the operation "sounds tacky" but isn't illegal.
"I'm not sure it's great public policy," Strait said. "I don't think there's a legal privacy issue."
University of Washington criminal-law professor John Junker said police have a right to work in an undercover capacity. They also have a right to penalize people for what can be seen in plain view — such as not wearing a seat belt.
Troopers in King County say they are considering using the same tactic.
[SNIP]
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
Ha, you think its bad now, wait until fully socialized healthcare arrives.. every private action will be subject to government regulation.
The way to beat this is easy:
I thought the story was going to be that he discouraged people from enabling panhandlers...but no. Left a bad taste in my mouth though...
Is there something still breathing? /s
Goodness, that was long ago. I've only been here 3 years.
I just feel different about paying for the stupidity of other people. You wanna drive with out being secured in your vehicle as mandated my law and you have an accident and smash your face on the windshield why should we have to pay for it? Why should the insurance company?
With all the meth problems in the Spanaway area, this is all they can come up. Money, money, money ... what a waste of taxpayer dollars.
1-206-421-5757 1-888-312-5757
Streaming at 570kvi.com
...unless you're in New Hampshire. Adults are NOT required to wear them here. Of course, the resulting carnage is national news every night.
FYI...I forgot to mention that 1-888-312-5757 is nation-wide toll free.
It is, and I'm a big fan of seatbelts, having had my life saved by one soon after I'd installed it (in a car that had *never* had seatbelts -- this was a long time ago).
And frankly in any crash situation where the vehicle is still in motion post-collision as the driver you *want* to still be in the driver's seat (or in my case what remained of it) in order to guide the car safely away from secondary collisions...
But this is not the way to enforce the law. Particularly when we in this state had been promised, promised, promised it would never be a primary ticketing offense.
While MS-13 builds our dufus LEO's run seatbelt checks. Taxpayer money at work!
Perhaps I am showing my age...but this part of your comment I don't understand....
Here in Indiana when the seat belt laws were being passed the state went to great lengths to explain how the laws would NEVER lead to traffic stops but would only come into play in the event of accidents. Now we not only have stops we also have roadblocks for seat belt enforcement. Good pretext for fishing expeditions.
But it seems to have had an awakening effect upon those directly touched by it.
A steady and an assured repeat of the same or even a mixing of something else attention getting might be in the offing.
Some folks are invigorated by that which challenges their choices and their responsiveness.
Soooooo, I wonder!
Same thing happened here in WA....
I'm boycotting panhandlers and undercover cops who can't say "Merry Christmas."
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