Police: Twitter used to avoid DUI checkpoints

Sacramento Bee / McClatchy Newspapers ^ | 28 Dec 2009 | Brad Banan

[relictele]

FRESNO, Calif. -- In a ritual nearly as familiar as Santa Claus and crowded stores, police agencies have again stepped up enforcement of drunken-driving laws this holiday season.

Studies have found sobriety checkpoints reduce alcohol-related crashes because they create awareness about the risk of arrest.

But some public-safety officials say that message might be lost on the group most at risk - young drivers. Trying to elude arrest for drunken driving, young people use technology to keep each other informed about the location of sobriety checkpoints, said Sgt. Dave Gibeault, head of the Fresno Police Department's traffic unit.

[Professional Engineer]

“The last of the V8 Interceptors!”

Indeed. Be fun to have one.

[Nuc1]

Not sure but I think we are on the same page. My position is that driving is not a state provided privilege. Anymore than riding a horse was a state provided privilege in the past. And certainly due process takes rights from people in response to crimes.

[moehoward]

“Police and ‘civic-minded’ newspapers play cat-and-mouse with this requirement by delaying the notifications until the last minute and burying the notices in an obscure corner of the paper.”

And on slow night’s the nit-wits overstay their posted times nullifying every subsequent DUI.

We all know this is a money grab. This quit being about public safety decades ago.

[moehoward]

"you don’t go to jail.

it is an automatic one year suspension.

if there is any question then refuse EVERYTHING.

Do not consent to the roadside exercises. (they have only a 65% accuracy anyways)

Do not conset to the breath or demand a blood test

THEN

GO TO THE DMV and demand a formal review and HIRE A LAWYER to represent you and subpoena the officers to that quasi judicial administrative hearing."

That should be a sticky under every DUI thread.

[SW6906]

I’ve been using Trapster on my iPhone for over six months now. It works OK, sometimes it has trouble keeping track of where I am when I am. Sometimes it just stops. Start again and it works. It’s nice to know where the speed and red light cameras are. It has saved me speeding tickets several times. ;o)

[LuvFreeRepublic]

Oh yay, another newbie card. That makes you better than me. Dang it, now I have more wrinkles from laughing so hard that I have tears in my eyes. Oh wait, the tears are for the heart felt best wishes for 2010. Same to you Nuc1.

[NittanyLion]

You are correct, so why don't we stop the drunk drivers, kill all the terrorist, make sure guns are only used for self defense and hunting, etc. Then and only then will the gradual removal of rights be stopped.

So in other words, "rights" are not inalienable and enduring, but rather are dependent upon the actions of third parties. Is that your claim?

If so, that's a terrible misunderstanding of the what a "right" really is. You should educate yourself as soon as possible.

[LuvFreeRepublic]

Take your argument that the checkpoints are unconstitutional to the Supreme Court. I am sure you will have lots of supports. Checkpoints are a direct result of drunk drivers. By default (think transitive property of equality), we are or should be talking about drunk driving.

The emotion only entered the discussion when those that would scream at the top of their lungs defending their position, resorted to emotion to degrade me and my position.

Feel free to be opposed to checkpoints, and I will continue to oppose drunk drivers and will defend measures to get the drunks off the road. Drunks gone = checkpoints gone. Simple. And should any FR be stupid and selfish enough to drive drunk, may they get their @$$ nailed at the nearest checkpoint.

[LuvFreeRepublic]

Good grief! Rights are inalienable and enduring and it is the responsibility of our government, through laws that are constitutional, to ensure our rights are protected. Drunk driving laws and associated measures are in place to protect the rights of others. You and your supporter can go away now because we have reached an impasse. You and like minded others think check points violate your rights. I disagree and therefore, support the use of check points as a means of enforcing laws related to impared driving.

[NittanyLion]

Good grief! Rights are inalienable and enduring and it is the responsibility of our government, through laws that are constitutional, to ensure our rights are protected.

Fourth Amendment: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Remind me again how the police can claim they have probable cause when conducting a checkpoint...

[RandallFlagg]

I wish I knew how to make an app.
I’d make one similar to this where 2 touches on the iPhone enters the data about the issue. One touch tells where you are, and one tells if it’s a speed trap/checkpoint/etc. from a dropdown menu that opens when you touch your location.