I have never liked the ‘let me see your papers’ aspect of check-point stops. It wreaks of a totalitarian state. We’ve had them in my state for the last 35 years that I know of.
Make the penalty as stiff as you want for folks who are caught, but don’t make everyone prove they’re not guilty by having to stop for no reason at all.
I know a lot of folks will disagree with me on this.
Well, I agree with you.
I find it even more amazing that if you decide to turn off before the check point, then that is grounds for pulling you over. Couldn’t your decision to turn around simply be to avoid the delay?
Not in a police state.
(Note I have never been ticketed at a check point. Just harassed. Cops have trouble with lap belts w/o shoulder harnesses in a 1975 van. It usually takes a sergeant to tell them it’s okay. They also profile motorcyclists. If it’s just a seat belt check and let cars go through slowly, they always stop me to check my papers.)