It's such a contrast from Europe. I had the cops called on me once in the UK (and they also don't have a great reputation) as I drank too much and somehow got stuck in someone's garden knocking on their window at like 3am to let me out.
Cops came, ID'd me, asked what I was doing there and helped me climb out/half pulled me out then gave me a ride home. I remember them just having a laugh at me being stupid due to being drunk. I asked them if they could cuff me cuz I wanted to know what it's like and they said no because they didn't want me to hurt myself by falling over or something. I also asked if we could go through the McDonald's drive through when we went by one on the way and offered to bribe them with a happy meal but they just chuckled and told me they can't do that unfortunately. One of them walked me up to my flat and made sure I got in safe before leaving. Granted I wasn't arrested or anything, but it felt like a positive experience and I woke up feeling thankful for them having been there the night before.
To contrast, I've once been pulled over in the US with friends and even though the cop didn't do or say anything wrong, I distinctly remember feeling like his tone and demeanor was challenging (as if he wanted us to argue with him or something). We were let go without a ticket or anything in the end, all he said when we asked why we were pulled over is that it's a routine check. It felt like a very negative experience and from what it sounds like, it's as good as it could have gone in the US.
Wait the American cop knew why he pulled you over? That is exceptionally good. Usually they don’t even know and have the gall to ask you. And they’re just looming with a hand on their gun while they ask
American cops ask if you know why you were pulled over so you can self incriminate.
I was let go once when I answered.
When we pulled over he came over and asked for license and reg, we immediately asked why we got stopped and he said routine check, then proceeded to ask us a bunch of questions about where we are driving from, where to, why etc. I would not answer those now, but we didn't know about how things go in the US then so we did. He didn't get anything out of it luckily.
I distinctly remember feeling like his tone and demeanor was challenging (as if he wanted us to argue with him or something). We were let go without a ticket or anything in the end, all he said when we asked why we were pulled over is that it’s a routine check.
That's an unlawful detention in the US. You can only be pulled over for either actually violating something or a reasonable suspicion of doing a specific illegal thing. They can always make something up, but that'll limit how long they can investigate you for. Coming out and saying they have no reason should always just be responded with asking to leave.
Yeah, I know that now but none of us knew how to handle the situation then. I've learned since then to read up on the rights i will have in countries I plan on visiting.
It's a shame that we pay our taxes only to have to invest even more energy into protecting ourselves from the system that's built with our money (I've found this to be true to different degrees in most countries unfortunately).
It's such a contrast from Europe. I had the cops called on me once in the UK (and they also don't have a great reputation) as I drank too much and somehow got stuck in someone's garden knocking on their window at like 3am to let me out.
Cops came, ID'd me, asked what I was doing there and helped me climb out/half pulled me out then gave me a ride home. I remember them just having a laugh at me being stupid due to being drunk. I asked them if they could cuff me cuz I wanted to know what it's like and they said no because they didn't want me to hurt myself by falling over or something. I also asked if we could go through the McDonald's drive through when we went by one on the way and offered to bribe them with a happy meal but they just chuckled and told me they can't do that unfortunately. One of them walked me up to my flat and made sure I got in safe before leaving. Granted I wasn't arrested or anything, but it felt like a positive experience and I woke up feeling thankful for them having been there the night before.
To contrast, I've once been pulled over in the US with friends and even though the cop didn't do or say anything wrong, I distinctly remember feeling like his tone and demeanor was challenging (as if he wanted us to argue with him or something). We were let go without a ticket or anything in the end, all he said when we asked why we were pulled over is that it's a routine check. It felt like a very negative experience and from what it sounds like, it's as good as it could have gone in the US.
Wait the American cop knew why he pulled you over? That is exceptionally good. Usually they don’t even know and have the gall to ask you. And they’re just looming with a hand on their gun while they ask
American cops ask if you know why you were pulled over so you can self incriminate.
I was let go once when I answered.
When we pulled over he came over and asked for license and reg, we immediately asked why we got stopped and he said routine check, then proceeded to ask us a bunch of questions about where we are driving from, where to, why etc. I would not answer those now, but we didn't know about how things go in the US then so we did. He didn't get anything out of it luckily.
That's an unlawful detention in the US. You can only be pulled over for either actually violating something or a reasonable suspicion of doing a specific illegal thing. They can always make something up, but that'll limit how long they can investigate you for. Coming out and saying they have no reason should always just be responded with asking to leave.
Yeah, I know that now but none of us knew how to handle the situation then. I've learned since then to read up on the rights i will have in countries I plan on visiting.
It's a shame that we pay our taxes only to have to invest even more energy into protecting ourselves from the system that's built with our money (I've found this to be true to different degrees in most countries unfortunately).