Field Sobriety Test Trip Report

[IggyWH]

Background : For those of you who don't know Pittsburgh, The Waterfront is like a yuppie built area a couple miles outside downtown Pittsburgh. The site used to be a steel mill many years ago which was tore down and then built up to what it is today. It has shopping, dining, has a couple office buildings and some high rent housing. The Waterfront is nice, but the problem is, everything surrounding it is hood. Some of you may have heard the story about the guy who was killed after seeing the 50 Cent movie. This happened at the movie threater in The Waterfront (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,175303,00.html).

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Last night I couldn't find anything to do. Most of my friends were being bitches and doing stupid stuff. I got ahold of one of my boys who I hadn't seen in about a month and he told me he was going to be drinking down The Waterfront. I work in The Waterfront and try to stay out of the area when I'm not working but since I hadn't seen him in a while and had nothing else to do, I said screw it.

I met up with my boy at Rock Bottom, which if you don't know is a bar/restaurant where they brew their own beer. I get there around 11 and have a beer. After we're done with our beers, he wants me to meet this new girl he's seeing. She's 1/2 philippino half mexican so I just had to see what this combination looked like.

We head over to Yokoso where she works. The restaurant is closed but everyone who works there is sitting at the bar knocking a few down. We sit there and BS for a while and I take a sip of saki since I had never had it before. So it's like 1 now and they want to close up for good, so we decide to walk down to Bar Louie.

We get to Bar Louie and I owe my boy a drink since he bought my beer earlier. I know he likes to drink Manderin & Cranberry so I order one for each of us and get his lady a Bloody Mary. We drink our drinks, last call rolls around and I eventually end up leaving Bar Louie around 2AM.

I was hungry as hell so I drove over to McDonalds in the same area. Their drive-thru is 24 hours. After sitting there for 20 minutes with 2 cars still infront of me, I finally said screw it and drove off. I didn't need to eat that crap before going to bed anyways.

I drove out of The Waterfront (which is enclosed by railroad tracks & a river) and as I drive over the tracks, I see a cop come flying behind me. I wanted to know if this cop was following me, so I started making a couple turns. I made a right down a side street, a left onto another side street and finally a right to get back on the main street outside The Waterfront. After 2 turns with him still behind me, I figure it would be smart for me to throw on my seat belt when I'm hooking the 3rd turn. I do that and shortly after making the turn, he throws on his lights and pulls me over.

*On a little side note here, why the hell to cops do that? If you're going to pull someone over, PULL THEM THE EFF OVER!! Don't go tailgating them, following them for a while when you know you're pulling them over anyways*

So I pull out my license and registration. I was a little worried because I only had a temp registration on me. My regular one was in my wallet which I didn't bring with me. He comes to the window and says "Don't you believe in stopping at stop signs?" At this point I'm nervous as hell as I've never been pulled over before. I asked which ones, he tells me infront of Target & Dicks (which are in The Waterfront and I passed on my way out). I knew I stopped, although since there were no other cars anywhere near me and those places were all closed, I didn't do a complete stop. So I replied back to him "I didn't stop" he said nope and I replied back with a little snicker "If you say so."

I was about 2 seconds from getting into an argument with this guy as I'm not one who can keep his mouth shut when I believe I'm right. I thought better of it though. He runs my license and tags which were completely clean, comes back and asks me where I'm coming from. I told him Bar Louie, he asks me if I had anything to drink and I told him 2 beers. I wasn't 100% honest but I didn't want to give him a checklist of beer, cranbery & vodka. He then wants me to count from 36 to 22 backwards. Seems pretty easy right? Well since I'm still nervous as hell, I count from 36 to 32 and then stop and ask him if he said 22 or 32. I was in such a hurry to start counting to show him I was fine that I didn't completely understand what he wanted.

By now, 2 other cops had pulled up. Here I am looking like some serious criminal when I haven't done a damn thing. So he tells me to get out of my car and tells me he's going to give me a field sobriety test. First I have to stand with my feet together, tilt my head back, extend my arms and touch my nose with the hand he says. So he shouts out different hands, obviously trying to trick me into using the wrong hand each time. I just take my time to make sure I'm using the correct hand and get through that no problem at all.

Next up, I have to stand on 1 foot, raise my other foot 6 inches and count 1-thousand-1, 1-thousand-2 up to 10. I'm still nervous has hell and the first 2 times I did it I couldn't get my balance. My standing foot kept twitching so I'd get to 2 and have to put my foot back down on the ground. My 3rd time through though I finally had my balance and went through it no problem at all.

Finally, the 3rd test was to stand on a crack on the sidewalk, walk it heal-to-toe taking 9 steps, turn around and do another 9. I flew right through that with no problems at all.

So now, while I'm surrounded by like 6 cops at this point, they get into a huddle like their NFL refs discussing a call. The main guy comes back to me and says "Here's the deal, you're probably over the legal limit and I could take you in right now for blood work if I wanted to" (at this point I lost it and started laughing at him. I almost wanted to say do it). He then asks me if I have someone who can come pick me up. I tell him yes, he tells me to call up a ride and "We'll take care of your car". At this point I quit biting my tongue and went at it. I wanted to know what "take care of your car" meant because there was no way in hell I was going to let them tow my car. He kept giving me the run around and then finally said they'd just move it up like 10 feet to a meter on the road. We started getting a little heated in our discussion because I was sick of being jerked around and then he yelled to me "WHAT'S YOUR POINT" and then I wised up once again, said I had none and I was going to call my friend.

So as I grab my cell out of my car, the cop tells me to pull my car forward to the meter. WTF? First I'm over the legal limit, now I'm allowed to move my car? Are you serious? He also tells me to move it while I'm talking on the phone... another no-no. I hung up my phone before moving my car. I get ahold of my friend (also my roomie) and him and his dad (who was in for the Pitt game today) came and got me and drove my car home also.

The cops left me, told me I could sit in my car since it was a cold night and said that if I tried driving off that they would arrest me. My buddie showed up about 20 minutes later and I was on my way home. While sitting in my car, I had so many cops drive past me. Like they have nothing better to worry about.

Can't keep a freakin movie theater safe from getting killed, cars get stolen and vandilzed all the time down there, yet they want to go screw with some sober dude. 2 beers in 3 hours and I'm over the legal limit, give me a break...

[SackUp]

Telling you had been drinking was your problem. Most people are going to lie about the number of drinks they have had and thus makes all the crap they sent you through necessary. It definitely sucks when you have to go through it, but it is better than having people driving drunk on the streets (not that this prevents all of it, but it does help - though don't need 6 cops to do it).

I've had the same situation happen to me before. And really it is much better than getting a ticket or a DUI.

[cardcounter0]

Wow. An almost perfect blow-by-blow of what NOT to do when pulled over.

/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[IggyWH]

Well, I've been in a bar for the last 3 hours. You can smell it on me. No cop is going to believe you when you say you didn't have anything to drink. I was just being honest.

What I have a problem with is first pulling me over. Then, I'm not allowed to drive home because I'm legally drunk (and passed the field sobriety test), but I'm allowed to move my car? They obviously had nothing on me since I didn't get a ticket, didn't get a warning.

Only thing I can think of was because of the shooting and increased security, they had to make it look like they were doing something and I was nothing but a paperwork filler.

[MrTrik]

When leaving a bar or any other party area you absolutely must make good stops, wear a seatbelt and obey all rules. Whether or not you are impaired, you are a target for the police.

[Homer]

I once was pulled over by a cop who told me I had flipped him off. I hadn't -- he must have made mistaken me with someone else. He then said I smelled of alcohol and told me to get out of the car. I hadn't had anything to drink. He made me do some of the stuff you talked about in your post, then gave me a breathalizer, which came up as 0.0. He then lectured me some more and took off. Cock sucking pig.

[FouTight]

bah..

sorry we missed it, we were down at PF Changs last night, weren't out that late though...

Good to know that you can be a complete ass and not get in trouble though, I'll have to keep that in mind. you should be thankful

[Lazymeatball]

So you went to a few bars, than started to drive home and got pulled over, gave the cop a bunch of attitude, and still got let off without being arrested. What are you complaining about again?

[cardcounter0]

I think his complaint is that they let him move his car instead of towing it (and not beating him with clubs while they waited for the tow truck).
/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[mmcd]

[ QUOTE ]
So he tells me to get out of my car and tells me he's going to give me a field sobriety test.

[/ QUOTE ]

The story should have ended here. Don't agree to take these. Ever. Once they decide to get you out out of the car and have you stand on one foot and say the alphabet backwards and all that nonsense, it's 90% likely they have already decided they are going to arrest you and just want get some more evidence. Don't give it to them.

[IggyWH]

[ QUOTE ]
gave the cop a bunch of attitude

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe I wasn't really clear in my original post. I didn't give the guy attitude until he said he was going to take care of my car and not tell me what they were going to do. If they were going to try and tow my car, there was no way in hell I was letting them do that until they gave me a Breathalyzer because they obviously had nothing on me and I was no where near the legal limit.

Of course looking back on it now, if he said they were towing my car and I demanded a Breathalyzer, it would have just landed my ass in jail and my car towed just to prove I wasn't drunk. Good thing I wised up in mid argument and told him I was shutting up.

[IggyWH]

[ QUOTE ]
bah..

sorry we missed it, we were down at PF Changs last night, weren't out that late though...

[/ QUOTE ]

I never ate there, you'll have to give me some pointers on what to get there sometime. I've been told it's expensive but it's really good.

[Lazymeatball]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
gave the cop a bunch of attitude

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe I wasn't really clear in my original post. I didn't give the guy attitude until he said he was going to take care of my car and not tell me what they were going to do.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
I replied back with a little snicker "If you say so."

[/ QUOTE ]

[Yeti]

[ QUOTE ]
Wow. An almost perfect blow-by-blow of what NOT to do when pulled over.

[/ QUOTE ]

[HopeydaFish]

[ QUOTE ]
So you went to a few bars, than started to drive home and got pulled over, gave the cop a bunch of attitude, and still got let off without being arrested.

[/ QUOTE ]

The OP *has* to be white. There's no way a black guy doesn't end up with a beat-down in this situation.

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

My wife has both prosecuted and defended many drunk driving cases. Everyone claims to have had "two beers," and I think you were full of [censored] here and don't want to admit it, because it [censored] up a great story about the cops "mistreating" you. On top of that, you failed two of the tests, AND acted like an ass. My money says you were DUI and were very lucky to have gotten off.

Advice that you will probably ignore:

1) Always kiss ass when pulled over, even if the cop is being a total dick.

2) Quit drinking and driving.

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
So he tells me to get out of my car and tells me he's going to give me a field sobriety test.

[/ QUOTE ]

The story should have ended here. Don't agree to take these. Ever. Once they decide to get you out out of the car and have you stand on one foot and say the alphabet backwards and all that nonsense, it's 90% likely they have already decided they are going to arrest you and just want get some more evidence. Don't give it to them.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good advice. Even if they take him in and he blows a 0.03, failing field sobriety tests can be used against him. Of course, refusal would have resulted in sure arrest, and I'm frankly not sure how he avoided arrest, since he failed two of the tests.

[IggyWH]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you were full of [censored] here and don't want to admit it

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, as I already said, I had 1 16 oz beer (Lumpy Dog) at Rock Bottom, 1 sip of Saki at Yokoso and 1 Mandarin & Cranberry at Bar Louie over a 3 hour period.

Not sure why you don't believe someone can have self control when drinking.

If I was lying, how in the hell would I have gotten off without anything happening to me? Police just don't let drunk drivers go home with nothing happening to them. They knew I was sober.

[mmcd]

[ QUOTE ]
Police just don't let drunk drivers go home with nothing happening to them.

[/ QUOTE ]


This isn't the case everywhere. I know one city where the department tells the cops not to give DUI's as a matter of policy, and there are many localities where DUI enforcement just isn't a priority. I can't even tell you how many people I know that have gotten pulled over shitfaced, checked for warrants and sent on their way.

[AlexSem]

Don't drink and drive, jackass.


Jokes aside, don't drink and drive. Without the jackass part /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[IggyWH]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Police just don't let drunk drivers go home with nothing happening to them.

[/ QUOTE ]


This isn't the case everywhere. I know one city where the department tells the cops not to give DUI's as a matter of policy, and there are many localities where DUI enforcement just isn't a priority. I can't even tell you how many people I know that have gotten pulled over shitfaced, checked for warrants and sent on their way.

[/ QUOTE ]

This I don't believe for a second. There's no way a cop is going to pull someone over and then just let them go when they know they are drunk. If that person gets into an accident, guess whose ass it is?

This is clearly why they wouldn't let me drive home. They didn't have anything on me, but at the same time, they couldn't just let me drive home incase something happened to me on the way.

[StevieG]

[ QUOTE ]

*On a little side note here, why the hell to cops do that? If you're going to pull someone over, PULL THEM THE EFF OVER!! Don't go tailgating them, following them for a while when you know you're pulling them over anyways*


[/ QUOTE ]

This delay is to observe you for signs of DUI.

[Cosimo]

[ QUOTE ]
This isn't the case everywhere. I know one city where the department tells the cops not to give DUI's as a matter of policy, and there are many localities where DUI enforcement just isn't a priority. I can't even tell you how many people I know that have gotten pulled over shitfaced, checked for warrants and sent on their way.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been pulled over (doing 70 in a 55, he said), given a field sobriety, 2:30am, I'd been drinking -- and he said "because you've been drinking, I'm not going to give you a ticket."

I don't know if they were looking for an easier prosecution or if they just wanted to put the fear of The Man into me or what, but no ticket.

[CheckRaise]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Police just don't let drunk drivers go home with nothing happening to them.

[/ QUOTE ]


This isn't the case everywhere. I know one city where the department tells the cops not to give DUI's as a matter of policy, and there are many localities where DUI enforcement just isn't a priority. I can't even tell you how many people I know that have gotten pulled over shitfaced, checked for warrants and sent on their way.

[/ QUOTE ]

This I don't believe for a second. There's no way a cop is going to pull someone over and then just let them go when they know they are drunk. If that person gets into an accident, guess whose ass it is?

This is clearly why they wouldn't let me drive home. They didn't have anything on me, but at the same time, they couldn't just let me drive home incase something happened to me on the way.

[/ QUOTE ]

You have obviously never lived in Wisconsin. I have been with people numerous times when they are pulled over [censored] faced on some back country road. The cops just told them to drive straight home. This only happened in rural areas and I'm sure no big city PD would ever let you go if they thought you were drunk.

[Macdaddy Warsaw]

heh, my field sobriety test is pretty funny. I was under-age at the time (still am) and was driving around with this chick (we had a history of going on late night drives). Well, earlier we had been at a party but then decided to just leave cause it was pretty lame. I'm all about not driving drunk, but I knew I was sober enough to drive at this point and then maybe 40 minutes later we get pulled over (my license plate light was apparantly out). I have to take the field sobriety test (which is [censored] hard wearing a T-Shirt and Jeans in 40ºF weather and nervous as all get out) and then they give me this breathalyzer and I come up at .02 (which is actually borderline for someone my age). Anyway, they ask the girl I'm with if she can drive and she says Yeah.

The thing is, when we get in the car with her behind the driver's seat, I look at her and say, "You're too drunk to drive, aren't you?" and she says, "Oh yeah."

We drive far enough away to get away from the cops and we switch back. How the cops didn't figure out she was over the legal limit (she was over 21, so .10 or .08 or whatever it is) is beyond me, but I still enjoy the fact that they managed to put a drunk driver behind the wheel.

[mmcd]

[ QUOTE ]
This only happened in rural areas and I'm sure no big city PD would ever let you go if they thought you were drunk.


[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, the place I know where the department doesn't give them as a matter of policy is a medium-sized city. Law enforcement is very lax there overall. Basically, if it doesn't involve a gun, the cops really don't give a [censored].

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think you were full of [censored] here and don't want to admit it

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, as I already said, I had 1 16 oz beer (Lumpy Dog) at Rock Bottom, 1 sip of Saki at Yokoso and 1 Mandarin & Cranberry at Bar Louie over a 3 hour period.

Not sure why you don't believe someone can have self control when drinking.

If I was lying, how in the hell would I have gotten off without anything happening to me? Police just don't let drunk drivers go home with nothing happening to them. They knew I was sober.

[/ QUOTE ]

Let me amend: It is quite possible that what you are saying is 100% true. Statistically speaking, the likelihood that someone claiming to have had two beers actually having had only two beers is small. Cops will tell you that almost everyone pulled over claims to have had "two beers," even those who later test with a BAL of over 0.20. Just going off the probabilities here. Sorry to have questioned your honesty.

[slamdunkpro]

If you know you’re under the limit, then politely refuse the “stupid human tricks” motor skill test by telling them that you have a bad knee/ankle and are dyslexic; then ask for the breath test. A lot of times if it’s a “fishing” stop they’ll just let you go.

Man, you all are lucky. Let me tell you what it's like in Albuquerque.

Ever since some drunk driver got on the wrong side of I-40 and killed a family of four on Christmas Eve a while back, and ever since studies showed that overall, we're excellent at driving while drunk, New Mexico and Albuquerque specifically have been on crazy DWI high alert.

First of all, yes, DWI is bad. That's why we have laws against it. However, the laws and the system around here are set up so you are guilty first and if there's any chance at all, you're going to jail.

Not only do we have cops itching to pull you over, we have checkpoints set up at surprise locations around the city. Everybody going through is pulled over and asked "have you had anything to drink tonight?" To me, this is unreasonable search, no probable cause, but what do I know. Here's how ridiculous it got for a friend of mine. No, it really wasn't me.

He was hanging out one evening and had one or two beers early on. He's got a fairly high tolerance, so what is two beers to him. Anyways, after more than two hours of not drinking, he leaves the bar with another friend. They're both server certified, and they agree he was damn near sober. He's driving down San Mateo, and lookee here, he spots a checkpoint two miles in front of him. He figures "I'm fine" so he decides not to evade the checkpoint. He figured wrong.

They ask him the question. "Yes, two beers about two hours ago." "Step out of the vehicle." No hesitation. Once you do that here, they have to give you a FST. So screw the honesty angle.

They send him over to get his FST from Mr. Drill Instructor cop with a "guilty until proven innocent" look on his face. The cop starts barking at him "stand on one foot!" So he raises it up with his knee. "No! Straighten your knee out! Keep your foot six inches off the ground!" So he does. "Now, count backwards from forty to one." So he starts counting, with a flashlight in his face. "Count faster!" He wobbles. "Keep your foot up!" He reaches twenty-five and his foot touches the ground. Failure.

I tried this sober, and I couldn't do it without at least wobbling, which is strike one.

Next one. Walk in a straight line, heel to toe, while holding your arms out and alternate touching your nose with your right and left finger. So much as a wobble or hesitation, failure.

Apparently, there are over a hundred points on a FST. If you fail three, you're DWI.

So they give him the breathalyzer. Never mind that chewing Altoids will make you blow .02. He blows .03. Our legal limit is .08. So he thought he was in the clear. Negative. They made him blow four times until it hit .04 once. Bingo! You can get hauled in for that. Then they impounded his car, put him in the paddywagon, and hauled him off for a sleepover.

Eventually, he was found not guilty. But after three grand for court costs and lawyer fees, missed work time, arrest on his record, and all the F@#$ing hassle, what's the difference?

Here's the difference. An older friend of mine got busted for DWI about sixteen years ago. Not me either, I couldn't drive or drink sixteen years ago. Convicted, did his probation and whatever else he had to do. That comes off your record after fifteen years I think. Well, fourteen years and eleven months after his first one, he got another one. Didn't harm anybody, wasn't falling down drunk either time. Jail time. Six months house arrest with an ankle bracelet. Lost his license for a year. He used to be a pizza delivery guy. Now he can't get a CDL any more. So he lost his job.

Of course, we also get a story on the news once a week about some lowlife who's got seventeen DWI convictions and still driving around with no license and no insurance.

How's that system for getting drunks off the streets? Bottom line, it's not working.

So, don't drink and drive. But if you're in ABQ and a little tipsy behind the wheel, take the freeways (!!) because they don't have checkpoints. Or steer clear of any checkpoints, even if you had one beer six hours ago. If you get pulled over, and the cop asks, I don't care if you can't see straight...the answer is "no."

That's how it works in ABQ.

Oh, and recommendations for PF Chang's:

- LETTUCE WRAPS
- black bean chicken
- mongolian beef
- honey shrimp
- salt and pepper calamari
- the banana spring roll dessert

ScottieK

Don't sweat it man, you got off easy. Even if a cop can smell it on you, and you say no, he may justify in his mind that it could be strong mints or whatever and what the hell, you're driving reasonably sober-like. Say "one beer six hours ago" around here, and that's your ass.

Man, I need a drink.

ScottieK

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

*On a little side note here, why the hell to cops do that? If you're going to pull someone over, PULL THEM THE EFF OVER!! Don't go tailgating them, following them for a while when you know you're pulling them over anyways*


[/ QUOTE ]

This delay is to observe you for signs of DUI.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sometimes this is an ancillary reason. Usually it is because they are running your plates.

[ QUOTE ]
"That's great. You're telling me you were out Saturday night with liquor, bars, and a half mexican/half philipino women. And the most entertaining story you got for me is a drunk stop?

[/ QUOTE ]

[slamdunkpro]

If he was aquitted why did he have to pay court costs?

Not wearing a seatbelt is stupid.

[Jeebus]

I believe it is both actually. They follow you to see if they should pull you over and to run your plates (to find out of they can pull you over). I had a good one where a cop followed me down one road, another got behind me on the next main road. I had to get smokes so I pulled in to a gas station and the cop drove past. I headed over to my buddy's house and got pulled over on the next street I came to; I stopped about 6 feet in front of where I wouldhave parked to go inside. By the way, I am on probation for possesion.
At this point it has been about 1/2 an hour since I had half a beer with a bowl of chili. So the cop comes up and his first words are "Whats that smell." I have learned to nto smoke in my car now that I am on probation so I have no idea what he is talkinga bout. Wel thats what I say. He tells me he pulled me over for having a headlight out, which was true but unlikely since lots of people have headlights out. Anyway, he runs my liscense and comes back to give me my ticket. I ask him if I risk getting pulled over again if I drive home tonight since my roommate will be over later and I can get a ride. At this point (after he has inititaly said it was al good) he tells me I smell like alcohol and pulls me out of the car, into 25 degree weather, with my jacket sitting int he passenger seat. He runs me througha bunch of tests invlving fancy counting and saying of the alphabet and I ace it. I tell him I am just going across the street can he please just breathalyze me and see that I am sober. He passes on this and starts the dexterity tests. While I am trying to follow his flashlight with my eyes, my phone rings and distracts me. He begins to think I am drunk. He then makes me stand on one foot and count to some number. I am visibly shivering and tell him I can't do that sober. He tels me to do it anyway. My foot falls at one. After many more tests he finaly gives me the breathalyzer and I blew....0.0. It took 45 minutes and I never found out if I was allowed to drive my car home.

[Yeti]

The cops over there sound like complete [censored].

In the last 3 years of driving around late at night, I have never once been pulled over.

[mmbt0ne]

Amazing how all of this might have been avoided if this didn't happen.

[ QUOTE ]
So I replied back to him "I didn't stop" he said nope and I replied back with a little snicker "If you say so."

[/ QUOTE ]

[CORed]

You have the right to remain silent.

You admitted to running stop signs. You were being sarcastic, but the cop could still testify that you said you ran the stop signs. You told them you had had "a couple beers". You don't have to tell them anything. If a truthful answer to a cop's question won't help you, don't say anything. Also, taking the detour onto the side streets was really dumb. It makes it look like you're trying to lose them. Just keep driving and try to stay legal. They were following you to see whether you were driving like you were drunk, or if you were going to do something illegal. They actually gave you a break. You might have been under the limit, but I would guess that it was close. A DUI would have been a lot worse than having to call someone to pick you up. You didn't pass the field sobriety test. That may have been due to nervousness rather than alcohol, but you still didn't pass.

[Brainwalter]

[ QUOTE ]
You told them you had had "a couple beers". You don't have to tell them anything. If a truthful answer to a cop's question won't help you, don't say anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

You guys keep saying stuff like this, but I'm not sure I get it:

Cop: Have you had anything to drink?
You: .
Cop: Well?
You: .
Cop: Get out of the car.

These guys are assholes and I don't see how not answering their question will help you.

[Lazymeatball]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You told them you had had "a couple beers". You don't have to tell them anything. If a truthful answer to a cop's question won't help you, don't say anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

You guys keep saying stuff like this, but I'm not sure I get it:

Cop: Have you had anything to drink?
You: .
Cop: Well?
You: .
Cop: Get out of the car.

These guys are assholes and I don't see how not answering their question will help you.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think not answering their question will help you on the side of the road, but it will definitely help you in court, if it gets to that point.

[CORed]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think not answering their question will help you on the side of the road, but it will definitely help you in court, if it gets to that point.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bingo.

I have (truthfully) told cops that I had one beer two hours ago. But in general, don't answer the question if the truth won't help you. Most cops have pretty good [censored] detectors, and if you admit to doing anything illegal, you are just helping them build the case against you. OTOH, if they think you are being sraight with them and havn't done anything illegal, it may help keep you from getting charged in the first place.

I asked him today, and since he walked, there were no court costs. My mistake.

ScottieK

[mmcd]

[ QUOTE ]
You didn't pass the field sobriety test. That may have been due to nervousness rather than alcohol, but you still didn't pass.

[/ QUOTE ]

Those things are a joke. Even if you're stone cold sober, that doesn't mean you'll "pass". Like I said in earlier post, once you get to this point, it's like 90% you're getting arrested. They just want to get you on video stumbling or falling down.

It's not like these tests are scientifically designed so people with .000 - .079 BACs will pass and people with .08+ will fail. They're just an attempt to gather evidence.