[CaptainHaplo]

Aramike, your both right and wrong.

In a sense the stop is an infringement on your rights, because you were perfectly legal. However, there are 2 questions here.

1. - what convinced the cop to pull you in the first place?
For example - did he see you leave a bar/establishment/party where he knew alcohol was being served, presenting a likely situation for drunk drivers to be on the road? *This is a tactic they use where I live - monitor bars and such late at night - however that alone is not probable cause.*
Did you commit any driving action that made him suspicious of your ability to operate a vehicle safely? Did he recieve a tip concerning your vehicle or one similiar that gave him probable cause?

Remember when answering - the first and last examples you don't have any way of knowing, and the 2nd issue is a pure judgement call by the cop.

2. - You stated repeatedly that you were below the limit defined - but how is the cop supposed to know that without testing you? Assuming for a moment he had probable cause (for whatever reason), he has an obligation to the rest of the public to stop and CHECK. Having found no problem, he surely said "have a nice night and stay safe" or something similiar.

Yes, there is the issue of resources being "wasted", but ask yourself this, had the situation been different, and it been a drunk that he DIDN"T pull, that later killed someone dear to you, would you feel the same - that its better to err on the side of the individual's right?

While I am an individual rights person, I understand that there are necessarily some inconvienences necessary to protect us from the stupidest among us. Individual rights, by necessity, must be protected from an overreaching society and government, but society must also be protected from those who would violate the individual rights of others by causing them harm.

In other words, people have every right to tie one on till they can't stand up, they do not have the right to endanger their fellow citizens because of it.

When a person chooses to operate a motor vehicle on their own property, they can be as drunk as they want. When they choose to imbibe, then operate a motor vehicle on public property, they place themselves under the rules of society, meaning that, with justification, they can be stopped and checked for the good of that society.

It sounds like your real concern is his "probable cause". If he didn't have any, then it was a bad stop. If he did - whether a call or some action you took inadvertently or unknowingly, then he did his job.

As for all the drunks going past, yes thats a blasted shame, but thats not the cop's fault assuming a good stop.

And as a side note, what they do here are license checks, simply pull up and show your license. They get close enough to tell if your toasted, and use the check to establish probable cause for other issues. Such a thing has been deemed legal here, and so far they only use such a tactic when they either are looking for a specific person, or in an area where they know they have a DUI issue, so they can "check" pretty much everyone.

Are there issues there - sure, but it gets the job done.

I would just say be happy you and yours got home safely regardless, and please always insure your not impaired anytime you drive, regardless of legal limits and whatever else. Be well