The key is to know when you have to speak and when you have to comply. Cops tend to ask a lot of questions. The ask a lot of mundane, pointless questions, fostering the idea that they are a bit stupid, then they will start hitting you with silly or contradictory questions. This is the trap springing; they are hunting for Probable Cause, or PC, and their definition of what constitutes PC is quite broad. They bog standard pig has a narrow range of goals when dealing with a suspect: get them talking, get them nervous, get them out of control. They move in pairs for a reason (and often times they group up at traffic stops): one chats you up while the other looks for anything that could be construed as PC. The nervous part is easy; a dude with a gun asking a lot of questions should make any thinking person nervous. Getting you out of control is the finish line: they want you out of the vehicle. Once you are out of the vehicle they have de facto consent to search said vehicle. A previous poster brought up "social pressure" and they are absolutely right. Embarrassment and fear are super useful when manipulating anyone.
You may be asking yorself: Classicsnoot, what is the point of all this babble? Is there an answer to the question anywhere in my future? Here it is:
Say. Nothing. Smiles and nods are absolutely enough. You are legally obligated to hand over your ID. You are NOT obligated to answer in detail. "yes", "no" and "I don't know/I'm not sure" are the script. As a very wise penguin once told me: "Cute and cuddly, boys, cute and cuddly." If Mr. Piggsly can't handle your clipped responses, he will become frustrated and agitated. A frustrated cop is a mistake prone cop. If you are male (particularly a male of color, but cops shoot white people just as often as black or brown people) DO NOT ACT IN ANY WAY THREATENING. Always ask or inform when you reach for anything. Do not explain, give reasons, or give back story. It is none of their business where you are going or what you have been doing. And finally, they will always threaten you with "a ride to the station". This is their Queen. Everybody is afraid of this, but it is actually to your advantage. They can only legally hold you for 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds without charge. And you are not legally obligated to say a damn thing. I know this is a lot. I am available to answer specific questions should you want clarification. Here is the script:
Yes.
No.
I don't know.
Lawyer.
Edit: IANAL. I speak from experience: stopped as driver, stopped as passenger, retrieving friends and girlfriends who have been stopped. Arrested when guilty. Arrested when innocent. Arrested while existing in the nebulous region betwixt guilty and innocent that most citizens seem to occupy. Dated a lawyer. Related to lawyer. Paid a lawyer. Supplied a lawyer.
You may be asking yorself: Classicsnoot, what is the point of all this babble? Is there an answer to the question anywhere in my future? Here it is:
Say. Nothing. Smiles and nods are absolutely enough. You are legally obligated to hand over your ID. You are NOT obligated to answer in detail. "yes", "no" and "I don't know/I'm not sure" are the script. As a very wise penguin once told me: "Cute and cuddly, boys, cute and cuddly." If Mr. Piggsly can't handle your clipped responses, he will become frustrated and agitated. A frustrated cop is a mistake prone cop. If you are male (particularly a male of color, but cops shoot white people just as often as black or brown people) DO NOT ACT IN ANY WAY THREATENING. Always ask or inform when you reach for anything. Do not explain, give reasons, or give back story. It is none of their business where you are going or what you have been doing. And finally, they will always threaten you with "a ride to the station". This is their Queen. Everybody is afraid of this, but it is actually to your advantage. They can only legally hold you for 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds without charge. And you are not legally obligated to say a damn thing. I know this is a lot. I am available to answer specific questions should you want clarification. Here is the script:
Yes. No. I don't know. Lawyer.
Edit: IANAL. I speak from experience: stopped as driver, stopped as passenger, retrieving friends and girlfriends who have been stopped. Arrested when guilty. Arrested when innocent. Arrested while existing in the nebulous region betwixt guilty and innocent that most citizens seem to occupy. Dated a lawyer. Related to lawyer. Paid a lawyer. Supplied a lawyer.