So, Nick & I decided to go for a drive, to find somewhere with a lovely view, and listen to the rain on the roof of the car and some music. We even brought a blanket, since sitting in a car with the engine turned off can get chilly. This sounds like a euphamism for hot car sex, but … isn’t, actually. Sometimes, it’s just nice to sit & chat and listen to the rain.
We failed on the “view” part, but found a nice out of the way place nearish to home. Within a few minutes, a car came out of a nearby parking lot, had to unchain the gate, then left.
…and a few minutes after that, a police car shows up. Hmm, okay. They pull up right in front of our car, turn on the big floodlight, and walk over to the car. Nick was in the driver’s seat, so they asked him what was going on. Well, sitting around listening to the rain, really. The other cop knocks on my window, thereby scaring the hell out of me. I unroll, “so he can hear what’s going on.” Okay then. They get his drivers license, ask who’s car it is — mine, so they get my license as well.
I had the blanket over my lap. “What’s under the blanket?” “…legs?” I remove it, and … yeah, I’m wearing pants and everything. Honestly, officer. No smell of drugs or alcohol, we’re just a couple of consenting adults who live at the same address about a mile away sitting in a car…
Apparently they’d received a complaint about some hooligans — the officers made it clear they weren’t here as a coincidence, someone had called them. I’m guessing the guy who left a few minutes after we showed up. Honestly, who does that? What did they think we were doing, casing the joint? What exactly constitutes “casing”? Because if it’s sitting in a car listening to music… well, consider me a caser. (Is that what that’s called? Caser? Having a day job means that I am not “down” with the lingo of the “streets” as it may be.)
Anyway, they ran our licenses, found that we’re upstanding young citizens (ok, Nick’s not a citizen, but still) with no record, warrants or history, looked around the area a bit more, then left.
Sitting in a car in an empty parking lot on a Tuesday night? Obviously a danger to society. It’s a good thing we have people who are eager to report such suspicious behaviour.
Hooligans is a big of a strong word, but honestly, I think it’s better to be safe than sorry. Sure, it inconvenienced you for a few minutes, but in the small offchance you were “casing” the joint, the inconvenience on others would be much larger.
That happened to my friend and her boyfriend last week… except they were having sex. Sex or no sex as long as you’re being good, I think it’s totally fine. Most people doing drugs or drinking or stealing a car wouldn’t just hang out in a little confined space.
What exactly were we casing? The spot we were parked isn’t really… casable. :D
You don’t have to submit to an unlawful search. Use these magical words, “I do not consent to any search.” And leave the blanket where it is until they order you to reveal what’s underneath it.
Roll the window down by only an inch. You are not required to respond to anything except specific, lawfully-given orders, and even within those there is wiggle room. Repeat that you, “[...] do not consent to any search.” “Speak with the driver please.”
Lock the car if they order you out of it. They can take an unlocked car as an invitation to search.
You do not have to answer *any* questions. Ever. You are only required to obey orders, and those are orders to do things like get out of the car or open up your pockets. And, if you answer everything with another question, you get to avoid gotchya games. “Do you know how fast you were speeding?” “I’m sorry officer, but is there something specific I can do for you?”
Cops have made themselves, unfortunately, the enemies of the innocent non-conformist. You do NOT have to submit to police tyranny.
*snort* Paranoid much? :)
They’re just doing their job. Someone made a complaint, it’s their job to follow up. I thought it was more funny that someone made a complaint than that they came to ask us what we were doing.