Drive through Massachusetts, lose your 4th amendment rights

by Skeptikos | Mar 28, 2011 | 0 comments

It’s not just Pete and Ademo— Massachusetts cops seem to be serial lawbreakers.

When driving to Smith College today to see heroic Afghan politician Malalai Joya, I was pulled over in Deerfield, Massachusetts, a few miles south of Greenfield. (Why? Who knows.)

I received a ticket for having an out-of-date registration and had my car towed.

Fair enough. That’s the law in Massachusetts, and my registration expired back in ’09. I knew the risks of driving my car. (If you were wondering, I’m not intentionally engaging in car registration civil disobedience— the lapse was the result of procrastination, some confusion about the law [much harsher than Texan laws], and coordination problems with my mom [the car’s in her name]. If it weren’t for a minor paperwork delay during the last week, I might actually have had it registered by today.)

But that didn’t satisfy the officer. He went on to interrogate me about drugs in my car. I laughed and answered no, I don’t have any. In light of my personality, and the nature of the traffic stop, it was hard not to laugh. It was an absurd leap. He asked again, and I denied again, still chuckling. (He didn’t seem to appreciate the absurdity of his questions.)

He did a real-life version of “no srsly”— and you should be honest with me because even if you aren’t, I’ll search your car and find your drugs. I did a real-life version of “no fer realz”— and, by the way, don’t you need some kind of probable cause to do that? (more…)