DMV Checkpoints? What?

[AlDente67 563]

So my wife reported sitting in traffic this morning on Rt 130 in Robbinsville (Mercer County) because the town cops decided to block off the road for paperwork checks.

 

According to her, one cop was walking up the line of cars arriving to the blockade and deciding who needs to pull over into a parking lot of an abandoned diner, where a second cop would demand license, reg, insurance, and a closer visual of the inspection sticker (as if it weren't quite visible already).

 

Since when did we have to submit papers for no cause?

[tj462nj 32]

DMV always sets up roadside inspection stops. I used to do towing for some local towns,its amazing how many illegal motor vehicles are on the road

[PK90 3,570]

[njpilot 671]

So my wife reported sitting in traffic this morning on Rt 130 in Robbinsville (Mercer County) because the town cops decided to block off the road for paperwork checks.

 

According to her, one cop was walking up the line of cars arriving to the blockade and deciding who needs to pull over into a parking lot of an abandoned diner, where a second cop would demand license, reg, insurance, and a closer visual of the inspection sticker (as if it weren't quite visible already).

 

Since when did we have to submit papers for no cause?

What, you think you have 4th Amendment protections? Pretty soon you will need to present "your papers" in order to travel anywhere in this country.

 

Total bs.

[NickySantoro 211]

Unused overtime being utilized. If you complain some a**hole will respond that it is for your safety. Standard reponse from the brain dead. Then they wonder why people despise cops. Well, Duh!

[Vlad G 345]

They've been doing this forever. South River has a fund-raiser inspection point on one of the busiest streets quite regularly.  

[RUTGERS95 890]

in my entire life I've never seen this and if it happened to me, I'd raise holy hell with police chief the next day with a reporter from the paper.  I'd make it uncomforable for them.

[kc17 622]

Burlington two does it on 130 or 541 on a regular basis. Few years ago they had traffic stopped on 130 during rush hour to had out flyer saying school was open. I was on my motorcycle, looked at the cop like WTH you expect me to put your junk mail, he just stood there until I took it and stuffed it in my pocket.

[BillC. 26]

Heck I got a ticket at the 130 check point twenty years ago, thats how long they have been doing that

[ogfarmer 138]

been thru many checkpoints in my life, for inspection, etc....

 

 

Hopefully this catches all the idiots driving with no insurance.

 

I was in accident with someone no insurance, guess who was responsible for all the bills hospital and repair? Me!

 

Too bad they werem't deporting the people without proper papers then I really wouldn't give a shit.

[Bob2222 317]

I've seen them do this in Point Pleasant Beach. They were pulling cars off 35 North and into a lot by the train station.

 

I was driving a white van at the time and so was an innocent to the cops who just waved me through. They seemed to be very interested in inspecting a new-ish Mercedes coupe.

 

I looked it up at the time and discovered DMV does really does have a mobile inspection program.

 

 

 

Edit: I found THIS about the program:

 

http://www.northjersey.com/news/road-warrior-figures-show-no-rise-in-crashes-after-safety-inspection-changes-1.1004074?page=all

[Midwest 28]

What about cars with out of state plates that don't have "inspection stickers" or just have have one license plate? They get tickets too?

[ryan_j 0]

Can't they just run your plates when you're driving? I got a ticket on rt 15 in Sparta 7 years ago because of an expired registration. The cop ran the plate and saw it was expired then pulled me over.

[ryan_j 0]

What about cars with out of state plates that don't have "inspection stickers" or just have have one license plate? They get tickets too?

No

[AlDente67 563]

The DMV road checks are one thing, although why they would need that if you are legally inspected per the sticker seems like a jobs program.

 

But these police checkpoints aren't concerned with checking your headlights, they are fishing without justifiable cause, and they could just run your plates at a glance anyway.  I get them frequently.  Cruiser slides up behind you and follows you closely for a half mile, then tears off into the passing lane to look for someone else.  I can't say for sure if the officer is running my plate, but it seems like odd driving behavior.  And the local papers' police report carries a full story of each citation and a frequent reason for pulling over the car in the first place is "random plate check".

[ChrisJM981 924]

I'd love for the police to stop fishing or going for the low hanging fruit (speeding) and do something that actually affects safety. I can't get over how many asshats I see on a regular basis with illegal HID lights. Morons that put HID bulbs in reflector headlights should have their vehicles impounded. THAT is a safety issue.

[DSD1026 48]

Why do people think this is something new?  They have been doing this for year, in every state.  I can remember going through these things in upstate NY 20 years ago. 

[seamusSU 0]

This really isn't a big deal, lot's of towns do this regularly or use seat belt checkpoints to do the same thing. As for random plate checks, many departments have outfitted their cruisers with plate readers that do the work for the officers constantly.

[maintenanceguy 510]

They can set up a license plate reading camera and instantly access the database to see if you have a valid registration and valid insurance.

 

The reason to stop people is to give them the opportunity to look and smell into your vehicle to see if they can catch you doing something else.  

 

It's a way around that pesky constitution and all it's inconvenient rights.

[Vlad G 345]

You know .. I'm not sure you have a constitutional right to drive. Or to not have someone look through transparent windows when your car is on public roads.

 

Mind you, I disapprove of this crap, but lets not pretend we have a right to drive or that you don't give up a bunch of rights to do so.

[T Bill 649]

I used to be on Route 59 in Rockland County, NY for business every weekday.  Clarkstown PD has a car equipped with a plate reader that does it in both directions at the same time.  Two pull over locations down the road in each direction.  No less than 5 cars in each no matter when I went past.  They call it effective traffic management. 

[njpilot 671]

You know .. I'm not sure you have a constitutional right to drive. Or to not have someone look through transparent windows when your car is on public roads.

 

Mind you, I disapprove of this crap, but lets not pretend we have a right to drive or that you don't give up a bunch of rights to do so.

We do have a right to freedom of movement and to be pulled over with no RAS seems to violate the 4th A, but I believe we've had some corrupt judges say random check points is constitutional. Go figure. Anything is possible in this post-constitutional era we live in.

 

Enjoy it while it lasts. Will probably be totally gone in most of our lifetimes.

[Barms 98]

I think all vans are suspicious.

[Johnny 0]

NJ considers driving a privilege, not a right.

[HBecwithFn7 296]

DMV always sets up roadside inspection stops. I used to do towing for some local towns,its amazing how many illegal motor vehicles are on the road

 

And, not only that, they do it in other "free" states as well. I fell into one of those in (of all places), Florida! A 4-way stop at a popular intersection away from the main traffic flow. Everybody was stopped not just select people. But then again, it wasn't heavy traffic either. They didn't pull us over to a lot they just quickly checked licesne, etc, and did quick car tests (lights, etc.) and we were on our way. took all of about 2-3min. But I do suspect they were fishing for something. Either they were checking plates, or looking for drugs or "odors in the car..." or something.

 

I survived!

[HBecwithFn7 296]

NJ considers driving a privilege, not a right.

 

Precisely. Straight out of "page 1" of the NJ driver manual. 

[Howard 538]

I've never seen one where they pull you over and check papers.  The only ones I have seen is where they put out cones and an officer in the road visually checks inspection stickers and only pulls over those that don't have valid ones.  They do this on Route 15 in Dover all the time.

[Sota 1,191]

they put up a checkpoint on RT22 east bound side about a mile or 2 west of the mountainside police station at least once a year.

I know because I got popped there one time. I had a legit reason for my inspection being 2 months late... motor had popped in the car and I had JUST THAT DAY finished getting it and the electrical repaired/replaced and was on a shake down drive. I even had the receipts from the machine shop for the engine work that'd been done 2 weeks earlier because I had a "feeling" I'd need them. Nope, Ticket. Got the car inspected that day as well... they still wouldn't dismiss the ticket on the court date.

 

Fuck mountainside for that and other reasons.

[Vlad G 345]

We do have a right to freedom of movement, but logically, like everything it isn't unlimited. IF I wanted to drive one of those mining dump trucks with tires bigger then my house in Rt 18 rush hour, I think most folks would take exception to me professing my right to move about the place. Same if I chose to commute in a Mach 1 ground effect vehicle, right?

 

I'm not saying that these random checks are not bullshit, I'm saying your right freedom of movement isn't really absolute. I mean you could always walk and smile past their check point, right?

[Midwest 28]

I have heard that they have DOT inspections for commercial vehicles here in Kentucky, although I have never run into a checkpoint. We don't even have a DMV here. Registration is done through the County administration building and drivers licenses are renewed at the County court house.  Now Ohio has a BMV,  they call it Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

 

Do they announce in advance where the Drunk Driving Checkpoints will be? They do that in Ohio, they announce it on 700 WLW, The Enquirer and other media.