got pulled over last night
 

im headed back home from michigan with the new toy and get pulled over on 80-94 south of chicago. just went thru rush hour hell pulling the 288 with a half ton dodge. il. state police follows me for 20 minutes thru this nasty traffic. walks up and says who's boat? first thing out of my mouth is " im nervous as hell after going thru that mess". its mine sir , just bought it in michigan this morning. cop: pulled you over cuz the trailer doesnt have registration. license and proof of insurance please. me: yes no problem sir. cop: do you have proof its yor boat? yes , heres the bill of sale , copy of title , "still has to clear the guys bank" , and a temp trailer registration is taped to the back window of the truck where the broker said to put it. cop: sit tight , be right back. 25 minutes later he returns along 2 other added cops. hands me a warning for the trailer registration then asked if i have anything in the truck or boat he should know about. me: no ,your welcome to look. has me sign a form giving permission. cop: exit the vehicle please. hand behind your head , interlock fingers:confused: pats me down , touches my crotch:mad: proceeds to climb in the boat with combat boots on:mad: spends 10 mintutes looking at everything , gets out and walks to the truck. ive have a carry on type bag in the truck. barely even looks in it. says your free to go. wtf , was all that needed. wheres the probable cause so the search. i was extremely polite the whole time as was he. it didnt start to piss me of till i got down the road a ways and started thinking about it. 3 cop cars for a temp trailer sticker that "he didnt notice". just another example of cops wasting time on bs when they could be catching bad guys.

Your right, there is NO justification for that BS. EGO's run amuck:mad:

Dilemma
 

The problem is do you be cooperative, which you were or say no to the search. They need proabable cause but then may take you down to the impound (possibly) for no other reason then you were suspicious.

Troutly can add his opinion I hope.

Wannabe

I agree I wouldnt like it much myself but remember you gave him permission to search and even put your x on the paper, If you said no that probley would make him want to look more, I think at that point they can and will bring a dog to sniff first, and if he hits on somthing they will search anyway, you dont have anything to hide let em do what they want, somewhere in the area you were at (within 30 miles) I heard they caught someone with 60 lbs of uncut cocain...can you say holy s... batman! so they are probley just watchin closely, the boat would make a good place to stash it, or maybe im completly wrong, Im not a expert, but I bet Im close, :crazy:

I've also been pulled over in IL for a unregistered trailer. The cop asked me why I didn't have plates and I told him they wern't needed. He asked me why I thought that, and I told him that when I called the DMV, they said that it wasn't heavy enough. He looked briefly at my drivers license and let me go on the spot.

True, other than the fact they treated him like an excaped felon after he had given permission and signed the form. It's BS thats all.

Hey Cord,

What exactly is heavy enough here in WI? What did you find out from the DMV?

Catch 22
He didnt need probable cause because you told him he could look when he asked. If you told him "NO" he would most likely turn into a bigger dick!
Whats interesting is I wonder if he has the right to search you being that you gave him permission to look in the truck.
Where's Troutly, what is the psycholigy behind searching someone that is cooperating. Do they think its a reverse psycholigy game or do they just want to see the boat?

That really sucks! If you say yes they jack around with all of your stuff, delay you, and generally make you feel like chit. If you say no..... well who knows, impound, dog, they still jack around with all of your stuff, etc.

On the other hand they do make a few drug busts every year on highway 44 near st. louis because some dimwit was smuggling drugs with an expired plate or broken tailight etc.

Don't know the answer just know I don't want it to happen to me, in fact after reading your story I think I'll politely decline if I'm ever asked and see what happens from there.

Enjoy that new boat.