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What do you do if a cop approaches you and starts questioning you while you're sitting in your car in a public parking lot? (lemmy.world)

submitted 10 months ago by rebarrrrrrr@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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Unfortunately, I drive a ghetto minivan which causes the police to profile me and has caused people in small towns to call the police on me if I am in a public park or in their neighborhood. I even had someone call the police on me at campground that I had pre-paid for and the police were not sympathetic at all to my right to just exist.

I am aware of stop and identify laws and know that a cop needs reasonable suspicion to demand to see your ID. However, can't the cop just make up some lies about reasonable suspicion?

If a cop approaches me can I immediately start with: "Officer, do you have reasonable suspicion that a crime has occurred, is in the process of occurring, or is about to occur?" It seems like that will immediately escalate things even if technically the law is on my side.

I just want a damn right to exist law and to not be a target for an overactive imagination by the police which treats me like a criminal until they can check me for warrants.

Honestly, I want to tell them to fuck off right away but I also don't have money for a lawyer.

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[-] confused_code_monkey@lemm.ee 152 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Not sure if it'd help, but you could stick a buuunch of camping, hiking, outdoors, etc. stickers on your van. Try to turn its image from a "ghetto" van to a "hippy / outdoor enthusiast" van. I imagine you can order large sticker packs online for very cheap.

[-] rebarrrrrrr@lemmy.world 49 points 10 months ago

Yeah, that is a good idea. It would probably work best on a VW van like the kind surfers use. I suppose with enough stickers strategically placed it could look like you were into rock climbing, or surfing, or something involving the outdoors.

[-] choss@lemmy.ml 48 points 10 months ago

Just a heads-up, vans with climbing stickers can attract break-ins because they tell people "there's a bunch of expensive gear in here that would be easy to fence". Happens all the time in vegas. Hope you stay safe out there!

[-] xX_fnord_Xx@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago

Maybe a bunch of penguin stickers and one that says, "Ask me about Linux!"

Might hurt on date night, though.

[-] papalonian@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago

"There's a bunch of computers in there! But we don't know how to use them."

[-] Skelectus@suppo.fi 9 points 10 months ago

Yeah, rock climbing sounds even better than hippies for this purpose.

[-] acceptable_pumpkin@lemmy.world 18 points 10 months ago

I just had a mental image of some overweight dude with tons of rock climbing stickers on their van. (Not implying anything OP, but just a funny picture I imagined)

[-] uriel238@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 10 months ago

After seeing the article about the 300lb pentathlete (who, yes, has to deal with social pressures due to his unusual build) I wouldn't even blink.

But law enforcement in the US are eager to invoke stereotypes if it will get them closer to securing an arrest / conviction.

Ideally, you do what helps become invisible to police officers.

[-] Skelectus@suppo.fi 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Guess you have to look the part to sell this one properly

[-] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago

However, you don't want to live in a VW surfer van. They're cold as hell at night, zero insulation. Also they're decades behind safety standards, in a collision with anything, they crumple like a soda can.

They look iconic, but I don't recommend it in practice.

[-] JustUseMint@lemmy.world 24 points 10 months ago

Best idea in the thread. You see old subies covered in REI and mountain climbing and hiking and backpacking stickers everywhere

[-] 01189998819991197253@infosec.pub 16 points 10 months ago

This is an awesome idea. Here are a couple (here's one, here's another, and for kicks and giggles a third).

this post was submitted on 05 Feb 2024

222 points (96.6% liked)

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