I Got Mine

[Bill Stewart]

At 03:56 PM 12/8/98 -0800, Tim May wrote:
>Not much you can say to them while standing out in the cold, in any case.
>(Surely you will not invite them into your home! 

It does somewhat resemble inviting vampires into your home,
in that it's a bad idea, they can do whatever they want when
they're there, and they won't leave until they feel like it.
On the other hand, vampires usually can't get search warrants,
while police usually can. :-)

A while back, maybe 5 years ago, I posted a copy of an article
called "Don't talk to cops" or "Don't talk to police",
which may still be in the archives somewhere.  
Its advice was somewhat New York State oriented, but applies
reasonably generally throughout the US for the case of
police coming to your home (car searches are different,
and vary far more by state.)

>Maybe not even confirming my name...after all, I'm not driving and they
>can't compell me to produce a driver's license.

Not true in California.  If you *possess* a California Driver's License, 
and have it on your person, and a California cop asks you to produce it, 
you are required to do so, even if you're not driving.  
You're not required to carry it if you're not driving,
but if you are carrying it, you've got to fork it over.
This may not apply if you're on your own property - I don't think that 
that variant has been tested in court.
But if you're on public property, you've got to provide it.

If you live in other states, it's worth knowing the local regs
about such things as well.

				Thanks! 
					Bill
Bill Stewart, bill.stewart at pobox.com
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