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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 9 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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[-] ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.works 4 points 9 months ago

What is a "ghetto van"?

It seems reading through the comments you always point that out as the reason you're getting singled out.

Maybe you should improve the Van such that it's no longer a "ghetto van" and that would help to stop said profiling.

[-] rebarrrrrrr@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Have you seen early 2000s Dodge Caravan models? Imagine one of those with dents and a lot of rust. All of life is about money - sure the solution is go buy a $100,000 RV but if I could do that I would have already done that.

[-] ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.works 3 points 9 months ago

It's not an all or nothing thing dude. Just because you can't make it perfect doesn't mean you can't improve it. I'd say try and fix those dents. Often you can reduce how bad a dent looks without specialty tools or paint. As far as rust, you can get rust converting primer to spray on. It'll help stop the rust as well as make it look like you're trying to fix the van instead of letting it rust down around you.

this post was submitted on 05 Feb 2024

221 points (96.6% liked)

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