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Title: Wash. man caught in HOV lane with unbuckled dummy
Source:
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URL Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090313/ap_on_fe_st/odd_hov_dummy
Published: Mar 13, 2009
Author: None
Post Date: 2009-03-13 22:51:15 by richard9151
Keywords: None
Views: 240
Comments: 8
Fri Mar 13, 3:11 pm ET BELLEVUE, Wash. – You forgot to buckle up, dummy! A commuter who put a homemade dummy in the passenger seat to sneak into the car pool lane was caught Wednesday near Seattle. But it wasn't because a cop realized the passenger was fake. Instead, the State Patrol trooper noticed the dangling belt buckle on the passenger side and suspected a seat belt violation. Patrol spokeswoman Christina Martin told The Herald of Everett that the driver acknowledged trying to beat traffic by using the HOV lane. He created his passenger by draping a rain jacket over plastic piping, topping it off with a Halloween mask of Gandalf, the "Lord of the Rings" wizard, a beard and a baseball cap. The trooper issued a $124 ticket and confiscated the dummy. It wasn't exactly the kind of dummy I had in mind when I read the title........
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#1. To: richard9151 (#0)
Will the surprises surrounding this story never end?
The ultimate effect of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools. - Herbert Spencer
The ultimate effect of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools. - Herbert Spencer
under what pretext could the pig legally 'confiscate' the dummy?
Glory to God in the highest, and Peace to His people on Earth. The dummy was subject to arrest because he was a seat belt violator and had no ID and therefore the arresting officer couldn't issue a citation in lieu of arrest.... (Or, perhaps the dummy matched the description of some other suspect) But, seriously, because the dummy was obviously used to defeat the HOV lane law it was an instrument of crime, as are burglary tools or pre-arranged hooks inside a coat to assist in shoplifting. A tool or implement used to assist in the commission of a crime may be subject to forfeiture, including the vehicle in some crimes. (most if not all states have statutory language to support this) Suppose you like to smash mail boxes with a baseball bat or spray street signs with paint, and you are caught. Even if the damage amount made the offense a misdemeanor, would you demand that the officer return the bat or paint if he issued a citation instead of arresting you? The difference between a hammer as an innocuous tool and a weapon is intent. If the dummy had only one purpose (and the offender wasn't a traveling window display/dummy rep) then the officer's confiscation will likely be sustained by the court. Criminal forfeiture laws are as Amerikan as apple pie and have been expanded to positively absurd extremes since Nixon began warring on us. Of course the IRS has been seizing the homes of surviving widows because dead husbands' commission (or omission) of "tax crimes" resulted in forfeiture since I don't know when even though taxes are supposed to be a civil matter. These days the police can pretty much seize whatever, and the worst that can happen to the cops is, they have to return stuff on occasion-except for cash which certain departments consisting of criminal highwaymen will fight all the way to the SCOTUS to keep-if all other arguments fail the money is tested for the presence of drugs, and you know the rest....
good points, thanks. That reminds me of james bovard's great book 'LOST RIGHTS- THE DESTRUCTION OF AMERICAN LIBERTY'. it's from the early 90's but is probably one of the best books i have ever read. I think everyone should read it.
Glory to God in the highest, and Peace to His people on Earth. That's the second ref to that book in a week. I should read it. Thanks.
you probably know about most or all that he covers, but it is so well written and spells out an overall scenario, touching on a different arena of tyranny in each chapter. everything is referenced and footnoted. it is a book that would piss of any person with a conscience. I read it in about 2003, but it was a great education for me on many things, and things you will remember and can reference for others later. One thing that stands out in particular, he covers the history of the us postal service, how the feds prosecuted a family whos little kid started his own delivery service of Christmas cards for his rural neighbors. unreal... but real. A++.
Glory to God in the highest, and Peace to His people on Earth. Now, I'd really get in to that stuff. I was amazed to learn that USPS approved mailboxes come from USPS approved manufacturers and we cannot simply manufacture our own, at least as receptacles for US mail with postage attached. No wonder the bastards are so afraid of FED EX and other efficient delivery services. Even if it's true that the private competition can decline to serve money-losing areas that are off the beaten path, that doesn't explain why the postal service keeps raising rates for increasingly crappy service. And, I've never had a package stolen from a private carrier. My paycheck used to go down a "black hole" 3 to 5 times a year at the postal annex, New Castle DE. I'd enjoy reading about the cancerous growth of "federalism", if for no other reason to better understand the slow process of it becoming a 'dirdee wird' in my lexicon.
He created his passenger by draping a rain jacket over plastic piping, topping it off with a Halloween mask of Gandalf, the "Lord of the Rings" wizard, a beard and a baseball cap.
#2. To: richard9151 (#0)
Don't taze me, bro!
#3. To: richard9151 (#0)
"I don't know where Bin Laden is. I truly am not that concerned about him"
George W, Bush, 3/13/02 http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html
#4. To: Artisan (#3)
under what pretext could the pig legally 'confiscate' the dummy?
#5. To: HOUNDDAWG (#4)
"I don't know where Bin Laden is. I truly am not that concerned about him"
George W, Bush, 3/13/02 http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html
#6. To: Artisan (#5)
'LOST RIGHTS- THE DESTRUCTION OF AMERICAN LIBERTY'.
#7. To: HOUNDDAWG (#6)
"I don't know where Bin Laden is. I truly am not that concerned about him"
George W, Bush, 3/13/02 http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html
#8. To: Artisan (#7)
One thing that stands out in particular, he covers the history of the us postal service, how the feds prosecuted a family whose little kid started his own delivery service of Christmas cards for his rural neighbors. unreal... but real.
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