BluesStringer
Les Brers
I understand your point, I need to back up a little and clarify mine.
The right word wasn’t “Why”, what I was referring to was the driver’s repeated question of “For suspicion of what crime are you detaining me?” (Which in and of itself is a mouth full). If the cop tells you he’s detaining you I don’t see any point in asking what crime he suspects you of committing. He can lie about that anyway and it’s legal, so I wouldn’t bother asking.
As for the “Why” the driver did ask the cop “Why are you stopping me?” and the cop answered him “Public safety check point.” or some such nonsense. Whether you and I agree with these check points doesn’t change the fact that the Supremes say they’re Ok and arguing the point with the cop isn’t going to get you anywhere.
Personally I would have done it like this:
Eidolon: Good evening officer why are you stopping me?
Cop: Public Safety check point.
Eidolon: I do not consent to this interaction, Am I free to go?
Cop: You are not free to go.
Eidolon: I would like to speak to MY lawyer; I have nothing more to say.
Cop: Blah, Blah, Blah.
Eidolon: ………
Like I said, I agreed with every other point you made, including that the guy talked way too much and stumbled and bumbled his way through what he did say. I think the problem for him (and likely many, if not all of the other videos that you referenced having seen) is that they have the basic idea and rap down, but the incidence of being contacted by cops is so rare for most of 'em, that their adrenaline kicks in and makes 'em sound like whiny puppies. Adrenaline management skills aren't achieved by reading about them, or watching a YouTube video. At best, a citizen can go through some simulated stressful situational training that may help if s/he refreshes that training on a regular basis, but the real-deal situation is likely to sound and look more like the subject video for most people in any case.
I have had fairly extensive adrenaline management training. Even refreshed it several times. All of the training and the refresher courses were several years ago though, and I've only been contacted by cops twice in all those years. One was a DUI check-point just before midnight when I was on my way to work, which would've gone fine except that I couldn't find my insurance card right away, so I had to pull over and rummage through some stuff to find it. Made me late for work, but that was my fault, so though I didn't appreciate the stop, the cop didn't really do anything wrong or try to be intimidating.
The other time was in my own backyard which I wrote about it here and had an extended exchange with a truly moronic troll who no longer posts here(?) that led to one of my posts where I stated:
I did nothing to escalate that encounter. I told him right off I was walking my dog, which is a mistake as far as I'm concerned.
The "mistake" I was referencing was exactly because of what you suggest; I was talking too much. I was taken by total surprise and the training that I had let lapse over a period of several years was pretty much useless once being startled in my own backyard at 1:00 in the morning.
Knowing what little I know about your background, I have little doubt that you can manage stress on-the-spot better than the average citizen, and such an encounter would go just exactly as you describe above. Which only means you're not a fair representation of the "average" citizen that cops are well-practiced at intimidating and throwing off their game.
Blues