would like to know if I should continue

[chrisdem]

Jurisdiction

Michigan

I was driving around my neighborhood in my old work beater when I had a altercation with a person who lives on the intersecting street from my house.

I briefly stopped near this person's house to do something in my car, I was there for less than 30 seconds I looked up and noticed people where in this yard of the nearby property I drove up the street and continued what I was doing.
A man from this household then walked down the street and demanded that I not stop near his property again, I naturally informed him that he did not own the public street and that he should return to his property and go fuck himself. I then continued to drive around my neighborhood and found myself getting pulled over by a police officer and demanded that I not drive by this person's house naturally I ignored this and kept doing just so.
Later I find myself being pulled over once again now the officer clams that if I don't stop he will get a warrant for stalking and come arrest me.

I have two questions
1.I got a ticket the first time because I did not have my insurance papers in the car at the time. I do have insurance and I can get the ticket waved at the courthouse for a $20 fee, what I would rather do is fight the ticket on the grounds that the officer had no right to pull me over in the first place. Would doing this stand a chance of going my way?

2. I would like to continue ignoring the officer and this person continuing to drive around my neighborhood all I like. Does the officers threat have any teeth or shall I just ignore it?

 

[army judge]

1.I got a ticket the first time because I did not have my insurance papers in the car at the time. I do have insurance and I can get the ticket waved at the courthouse for a $20 fee, what I would rather do is fight the ticket on the grounds that the officer had no right to pull me over in the first place. Would doing this stand a chance of going my way?

That is a choice that ONLY you can make for yourself.

Is the effort you'll expend worth the potential costs?

The efficacy of such an endeavor will only be known after you've done what you're posited.

If I were faced with the choice you propose, I'd move on with my life.
I dislike engaging in behavior that could prove unproductive financially for me.

2. I would like to continue ignoring the officer and this person continuing to drive around my neighborhood all I like. Does the officers threat have any teeth or shall I just ignore it?

If you're smart, you should heed all warnings.

Why make trouble for yourself?

Why assist the hangman as he places the noose around your tender neck?

Live your best life, mate.

Avoid unnecessary conflict and strife, and don't waste your valuable time doing things for which you aren't compensated.

 

[chrisdem]

My reasoning is I live in my neighborhood bother no one and this behaviour is both harassment and bigotry.
I would like to choose to do what I can to stand up against such things this is part of living the best life possible. The compensation I would receive if successful is not monetary but has value.

 

[army judge]

I would like to choose to do what I can to stand up against such things this is part of living the best life possible

As I said, this is your choice to make alone.

You need not try to convince a stranger why you do what you do.

That said, unless you are Mr. Bigstuff, Ms. Gotbigbucks, a shot caller, big baller, or a made man; it is never wise to play "quién es más macho" with law enforcement.


Even in the future nothing works!


Good luck.

 

[chrisdem]

Well does my line of reasoning align with what is written in the law books? Obviously I am aware things won't necessarily go my way and there can be no guarantees but what I'm looking for is the probability in the opinion of those who may respond.

 

[army judge]

Well does my line of reasoning align with what is written in the law books?

No.

If you persist, you could make more trouble (not less) for yourself.

We live on a huge planet.

If I were you, I'd stay as far away from that property (and it's owner) as I could.

 

[chrisdem]

Thank you for your time sir, I appreciate your responses.

 

[adjusterjack]

1.I got a ticket the first time because I did not have my insurance papers in the car at the time. I do have insurance and I can get the ticket waved at the courthouse for a $20 fee, what I would rather do is fight the ticket on the grounds that the officer had no right to pull me over in the first place. Would doing this stand a chance of going my way?

No.

You were called in as a suspicious vehicle. The officer had every right and obligation to pull you over to check you out.

2. I would like to continue ignoring the officer and this person continuing to drive around my neighborhood all I like. Does the officers threat have any teeth or shall I just ignore it?

Ignore it at your peril. I don't know why you want to drive around your neighborhood, unless it's to make a nuisance of yourself and bait cops. That can only end badly for you.

My reasoning is I live in my neighborhood bother no one

You're bothering someone. Make no mistake about that.

this behaviour is both harassment and bigotry.

No it isn't. You are just trying to justify your annoying behavior.

The compensation I would receive if successful is not monetary but has value.

You aren't going to get any compensation. You're the problem.

Well does my line of reasoning align with what is written in the law books? Obviously I am aware things won't necessarily go my way and there can be no guarantees but what I'm looking for is the probability in the opinion of those who may respond.

Not the snowball's chance in hell.

 

[mightymoose]

1. You don't necessarily know the reason the officer stopped you. Were you driving 31 in a 30 zone? Did you fail to use a signal? Is your old beater free of any mechanical defects and all lights function? The officer could give many reasons.
Pay the $20 and keep documents in your vehicle as required.

2. Do as you please until a court orders you to do otherwise.
Generally stalking must be accompanied by some kind of reasonable fear or threat. What you describe does not amount to any crime.
If an officer made such a stupid comment to me I would not ignore it. I would write a complaint to the department.

 

[chrisdem]

as far as legal consens go I assume you are probably correct, but I do not see how going about your own business and happen past someone who decided that somehow has something to do with them is bothering someone

edit in response to moose the reason for stop on the ticket states "Bol STOP" could not say what that means

 

[mightymoose]

the reason for stop on the ticket states "Bol STOP" could not say what that means

That means that someone called you in as a suspicious vehicle.
If you are cruising around a neighborhood repeatedly and making stops in unusual places there is good reason to believe that you are casing the neighborhood or otherwise participating in burglaries, vandalism, or other crimes. It happens all the time.
BOL means "Be On Lookout"... You were in the right place and matched the description so you got stopped.

 

[flyingron]

I'm not buying the justification for the stop. A BOLO stop does not occur because someone thinks things look suspicious. A BOLO stop occurs when a police department gets word that a crime had definitely been committed and there is reason to believe that the vehicle they are stopping is what they were told to "bolo" for.

Just because the cop or someone else feels the actions are suspicious is not a valid reason for the stop. It takes a reasonable, articulable suspicion that an offense has been committed by the person being stopped.

Of course, the standard for that suspicion is low (as alluded to above). The cop can certainly observe a suspicious vehicle and stop it on the most trivial violations.