Buffalo, NY.
Is there a law that requires me to have I.D. at all times?
- Thread starter jman511115
- Start date
True.
But, if you are approached by a Law Enforcement Officer you must identify yourself if requested. Although the identifying info can be given verbally.
However, if you are a resident alien (green card holder) and 18 or older you must have your Green Card (I-551) with you at all times.
Ok, thought so. Got stopped walking down the street the other day and the valiant and upstanding enforcer of the law threatend to arrest me because I didn't have my DL.
Why did you get stopped while walking?
I guess I was suspicious looking? Don't know.
At least describe the scenario.
I've always wondered this myself. So it is the law?
What's the law?
Since you are not required to have a drivers license, id card, or any other type of government issued ID, how can it be the law to provide said id? As Adam said, if an officer asks you to provide identification, you must comply by giving them the information verbally.
Starter got hot, so my car wouldn't start. I left it in the Wilson Farms parking lot and walked home with my female friend. We got about 1/2 mile away from the store and the officer drove up and stopped us. He was a complete and total dick starting with the very first thing he said to me, even though I was being polite for the first minute or two. Asked us a bunch of completely irrelevant questions while searching me, assuming I was being a cocky d bag kid. Yelled at me for not having a drivers license, and when I asked him if I was required to (being pretty sure of the answer) he told me that yes there was a law requiring me to have it on me and told me he could arrest me. This is about when I started getting a bit testy. He didn't believe a word I said about anything, and I found out later that he went back to the store and verified everything that I had told him about my car not starting with the clerk. (Understandable). The other three officers on the scene just kinda stood back and watched, kinda makes me think that I wasn't considered that big of a threat.
I'm a clean cut, non "gangsta" 22 year old guy who was very polite and cooperative until the officer showed that he's part of the 5% of cops that are f***tards. I'm guessing the only reason he may have had to detain me was either something with my car, or something that had just happened in the area that he was investigating.
To clarify though...
Law enforcement cannot arbitrarily just walk around and demand that individuals identify themselves. It must be for a valid reason, i.e. a Terry Stop, etc.
There is no law requiring you to even know how to read and write. It's pretty unlikely that you can be required to have a drivers license if you are not driving.
If you told him about the car not starting that would indicate your intent to drive a car and thus his question about the D.L. If in fact you didnt have your D.L. and said your car wouldnt start that sounds suspicious and could lead to his further questioning.
Yeah, but why even stop me in the first place? I keep my DL in the visor, makes it nice and easy to get to if I'm pulled over. And what is suspicious about my car not starting?
It's possible you matched the description of someone they were looking for, were walking through a bad part of town, or any number of reasons. You could have asked the officer instead of taking offense at his line of questioning. It sounds like you had an attitude even though you say you didn't.
I believe Adam meant it was suspicious because you said your car didn't start, which implies you are driving, yet you have no drivers license on you. That would prompt the officer to investigate further. (Why don't you have a license on you? Is it suspended? Do you actually have one? Warrants?)
There is a bar 1 block from my house that my wife and I went to one New Years. Got stoped in the alley behind my house while walking with my wife. The LEO was polite, and tackfull, but said he could fine me, and or arest me untill I could provide a State ID or DL to him. I had my DOD Mil ID card with me. He told me that ID is not a valid ID. He checked my wifes DL in the system, and asked us to be safe on the walk home. (We were at our back yard. lol)
My point, is SOME people will tell you what ever for what ever reason. Hell, I didn't know if he was really telling me the truth or not until I called the State LEO's and asked.
My point, is SOME people will tell you what ever for what ever reason. Hell, I didn't know if he was really telling me the truth or not until I called the State LEO's and asked.
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This happened to me once. Within about a minute of me leaving out of my neighborhood, this undercover trailblazer came flying up behind me, hit it lights and yelled through his intercom to pull over. Then a could of jeans and white t-shirt wearing narcs jumped out of the car and starting probing me for information. Then he let me go and said he thought I was involved in something else going on in the area.
In today's world lots. someone (or the cops) could have seen you trying to start the car and when it wouldn't start walk away from it and assumed that you were trying to steal it. also someone might have thought the car was suspicious. with the amount of hyper sensitivity I NEVER leave a car in a store parking lot without going into the store and telling a manager why I am leaving it.
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I've also been told by LEO's that not having an ID was against the law. I do however know it isn't required and remain polite through the situation. If you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to worry about.
Let him look like the DB if he pulls you in for not carrying an ID when it's not even required. Just don't give him any other reason to do it lol
Let him look like the DB if he pulls you in for not carrying an ID when it's not even required. Just don't give him any other reason to do it lol
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