Hi, I'm Zepsinger. I just had my first Field Sobriety Test.

[ZepSinger]

So I'm pulling into Lansing KS last Saturday night at about 6pm... my band had a gig at a local bar just east of Leavenworth. I look in the rearview mirror and see the cop cherries- crap.

So, I pull over. Cop asks me like 3 times where I'm from and where I'm going- it seemed pretty obvious he was trying to catch me in a non-truth. Tells me he clocked me at 60 in a 50. OK, not the end of the world- I've had more than a few of those in my time.

Suddenly, he says 'sir, have you had any alcohol tonight? I smell alcohol on your breath.' I say no, then remember that I had had one 12oz. beer with pizza at 2:30. So I tell him as much. Then- 'sir, you'll need to step out of your car'. And then I get the battery of tests- follow the little blue light with my eyes, heel-to-toe 9 steps out and back, lift one foot with arms at the side while counting (by the way- those tests are fairly hard to do even when stone cold sober IMO). Backup arrives. Here comes the breathalyzer. He informs me that I can refuse to take the test, but doing so carries a charge in itself. I know I have nothing to worry about, so I say sure. He then says to wait in my car for the results.

I text the other guitarist to tell him I might be late. Or I might not be able to be there at all. The cop comes back and says 'your BAC is less than .01. KS legal limit is .08. You are obviously well under the limit. But here's your speeding ticket. Have a good evening.'

57 years old and my first field sobriety test. Even though I knew I was going to be OK, it still freaked me out a bit(and sorta ruined my night). I dunno, I've heard from many people that you should never submit to these tests- being a FST virgin, I just didn't know what to do for sure. I knew I wasn't going to test drunk, so I felt pretty safe in taking the test. Maybe that was stupid, I don't know. I'm assuming that some of you CP'ers have experienced this honor as well? What have you done in this situation?

Z

[blaise]

I had to take one once. I didn't use my blinker and he pulled me over. So he had me walk in a straight line. I didn't do anything wrong as far as I could tell, but he had me do the breathalyzer anyway, then he let me go. I think he was just being a dick; it was a small town and he knew who I was. He ended up getting fired a few years later because he was using an ATV that the police had somehow recovered as his own ATV.
We used to call him Barney Fife.

[Nzoner]

Originally Posted by blaise

We used to call him Barney Fife.

One of my favorite scenes from the movie Clay Pigeons

Sheriff:"Barney don't poke the body with a stick."

FBI agent:"You have a deputy named Barney?"

[burt]

Originally Posted by ZepSinger

So I'm pulling into Lansing KS last Saturday night at about 6pm... my band had a gig at a local bar just east of Leavenworth. I look in the rearview mirror and see the cop cherries- crap.

So, I pull over. Cop asks me like 3 times where I'm from and where I'm going- it seemed pretty obvious he was trying to catch me in a non-truth. Tells me he clocked me at 60 in a 50. OK, not the end of the world- I've had more than a few of those in my time.
Suddenly, he says 'sir, have you had any alcohol tonight? I smell alcohol on your breath.' I say no, then remember that I had had one 12oz. beer with pizza at 2:30. So I tell him as much. Then- 'sir, you'll need to step out of your car'. And then I get the battery of tests- follow the little blue light with my eyes, heel-to-toe 9 steps out and back, lift one foot with arms at the side while counting (by the way- those tests are fairly hard to do even when stone cold sober IMO). Backup arrives. Here comes the breathalyzer. He informs me that I can refuse to take the test, but doing so carries a charge in itself. I know I have nothing to worry about, so I say sure. He then says to wait in my car for the results.I text the other guitarist to tell him I might be late. Or I might not be able to be there at all. The cop comes back and says 'your BAC is less than .01. KS legal limit is .08. You are obviously well under the limit. But here's your speeding ticket. Have a good evening.'

57 years old and my first field sobriety test. Even though I knew I was going to be OK, it still freaked me out a bit(and sorta ruined my night). I dunno, I've heard from many people that you should never submit to these tests- being a FST virgin, I just didn't know what to do for sure. I knew I wasn't going to test drunk, so I felt pretty safe in taking the test. Maybe that was stupid, I don't know. I'm assuming that some of you CP'ers have experienced this honor as well? What have you done in this situation?

Z

Same! Differences, Leawood I am 52, second ever(failed first one at 33ish, but got a break)..12:20a.m....51 in a 35...freezing cold, no coat! Field sobriety tests are all but unpossible when you are shivering in the cold! I didn't, however ask my level...just took my ticket and drove to my WARM home!

[Dunit35]

Don't know if its been said but only refuse the test if you know you are two times the legal limit..16 becomes aggregated in Oklahoma.

[theelusiveeightrop]

Way to go dude.

[DJJasonp]

Originally Posted by sedated

Never, ever, EVER tell a cop you've had anything to drink if they pull you over. Instant probable cause. They will immediately pull you out of the car and give you the FST.

unless your Jovan Belcher!

[burt]

Originally Posted by sedated

Never, ever, EVER tell a cop you've had anything to drink if they pull you over. Instant probable cause. They will immediately pull you out of the car and give you the FST.

3 beers in 4 hours...but you can smell it on your breath....NOT telling them gives them probable cause....

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by burt

3 beers in 4 hours...but you can smell it on your breath....NOT telling them gives them probable cause....

the smell is reasonable suspicion to start FSTs, asking is just to see if you're going to be honest. IMO

and haha clay....

[oldman]

Lansing is, and always has been one big speed trap. Most of the locals know that and if you're within a couple miles of the limit and have LV tags, most of them will let you pass. Most of the Lansing cops and LVCO deputies are pretty good guys. But there is one little turd that drives one of the Chargers that is an absolute terror.

[houstonwhodat]

Man if you actually did a FST and passed you are the only person in history that I know has done that.

Those tests are designed for you to fail.

The officer couldn't even do it if his life depended on it.

Houston is the DWI capital of the world. There are over 300,000 people on probation at any given time.

It's a huge revenue generator and at the same time it ruins your life.

I speak from experience, here is what you do.

A. Never admit to drinking
B. Never take the breath test they are inaccurate
C. Never do a FST because if he asks you out of the car it's already over. You got lucky this time.
D. Remember everything is on camera so don't argue. If you have a good video you can fight it. If you are see arguing then the prosecutor will claim you are belligerent.
E. Call a ****ing cab. Will save you lots of time and money and headache.

[bevischief]

Originally Posted by oldman

Lansing is, and always has been one big speed trap. Most of the locals know that and if you're within a couple miles of the limit and have LV tags, most of them will let you pass. Most of the Lansing cops and LVCO deputies are pretty good guys. But there is one little turd that drives one of the Chargers that is an absolute terror.

This. Same with Leawood.