Anyone noticed a lot of DUI checkpoints lately? I have been through 2 in the last 2 weeks. The first was on route 19 near the Galleria last weekend and then I went through another on route 50 in Bridgeville (near the Chucky Cheese) on Saturday night.
The one on 19 was still being set up and they just waved me through, the second one in Bridgeville they actually stopped me and I had to do the whole field sobriety test since I told them I had a few drinks that night (still blew a 0.0 on the breathalyzer).
They certianly make them obvious which seems odd to me. Both times they had like 5 or 6 cop cars with all the lights going, multiple tow trucks with the lights going, spot lights lighting up the whole neighborhood, and a paddywagon truck on the side of the road. You can see these things from a mile away and if you want to there is always an opportunity to turn off of the road before you come to the checkpoint.
If they really want to catch DUI drivers, why don’t they be a little more inconspicuous? I will admit, doing the field sobriety test was an interesting experience considering I had no worries about getting a ticket (had one beer at 10pm and came through the checkpoint at 1 am).
Don’t know how it is up here in PA, but in MD they cannot set up a DUI checkpoint where there is not an opportunity to turn around, and they cannot chase you and give you shit should you choose not to go through it.
At the Bridgeville stop, I actually stopped to get gas about 100 yards short of the checkpoint. When I was pumping, I saw an unmarked car in the lot with a cop waiting inside. But the thing is, you could see the stop from the top of a hill about a quarter mile away. There were a ton of opportunities to turn around.
let me share a little experience of mine with this sitiation we have here. My brother went to college up in Erie, needless to say we attended a party, got drunk, got hungry and decided to drive to conney island in wesleyville pa. When we arrived we found a DUI checkpoint waiting for us ahead in the road. Decided to turn before the check point and three cops out of nowhere flashed their lights and pulled us over. The driver beeing lucky got a transportation of alchohol, serving a minor (me at the time) and an underage drinking vialation. So yes they are allowed to pull you over for trying to flee and yes they are allowed and will bust you. Matt94z can chime in on this one…(cough)
I had a couple beers at 10 and went through the checkpoint at 1 AM and blew a 0.0. I didn’t beat anything, I just wasn’t driving drunk.
I agree with you, I think that the police need to be a little less obvious about the stops though. They should not have all of the lights and stuff and maybe people wouldn’t see it from a mile away and turn around.
strange spot to have one in bridgeville. how many bars are actually around there, not too many. bridgeville is a localized area, almost anyone that’s gonna be drinking around there knows the area
Unless you are coming off of 79 at the Kirwain Heights/Heidelburg exit and heading to Peters Township, Bethel, USC, or Lebo. I think that was their point. Plus there are a number of bars on rt. 50 like Castaways and the Burgh Pizza and Wings place.
A friend’s brother is a state trooper, and last time I was saw him (and was drinking heavily with…) he said that most of the arrests come from the ones who turn around and flee. He was bitching that he always get stuck being one of the chase cars, and thinks it’s the most dangerous part of the checkpoint. The hardcore drunks trying to get away before getting their 25th DUI usually aren’t the best people to get panicked and chase… the hard they chase, the more dangerous the drunks drive
my one buddy turned around on 60 and they never followed him… i think it was because they either didnt see him or it was coming up on the end of the night… we pulled up on it as they were pulling the last car over… cop told us it was our lucky night and told us to go…
never said they did but i sense the tone of this thread from some of the posters… “plenty of room to turn around” etc etc… no need to turn around if ur not drunk… yeah its a PIA to wait…but its a bigger PIA to got to jail, to go to a funeral…etc etc…
I agree. That is why I went through the checkpoint. I don’t drive drunk and I knew that my alcohol that I had consumed was out of my system, so I had no problem with going through the checkpoint. My point was that the police need to make it way less obvious that a checkpoint is coming up. The flashing lights and spot lights are so obvious that if someone is drunk, they will just turn around.
Superior Court of Pennsylvania.
COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Appellant,
v.
Tammy L. BLEE, Appellee.
Submitted November 20, 1996.
Filed May 5, 1997.
Results of blood alcohol test were suppressed by order of the Court of Common Pleas, Luzerne County, Criminal Division at No. 2564 of 1995, Ciavarella, J., and Commonwealth appealed. The Superior Court, No. 1403 Philadelphia 1996, Popovich, J., held that sobriety checkpoint was unconstitutional in the manner of selecting its location.
Affirmed.
“To ensure that the intrusion upon the travelling public remains minimal, we cannot accept the general testimony elicited at appellee’s hearing as proof of ‘substantial compliance’ with the guidelines enunciated in Tarbert.” Trivitt, 650 A.2d at 107. At the very least, the Commonwealth was required to present information sufficient to specify the number of DUI-related arrests and/or accidents on Route 11 in Edwardsville, the specific location of the sobriety checkpoint. Accordingly, we find that the sobriety checkpoint did not satisfy the requirements of Tarbert, that the sobriety checkpoint was unconstitutional, that appellee’s vehicle was not stopped properly and that the trial court properly suppressed the result of appellee’s blood alcohol test.
Your a douche… DUI Checkpoints are total bullshit, its all about the money… the whole idea is bullshit. We did go through one on Rt51 by the Blue Flame Saturday night in a party bus… kinda funny to go through one while drinking a beer watching all the others getting arrested, lol…
