Here, here.  My lawyer told me the exact same thing.  You know what?  It
works.  The local cops are such idiots here the entire community has lost
respect for them.  They are always looking for the "easy" tickets and never
seem to concentrate on anything of any real importance.  Twice they have
asked to search my van using such line as "mind if I take a peek inside
here?" or "Got anything in there?  Mind if I look?".  Both times I told him
that I would prefer that he didn't.  I was extremely polite and still firm
in my resolve.  They never asked a second time.  The last time they asked
was when one of them were walking past my driveway on their way to their
car from giving a ticket to another driver in front of my house.  He
started out chatty, but was soon paying way too much attention to a van
that has lived in the driveway for the last 6 years and they've must have
known that it had never caused any trouble.

Chris Smith

At 10:36 AM 5/16/02, DaveC wrote:
>If he thinks he has just cause, he won't ask, he'll just search.
>
>The question that is posed in this thread is whether to *consent* to
>a search when *asked*. (If they have probable cause, they don't ask.)
>
>So if they ask, say NO!!! They *know* that if you say no, that is no
>basis for probable cause, and they cannot then search based on your
>answer.
>
>On those "reality" Cops show, I've seen a few roadside voluntary
>searches which turned up bales of pot or other contraband. When it
>was over, the cops asked the perp, "Why did you say 'Yes' when I
>asked to search?" The answer was "I thought you'd be suspicious if I
>said 'No'." Where's the logic in that?