OT: Got stopped in RB by a cop today to do an “environmental study”

[Coronita]

So something interesting happened to me in Rancho Bernardo.
The road was blocked off with what appeared to be a construction sign, and there was a single cop on the road. I was the redirected into another lane and some guy (looked like a kid in an orange jumpsuit) said that they were conducting an environment impact study on emissions from vehicles and wanted to put my car on a dynometer that they had parked in that lane. There were already a few cars in front of me undergoing some dyno test, and apparently the cop was randomly picking anyone that drove by to do this test.

I basically told the person that I don’t want to do the test because unless the cop is telling me I have to because I’m violating some vehicle code,

1)I’m need to get somewhere on time
2)I already had my car smogged and passed
3)What grounds am I required to submit a test for which I have no idea what it does, how it’s used,etc?

After asking a bit more, I noticed that the dyno was for 2wd vehicles only, to which the dude said “oh, this car has quattro”…And then I was let go….

It was the most random thing that I ran into, and never heard of this before….So what’s the deal? Are cops allowed to do this?

In hindsight, it would have been funny let them try to dyno an AWD car on a 2wd dyno. I could have used a new car or a large payment on a new car courtesy of the city/county/organization running whatever test that was.

[NotCranky]

Maybe they’re trying to do a sting, or at least QC test, on Smog Check places to see if these roadside results line up with recent smog test results sent to the DMV?

[NotCranky]

Maybe they’re trying to do a sting, or at least QC test, on Smog Check places to see if these roadside results line up with recent smog test results sent to the DMV?

[NotCranky]

Maybe they’re trying to do a sting, or at least QC test, on Smog Check places to see if these roadside results line up with recent smog test results sent to the DMV?

[NotCranky]

Maybe they’re trying to do a sting, or at least QC test, on Smog Check places to see if these roadside results line up with recent smog test results sent to the DMV?

[NotCranky]

Maybe they’re trying to do a sting, or at least QC test, on Smog Check places to see if these roadside results line up with recent smog test results sent to the DMV?

[Aecetia]

I could not find anything on your type of checkpoint, just some case law on sobriety type check points:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_checkpoint#Legal_guidelines_for_checkpoint_procedures

Call the Chief and ask why they are doing the check point and ask for a reference for the legality of the check point? Did they ask you for your papers, flu?

[Aecetia]

I could not find anything on your type of checkpoint, just some case law on sobriety type check points:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_checkpoint#Legal_guidelines_for_checkpoint_procedures

Call the Chief and ask why they are doing the check point and ask for a reference for the legality of the check point? Did they ask you for your papers, flu?

[Aecetia]

I could not find anything on your type of checkpoint, just some case law on sobriety type check points:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_checkpoint#Legal_guidelines_for_checkpoint_procedures

Call the Chief and ask why they are doing the check point and ask for a reference for the legality of the check point? Did they ask you for your papers, flu?

[Aecetia]

I could not find anything on your type of checkpoint, just some case law on sobriety type check points:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_checkpoint#Legal_guidelines_for_checkpoint_procedures

Call the Chief and ask why they are doing the check point and ask for a reference for the legality of the check point? Did they ask you for your papers, flu?

[Aecetia]

I could not find anything on your type of checkpoint, just some case law on sobriety type check points:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_checkpoint#Legal_guidelines_for_checkpoint_procedures

Call the Chief and ask why they are doing the check point and ask for a reference for the legality of the check point? Did they ask you for your papers, flu?

[SmellsFeeshy]

I’ve actually heard of those before (never actually seen one) in either LA or SD where the police would set up a roadside smog check and randomly pull over cars that appeared to be “illegally modified”. Then they would pop your hood and do a smog check on your car to verify that everything was legit.

That was probably close to 5 years ago when SD had a major street racing scene. Now that the scene is dead I haven’t heard of that happening anymore. Would be interesting to know if they are starting to do that again.

Did the other cars in line appear to be modified or stock?

[SmellsFeeshy]

I’ve actually heard of those before (never actually seen one) in either LA or SD where the police would set up a roadside smog check and randomly pull over cars that appeared to be “illegally modified”. Then they would pop your hood and do a smog check on your car to verify that everything was legit.

That was probably close to 5 years ago when SD had a major street racing scene. Now that the scene is dead I haven’t heard of that happening anymore. Would be interesting to know if they are starting to do that again.

Did the other cars in line appear to be modified or stock?

[SmellsFeeshy]

I’ve actually heard of those before (never actually seen one) in either LA or SD where the police would set up a roadside smog check and randomly pull over cars that appeared to be “illegally modified”. Then they would pop your hood and do a smog check on your car to verify that everything was legit.

That was probably close to 5 years ago when SD had a major street racing scene. Now that the scene is dead I haven’t heard of that happening anymore. Would be interesting to know if they are starting to do that again.

Did the other cars in line appear to be modified or stock?

[SmellsFeeshy]

I’ve actually heard of those before (never actually seen one) in either LA or SD where the police would set up a roadside smog check and randomly pull over cars that appeared to be “illegally modified”. Then they would pop your hood and do a smog check on your car to verify that everything was legit.

That was probably close to 5 years ago when SD had a major street racing scene. Now that the scene is dead I haven’t heard of that happening anymore. Would be interesting to know if they are starting to do that again.

Did the other cars in line appear to be modified or stock?

[Author]

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