Originally published at: Minnesota wants drivers to use these "document pouches" to avoid getting executed by cops for reaching into the glove box | Boing Boing
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When I worked at a convenience store, I carried a pistol. It would have fit in that pouch.
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Next they’ll be recommending mounting the pouch on the outside of the driver’s door for easy police access.
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Back in the good old days we used these packets that fit around the steering wheel. 
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hey, why can’t they just access the microchips in our vaccinated blood? (“well, that doesn’t include our insurance status, now does it?” ooooooh that’s what the booster shot is for)
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Thank you Minnesota for warning us about your low iq & easily agitated police / slave patrols .
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Might as well just bolt it to the back bumper, then.
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It’s simple. Take away the guns from the cops. That will stop the cops executing people.
As a separate problem, shouldn’t the insurance and registration info be automatically tied to the license plate? There shouldn’t be any need for paperwork other than driver’s ID.
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Who wants to make a bet on how soon the first black motorist is shot dead while reaching for his official document pouch? My prediction is that these won’t help at all.
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Here’s a thought–since the cops can’t do their jobs without killing folks, maybe take away their firearms and make them use non-leathal tools?
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I’ve always been uncomfortable with the deification of first responders, especially the police. The endless glorification of law enforcement officers over the past couple of decades seems to have gone to their heads. Police officers now seem to think they’re a special, sacred class of beings who are entitled to take any action, no matter how misguided or inappropriate, to protect themselves. Time to dial back the reverence and let law enforcement know they’re no more important than the rest of us. Then maybe Minnesota wouldn’t have to propose something so outlandish.
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If cops are so scared of gunfights with motorists, maybe they should use a (completely unarmed) drone to approach the driver’s window after the stop is made. They can sit back in their squad cars, secure like pigs in a blanket, and everyone is safer. Bonus: one more opportunity to capture the encounter on video, just in case of a bodycam malfunction.
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Exactly. In UK that’s exactly how it works. By the time they stop you they already know if you are insured and if the car has a valid MOT. They also know the registered keeper - which may not be the driver, of course. So there should be no need for any paperwork other than driver ID.
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A few years ago I was driving down a country road near me but I was not speeding, a state cop got behind me and followed really close for about a mile making me nervous for some reason. She finally hit the lights and pulled me over. I rolled down the window and was about to reach for the documents from the glove box when I looked in the rear view mirror.
She was approaching me with her gun drawn. I immediately stopped and put my hands on the steering wheel and waited for instructions.
Apparently she ran my plate for the heck of it (a whole other problem) and it came back as a stolen vehicle.
I asked how do we handle this? It went pretty smooth after that but scared the crap out of me.
This could have gone a whole other way if I was a different color or in a different neighborhood, etc… I can not imagine being of a person of color minding your own business and getting hassled. Years ago my wife had a black employee that lived in Detroit but had to drive through fancy white neighborhood to get to work. He was stopped regularly just for being black. Never got a ticket, just stopped and harassed. He was a very nice person but you could tell how angry it would get him.
Turns out my personalized plate was on some sort of federal hot sheet, whatever that is. It happened again, same thing, gun drawn. I got rid of the plate when I renewed.
What’s up with randomly running plates?
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How about don’t let cops murder people?
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Maybe restrict the number of weapons in circulation for civilians as well. I’m not sure having everyone but the cops armed is a good idea either.
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Well, over here on the other side of the Atlantic, the police have ANPR - Automatic Number Plate Recognition, which will indicate whether the vehicle and driver are insured, whether the vehicle is stolen and also if the vehicle is appropriately taxed and has an MOT Certificate, which means the vehicle has been through a roadworthyness test if it’s over three years old.
I’m wondering if they’ve moved above needing a man with a red flag in front of every vehicle in these back woods parts of the US.
Sorry, preempted by anothernewbbaccount
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I’m curious - when did these fall out of use?
I got hip to them while watching The Big Sleep. Bogey arrives at Geiger’s pad, looks into the younger Ms Sternwood’s car to see whose vehicle it is, and the camera shows us her registration on the steering column.
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