But Officer, I Didn't Do Anything!

Tampa Tribune ^ | Jul 22, 2002 | JIM SLOAN

[TightSqueeze]

Jul 22, 2002

`But Officer, I Didn't Do Anything!'

By JIM SLOAN
jsloan@tampatrib.com

Photo by: GREG FIGHT FHP trooper Christopher Miller directs westbound cars on I-4 near Polk City into the rest area where drivers will be asked to answer a survey about high speed rail.

LAKELAND - They call it a ``Voluntary Roadside Interview.''

But for hundreds of motorists flagged down by state troopers Monday on Interstate 4, there was nothing voluntary about it.

Off-duty troopers, hired at $30 an hour, picked motorists at random and directed them to pull off the interstate into a rest stop, where Palm Pilot- toting interviewers waited.

No, this roadside checkpoint wasn't looking for drunken drivers. The survey, which will cost about $150,000, was commissioned by the Florida High Speed Rail Authority to gauge public interest in riding a proposed 120 mph bullet train.

The experience left some motorists wondering what's next: Publix hiring troopers to corral interstate travelers for a marketing survey?

``They freaked me out,'' said Alan Kent, pulled over Monday on his way home to Clearwater after a concert. ``I thought they had pulled me over to search me.''

A woman traveling with Kent, who declined to give her name, was even more blunt: ``It's illegal,'' she said.

Not true, survey officials say. They said they checked with a lawyer for the Florida Department of Transportation.

``The bottom line is, we can do it. It's well within the law,'' said Adrian Share of HNTB Corp., general consultants for the rail authority. ``With the cooperation of state troopers, the state is allowed to pull people over just to seek information.''

Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment two years ago that requires the state to begin building a high- speed rail network by November 2003. The train could run down the median of I-4.

Last week, the rail authority, which is responsible for building the rail system, conducted traffic interviews at I-4 entrance ramps in the Lakeland area. Sunday and Monday, the authority set up shop at an I-4 rest stop east of Lakeland.

Bruce Williams, who helped design the survey, said interrogations are the only way to accurately target the people most likely to use a bullet train: I-4 commuters and tourists.

The authority could take down license plate numbers and mail surveys to registered owners, but that also could backfire, Williams said.

``You don't have to stop traffic, but you get a very large negative reaction of `How did you find me? Big Brother is watching me through cameras.' ''

Each interview took about 90 seconds. Questioners asked drivers about their travel habits, their daily commute and - a question some didn't feel was particularly relevant - how much money they make.

`Income can be a very important determinant of people's willingness to choose a certain mode of travel,'' Williams said.

Respondents were asked for a general income range and were asked to pick one, not a specific figure, he said.

``If people refuse to answer it, that's fine. We're not insisting that everybody answer every question,'' Williams said.

David Vogel, directing the interviews on I-4, said most motorists were ``understanding and patient.''

But Farouk Kahn of Orlando said the authority's methods were sneaky.

Instead of signs saying ``Traffic Survey Ahead,'' westbound traffic was greeted with red cones, ``Reduced Speed Ahead'' signs and drawings of men digging.

``I thought there was construction going on or something,'' Kahn said. ``It's like a tricky thing. You should tell the people instead of saying one thing and then doing something else.''

The traffic survey will be repeated at the rest stop Wednesday and then wrap up, officials said.

Reporter Jim Sloan can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

This story can be found at: http://www.tampatrib.com/MGA5WPU8Z3D.html

[southern rock]

Off-duty troopers, hired at $30 an hour, picked motorists at random and directed them to pull off the interstate into a rest stop, where Palm Pilot- toting interviewers waited.

Gee, it's not like people driving on the interstate have any place to they have to be or anything. I hope everyone inconvenienced by these a-holes sends the state a bill for their time, and sues if they don't receive payment.

[TightSqueeze]

to well being? = to your well being?

[Ol' Sox]

Here you go, Freepers. Let Pat, in HNTB's Corporate Communications department, know how you feel.

CONTACT
Pat Mosher
Director, Corporate Communications
715 Kirk Drive
Kansas City, MO 64105
Phone: (816) 472-1201
Fax: (816) 472-4060
PMOSHER@HNTB.COM

and then there's:

Gary Link
Director, Corporate Planning and Communication

Gary Link directs and coordinates the firm’s strategic planning and implementation efforts and has oversight responsibility for the firm’s corporate image, including internal and external communications. Link, who joined the firm in 1984, also is a member of HNTB’s senior management committee and a member of HNTB’s marketing steering committee. Link has also served as director of HNTB’s corporate marketing services. Before joining HNTB, Link had 15 years of experience in advertising and marketing consulting. He is a member of the International Strategic Leadership Forum and has served on the Kansas City chapter’s board of directors.

Gary can most likely be reached at:
GLINK@HNTB.COM

[FourPeas]

The bottom line is, we can do it. It's well within the law

Hmmmm, so I can cross Florida off my list of possible destinations. Thanks for the heads-up.

FP

[agrace]

Information vs opinion - excellent point you've got there. And no doubt the CORRECT interpretation of the law. You should call Mr Share and have a chat.

And by the way, maybe you can answer this for me too - why is a private consulting firm being allowed to use state resources, especially the police, to gather info? Hiring off-duty cops for private purposes is one thing, but to use roadblocks, police cars, etc. Even if the project is ultimately a state one, this seems wrong to me. Why should the rail authority have jurisdiction over a state highway?

And the fact that the project has nothing to do with law enforcement bothers me also. Do they have that much trouble gathering info from the average FL Joe? What about the traditional town meeting? Or an election survey? Or a mailer? I can't imagine that a $30/hr cop costs less than a $6/hr envelope-stuffing temp. Everything about this seems ridiculous.

[TightSqueeze]

Hmmmm, so I can cross Florida off my list of possible destinations. Thanks for the heads-up.

Don't get too hasty there FP, cause we have CCW, if you are not a criminal, you can carry a gun, and the sun shines here most days.

[RightWhale]

If you are on public land you have only the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights and a few assorted human and civil rights statutes. You are on public land by permission whether tacit or explicit. That includes paved and painted public road rights-of-way.

[Dixie Mom]

How dare they pull people over like that--this is outrageous! It is an abuse of power and invasion of privacy, IMO. If they ever waste my time by doing that, they will get some very unsatisfactory survey results.

Complaints go here:

Adrian B. Share, P.E.
Vice President
HNTB Corporation
5850 T.G. Lee Blvd., Suite 600
Orlando, FL 32822-4410
(407) 854-8380, (407) 855-9641 fax
ashare@hntb.com

and here

Jeb Bush, Governor

[freeeee]

If you are on public land you have only the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights

Amendment IX: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

[southern rock]

If you are on public land you have only the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights and a few assorted human and civil rights statutes.

Public land is just that - public. It is NOT the state's private property. The state is not a private property owner, and has no authority to act as such.

[headsonpikes]

"We welcome the search..."

Governor Ridge, is that you?

Seriously, I can see why you chose your FReeper name; and I can understand why some folks leap into the fire rather than be fried.

To my mind, both are poor choices; we should turn off the socialist burner which is cooking us alive.

[Tourist Guy]

>>>Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment two years ago that requires the state to begin building a high- speed rail network by November 2003. The train could run down the median of I-4.<<<

Point #1: If the state is required to build it then any further "opinion" doesn't even matter.

Point #2: If it is to begin by Nov '03, they should be getting bids on the work, and engineers should be looking at the infrastructure and construction requirements (at this rate, it won't start until 2005)...

Point # Last but not least: THIS IS NOT A PROPER FUNCTION OF A STATE CONSTITUTION. If the Floriduh government fails in meeting this mandate then every unelected official should be fired and every elected offical automatically thrown out of office.
All open (unelected) jobs should be filled through normal job applications/resumes instead of the 'insider connection' hiring for friends and family.

[lsee]

This is just too dangerous for the drivers and the troopers!

[RightWhale]

It is NOT the state's private property

That's right. Public land belongs to the state. The state is the public. We people are private citizens. Maybe it's different in a commonwealth, probably even clearer. A private citizen has only the enumerated rights once he is off his own property, and even there he is not perfectly free to do anything he wants. Driving is a privilege, as they say, but walking on the public road is also a privilege. The government can order you off the street at any time because they own it and you don't.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

They won't appreciate my opinion if I'm stopped.

Just don't answer the questions. They may be able to pull you over legally but they can't legally ask you personal questions (or ANY questions) without an attorney present. Unless you waive the right to remain silent.

Or does Miranda not apply to survey questions?

[Boonie Rat]

"I have a set fee for answering questions for governmental agencies. It is $500.00. Please sign here and indicate the address the invoice is to be sent to."

Boonie Rat

MACV SOCOM, PhuBai/Hue '65-'66

[balrog666]

Point #1: If the state is required to build it then any further "opinion" doesn't even matter.

The amendent for the train passed. The corresponding amendment for it's funding failed. Oops.

[dead]

Not that I like it, but even if they ask the questions, I'm sure you could just refuse to answer.

Well, you’re right.

After I’ve been ordered by the armed agents of the state to interrupt my perfectly legal use of public roads, and detained by those agents for an indeterminate amount of time, against my will and accused of no wrong-doing, I could refuse to answer the intrusive questions on their marketing survey.

I guess they’d just give the interior of my car a quick once-over, or just ask to see my "papers", and then maybe let me go at the point. If they felt like it. Or maybe they'd run a few checks, to try to determine what this troublemaker is trying to hide.