Sobriety Checkpoints: why inflection is important

[da]

Last night I had a Quaker committee meeting. I carpooled with J., who lives in Waterloo. When we were getting off the highway at the south end of town, there was a sobriety checkpoint. I've never actually been in the car when one of these has happened (well, I was once stopped by a police-person in Ithaca, but that wasn't a checkpoint). The general model is certainly one I understand, but...

What I thought the policeman said:

P: Good evening. This is a sobriety checkpoint to find out have you had any drinks tonight.
D: OK.
P: ...

What actually happened:

P: Good evening. This is a sobriety checkpoint. Have you had any drinks tonight?
D: OK.
P: ...

P: Have you had any drinks tonight?
D: No.
P: Thank you, have a good evening.

See, with ambient noise, I didn't quite catch the middle part- and I heard a downward inflection at the end of his statement. It sounded authoritative and preambleish, but not questioning.

And I guess that's the difference between getting stopped at a sobriety checkpoint and getting stopped at a sobriety checkpoint; I had the sense to not continue the conversation and tell him he sounded too preamblish.

Comments

[dawn-guy.livejournal.com]

I drive much less than I used to, so tend not to meander across them much any more. I don't always catch the words someone is saying when there is background noise, so I rely on expected scripts more than many folks realise. My hearing/listening/perception problem is one of the reasons I'm not comfortable in crowds or at parties.

My way of dealing with the checkpoints used to (will likely continue to) be:

[enough police cars that you know what's up]
That looks like a RIDE program. I'd better not turn on to a side street.
[policeman waves to stop]
Acknowledge officer and pull over.
[policeman says something that confirms it is RIDE]
"The last alcohol I had was [type and amount] at/on [time/date]."
[policeman tells/motions me to go on]
"Thanks. Have a good evening." Continue driving to my destination.

[dpolicar]

I imagine that happens to cops a lot, and they are used to simply repeating themselves.
I wonder what kinds of responses he's gotten from others.

"Sure, I'd love to!"
"Yes, it certainly does, doesn't it?"
"No, but my uncle did once, and he still has the towel!"
"Thirty-eight, officer. Thirty-nine in April."
"Not if I remove my shoes."

[da-lj.livejournal.com]

When I realized the miscommunication, before I rolled up the window and drove on, I considered asking him whether people often told him "sure I'd love some."

So many things left unsaid.

[morgan-starfire.livejournal.com]

This reminds me an awful lot of conversations we have at the border coming back into the US after visiting Ontario.

[bonemadgirl2.livejournal.com]

what is a quacker

[da-lj.livejournal.com]

Sorry it took me a few days to get back to you.

Quakers follow the religious tradition of Quakerism. Quakers worship in stillness, seek out the light of God within us all and work for peace, social justice and the environment.

One good intro is here.

Or just ask if you've got other questions! I like talking about it!