One of Many: you appearantly didn't read the original piece: the only "machinery" the man was "operating" was his feet...
Yes, I did read the original article before posting, thank you very much. It said he was stopped "on the street", not on the sidewalk. That usually (but not always) means a person was driving an automobile.
There was no detail given to indicate that he was walking instead of driving. Your assumption that MY assumption was invalid is logically just as faulty. Before berating someone else, you should think twice, or maybe three times, and then type.
I was suggesting a possible reason for the police to stop a person, and pointing out that we need to be aware of the dangers of medication side effects that may make it likely a person would be stopped by the police. Most places have ordinances against public drunkeness, so you can be stopped for weaving down the sidewalk.
The police officer would have been acting properly to have requested proof that the individual was on prescription medication, at which point he should have offered to assist the individual to his destination, if the officer believed he was impaired. Without proof of prescription medication, the assumption of illegal drug use is virtually guaranteed, and the resulting search is a foregone conclusion. The problem was the extent of the search, and the disrespect shown to the individual and his property (the ashes).
I believe that this officer was far beyond the normal limits of decency, in the way he treated this person. We need to learn from these reports of encounters with police, so that we minimize our own chances of similar problems.
Playing the "smarter than you" game does nothing to further that goal.
