Roadblock Ahead

So there we were driving home from the University of Illinois where we had just watched our team win the state championship, when I see some flashing lights up ahead. My first thought was, maybe it's an accident. It wasn't. Instead it's a roadblock and all cars have to stop while the officer checks our driver's license, insurance cards, and lights. The officer described it as a "safety check" but I know better.

A recent ruling by the supreme court upheld the practice of officers stopping cars for no reason other than to seek information. In my case it wasn't a big deal. Just a quick stop and we were on our way, but it felt an awful lot like living in the old Soviet Union.