There was Cowboy Neal at the wheel...

I gotta agree with the comments by readers. Since when is sticking your head out a bus window a crime, and what dimwit law prohibits charter busses from crossing state lines? Yeah, they had plenty of illegal substances on board, but if they're going to stop vehicles just because someone stuck their head out a window then it's just one more thing to prove that this nation has no right to call itself free.

Government is free to screw over the citizens, but that's about it.

Ratzilla wrote:

I gotta agree with the comments by readers. Since when is sticking your head out a bus window a crime, and what dimwit law prohibits charter busses from crossing state lines? Yeah, they had plenty of illegal substances on board, but if they're going to stop vehicles just because someone stuck their head out a window then it's just one more thing to prove that this nation has no right to call itself free.

Government is free to screw over the citizens, but that's about it.

I would bet that it's illegal to stick your head out of a moving vehicle. I would also bet that it has to do with school buses and the desire not to have kids do it and be injured or killed.

As for crossing state lines, they are free to do so if they are licensed by the Interstate Commerce Commission (another hidden tax that the companies pass on to customers). Apparently they weren't licensed.

Nevertheless, those people and the charter company are hosed.

If you're a passenger on a motrorcycle and tilt your head to one side do they stop you? And I've never seen anyone stopped because their dog had it's head hanging out.

As far as kids sticking their heads out of school buses goes it seems to me that's a discipline issue to be handled by parents and school officials. As far as charter buses go, why should sticking your head out a window be a problem? If it's a safety thing I'm sure if something can hit you in the head then the bus driver, or another driver is too close because the side mirrors stick out further than a head would. And having to be licensed special to cross state lines is bullshit. It's not another country.

Interstate commerce laws have come up with several moronic rules. Like if you find an Indian artifact and cross a state line it may be a federal crime in some cases, but you can take buckets full home if it's in your own state.

Now if you were hanging half way out a window with risk of falling or the driver was doing it I could see the reason. My opinion is a party bus was seen and the officer heard the cash register ring.

All that said, they caused their own grief by smoking weed to alarm the officer, and if there's that much drugs and alcohol in transport you'd think they'd be smart enough to behave.

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and if there's that much drugs and alcohol in transport you'd think they'd be smart enough to behave.

Think about Ratz. That much drugs and alcohol don't equal smart.

In the late 70's I got convicted of being partially out of a moving vehicle. The judge was quite clear that it doesn't matter how safe you think you are, it's the law.
I was also found guilty of throwing an object from a moving vehicle.
The driver was charged with allowing both of these acts. The judge dropped his charges when I explained that he had advised me not to throw a snowball at the officer.
Oh, yeah. The judge said I was real lucky the officer didn't charge me with assault.

I learned a valuable lesson that day. Ambushes need to be sneaky.

In this case that many drugs didn't equal smart. Probably because they were drunken stoned users, not dealers practiced in evading the law.

So what cop did you throw a snowball at? When I was about 8 some guys drove into Massey Park and tossed a huge water balloon at some girls. The only problem that caused was my dad's embarrassment when I took the remnants home and asked him where to buy water balloons that big.

I don't remember the cops name, but I do remember a feeling of satisfaction. It was worth the price I paid.

My favorite name for a band from this year's artist line-up is Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band.

Justoo wrote:

I don't remember the cops name, but I do remember a feeling of satisfaction. It was worth the price I paid.

I got a $25 ticket once for an open beer. I was outside the vehicle and standing in the parking lot of a friggin Hays bar no less. I argued that public consumption was an ignorant charge in a bar parking lot and then I almost got taken in for picking the beer up off the cops car and finishing it. He got PO'd, but I told him I wasn't about to waste a $25 beer. The look on his face when I guzzled the last half can was worth the $25 too.