Is it really against the law???

[bersaguy]

Ok so my daughter, and my 27 year old Grand daughter and my 2 great grand children went to Walmart today to pick up a few items at the store. My daughter went in the store while my grand daughter and mother of the two children remained in the car with the doors locked and the A/C blowing cold air when the first police officer showed up and tapped on the window of the car. My grand daughter put the window down and the police officer ask if they were alright and she said yes and she was waiting on her mother to pick up a few things. The officer reached in the car and could feel the cold air working and said ok and went on his way. !0 minutes later another officer was at the car asking the same questions and again my grand daughter told him they were fine and the car was running and the A/C was working and keeping them cool. He then made my grandaughter turn the car off, remove the keys, unstrap the two kids from the car seat and told them it was "AGAINST THE LAW" to remain in the car and they needed to go inside the store!!! Does anyone know when that law went into effect cause I have never heard about it till today. The officer told my daughter that she could be ticketed for leaving the children in the car. My grand daughter is 27 years old and is the mother of the two kids and she was in the car with them and had the A/C running and doors locked!!! My daughter was in the store a grand total of about 20 minutes and had not one but to officers show up because people were calling in about them in the car. The 1st officer didn't mention they were breaking any law and the second one acted pissed.

[gregintenn]

No. I’ve found that many police officers know less about laws than the ordinary Joe.

They were just tired of fielding calls.

Edited August 13, 2019 by gregintenn

[Alleycat72]

In Nashville,  you can't idle a car. 

[gregintenn]

1 minute ago, alleycat72 said:

In Nashville,  you can't idle a car. 

If you’re sitting in it you can.

[DaveTN]

I don’t know all the Tennessee motor Vehicle laws. But remember something about this law the first of the year. If there was not a licensed drive in control of the car; it’s probably a violation.

She should have told that second cop to go pound sand so we could all find out.

I'm kidding!

[Quavodus]

I'm pretty sure they were not in California. Lol. Well, pretty much everything is illegal out there.

[Alleycat72]

6 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

If you’re sitting in it you can.

It's the only thing I could think of that the officer could be using.  I don't know if this is Nashville or not. Could be some local ordnance.  It's BS anyway. 

[gregintenn]

1 minute ago, Quavodus said:

I'm pretty sure they were not in California. Lol. Well, pretty much everything is illegal out there.

It would have been o.k. we’re the car full of pot smoke.

[gregintenn]

1 minute ago, alleycat72 said:

It's the only thing I could think of that the officer could be using.  I don't know if this is Nashville or not. Could be some local ordnance.  It's BS anyway. 

You aren’t supposed to leave your car running while unattended in Davidson County. Perhaps that’s what you were thinking of?

[gregintenn]

7 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

I don’t know all the Tennessee motor Vehicle laws. But remember something about this law the first of the year. If there was not a licensed drive in control of the car; it’s probably a violation.

She should have told that second cop to go pound sand so we could all find out.

I'm kidding!

I was only guessing the 27 year old mother of two has a valid driver’s license.

[DaveTN]

1 minute ago, gregintenn said:

I was only guessing the 27 year old mother of two has a valid driver’s license.

From what I can tell watching live PD, you and I might be two of the nine people in the country that have a DL thats legit.

[owejia]

Hopefully your grand daughter got the guys name. Would be at city hall filing a harassment complaint against him. Wal-mart parking lot is private property and you have the right to sit in your car with the motor running. Under Tn law your car is an extension of your home, hence the reason you can  carry a loaded firearm in it. 

[TomInMN]

20 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

From what I can tell watching live PD, you and I might be two of the nine people in the country that have a DL thats legit.

This should be a separate thread. You know, drift prevention and whatnot.

 

[DaveTN]

13 minutes ago, owejia said:

Hopefully your grand daughter got the guys name. Would be at city hall filing a harassment complaint against him. Wal-mart parking lot is private property and you have the right to sit in your car with the motor running. Under Tn law your car is an extension of your home, hence the reason you can  carry a loaded firearm in it. 

Nope that’s incorrect. You can sit in your house drunk. You can’t sit in your car drunk, private property or not. 

[DaveTN]

5 minutes ago, TomInMN said:

This should be a separate thread. You know, drift prevention and whatnot.

 

[BrasilNuts]

I child died in a parked car North Knox County this week, happens far to often.  

That being said, if there is a person in the vehicle that is obviously an adult, the officer needs to move on.

My wife is often in the truck with the kids while I run in the store, if this happened to us I would be visiting the police station after dropping off the family and groceries.

[BrasilNuts]

9 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

Nope that’s incorrect. You can sit in your house drunk. You can’t sit in your car drunk, private property or not. 

What if you’re in the passenger seat?

[DaveTN]

1 minute ago, BrasilNuts said:

What if you’re in the passenger seat?

Is someone else in physical control of the car? If not you are DUI.

[BrasilNuts]

2 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

Is someone else in physical control of the car? If not you are DUI.

Even if I’m not in physical control of the car?  

[DaveTN]

1 minute ago, BrasilNuts said:

Even if I’m not in physical control of the car?  

Yes.

You are in physical of the car if its running and you are the only one in it.

Edited August 13, 2019 by DaveTN

[beebee233]

No reason to expect cops to have any more sense than the society they are products of.

[BrasilNuts]

24 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

Yes.

You are in physical of the car if its running and you are the only one in it.

Using that as a guideline, the adult female was in “physical control” of the vehicle and should have been left alone.

[DaveTN]

1 minute ago, BrasilNuts said:

Using that as a guideline, the adult female was in “physical control” of the vehicle and should have been left alone.

You don't need a guideline. If it's illegal; it will be spelled out. As I said she should have told that second cop to go pound sand so we could all find out.

[FUJIMO]

I'd asked for code I was breaking/violating and gotten his badge number,etc. I guess that would all be in the report they surely wrote up ?!?

[tacops]

Not illegal.  Officer was wrong.  It would be worth a call to the station suggesting they provide additional training/clarification regarding this in light of the recent tragic child deaths in hot autos across the country.  Your situation was obviously not of the same circumstances and there was nothing wrong with what she was doing.  Had the "children" been left unattended in the vehicle, running or not, it would have been a different situation.