Quote:
Originally Posted by mav1178
ok ok, didn't realize I was debating with a lawyer.
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Everyone is a lawyer on the internets; didn't you hear? No but seriously, the distinction between the officer (1) popping your hood himself or (2) asking you to pop it is an irrelevant one. If your car looks non-stock in ANY way, that can be enough for "reasonable cause." If an officer asks you to pop the hood, it's not a request, it's an order.
So yes, the people claiming you can refuse to pop your hood on 4th amendment grounds are full of it. I mean it never hurts to put on the record that you don't consent to the search, but if he wants to pop your hood, he's gonna pop your hood, and there's not much you can do about it.
Edit: I still maintain my previous assertion that CA is ridiculous.