As you said, there are a lot of things you could be doing and I would expect the police to check it out. In fact, if they didn't and it turned out the person was. . . . say a rapist, the community would be screaming blue bloody murder if they didn't check it out.
If you are sitting there checking your e-mail or looking something up and a police officer walks up to check you out, you should simply be able to tell him/her what you are doing and as one would assume you would have a laptop or PDA at hand on which you were doing it, and he/she could pretty much see for themselves that was indeed what you were doing, then that should really be that.
I have had exactly this happen to me a number of times sitting outside of Starbucks in various cities making online hotel reservations at 2 in the morning or just pulled over somewhere checking Streets and Trips for for directions. On each occasion I simply explained what I was doing to the officer and that was that. Had one tell me that it wasn't the greatest neighborhood and I should probably keep my windows rolled up (D.C.)and another who was a bit of a propeller head so we would up talking computers for a half hour (Philly) but never has one "hassled" me about it.
One the other hand, you might get a moron (every police department has them, just like any other profession) who will tell you to leave the area. If so, do it. You can almost never win a fight like that with a cop in the street, nor should you try. If it's something that really irks you, go to their station house and talk to the desk Sgt or other superior officer about it. That might help with the "Public Relations" you mentioned.
Frankly, in my experience, this is a non issue.
And before somebody asks, no, I am not a cop nor do I play one on TV. :)
KMA
Dana Spiegel wrote:
Yes, a cop can give you a problem. And frankly, they don't usually need a good reason. Try explaining to a cop who thinks you are disturbing people that you are just trying to read your email, and see how far you get.
Unfortunately, without significant Public Relations efforts, and frankly a more open-minded NYC police force, there's likely nothing we can do about this.
I'd recommend you just be careful. There are plenty of things that a person can think you are doing in the middle of the night in a car on the side of the street with no headlights on. I'm sure none of them are "checking email".
Dana Spiegel Executive Director NYCwireless [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.nycwireless.net +1 917 402 0422
On Apr 18, 2005, at 3:37 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Wireless hotspot Loitering legalities?
I was just wondering if there is any possible way that a cop can hassle me while using a free hotspot, such as the many free listed in NYC.
I was recently in my car using a free hotspot, in a legally parked spot, low music, no headlights on, (it was night). Suddenly someone comes to their house door and stares at me and my car. I was parked in fron of their house, but I wasn't doing anything wrong. The guy got on his phone. I was on my way out anyways, so I just left before having to deal with any police if that's who he called. I have a good feeling I will run into the police one day, but I know I'm not doing anything wrong.
But can a cop give me a problem one day? And with what legal reason?
--
NYCwireless - http://www.nycwireless.net/
Un/Subscribe: http://lists.nycwireless.net/mailman/listinfo/nycwireless/
Archives: http://lists.nycwireless.net/pipermail/nycwireless/
-- NYCwireless - http://www.nycwireless.net/ Un/Subscribe: http://lists.nycwireless.net/mailman/listinfo/nycwireless/ Archives: http://lists.nycwireless.net/pipermail/nycwireless/
-- NYCwireless - http://www.nycwireless.net/ Un/Subscribe: http://lists.nycwireless.net/mailman/listinfo/nycwireless/ Archives: http://lists.nycwireless.net/pipermail/nycwireless/
