First I would question why anyone has to drive 20 miles to reach basic needs like grocery stores and employers. Isn’t that already a failure of urban and suburban planning?

Existing on public transit is not an automatic agreement to be searched as you describe.

Here’s an attorney website that describes your general rights:

https://azharillc.com/blog/youre-riding-the-l-train-can-cops...

There are many more things that are illegal for you to be doing as a driver of a car versus existing in public on public transportation. Many of these things can trigger searching your possessions being legal compared to being a person on public transit.

You’re also required to present your drivers license and fully identify yourself if you are stopped for minor traffic infractions like a tail light being out.

As a pedestrian, in most states you do not have to present ID to an officer on the street.

For example, it’s generally not probable cause to search on public transit if an officer smells alcohol, while in a vehicle it’s basically an automatic search of your whole car. You would also have the issue of what a court or jury thinks of the reasonableness of the search based on the context. If you’re quietly minding your own business on the train and you smell like alcohol is a judge or jury going to think the search was reasonable? Now compare that to a driver in a vehicle smelling like alcohol.

Furthermore, the whole concept of a DUI checkpoint where every person is stopped and questioned is at the very least impractical and often illegal for pedestrians.

Thank you for your service as the incorrect carbrain of the day.

(E)-Bikes.