Trucker Refuses To Help DOT Officer

"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."

I think you might want to read the 5th Amendment. It is be a witness against himself. So he wasn't being asked to violate it.

 

As I see it, both of you are kind of right. The being the "witness" I believe refers to the fact that you can not be compelled to go on the witness stand against your wishes. But if you do help/or not help the DOT, the officer can testify while he is on the stand concerning all your actions during the inspection.
The fact that you refuse to assist the officer is well within your rights. Some folks that refuse kind of see it as the same as helping the hangman build the gallows that is going to be used on you. Others see it as assisting the officer will maybe make it so he is a little more lenient on on you. Your choice.

 

Idiots like this make the job harder for the rest of us. And when they're gone, 2 more show up to fill the gap. (not referring to any other posters here)

You didn't go to law school, neither did the talk radio jerk that you listen to who might blab on and on about the Constitution, you do whatever a 23 year old dispatcher tells you to do and when they tell you to do it, you'll sit for 12 hours waiting on a load, and all the other indignities of being on the road. You're tired because you stay awake playing video games or whatever, on your phone or computer. Instead of sleeping when you can.

But you don't have the time to go over your truck to make sure its safe to go down the road. The loads on you, driver. Not on someone else. You now have the right to shut the he$$ up.