What did you hear about D/L and the police stops that prompted the OP?

That SSN bit does sound fishy. My D/L ID number is NOT my SSN.

Good move. I'm thinking I might start making three professional references ride with me on a 4-person tandem. Just in case.

My sister in law was hit by a driver once and the cop was appalled she did not have a drivers license (does not even drive nor posses one). She questioned why she needed a DL as a cyclist.

I once was walking back from an ice cream shop when I peeked in the window of a motorcycle shop. I did not touch the building but set off the perimeter alarm. The cops arrived in less than a minute. I had looked and walked around the corner when they stopped me.

They may have cuffed and sat me on the curb while they figured out if I was breaking in. They asked for ID, which I had none. I was literally three houses from my dad's house in Manhattan Beach, CA and did not feel the need to have any to get ice cream. So they ran my name and other info, but I was from NY so nothing in the database; eventually they called my father and asked him specific identification questions (which were tough since he was never the custodial parent and I was in my early twenties). I was left with a funny story.

The US Supreme Court has only explicitly ruled on the requirement to provide your correct name and that no documented ID is needed. Some states have 'Stop and Identify' statutes that specify additional information, such as an address or birth date, but I don't know of any that require SSN - and Oregon is not listed as one of the states with such a statute:
Stop and identify statutes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've never needed it, but mostly ride alone on roads often not heavily traveled, so I always carry one in case of emergency. And to keep my wife happy as she asks if I have my phone virtually every time I depart.

I may have miss-stated i did have an old DL from '83.. found that number on the citation receipt from 2+ years ago .

name DOB and place of birth is usually enough to define who they have pulled over..

The police can ask anything they want,you don't have to tell them.

True name and DOB is all they need to know.

Things can get ugly if you have no ID on you.If they want to be a dick,they can hold you up to 72 hours if need be,then they either have to charge you with something or let you go.

If you get detained for whatever reason and it seems like a longer time than it should be,ASK the police if you are free to go.They'll let you think you can't until you ask.After you ask and they say yes,get out of dodge,if you hang around,you have just given them the OK to detain you.

The police are professional liers,it's part of their job.

The police ask for SSN,ask them for theirs.....

Those sound like two good reasons.

Requiring SSN would be tantamount to passing a law that says you have to memorize it.

Nothing about DLs, just that the police were handing out tickets for running that stop sign. It got me thinking about how I don't carry my DL and don't want to start. I think it all comes down to the amount of tech these days. I'm required in LA to identify myself, from that they can pull up my record so not having a DL on board is no big deal as long as I truthfully identify myself.

I believe the LA procedure to identify yourself will work anywhere in the 50 states if you should be stopped for a traffic infraction while cycling.

Lots of states don't require it. Know your state's vehicle code and how it applies to bicycles. NY state law specifically states you're not required to carry a driver's license to ride a bike. Cops can't "make trouble" for you if you're not violating a law. They can try, but it won't stick and people who know their rights and the laws will have no issues generally. If they start "making trouble," you just politely ask them to write you a ticket for the rule you're breaking. Then you'd go in front of a judge and it would all be tossed out. Cops can just write tickets. It's courts that decide what does and doesn't stick.

That doesn't mean I condone people riding like morons on bikes or anything like that. I think they should be held to the same standards as motor vehicles as it pertains to traffic law enforcement.

I think ALL states don't require it (carrying an ID), but in ANY state you can be required to identify yourself. I was inquiring about any state that does require you to produce an ID card (in which case I'd be wrong).

"Cops can't "make trouble" for you if you're not violating a law." - You'd be surprised.

Sure, cops can make trouble. But again, all they have the right to do is right you a ticket. You're not going to get arrested until you get disorderly or do something similar. So, when in doubt, keep cool, let them write you a ticket if that's what they want to do, go to court and get it tossed. Some cops may think they're akin to judges, but they're not.

I have a copy of my DL and some other stuff (insurance card, ICE, credit card) in my bike wallet. Got stopped once and the cop accepted it as identification. Ran my DL number through his dispatcher to check for warrants or something.

In NYC a cop can stop you and ask you for your ID. If you don't have a driver's license or NYC identification card on you you CAN be arrested if you're 17 or older. It makes no real difference if it's expired or not, as long as your not driving a motorized vehicle. Even if they make a comment it's still valid ID.

When I didn't own a car I just had a non-drivers ID. I let it expire all the time, and I've been stopped by police in my area before (I'm one of the few white guys in my neighborhood, and I'm automatically tagged as being in the area only to go looking for illegal drugs - pisses me off!).

Just be sure, in NYC, to carry some form of ID. Besides, I carry it so if an accident should occur and I'm unable to communicate I can at least be identified.

I had an incident once where I was stopped and did not have ID on me, luckily at the time I was working for a used car dealer and had to know my license number by heart. In Ca at least it is(or was) illegal for LEO's to attempt to identify by social security number. All the officer asked for after that was my DOB to verify that I was indeed myself, was more of a safety check than a true stop though.. I'm pretty sure I was actually free to leave at any point, but a guy in the dark on a bike in a part of town with no lights does kinda merit some questions I think. (I was pushing the bike as I did not have my light set with me)

I'd heard of their Transit Rule requiring subway users to produce ID on demand, but I thought it was struck down by a Federal judge last year. Is this a different law?

Whether it's a law or not, I don't know, but the cops here (and in many other places) regularly abuse their authority.

I carry my wallet in my rear rack in case someone finds my lifeless body

When I got my first DL in Montana, the DL number was my SSN. That was 1982, so unlawful use has been around for a long time.

May as well have it tattooed on your forehead these days.

It's inconvenient to carry ID now, but I'm sure this sort of thing will go smoother in the future when we're all "chipped"...

Imo, some people have issues understanding that cell phones are different than home phones.

Person1:
Great news guys! I've invented a device that will allow you to call from anywhere!
Need to call the cops? Just use this device.
Need to call an amulance? Just use this device.
Have an unusual mechanical breakdown? (My frame actually broke once) - this will let you call a cab, friend, family member, etc to get picked up rather than leaving you stranded.
Take a wrong turn and get lost? You can view a map showing you where you are - and a map of all the roads and streets around you!
Going on a group ride and afraid you'll get lost or just bonk out halfway through? This device can log your starting location and tell you a route to get back!

Person2:
I don't see how that's needed.



Yeah..."issues"...