Yes, they need more than defective equipment or a traffic violation
to have probable cause for a search. If you refuse and they have probable cause, they'll search anyway. If not, but they have reasonable articulable suspicion, they can detain you and wait for a dog, or call in a request for a warrant. Regardless, your refusal is irrelevant. If they have neither PC nor RAS, every word you say after the refusal will be elicited by the officer in an attempt to develop PC or RAS. If you don't give it to them, you'll leave the scene with a citation and officer friendly will leave with a case of the redass. But you don't get your stuff seized and wind up in jail, so that's a win for you.
Even if they do search and arrest you, your statements and consent may make it impossible for your attorney to get the charges kicked on a technicality. Say nothing and refuse consent, and you give their side less ammo to use against you. Seriously, I've seen so many people talk themselves into an arrest and cconvictionnviction, but never seen someone remain silent and avoid one. It's like they don't understand the legal system at all.
As for the questions, you must provide ID and other information relevant to the stop, but nothing beyond that. Even answering the ubiquitous "Where are you headed?", may be used to establish suspicion or cause. You don't have to even acknowledge the question if you don't want to.
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