I was twice pulled over while on foot. Policeman demanded to see my ID.
I was just talking with a friend the other day who explained that he was stopped by a parked squad car checkpoint in a bad part of town, because there was some drug activity in the neighborhood, and they demanded that he empty his pockets. He was walking on the sidewalk.
Now we don't have a national ID in the US. Your driver's license is not a required piece of ID unless you're driving. Now a bar can ask to see your ID or refuse service, because they could be fined for serving a minor. And you're in a private establishment, so they can ask you to do whatever and you can just walk out if you don't like it.
But if a policeman stops you walking down the sidewalk, and asks to see your ID, you don't have to show a driver's license to him or even admit that you're carrying one. And when it comes down to it, he needs to arrest you or let you go.
But that's such a huge hassle, and the police can be such shitbelching dicks sometimes, that as a citizen you're better off just acquiescing. Which sucks. It's what I did, twice. And I'll roll over again, the next time it happens, because I don't want some powertripping 'tard ruining my day / life.
My hometown has municipal codes relating to "public safety and morality". Among those are flag laws, which state that it's illegal to "defy the flag" whatever the heck that means. It's illegal to damage it or spit on it as well, even in your own basement apparently. And it's illegal to display any worn items that have an image of the flag on them. Better hope the president doesn't come around with an American flag pin!
But that's just it. They don't have to arrest you for those things. Those laws are on the books strictly so that if you're not really doing anything wrong, they can still bust your chops for a $500 fine if they feel like it. It's virtually impossible to avoid breaking a law as you go through your day. Effectively, they can screw you over if they want to.
I would much prefer that they can not screw me over, even if they want to, unless there is actually a good reason.
But there you go. You are not free.