Rob, I think that's exactly what Jeff was talking about when he suggested "let them go!" If you don't have backup, don't have cause to arrest somebody, don't have his consent (or, frankly, even if you DO!), and backup can't get there in a reasonable time, forget the vehicle search. As a non-LEO, I agree with that on several different levels.
First, the described situation sounds like asking for trouble for no reason, if there is no cause to make an arrest. It sounds like subjecting yourself to excessive and unjustified risk. And more than that, if an LEO attempts to handcuff me in the middle of the night after a traffic stop or whatever, so that he can search my car without a warrant, he'd damn well better have backup, 'cuz he's gonna need it. And he better have a damn fine personal lawyer, too.
First, the described situation sounds like asking for trouble for no reason, if there is no cause to make an arrest. It sounds like subjecting yourself to excessive and unjustified risk. And more than that, if an LEO attempts to handcuff me in the middle of the night after a traffic stop or whatever, so that he can search my car without a warrant, he'd damn well better have backup, 'cuz he's gonna need it. And he better have a damn fine personal lawyer, too.