DUI

[aborgman]

This.

Yeah - arguing that drunk driving laws aren't effective definitely flies in the face of the evidence.

 

[MatticusMania]

So driving while drunk or impaired AND texting/talking while driving should be banned. Right?

I forget, sometimes, about the geographic locations and differences in state laws... is talking/texting not banned in your state? It is in Ca, fines starting around $170 1st offense (so says the electronic billboard).

 

[MatticusMania]

There are a lot of things people don't cry out against that surprises me (police checkpoints for example).

I couldn't imagine those cameras working, although I heard they are more popular in parts of Europe. At least in Michigan, you can let anyone use your car, granted they are licensed and insured. I couldn't imagine getting a ticket in the mail for something someone else did.

When you get the "ticket" from a red light camera it shows your licenese plate, and a picture of the driver. If someone else is driving your car, they expect you to rat out the person you loaned your car to. I got one once, only it was isued to my Dad, who was coregistrant. It was clearly me driving. He filled it out saying he was not the driver, didnt rat me out, but I still got the ticket, because if it wasnt him, it must have been me.

 

[MatticusMania]

Here in Mo., the keys have to be in the ignition to be given a DWI.

Possession of the keys, while one is in their car, is enough in Ca. Ive heard if your keys are in your trunk you might be okay, but I dont know the validity of that statement.

and easily accessible LEGAL medical marijuana.

Certainly have no problem with that here, but thats another thread...

 

[LiquidMidnight]

I'm in the Denver area, there's a very strange trend here:

People don't close bars anymore.

When I was growing up in Ohio, in the 1980s, bars were packed until 2AM, and then the drunks spilled out into their cars, and on the way home I ALWAYS saw two or three people pulled over, and I don't think they were tail light violations.

Now, when I leave the bar after the last set, the streets are empty. And I never see people getting pulled over around the 11PM hour. Cops staking out bars has become a thing of the past.

In my experience, it depends on the area. For most gigs I play, I don't see police waiting in anticipation afterwards. However, in the town in which I live, police will literally sit on the side of the street on a Friday or Saturday night, waiting for you to go by, so they can follow you for a half mile to see if you've been drinking. When you get to the edge of downtown, they'll do a U-turn and head back.

When coming home from gigs, I've started taking side streets to my place. I'm always stone cold sober. I just don't like having police decide to randomly start tailing me through town in hopes I eff up so they can use that as probable cause to pull me over. Besides, while they're following me, a real drunk driver is probably driving through town with no problem.

 

[Floyd Eye]

I forget, sometimes, about the geographic locations and differences in state laws... is talking/texting not banned in your state? It is in Ca, fines starting around $170 1st offense (so says the electronic billboard).

No ban on phones here, but it is illegal for anyone under 21 to text and drive. Makes no sense to me.

 

[MatticusMania]

No ban on phones here, but it is illegal for anyone under 21 to text and drive. Makes no sense to me.

Whoa! Talk about nonsense. Because, of course, 22 year olds are much better at driving whilst distracted...

 

[cheezewiz]

Blort.....Still waiting to hear about your "friend's" "state of the art" breathalyzer.

 

[Tony In Philly]

About six or seven years ago I was at a noisy, crowded club where people drink from Happy Hour until 2 AM every Friday night. I was there to see a friend's band play and although, yeah, I had a few beers, I was definitely OK to drive the 1.5 miles home. That said, I was not pleased when I saw a cop car in the parking lot when I was leaving. They have a reputation for "chalking" the tires there to color code what time the person arrived, etc. So I sat in my car thinking, "Do I really want to drive out here and get breathalyzed and know that even though I'm below the legal limit there are always other legal gotchas they can employ, etc....". Just at that moment a very beautiful blonde comes out to the parking lot and starts flirting with the cops in the cop car. She's leaning in the window with her boobs hanging out and both cops in that particular car are obviously entranced. Very entranced. So much so that I realized this was going to be my best shot at getting out there unscathed. I don't think they even noticed me pulling away.

 

[Munjibunga]

Seeing how much people can get screwed by the system, yes.

Well, if they're driving drunk and screwed by the system, I hope they get screwed deep.

 

[Munjibunga]

When you get the "ticket" from a red light camera it shows your licenese plate, and a picture of the driver. If someone else is driving your car, they expect you to rat out the person you loaned your car to. I got one once, only it was isued to my Dad, who was coregistrant. It was clearly me driving. He filled it out saying he was not the driver, didnt rat me out, but I still got the ticket, because if it wasnt him, it must have been me.

He ratted you out.

 

[Blort]

Blort.....Still waiting to hear about your "friend's" "state of the art" breathalyzer.

What's state of the art about it? It's a breathalyzer.

 

[cheezewiz]

What's state of the art about it? It's a breathalyzer.

So answer the question. What brand? What certifications does he have? When was the machine last calibrated? By what method? Where did he obtain the certified calibration solution? Does the machine self test? Is there an internal standard? Is there a blank air check during the testing procedure?

Once again, I throw the BS flag.

 

[Blort]

So answer the question. What brand? What certifications does he have? When was the machine last calibrated? By what method? Where did he obtain the certified calibration solution? Does the machine self test? Is there an internal standard? Is there a blank air check during the testing procedure?

Once again, I throw the BS flag.

It's his breathalyzer, how am I suppose to know the answer to those questions?

And why are you throwing up the BS flag? It's not illegal or hard to obtain the same kind go breathalyzer police use.

 

[cheezewiz]

Clearly, my point is, you don't go buy a multi thousand dollar instrument just for giggles. Some bar model breath instrument is no where near accurate. You are making up crap to support your argument, which no one buys anyway.

 

[Blort]

I made up that my friend bought a breathalyzer?

 

[cassanova]

It is quite a racket at times, for many different politically connected businesses. If you want to hit a drunk driver with criminal penalties, fine! Take his license, give him community service, hell put him in jail. It would probably be much more effective. Want to know some of the rackets? DUI schools, DUI counseling, mandatory alcohol detectors installed in cars, impound fees, and such. All are done by private businesses at exorbitant rates. Frequently it is the politically connected friends and family that get the contracts on this stuff. If you want to soak it to these people, let it be criminal fines that go to the state, or into a victims fund. Do not let private businesses reap the profits. Yes, it is a racket.

There is some truth to what you're saying, but here in Florida, substance abuse counseling for a DUI is not usually court mandated. They court usually orders the individual to a mandatory substance abuse assessment, then it's up to the counselor to determine if the individual has a drug/alcohol problem based on the information provided at the intake. I'd suspect many other states are the same way.

That all being said, I've seen very few people not get referred into substance abuse counseling after getting a DUI. Some of them, IMO did not warrant treatment, though most did. I'd say 7/10 had some history of alcohol/drug abuse.

 

[NateS]

Clearly, my point is, you don't go buy a multi thousand dollar instrument just for giggles. Some bar model breath instrument is no where near accurate. You are making up crap to support your argument, which no one buys anyway.

So answer the question. What brand? What certifications does he have? When was the machine last calibrated? By what method? Where did he obtain the certified calibration solution? Does the machine self test? Is there an internal standard? Is there a blank air check during the testing procedure?

Once again, I throw the BS flag.

Blort.....Still waiting to hear about your "friend's" "state of the art" breathalyzer.

somehow i feel like the internet got very serious over here.

i'm gonna go play with my alcohol.

 

[cheezewiz]

Nothing wrong with playing with alcohol. I like beer and whisky pretty well myself! Just don't drive drunk.

 

[Hawaii Islander]

Seems like people can buy a personal breathalyzer for a few hundred dollars or so. It might not be suitable for heavy duty use, but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't give valid results. It certainly does not cost thousands of dollars. I am familiar with electrochemical detectors from HPLC units that I worked with in the lab.

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