DUI Laws

[Madeline]

When I learned to drive, I had already been drinking for almost five years. Nobody my age I ever heard of had ever been arrested for a "Minor In Possession" violation; stores did not ask for ID to buy beer and liquor (or cigarettes). Seatbelts did not yet come standard in every car and there were no seatbelt laws....and the maximum MPH on an interstate was set by the states, and routinely ran up to 75 MPH, which of course actually meant people drove at nearly 100 MPH without much fear of being charged with speeding.

I have driven drunk, as has most everyone my age if they are honest about it. The last time I did this was in the early 1980's and the scare I got (I jumped the curb) was enough to keep from repeating the behavior. I never had an accident, never hurt anyone, and neither have 99% of the folks like me who committed this crime.

I remember when Mothers Against Drunk Driving first got started, and I thought they were vengeful wingnuts. How could we criminalize behavior most everyone engages in? Where's the fault when someone too drunk to control a vehicle has a crash? And lemme tell you, this is how most people felt back then. It was 1980 when the group's founder lost her child to a drunk driver and 1983 when the tv movie about her gave the group its impetus. At the time, I thought they didn't have a prayer of changing attitudes or behavior -- nevermind laws.

But time and repetition has changed my mind and heart -- and apparently, most of America's. These days, I see the intersection of choosing to drink with not having already laid plans to be taken home by someone sober as a crime in the offing, more or less the same as acquiring burglary tools. I completely approve of Minor In Possession arrests and I wish, if anything, our DUI laws carried sentences that were much stronger and that more people could be charged -- those who served the alcohol, those who furnished the car, etc.

The odd thing is, I always viewed alcohol as a dangerous drug that has almost no social value. I just didn't expand my pea brain to include myself as someone who was affected by it....binge drinking was normal for us in college, everyone did it, and therefore it could not be wrong, right? (For the most part, we did our drinking at house parties or bars we could walk home from; drinking and driving for us was mostly years in the future, if ever.)

Wrong.

Which makes me wonder, what behavior viewed as normal today will someday be viewed as criminal? Which behavior now viewed as criminal will someday be viewed as normal? How plastic are our beliefs and attitudes, and what changes them?

Your thoughts?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

My thoughts...
In 1981 I was in the backseat of a 1970 Chevy Nova, in the passenger seat was a great friend of mine since 3rd grade, the driver was his cousin.
We had all been drinking, which was easy to do back then, as you say - getting alcohol was incredibly easy when liquor stores would sell it to you if you were tall enough to look over the counter.
Long story short, we were in a wreck that involved 4 other vehicles. My friend died in front of my eyes in someones front yard. The driver was crushed by the steering wheel.

That's what I think of DUI.

 

[California Girl]

There is no justification for drinking alcohol and driving. None. Anyone who does it should go to prison. Anyone who kills someone else because they were drinking should spend the rest of their life in prison. No ifs, ands, or buts. Despite what some dumbasses on this forum think, I don't 'hate' any of you. I do hate the person who killed my fiance. Just that one person. No one else is worth the effort it takes.

 

[zzzz]

DUI is a menace to everyone. Just like when someone shoots a pistol randomly a DUI driver is just as lethal and guilty of recklessness. Can we really get a handle on this problem? No. It will always be a problem and people will always be getting killed and maimed by these drivers. The only way to control it is to install breathalyzers on all vehicles and before starting the car you must blow into it and pass the test before the car starts. This will never happen.

We live in a society today that allows adults to drug themselves and cause damage to their bodies and other people through cigarettes. One of the things that bothers me is seeing all the children forced to inhale secondhand smoke in restaurants and other public places. These kids bodies are just growing and they are inhaling all these poisons. Yet a lot of these kids are living in homes that parents smoke. how many of these kids will take up the same habit? I can visualize cigarettes being banned at some future time and rightly so.

Other irrational behaviors, like tattoos and piercings….I don’t see them being banned. How long have women pierced their ears? With the proper precautions these things present no harm, unless it is gang signs, and hurts no one except the individual. Well some are downright ugly and sickening to look at but I do not think that infringes on my right to happiness. I can just look away from them.

 

[California Girl]

DUI is a menace to everyone. Just like when someone shoots a pistol randomly a DUI driver is just as lethal and guilty of recklessness. Can we really get a handle on this problem? No. It will always be a problem and people will always be getting killed and maimed by these drivers. The only way to control it is to install breathalyzers on all vehicles and before starting the car you must blow into it and pass the test before the car starts. This will never happen.

We live in a society today that allows adults to drug themselves and cause damage to their bodies and other people through cigarettes. One of the things that bothers me is seeing all the children forced to inhale secondhand smoke in restaurants and other public places. These kids bodies are just growing and they are inhaling all these poisons. Yet a lot of these kids are living in homes that parents smoke. how many of these kids will take up the same habit? I can visualize cigarettes being banned at some future time and rightly so.

Other irrational behaviors, like tattoos and piercings….I don’t see them being banned. How long have women pierced their ears? With the proper precautions these things present no harm, unless it is gang signs, and hurts no one except the individual. Well some are downright ugly and sickening to look at but I do not think that infringes on my right to happiness. I can just look away from them.

Ban cigarettes and legalize MJ..... Yea, that's logical. Not.

DUI is nothing like smoking, or tattoos or piercings or anything else. Strangers die when someone drives drunk. Your analogies are dumb.

 

[zzzz]

DUI is a menace to everyone. Just like when someone shoots a pistol randomly a DUI driver is just as lethal and guilty of recklessness. Can we really get a handle on this problem? No. It will always be a problem and people will always be getting killed and maimed by these drivers. The only way to control it is to install breathalyzers on all vehicles and before starting the car you must blow into it and pass the test before the car starts. This will never happen.

We live in a society today that allows adults to drug themselves and cause damage to their bodies and other people through cigarettes. One of the things that bothers me is seeing all the children forced to inhale secondhand smoke in restaurants and other public places. These kids bodies are just growing and they are inhaling all these poisons. Yet a lot of these kids are living in homes that parents smoke. how many of these kids will take up the same habit? I can visualize cigarettes being banned at some future time and rightly so.

Other irrational behaviors, like tattoos and piercings….I don’t see them being banned. How long have women pierced their ears? With the proper precautions these things present no harm, unless it is gang signs, and hurts no one except the individual. Well some are downright ugly and sickening to look at but I do not think that infringes on my right to happiness. I can just look away from them.

Ban cigarettes and legalize MJ..... Yea, that's logical. Not.

DUI is nothing like smoking, or tattoos or piercings or anything else. Strangers die when someone drives drunk. Your analogies are dumb.

They are not analogies. They are responses to the question asked in the thread. I don't think MJ will ever be legalized like cigs are now.

 

[fyrenza]

Driving tired/sleepy is every bit as dangerous as driving drunk. A myriad of other things (fiddling with a GPS, or cell phone, or even changing stations on the radio) is distracting, as well as dangerous. Hell, taking a cold medicine is a form of drunkenness.

Folks need to realize that operating vehicles is a dangerous activity, and regardless of the number of laws that are written and/or enforced, it STILL boils down to personal responsibility on the part of the drivers.

ZZZZ? You abhor secondhand smoke, but see no problem with people living and raising families in smog-laden cities? Should we pass laws to force pregnant women and people with children OUT of those areas?

If we have to have a million laws to protect the public from themselves, we can't exactly call ourselves FREE, can we? In fact, the more laws we make, the more we move toward a Police State, where any thought of personal responsibility is just a desire to protect oneself from any sort of punishment.

--- Sorry about the minor derailment, Mad!

 

[zzzz]

Driving tired/sleepy is every bit as dangerous as driving drunk. A myriad of other things (fiddling with a GPS, or cell phone, or even changing stations on the radio) is distracting, as well as dangerous. Hell, taking a cold medicine is a form of drunkenness.

Folks need to realize that operating vehicles is a dangerous activity, and regardless of the number of laws that are written and/or enforced, it STILL boils down to personal responsibility on the part of the drivers.

ZZZZ? You abhor secondhand smoke, but see no problem with people living and raising families in smog-laden cities? Should we pass laws to force pregnant women and people with children OUT of those areas?

If we have to have a million laws to protect the public from themselves, we can't exactly call ourselves FREE, can we? In fact, the more laws we make, the more we move toward a Police State, where any thought of personal responsibility is just a desire to protect oneself from any sort of punishment.

--- Sorry about the minor derailment, Mad!

I have no problem with people killing or mutilating themselves, that is their right in the pursuit of happiness, my problem is that I don't want them killing me in the process! If you want to do something harmful do it in the privacy of your home but don't make other people suffer from your idiocy.

I am a firm believer in the right of the individual to live as they see fit as long as they do not infringe upon other peoples right to pursue happiness. Sure we have too many petty laws yet some laws we need like child abuse laws and things like that to protect people.

 

[Madeline]

I do think it is odd we pursue cigarette smoking like the devil and yet we are mostly blasse' about the Clean Air Act if it means we have to pay more for products manufactured without the pollution. I dunno if it will ever be illegal, zzzz. Could happen....but government is pretty addicted to those sin taxes.

I don't understand why we don't tie the right to drive to DUI laws more closely. How come we don't lift the license of anyone who gets caught for a year -- or five?

If STIs become more prevalent, do you think we'll see more attempted homicide laws?

 

[Missourian]

Aggressive driving will be next IMO.

People will buy dash-cams like the police have to document reckless and aggressive drivers.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

I called the cops on some lady speeding on a freeway while texting.

They said they couldn't do anything about it unless the cop caught her doing it.

 

[California Girl]

I do think it is odd we pursue cigarette smoking like the devil and yet we are mostly blasse' about the Clean Air Act if it means we have to pay more for products manufactured without the pollution. I dunno if it will ever be illegal, zzzz. Could happen....but government is pretty addicted to those sin taxes.

I don't understand why we don't tie the right to drive to DUI laws more closely. How come we don't lift the license of anyone who gets caught for a year -- or five?

If STIs become more prevalent, do you think we'll see more attempted homicide laws?

Driving is not a right. It is a privilege.

 

[George Costanza]

There is no justification for drinking alcohol and driving. None. Anyone who does it should go to prison. Anyone who kills someone else because they were drinking should spend the rest of their life in prison. No ifs, ands, or buts. Despite what some dumbasses on this forum think, I don't 'hate' any of you. I do hate the person who killed my fiance. Just that one person. No one else is worth the effort it takes.

Question: Do you see yourself as an authoritarian type personality?

I tried to send this question to you by way of PM, but was unable to do so, since you have apparently elected not to receive PM's from anyone.

 

[theHawk]

I do think it is odd we pursue cigarette smoking like the devil and yet we are mostly blasse' about the Clean Air Act if it means we have to pay more for products manufactured without the pollution. I dunno if it will ever be illegal, zzzz. Could happen....but government is pretty addicted to those sin taxes.

I don't understand why we don't tie the right to drive to DUI laws more closely. How come we don't lift the license of anyone who gets caught for a year -- or five?

If STIs become more prevalent, do you think we'll see more attempted homicide laws?

Driving is not a right. It is a privilege.

Driving is a right, under the 9th amendment. If the government took away your license to drive for absolutely no reason would you just say "oh well it was just a privilege"?
Granted driving a vehicle one assumes certain responsibilities and is responsible for their actions. And if a person is deemed too dangerous to operate a vehicle they can have that right taken away.

 

[RadiomanATL]

There is no justification for drinking alcohol and driving. None. Anyone who does it should go to prison. Anyone who kills someone else because they were drinking should spend the rest of their life in prison. No ifs, ands, or buts. Despite what some dumbasses on this forum think, I don't 'hate' any of you. I do hate the person who killed my fiance. Just that one person. No one else is worth the effort it takes.

Question: Do you see yourself as an authoritarian type personality?

I tried to send this question to you by way of PM, but was unable to do so, since you have apparently elected not to receive PM's from anyone.

Would that be....

Discussing PM's???

 

[Missourian]

There is no justification for drinking alcohol and driving. None. Anyone who does it should go to prison. Anyone who kills someone else because they were drinking should spend the rest of their life in prison. No ifs, ands, or buts. Despite what some dumbasses on this forum think, I don't 'hate' any of you. I do hate the person who killed my fiance. Just that one person. No one else is worth the effort it takes.

Question: Do you see yourself as an authoritarian type personality?

I tried to send this question to you by way of PM, but was unable to do so, since you have apparently elected not to receive PM's from anyone.

Would that be....

Discussing PM's???

OMG!!!
​

 

[ConHog]

I do think it is odd we pursue cigarette smoking like the devil and yet we are mostly blasse' about the Clean Air Act if it means we have to pay more for products manufactured without the pollution. I dunno if it will ever be illegal, zzzz. Could happen....but government is pretty addicted to those sin taxes.

I don't understand why we don't tie the right to drive to DUI laws more closely. How come we don't lift the license of anyone who gets caught for a year -- or five?

If STIs become more prevalent, do you think we'll see more attempted homicide laws?

Driving is not a right. It is a privilege.

Driving is a right, under the 9th amendment. If the government took away your license to drive for absolutely no reason would you just say "oh well it was just a privilege"?
Granted driving a vehicle one assumes certain responsibilities and is responsible for their actions. And if a person is deemed too dangerous to operate a vehicle they can have that right taken away.

You are wrong. Driving on public roads is a privilege , not a right. If it were a right, then the government could not make you take an exam and prove your ability to drive before allowing you to do so.

 

[Cuyo]

.08 is ridiculous. If you can't drive after a beer and a half, you can't drive, period.

There's too much emphasis on that which is easily proven, eg speeding, stop signs/red lights, drinking, etc, and not enough emphasis on aggressive driving IMO. An aggressive driver becomes more aggressive after drinking and that's when it's dangerous. A generally cautious driver tends to become more cautious when drinking for fear of getting caught.

Don't get me wrong, there should be a limit, let's say .15 or so. But constantly lowering the limit, sitting in bar parking lots, random drunk stops, etc, are bullshit IMO. I'm sorry for anyone who has lost a loved one to an accident involving a drunk driver, same as I'd feel for you if you lost a loved one to a speeder or just all around douchebag driver, or even just a bona fide "accident" that was nobody's fault. But in most cases it was not the alcohol. It was the nut behind the wheel.

 

[theHawk]

Driving is not a right. It is a privilege.

Driving is a right, under the 9th amendment. If the government took away your license to drive for absolutely no reason would you just say "oh well it was just a privilege"?
Granted driving a vehicle one assumes certain responsibilities and is responsible for their actions. And if a person is deemed too dangerous to operate a vehicle they can have that right taken away.

You are wrong. Driving on public roads is a privilege , not a right. If it were a right, then the government could not make you take an exam and prove your ability to drive before allowing you to do so.

Just like they can't make you jump through hoops to buy a firearm right?

They can take measures to ensure that people are capable of handling the responsibiliy. Just like there are laws that prevent mentally handicapped people from owning guns. It doesn't mean it isn't a right. It is something that can be taken away due to negligence or incompetence, not on a whim.

 

[ConHog]

.08 is ridiculous. If you can't drive after a beer and a half, you can't drive, period.

There's too much emphasis on that which is easily proven, eg speeding, stop signs/red lights, drinking, etc, and not enough emphasis on aggressive driving IMO. An aggressive driver becomes more aggressive after drinking and that's when it's dangerous. A generally cautious driver tends to become more cautious when drinking for fear of getting caught.

Don't get me wrong, there should be a limit, let's say .15 or so. But constantly lowering the limit, sitting in bar parking lots, random drunk stops, etc, are bullshit IMO. I'm sorry for anyone who has lost a loved one to an accident involving a drunk driver, same as I'd feel for you if you lost a loved one to a speeder or just all around douchebag driver, or even just a bona fide "accident" that was nobody's fault. But in most cases it was not the alcohol. It was the nut behind the wheel.

Wrong, the limit should be anything above .00

Anyone with sense realizes that even the slightest alcohol has the potential to impair. And yes sometimes a person makes an honest mistake and thinks they've set long enough after a glass of wine or a beer with their meal or whatever, but most of the time it's just that people don't care. And your notion that only those who do something dangerous while driving drunk should be punished is frankly, disgusting.