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5/14/2013 2:22:16 PM

Imagine if you had to drink everytime quagmire said "i don't care"

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

5/14/2013 2:22:31 PM

John and Mike both get drunk out of their mind at the bar

They both get in their cars and head home.

John loses control of his vehicle and slams into a tree.

Mike loses control of his vehicle and slams into an 8 year old girl who was wandering in the middle of the dark road.


John is an idiot. Mike is a murderer.

5/14/2013 2:24:37 PM

Cool story. I'm ready to vote now.

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

5/14/2013 2:25:34 PM

and John should not get a job later over someone without a DWI

5/14/2013 2:25:36 PM

^ Unless he is going for a job that requires him to drive, they most likely won't even find out about his DWI.

Or does it go on your criminal record? I forgot

[Edited on May 14, 2013 at 2:29 PM. Reason : a]

5/14/2013 2:27:22 PM

John can wait several hours to report the accident or not report it at all and just forgo an insurance claim.

5/14/2013 2:29:34 PM

Quote :

"or: "going to be over the limit anyway, might as well down another beer and get a cab." i mean, if we're going to make up scenarios"

ah, the old trick of ignoring the point.

I mean, let's just make all penalties insensitive to degree. If you're going to mug someone and take his cash, might as well murder the guy. You're already committing a crime.

5/14/2013 2:30:52 PM

Quote :

"John is an idiot. Mike is guilty of murderer vehicular manslaughter."

5/14/2013 2:31:03 PM

can i just install a partition between driver and passenger area like a limo and drink?

5/14/2013 2:31:44 PM

Quote :

"I mean, let's just make all penalties insensitive to degree. If you're going to mug someone and take his cash, might as well murder the guy. You're already committing a crime."

i know you have a point, but you're using silly examples to make it

you're comparing mugging/murder to blowing .05/.06...you don't find that a teensy bit ridiculous?

again, i'm not arguing in favor of this...and i agree that the punishment should be scaled...but the point remains that not everyone handles their alcohol the same, so even saying that two people blowing the same (while over the limit) should be equally penalized (even on a scale of punishment) is "unfair"

5/14/2013 2:48:57 PM

Completely ridiculous. I want to know what % of traffic fatalities are caused by people in the 0.05%-0.08% range or even the 0.08%-0.10% range. From my observations most DUI related fatalities are caused by some asshat driving 70mph in a 45 zone with a BAC of 0.16.

It's been proven that fatigued drivers and dumb asses texting while driving are more dangerous than someone with a BAC of 0.08 minus other mitigating factors.

BTW i'd be completely down for the interlock after 1 DUI, EXCEPT that the whole thing has become a racket. Those with their first DUI must face the stigma, fines, community service, and other negatives consequences. The amount of money and effort it takes to "maintain" the interlock system for those who are required to use one is absolutely ridiculous. I'd rather not support this state sponsored racketing industry. I figure if you get caught for a 2nd DUI (usually when an interlock is mandated) than maybe you deserve the punishment.

Of course any time any logical rationale debate comes up countering (in accordance to adhering to the 8th amendment) any push to increasing punishments and/or lower BAC limits the MADD mommies come out of the word work and cry "THINK OF THE CHILDREN."

Yes drunk driving sucks, is irresponsible, and should be punished but i swear if some people were made dictator for a day that'd make consuming a single beverage then driving punishable by 3 years in prison.



By the way the CNN article cites an anecdote from a truck driver that hit a school bus killing 24 children in KY for championing the strengthening of the current DUI limit. That guy had a BAC of 0.24.......

[link]
http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/14/us/ntsb-blood-alcohol/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
[/link]

[Edited on May 14, 2013 at 2:56 PM. Reason : g]

5/14/2013 2:54:27 PM

Teg drunk drivers have gotten pre-meditated before because they "planned on drinking and driving knowing the consequences"

5/14/2013 3:00:34 PM

InTegra drivers??

5/14/2013 3:03:24 PM

^^^ and the legal limit for truck drivers is already .04 in most states, assuming he was operating a commercial vehicle at the time.

[Edited on May 14, 2013 at 3:08 PM. Reason : a]

5/14/2013 3:07:59 PM

Quote :

""John is an idiot. Mike is guilty of murderer vehicular manslaughter.""

point remains they did the same thing and are punished differently.

5/14/2013 3:09:33 PM

Basically sniffing a beer will get you a DUI with that.

5/14/2013 3:12:07 PM

Ive only been breathalyzed once, but I had a few beers before it, including one right before leaving, and I blew a .03 twice. I was feeling pretty euphoric and at the limit of what I'm comfortable driving with, so a 0.5 is fine for me.

I think the bigger problem is that there isn't a consistent relationship between BAC and inebriation from person to person. A 0.5 might be too drunk to drive for me, but not for someone who drinks more often. Unfortunately, BAC is the best field test they have.

5/14/2013 3:32:43 PM

OMG WE LIVE IN SUCH A NANNY STATE!

5/14/2013 3:35:12 PM

^^ good point

I blew right at .08 once (well twice, but during the same stop) and the officer let me go due to my performance in the field sobriety tests. He made me call someone to come pick me up, but he didn't arrest me.

By his estimation, by the time he got me downtown for the official BAC test I would have been below .08.

[Edited on May 14, 2013 at 3:37 PM. Reason : a]

5/14/2013 3:36:25 PM

Based on this research link, not much will be achieved in safety by pushing below .08.



http://www.hsrc.unc.edu/safety_info/alcohol/blood_alcohol_concentration.cfm

5/14/2013 3:37:10 PM

Quote :

"Ive only been breathalyzed once, but I had a few beers before it, including one right before leaving, and I blew a .03 twice. I was feeling pretty euphoric and at the limit of what I'm comfortable driving with, so a 0.5 is fine for me."

and i've had 3 beers in a couple hours and blew just under a .08 on my buddies key chain breathalyzer. and i was fine, 3 beers have very little affect on me. you feel euphoric after a few beers?

5/14/2013 3:42:32 PM

Looks like you should be penalized if you are above or below 0.02

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

[Edited on May 14, 2013 at 3:45 PM. Reason : ^ shit man sometimes I feel euphoric going to the grocery store to get beer]

5/14/2013 3:45:01 PM

I would assume that the majority of DUI arrests currently are people that blow .10 or above, or blow .08/.09 and really jack up the field sobriety test.

If you are a .08/.09 but perform the field sobriety tests well, I can't see an officer wanting to waste his time taking you downtown only to have you blow under once you get there. You figure it will probably take him 30 minutes to get you down there, then they have you give you another 30 minutes to get a witness. If you are borderline and able to perform the tests, an hour without a drink could easily put you below the legal limit.

Now, with that assumption in mind, lowering the limit to .05 would definitely increase arrests.

5/14/2013 3:48:27 PM

I could agree with that, unless it's a check point.

5/14/2013 3:50:23 PM

^^^^ I think I had 3 beers with a 4th before leaving. For me that was a 0.3 and I was at the limit of what I would drive with. Yes, I felt euphoric, and that's my point. Inebriation as a function of BAC is not the same for each person.


[Edited on May 14, 2013 at 3:57 PM. Reason : im not a heavy drinker, 0.5 would be too drunk to drive for me]

5/14/2013 3:55:26 PM

I remember an officer telling me once that most people who blow 0.08 actually end up blowing higher back at the station, because they drove after just finishing a drink thinking they were fine, and the alcohol took a bit to fully absorb. I don't know how true that is, but he said a lot of people who think they will get off for that reason actually don't because their BAC goes up instead of down.

5/14/2013 3:56:09 PM

They can also just used court approved forumlas to show what your BAC was at the time of driving based on what it was when tested.

5/14/2013 3:59:20 PM

Any halfway decent lawyer will get you off if you blow under at the station.

5/14/2013 4:12:23 PM

Quote :

"Ive only been breathalyzed once, but I had a few beers before it, including one right before leaving, and I blew a .03 twice. I was feeling pretty euphoric and at the limit of what I'm comfortable driving with, so a 0.5 is fine for me."

Quote :

"I think I had 3 beers with a 4th before leaving. For me that was a 0.3 and I was at the limit of what I would drive with."

Quote :

"im not a heavy drinker, 0.5 would be too drunk to drive for me"

5/14/2013 4:16:27 PM

Quote :

"The National Transportation Safety Board recommended that all 50 states lower the threshold to 0.05"

these are the same people who said all cell phone use should be banned from cars (even hands free devices)

5/14/2013 4:32:00 PM

Lets just ban all cars.

5/14/2013 4:33:03 PM

lets ban people. then people cant die

5/14/2013 4:34:39 PM

Exactly

5/14/2013 4:35:50 PM

Any halfway decent lawyer will get you off if you blow under at the station.

:">

[Edited on May 14, 2013 at 4:51 PM. Reason : d]

5/14/2013 4:51:30 PM

Quote :

"Any halfway decent lawyer judge will get you off if you blow under at the station."

5/14/2013 6:22:47 PM

Didn't the NTSB also recommend the national 55 mph speed limit for safety?

5/14/2013 6:29:49 PM

I thought that was related to the 70s/80s oil "crisis" and the mpg savings you get going from 70 mph to 55 mph? Or am I full of shit?

5/14/2013 7:30:59 PM

55 mph standard was about fuel efficiency

5/14/2013 7:40:37 PM

then I should be able to drive a Chevy Volt as fast as I want

5/14/2013 10:16:42 PM

^ uhh.. no...

its a hybrid not magic. and they get better gas mileage in town then on highways.

they would actually net worse gas mileage than an under powered gas car if it weren't for regenerative braking.

5/17/2013 1:24:39 PM