Drunk Driving

[babygrl1234 6]

This kind of preventable tragedy pisses me off to no end.

Deaths devastate families, classmates | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

I am all for it being mandatory for every car to have a breathalyzer on it to start the car. And stricter penalties for those who are pulled over. It took my FIL 5 tickets and finally hitting a tree before he was finally jailed and lost his licence. I firmly believe that your first offense (assuming you don't hurt anyone) you should lose you licence a minimum of 2 years. And the on the second one you lose your privledge of driving for life. If you can afford to go out somewhere and get wasted then you should be able to afford to take a cab back home. I have no sympathy for people who put others in harms way by their own careless behavior. I understand for some that alcholoism is a disease. I really do get that. But drunk driving is not a disease. It is irresponsibilty and stupidity all rolled up into one.

[HeatherO 7]

I agree.

The problem with drinking is that your inhibitions go away and it allows you to make poor decisions. So why even go to a party or bar and take even the first drink if you know you don't have an alternate means of transportation?

I find that I never like driving after midnight because I am always nervous about other drivers on the road. Who is to say that they have not been drinking? I just never want to put my self in a situation where I am part of those statistics.

[tapshoes 2]

Babygirl - you are too generous!

A beloved aunt was killed by a 16 year old drunk driver - she and my uncle were driving in the middle of the day, perfect conditions. My aunt died in the crash (despite her seat belt her injuries were too severe); my uncle was hospitalized but did recover...except for the devestation that his wife of over 50 years was taken by an irresponsible drunk kid.

The driver? A few scrapes. His 'punishment'? Well, let's see - he didn't have a licence, so they couldn't take that. He was 'a good kid who made a bad decision' according to his parents; he was sorry, according to his lawyer. The judge ordered him to counselling for substance abuse, some community service, and a few months in a minimum detention centre.

Had I (or my extended family) been meting out the punishment, it wouldn't have been that!!

[babygrl1234 6]

Even with inhabitions out the window I don't understand getting into a car and driving. In my youth I had been wasted plenty of times to the point of being sick. Though I may have lost my inhabition and climbed my fat ass onto the bar and danced in front of everyone (I don't dance) I still would never have tried to drive a car. I have slept in a car in the dead of winter because I had no other way to get home. I just don't understand how some people can just not have issues with it.

[babygrl1234 6]

Tap- that's what I am talking about. Unbelieveable. That kid should have been put away. No licence and drinking? But he was a good kid according to the parents. Obviously great parenting there.

[tapshoes 2]

Unbelieveable is right! At the very least, I would have made him attend the autopsy, help prep the body for the funeral, attend the funeral and see first hand some of the devestation, dig the grave by hand, apologize (not his lawyer) face to face to each member of the immediate family, and maybe have to have a tatoo on his dominant hand that reads "Anyone providing this scumbag with liquor will be fined 10,000$" or something.

Then we would start talking about more longterm consequences....

[babygrl1234 6]

I like how you think.

[tapshoes 2]

I like how you think.

And in my family, I am considered the 'bend over backwards bleeding hearts liberal'!!

[babygrl1234 6]

Now that is funny.

I also think that it should be required to check the ID of everyone buying alcohol and those who have a DUI on their record should have a color coded license should be refused service.

[tapshoes 2]

I also think that it should be required to check the ID of everyone buying alcohol and those who have a DUI on their record should have a color coded license should be refused service.

AND... a big net would drop from the ceiling, the floor they are standing on be electrified and give them a jolt or two, and a record of the attempted transgression be sent to the police so that after 2 or 3 of those, they are fined HUGE amounts of money with an option to work it off being paid minimum wage doing the worst imaginable jobs....

[babygrl1234 6]

I like it a lot.

[green 6]

A great idea.

[pattygreen 5]

I don't drink, but my husband's family all used to. His dad was a horrible alcoholic and drove drunk all the time. He's 74 now, but drank from age thirteen to 64. What a waste of a good life, cause he's the best man, now that he's sober. His 4 brothers drank often and some still do. My husband used to drink and he considered himself to be an alcoholic. Then when he became a born again christian, he stopped and never drank again. I have always believed that if alcoholism is in your family, than your more suceptible to becoming alcoholic if you start drinking socially. There must be a gene that allows alcohol to grab hold of you and be addictive, for some who don't have alcoholism in their family history drink alot and then can go for months without it no problem. I've used this scare tactic to keep my teens from touching the stuff, and it works. Yet, I don't believe it's untrue. Most people who are alcoholic have parents or grandparents who were. This is the case with my husbands family. What's your take on this?

As far as driving goes, there is NO excuse to get behind a wheel drunk that is acceptable. None! (I'm just grateful that his dad never hurt anyone or himself while driving drunk.)

[MacMadame 81]

I have always believed that if alcoholism is in your family, than your more suceptible to becoming alcoholic if you start drinking socially.

I'm going to have to disagree with this. You aren't more susceptible simply from having the family history. However, you are more likely to have the same genetic issues. OTOH, if you don't have them, then you don't have them and drinking socially is fine.

I have a history of alcoholism in my family as well as a host of other addictions.... yet I can drink social a few times a year and be fine. I don't like alcohol that much so I rarely drink and I don't like the feeling of being drunk or high.

I firmly believe that addiction has a large biological basis and that I was very lucky to be spared genetically. I just don't have an addictive personality and I'm not going to get one from having a Cosmo 5x a year.

[plain 12]

I firmly believe that your first offense (assuming you don't hurt anyone) you should lose you licence a minimum of 2 years. And the on the second one you lose your privledge of driving for life. If you can afford to go out somewhere and get wasted then you should be able to afford to take a cab back home.

Even though I obviously am not pro-drinking and driving (who could seriously take THAT position in a debate without laughing?), I'll play devil's advocate. Here in rual Texas, there is zero public transportation. Even in the moderately large city of Texarkana, public transportation is minimal (busses run in the downtown part only during "banker's hours". There are a few cabs, but they're downtown as well). Hence, suspending somebody's liscense for 2 years is tantamount to making them unable to work for 2 years (I, for instance, drive 45 miles one way to get to work). So, if somebody is 1/10th of a percent over the legal limit, putting them out of work on a first offense seems a little harsh. I'd argue for maybe a harsh and extensive probation with a curfew and punishing fines (only for a first offense....and only if no damage or death was involved in the first offense)

And in my family, I am considered the 'bend over backwards bleeding hearts liberal'!!

I knew you were a bleedin' heart lib, tap!! It's them fancy words you like to throw around that was the giveaway!!