Drinking and Driving...

[VXIRONwoMAN]

Since Mark started one about seat belts, I have to chime in with mine on drinking.

Working as a bartender I see how many people drink and drive everyday. Even all of my co-workers get into their cars after having a few, or more than a few. From personal experience about 90% of the people who go out don't call a cab or have a designated driver. It's disgusting. We live in Chicago, there are cabs everywhere. Even worse, my co-workers get completely blasted and drive home and can't even recall how they got into their home. It's a serious matter that the majority doesn't take seriously.

This link is really gory and is not suitable for the kiddos or the squeamish...

http://www.eatnineghost.com/do-not-drink-and-drive/

[crotchrocket]

I'm with you! I haven't ever drank and driven and don't understand those that do. If i drive after 1 pint (UK Limit) i don't enjoy it at all. However i now live in London and theres no need to drink and drive at all!!!!

[BigSwede]

My buddy got a DWI recently, had 4 drinks in 3 hours. Based on what he experienced, many of us may be over the limit even when we think we are "fine". He was totally shocked he failed...this is a guy who would never knowingly break the law.

I am seriously considering getting a breathalyzer just so I can find out when I am actually at risk of a DWI.

[VX crazy]

My ex husband got a DUI when he was a detective just a couple years ago....needless to say he can never work in law enforcement again. Its not worth it, they sell those little handy devices that you can breath into to see if your over the limit, maybe I will find mine before moab!

[circmand]

The only problem is only 25% of the accidents on the road are caused by drunks. That means 75% are caused by sober people. We need to not let teens drive at all they cause a lot of accidents, studies show using a cell phone is as dangerous as drunk driving people who use cell phones when driving should be arrest and fined just like drunk drivers, also old farts have you seen them? They drive cars 3 miles long and cant see over the steering wheel. They drive half the speed limit and shouldnt be allowed to driveeither. And dont get me started when they get behind the wheel of RVs. As long as we are working at this have you seen these women who put make up on and get dressed while they are driving? Off to jail with them to. Dont think I am forgetting the guys but their list is too long too mention as well. And finally some people just cant drive but are given licenses anyhow.

One should not drink and drive but that is just one of the many things drivers are doing that is dangerous but the one every one likes to pick that they think would solve the worlds driving problems.

[Mile High VX]

Just realize that between 3% and 4% of alcohol related crashes result in a fatality, while only 1/2 to 3/4 of 1% of non-alcohol related crashes result in fatalities.

It's also important to note that all alcohol related accidents do not involve a drunk driver. If a drunk non-occupant (a pedestrian) steps in front of a car the accident is reported as an alcohol related incident.

I agree that more measures need to be taken to eliminate other types of distracted/impared driving so that we can all be safer on the road.

[circmand]

Just realize that between 3% and 4% of alcohol related crashes result in a fatality, while only 1/2 to 3/4 of 1% of non-alcohol related crased restult in fatalities.

It's also important to note that all alcohol related accidents do not involve a drunk driver. If a drunk non-occupant (a pedestrian) steps in front of a car the accident is reported as an alcohol related incident.

I agree that more measures need to be taken to eliminate other types of distracted/impared driving so that we can all be safer on the road.

After posting I was afraid my ranting may come off a tad offensive and people would think I condoned Drunk driving I do not.

[pbkid]

My buddy got a DWI recently, had 4 drinks in 3 hours. Based on what he experienced, many of us may be over the limit even when we think we are "fine". He was totally shocked he failed...this is a guy who would never knowingly break the law.

hmm... interesting you say that.. because... as many of you know, i have first hand experience with this.
basically what you explained here steve is exactly me. i never was a heavy drinker, and i never drove when i had any feeling of even tipsyness...
well, as many of you have heard, i went to a friend of mines wedding... had a few drinks spread over a few hours..lost track of how many i had. so i stopped drinking, waited until i felt sober, then waited another hour, then ate.... came up with a .1 BAC.
i was also shocked when i failed.... i definately thought that he was going to test me, and on my way home with a 'be safe'....instead, 8 months later, im about 8k down and have definately lost a feeling of self pride through this ordeal. its been a long trip, and i just recently (last friday) came off of supervised probation.

i immediately stopped drinking after my DUI for 4 months, it has severely affected my personal confidence, my friend base has become completely nothing, and my career is going to be changed significantly due to me going to school to be in law enforcement.
before my DUI i was expecting to probably move directly out of college into a federal level job. i now am waiting a minimum of 5 years before i can even APPLY, much less have a chance of getting a job.

drinking and driving is absolutely not worth the consequences.

and on a side note of those who do choose to drink heavily. it takes alcohol 12 hours after your last drink to clear from your system. many people who get DUI's get them in the morning.
i currently have a breathilizer in my car, and i can attest to the fact that if you drink heavily and try to drive within 12 hours, you absolutely WILL get a DUI if you are pulled over... keep that in the back of your mind...

[VX KAT]

Very moving and thanks to those courageous enough to share your stories. Dave & I "usually" "try" to pick one of us to be the designated driver when we go out to dinner. BUT, it's so easy to have a beer or two anyway. Always "thought" because I'm a "big" girl, I must be able to handle more, and certainly 1 or 2 beers can't possibly put ME over the DUI limit, right? Wrong! Actually, have no idea what my BA level would be after 1 or 2 beers, heck, don't even know what my state's limit is! Ignorance is no excuse.

This, and the seat belt thread, have been a very important reality check.

And Jack, I have to say again, I respect you on how maturely you handled your situation.

Life is good, very good. Let's all keep it that way!

[pbkid]

[circmand]

The law isn't about impaired and there is no information available about what is impaired. If you are even feeling better after a drink the law states you are impaired. The law is based on a percentage without taking into account the actually quality of driving. Now I am not saying anyone drives better after drinking they do not. But to claim as the law does that everyone becomes a bad driver at .10% and then change it to .08% based on a political organization is pure politics. On the bright side few get pulled at .08% because they are still driving better then a lot of the idiots on the road. A claim could be made that a person who had been drinking a small amount but worried about a DUI may actuall pay more attention while driving so that their impaired driving is superior to idiots who are sober yet talking on the phone or otherwise oblivious to other cars onthe road. I have been unablew to find any research that demonstartes that .o8% causes all drivers abilities to degrade to unacceptable

[pbkid]

you know... to be completely honest.... the whole idea of buying a meter, testing yourself and expecting to know what your BAC is gonna be sounds like a terrible idea...

i think of it the same way i do radar detectors.. people think that because they have them, they will never get a ticket... well, i, for one know that it isnt true. i was clocked by aircraft on a highway going FAR over the limit because i was overconfident with my radar detector.
so, i actually blame that ticket directly on my radar detector... because i had a false sense of safety and security because i got so used to not having to worry about tickets.

i think the same could happen with a BAC tester. you could test yourself a few times after having 2 beers and think.. ok i know that im only at .06 after 2 beers... but what you dont think of is how much water you had.. maybe the days you tested it you had drank half a gallon of water, but one day you only drink one glass and have 2 beers at the bar.... BOOM.. dui....

make sense??

[RickOKC]

Actually, have no idea what my BA level would be after 1 or 2 beers, heck, don't even know what my state's limit is! Ignorance is no excuse.

Think of it this way:

Every road has a speed limit and you know you can get a ticket if you exceed it. Think of all the miles you have driven since you got your license. Now imagine that you have never driven a car with a speedometer. You would never know for sure what 25, 50, 75 MPH "feels like." Would you pay $50 to get a speedometer?

A home breath tester is a pretty cheap mod.

[circmand]

Think of it this way:

Every road has a speed limit and you know you can get a ticket if you exceed it. Think of all the miles you have driven since you got your license. Now imagine that you have never driven a car with a speedometer. You would never know for sure what 25, 50, 75 MPH "feels like." Would you pay $50 to get a speedometer?

A home breath tester is a pretty cheap mod.

A BAC test shows your Blood achohol content at the time of testing. If you do it at a bar right after your last drink it will read one thing but your BAC will actually continue to rise until all alchohol has been absorbed into your system. You could test yourself think you are legal get pulled and end up with a DUI. That is my issue with no real info available on tests and such. The newer maker of the breathalyzer for use by the police will not even release the methodology used and therefore cannot be independently measured whether it is correct. It has actually led to DUIs being thrown out of court. Those of you who have taken the DUI classes can back me up. The classes are all about how bad drinking is and have nothing to do with actual what is too much or how to judge if you had too much.

Actual I am surprised it is even legal to charge someone with DUI. Because if a guy and girl go out have a few drinks and then have sex but the next morning the girl regrets her decision the law says because she was drinking she did not have the capacity to say yes. But the guy who was drinking apparently has the capacity to know she really didnt want to. But if yopu are at a bar drinking your ability to drive is impaired but the ability to make the decision whether to drive or not isnt impaired.

Funny thing is even cold stone sober I can never really tell what a women wants or means how am I supposed to know after drinking? That is the way of the DUI law, They pass a law but if you ask for specifics they tell you "if you do not know I am not going to tell you" I think women are writing these laws.

[WormGod]

I have had MANY field sobriety tests in my life. Where I used to live was a bar-crawl district and cops had a tendency to profile people based on what they are driving and where they are. Sadly, I lived a block away from the main strip, so I was pulled over and tested a LOT. The good news is, since I lived so close, I could park at home and walk to the strip, heh.

I was given one test years ago however where I did have couple of drinks. The sobriety was not an issue and the breathalyzer was well within the state limit, but I was still ripped a new one since the cop was the in charge of the "anti-street racing and drinking/driving unit". He was a good old boy with a chip on his shoulder and no matter how respectful and well mannered I was with him, I was still the scum of the earth. I was written up for quite a few things, but not what he really hoped to write me up for.

In the end, no matter how much you have to drink, the officer still has the right to subjective opinion on whether you are suited to drive or not (so it is here anyways). They will not/ can not arrest you for the offense, can ask that you call someone to pick you up at the pull over location to drive you home.