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From: markv@dartvax.UUCP (Mark F. Vita)
Newsgroups: net.legal,net.auto
Subject: Re: DWI Roadblocks
Message-ID: <3305@dartvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 28-Jun-85 10:43:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: dartvax.3305
Posted: Fri Jun 28 10:43:50 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 30-Jun-85 00:04:25 EDT
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Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
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Xref: watmath net.legal:1802 net.auto:7196

<...>

> I do not advocate or like drunk driving by any means, but I'll let you
> in on a little secret:  people drink in bars and then they have to get
> home.  How much money would the various city/state governments save
> if they simply provided good low-cost transportation systems to get
> people home?
> .
> .
> .
> In short, and to stop my ravings without (I hope) having done too much
> damage, let me introduce a novel concept:
> 
> Drinking and driving don't mix.  You can't stop drinking; drinking of
> itself is not (but well can be, I know) the problem.  You also CANNOT
> STOP DRUNKEN DRIVING WITHOUT OFFERING A REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE.  Throwing
> all drunk drivers in jail is not (in my view) a reasonable alternative;
> trying to get them home safely and thereby keep other people safe is.
> Casa Gallardo (a chain Mexican restaurant here in Greensboro) stopped
> serving their 1-liter margaritas, and they also have a sign prominently
> displayed on the wall in nice warm prose telling you that if you are
> too drunk to drive home, the bartender will call you a cab and give
> you a nice cup of coffee while you wait and THE RESTAURANT WILL PAY FOR
> YOUR CAB RIDE HOME.  I like it; keep them off the road in the first place!
> -- 
> 
> The MAD Programmer -- 919-228-3313 (Cornet 291)
> alias: Curtis Jackson	...![ ihnp4 ulysses cbosgd mgnetp ]!burl!rcj
> 			...![ ihnp4 cbosgd akgua masscomp ]!clyde!rcj

   
 
   Sorry, but "my house is too far to walk" is simply no excuse
for drunk driving.  And I feel that people caught drunk driving should be
prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and that punishment should include
a mandatory loss of license.  There is NO excuse for driving drunk, least of all
"Well, I had to come all the way out here to do my drinking, and now they
expect me to walk home?"
   First of all, there ARE plenty of alternative ways to get home, including
getting a ride from a friend, taking public transportation, or, if these two
are not available, taking a cab.  I have never been in a town where taxi
service was not available into the wee hours of the morning.
   Certainly I agree with you that encouraging bars/pubs to provide alternative
transportation for their patrons is a good idea.  Many of the places in my
hometown are experimenting with such policies.  However, the government should
not depend on this to eliminate the problem.  A lot of drinking occurs
outside of barrooms, in private homes and such.  In any case, drunk drivers
should certainly be prosecuted for their criminal act, regardless of the
"alternatives" that were available.

-- 

                                Mark Vita
                                Dartmouth College

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