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From: bobn@bmcg.UUCP (Bob Nebert)
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Re: DWI Crackdowns
Message-ID: <1785@bmcg.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Aug-85 16:28:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: bmcg.1785
Posted: Tue Aug  6 16:28:09 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 10-Aug-85 22:16:53 EDT
References: <202@SCIRTP.UUCP> <378@kontron.UUCP> <586@ttidcc.UUCP>
Organization: Burroughs Corp. ASG, San Diego, CA.
Lines: 93

> In article <1690@mnetor.UUCP> fred@mnetor.UUCP (Fred Williams) writes:
> >
> >    I was listening to the radio yesterday and some "expert" said that
> >studies in North America show that it is not the severity of the
> >punishment that deters drinking and driving, but the odds of getting
> >caught at it. This means that even mild or moderate penalties can
> >be effective if people expect there is a good chance that they will
> >be caught.
> >    Do people think there is room for a citizen's patrol similar to
> >the neighbourhood watch program?
> 
> Well, I really hate to give you this idea (I'll tell you why in a moment),
> but all one has to do is pick up a handy CB radio or stop at a phone
> booth and call the highway patrol and/or local police with a tag number
> and description of the car and driver, and that person will probably be
> history in a short period of time.  I've done this (via telephone) on
  
I think it is incredible that you can determine that a person is driving
while under the influence of alcohol at a level above the allowed limit
just by watching their car. I hope your beer can dosen't get in your
way while you are watching them.

> numerous occasions when I've seen someone weaving badly -- blatantly
> gone-to-Borneo, as it were.

I happen to work at certain times of the month, three jobs, to support
my family. I get about four hours of sleep at those times and I weave
at night because I'm tired. I worry about driving because my reactions
are slower than normal. The front end on the van I drive needs work and
when I have the extra money I'll have it done. Now along comes somebody
and calls the cops because I'm driving while drunk and that person had
to put down his beer to call the cops. Shame on you Mr. Hypocrite.

> The reason I hate to mention this is that I happen to enjoy my 1 or
> 2 beers during my 45-minute drive home from work.  Now, if I am stopped

DURING... 

> I won't get a ticket for drunken driving because I am not legally drunk
> by quite a bit; but I will get a ticket for having an open container in

I hate to be the one to tell you but the average human body disperses 
1 (one) oz of booze ( one 12 oz can of beer) in one hour thru sweat, breath
and urine. If you have 2 cans during 45 minutes I'll bet somebody's pay
check that you are LEGALLY driving while drunk. I'm sure they are 12 oz
cans and not 16 oz.

> the car.  You see, obeying the spirit of the law is not enough; one
> must obey the letter.  That is why I only call in people who are drunk;
> not those I see hoisting a brew at the wheel.  There are a lot of people

The spirit or the letter of the law has no difference to a parent whose
child has been driven over by a person whose reactions have been slowed
by alcohol. Not only reactions but judgement and the entire thinking 
process.

> who are convinced that if you have taken a single drink before or during
> your time at the wheel (within 4 hours before, say), that you are a drunken
> driver.  They are, unfortunately, too often right -- the word 'single' above
> rarely applies.
> 
> This does not mean, however, that everyone in shabby clothes in rundown New
> York City neighbor-hoods is necessarily a mugger -- neither does it mean that
> just because a lot of them are potential muggers that they should be arrested
> for having that potential.

This last statement really irritated me, sorry. Nobody ever said that people
who dress shabby are potential muggers. I'm saying people who drink and then
climb behind the wheel run a higher risk of an accident. LORD IT'S ROUGH ENOUGH
OUT THERE ALREADY. That might be the only clothes that person has but NOBODY
forced anybody to buy and then drink while driving.

To pose a situation, let's say you just finish your second beer and your 
about two blocks from home. You hear a noise off to the left and just for
a second you look. In that second a child wanders in front of your car. It 
happens enough so bear with me. You hit and kill. The childs mother or father
comes running up and you smell like beer.
The police come of course and off you go for testing. Your blood count is below
the limit. Now granted this can happen even if you never had any beer but the
only thing these parents know is you were drunk.
And you have to live knowing the that maybe, just maybe if you wern't drinking
your reactions would be different.
> 
> "Let's get those drunk drivers off the road!"
> "Right!  Let's make sure people don't drink while driving!"
> "Right!  Let's make sure people don't drink in their cars!"
> "Right!  Let's make sure people who own cars don't drink!"
> "Right!  Let's make sure people who have access to cars don't drink!"
> 
> "OK, we fixed them.  Now what do we do?"
> "Hey, you know all them computer breakins that happen all the time?  Well,
>  if we outlawed modems...."
> --