| Author | Message | ||
| Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member Username: Vwalfa4re Post Number: 539 Registered: 5-2001 |
That relaxed thing is bullshit. I have heard it also but you're not going to relax your way from going thru the windshield, let alone the ordinary laws of physics on your innards. I just don't understand it though. I have seen it happen so many times. | ||
| Tim N (Timn88)
Intermediate Member Username: Timn88 Post Number: 2389 Registered: 6-2001 |
the impulse on each car is the same. each person has the potential to get equally as f'ed up. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 3547 Registered: 12-2000 |
I've heard the theories that a drunk person is so relaxed that they'll be less likely to have internal injuries. Also, I would think a moving drunk driver would have less severe G's at impact than a stationary car being hit. Stationary accelerating from 0 to 60 suddenly and the drunk decelerating from 60 to 0 gradually. | ||
| Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member Username: Vwalfa4re Post Number: 528 Registered: 5-2001 |
Ever notice how a drunk driver can smash another car killing everybody in it and somehow not get a scratch on themselves? | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 3523 Registered: 12-2000 |
I'm right with you Mark, I don't how those on here get all up in arms for "drunk" drivers but not everything else that results in a death with a root cause of stupidity. You kill someone based on your negligence and the punishment should be the same. Soccer moms/dads in SUV's scare the hell out of me. Young drivers scare the hell out of me. Old drivers scare the hell out of me. Some foreigners scare the hell out of me. Texas Red Necks scare the hell out of me. My wife driving scares the hell out of me. My mom's driving scares the hell out of me. Everyone's driving but me scares the hell out of me. I only have control over me, everyone else is driving a lethal weapon that I have no control over. | ||
| John (Modenaf1fan)
Junior Member Username: Modenaf1fan Post Number: 103 Registered: 11-2002 |
drunk drivers should be smacked in the head, until they learned  | ||
| Fayyaz Vellani (Fvellani)
New member Username: Fvellani Post Number: 26 Registered: 8-2002 |
Frankly speaking, drunk drivers scare the •••• outta me...I don't drink, I never have, and I don't plan to either, so I've obviously never driven drunk. However, I agree, throw the book at drunk drivers...1st time offence, just something like a license suspension for maybe a month or so, and a large fine...2nd+ offense, jail time, fine, license suspension... | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 938 Registered: 11-2002 |
Personaly, I don't think drinking and cars are a good match, any more than drinking and playing with loaded guns.. Drinking alters judgement and perception. The reason drunks think they can drive ok, is because their judgement and perception has been altered. I don't think too many here would want their mechanic getting drunk and doing the brakes on their Ferrari, or even getting drunk and tuning it. How many would accept their mechanic working on their Ferrari as long as BAC was .07 ? How many would accept their Dr. performing surgery as long as his BAC was .07 ? Most Taxi cab rides cost $20-$30...so it's hard to justify not taking a cab. | ||
| Hubert Otlik (Hugh)
Member Username: Hugh Post Number: 510 Registered: 1-2002 |
mark- i think the distinction, at least to me, is the perception of a vehicle as a weapon (while i'm not attempting to justify killing a human being while driving drunk); most people do not percieve cars to be meant to kill people; therefore, shooting, aimlessly, into a crowd is not akin to driving drunk. a handgun, rifle, etc. is a known, recognized, and easily percieved weapon, a car is not. im on the fence. i too do not think throwning someone in jail, on a first offense is, neccessarily a fit punishment. | ||
| wm hart (Whart)
Member Username: Whart Post Number: 737 Registered: 12-2001 |
One bad judgement, or a technical "DUI"(above legal limit but not driving badly and hurt no one, when pulled over) should not ruin somebody's life, but it is my impression that alot of the drivers who wind up killing or maiming people have been arrested for DUI before, so you have a real question whether to throw the book at them the first time, even if they don't hurt anybody. Some guy near me kept getting arrested for DUI, and the last time i heard, he was doing real time for getting arrested yet again. If somebody then continues to drive, even after their license has been pulled for DUI, perhaps a long stint in prison. Obviously, if they hurt or kill somebody while DUI, they should probably pay, and do some real time even if it was their first offense, or was "inadvertent." (I mean, how do you inadvertently get drunk, and then drive?) | ||
| Mark (Markg)
Member Username: Markg Post Number: 389 Registered: 2-2001 |
There are 2 ways in America to get away with premeditated first degree murder: make it look like a drunk driving accident or make it look like a hunting accident. We have several degrees of Homicide in America, from justifiable to capital. Problem is, there's only one degree of dead. A person killed by an alcohol related/induced incident is just as dead as a person killed in an armed robbery. Charge drunk driver exactly as you would someone who randomly fires a gun in the direction of a crowd: 20 years to life if you hit and kill someone. Consuming alcohol is a voluntary act, which a person can end, or not engaquge in at all, at any time prior to becomming 'legally drunk'. If that person then make a conscience decision to operate a motor vehicle on public roads, it would be no different than indiscriminate firing of a gun into a crowd, the planting of a bomb, or setting up a 'booby trap'...although there is no specific individual victim or target intended per se', all persons in the vicinity are potential victims, a form of 'transfered intent' if you will. Book 'em. Try 'em. Gas 'em. Of course, that's just my opinion...I COULD be wrong. | ||
| Randall Booth (Randall)
Junior Member Username: Randall Post Number: 95 Registered: 1-2003 |
Spitting is a $500 fine there (we were told upon arrival) in Waikiki it's a $60 fine (my supervisor was just nabbed last week). The cop said it's a federal law, I don't really know though. Although when it comes to caning, I think it's an excellent punishment for some crimes. Seems more cost effective than jail time, and overall a great deterrant to crime. | ||
| Dave (Maranelloman)
Member Username: Maranelloman Post Number: 752 Registered: 1-2002 |
Good point, Randall. Yes, I have...and you are right. I guess the knowledge that spitting on the sidewalk will result in a certain caning is deterrent enough! Interesting--I didn't think of it that way before... | ||
| Randall Booth (Randall)
Junior Member Username: Randall Post Number: 94 Registered: 1-2003 |
Have any of you spent much time in that country? I only saw 3 cops in the 2 weeks I was there, I'll call Hawaii a police state before I'll call Singapore a police state. And I can honestly say that my life was not hindered in any way while I was there. | ||
| Dave (Maranelloman)
Member Username: Maranelloman Post Number: 751 Registered: 1-2002 |
Ah the dilemma of a police state: safe streets vs. few freedoms. Not sure which is better... | ||
| Randall Booth (Randall)
Junior Member Username: Randall Post Number: 93 Registered: 1-2003 |
But you can safely walk the streets at any hour anywhere in that country without concerns about your safety. I'd trade gum for that any day of the week. | ||
| Robert Callahan (Rcallahan)
New member Username: Rcallahan Post Number: 27 Registered: 7-2002 |
Singapore? The greatest country?? My God, you can't even buy or chew gum there! | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 3517 Registered: 12-2000 |
I think the bottom line is most Europeans don't get drunk like Americans do. They grow up around it, have wine as 8 year olds and are taught more responsibility. The kids that had the biggest problems with alcohol after going to college were the ones that were strictly forbidden to drink back home. Those are the kids most likely to go overboard when thrown head first into that environment for the first time. | ||
| Randall Booth (Randall)
Junior Member Username: Randall Post Number: 92 Registered: 1-2003 |
I'm really surprised at how tolerant most of you are to drunk driving. I've always seen it as reckless endangerment, more like a felony than a misdemeanor. Everyone knows license suspension is a joke if the person till owns a car, and I've met a lot of people that don't pay fines and just live with bench warrants. A couple years ago I spent two weeks in Singapore and think I became spoiled on the idea of no crime and safety. I think it's the greatest country I've ever been to. | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 2749 Registered: 9-2001 |
the prob in america is we treat driving as a right not a priviledge. | ||
| Dave (Maranelloman)
Member Username: Maranelloman Post Number: 748 Registered: 1-2002 |
As much as I b!tch & moan about European politicians with French & German names, I like their approach to drunk driving. They are MUCH less tolerant of it than we are, and do not offer probation is someone gets in an accident when drunk. Oh, and good luck getting your driving privileges returned if you get caught driving drunk. And voila! There is a very low incidence of repeat drunk driving there!! | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Intermediate Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 2091 Registered: 8-2002 |
i could have 6 glasses of wine in 3 hours and still be legal; i could drink with Rob & have 13 beers in 3 hours and still be legal; but i like wine, so if i have 10 glasses in 8 hours, i'm still legal... But damn, it only takes a split second to vehicularly murder someone's child... i think i'll just take a cab... | ||
| Erich Walz (Deleteall)
Junior Member Username: Deleteall Post Number: 156 Registered: 12-2001 |
Actually, there is a county on the Oregon coast (can't recall the name)and if you're found to be DUII, you lose the vehicle you were driving. | ||
| Tim N (Timn88)
Intermediate Member Username: Timn88 Post Number: 2362 Registered: 6-2001 |
The problem is people who get really drunnk. When you are drunk, you dont think things through enough. ITs those people that get really drunk and get behind the wheel and go like 100mph. Ifs one thing to have a few beers and maintain the speed limit, but its another to drive like an idiot. I personally dont drive after drinking alot, not because i doubt my driving skills, but because if I get hit its automatically MY fault because i'm under 21. If i get pulled over i lose my license till i'm 21. this isnt worth it IMO. Im not gonna lie and say ive never driven after drinking, i have, i just dont drink enough to drunk. Also, after a few beers (like 3-4, which has little to no affect) i actually drive better because i'm more cautious. I also dont go on the highway because even after a little drinking affects your reaction time, and i;d rather not take that chance. My town is small enough where i just leave my car where it is and walk my drunk ass home. when you get really drunk anbd drive on highways, people you know, your family knows, and your whole town/community knows, gets killed. this one really shocked our town. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/12/22/48hours/main142540.shtml | ||
| David A. Spear (Detailman)
Junior Member Username: Detailman Post Number: 52 Registered: 5-2002 |
first offence should be A months sallary regardless of what you make. Put their butt behind on some bills they shouldnt have time to go out and drink much less the extra cash to do so. The money should go to families of people who lost someone to drunk drivers because they dont have that loved ones financial support anymore.Also community service to that family.Second offence should be loss of license for 1 year plus penatlies of the first time.Their should not be a third time you shouldnt get out of jail for a few years if you havent learned by this time to be responsible. I wouldnt expect anything less if someones to drunk to drive a$$ hit and killed my wife and kid ,people should think about how much they love their families and how much they'd miss them if it happened to them.Sorry If Im over board on this but that is one of my pet peeves.I think no excese for drunk driving. Not to be a freak but I am glad for you hutch, unfortuanly some never learn. | ||
| DHutchison (Hutch308)
Junior Member Username: Hutch308 Post Number: 190 Registered: 1-2002 |
I agree with Lawrence that the first DUI offense should be harsh but not severe. If after a 6 month loss of driving priveledges, and a stiff fine (in adddition to lawyer's fees, and added insurance costs), the person hasn't learned not to drink + drive. Then he/she probably never will, and deserves a more severe penalty like jail time. As for me, I f*&^ed up once, and wrapped my old Jeeep around a tree and telephone pole while hammered. I wasn't hurt, and walked home. Cops only got me for leaving the scene of an accident. We all make bad judgement calls, and do stupid things in life. I have made my share, and probably will make a few more bad calls. The real stupidity is repeating the same bad judgement. I learned my lesson. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 3514 Registered: 12-2000 |
Here's a good calculator... http://www.ou.edu/oupd/bac.htm I can drink 9 12oz. beers in 3 hours and still be legal. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 3513 Registered: 12-2000 |
I wish they would... On the first offense, a stiff fine and license suspension for 6 months. Second time should be jail time. Third time car confiscation whether the car belongs to the driver or not. ...for offenses like 16 year old girl in SUV runs over someone or person on cell phone swerves lanes or left lane driver going the speed limit won't pull over to right lane or not using the blinker to change lanes or using the shoulder to pass or using the shoulder as an exit lane or tailgating or speeding with an incapable car and/or driver or not having functioning lights or not knowing how to merge into traffic or... Lock them all up, because I'll be driving better than them at 0.08 + 0.0001. It's called being smart, tolerance and food consumption aren't part of that formula. A few real drunks (that should of been at their AA meeting) and a few amateur partiers that get out of control and kill some sons and daughters get the mothers up in arms for every single person on the road that went out to have a good time, but at least was smart about it. People die for numerous reasons, my best friend from college died in a car two months after graduation because he feel asleep. Real stupid on his part, do they have a blood test to see if you're crossed the 50% awake threshold? | ||
| arthur chambers (Art355)
Member Username: Art355 Post Number: 943 Registered: 6-2001 |
Drunk? .08 is about 1 - 2 glasses of wine, or two beers (or a pint glass) The standard is very, very high. I think that we should have a graduated system. If there is an accident, and the limit is over .08%, then by all means, make this serious. If there is an accident and the test is .10% and above, then I would increase the penalties (not including any civil issues that the driver may have). If there is a second conviction, and the test is above .10% I would take extreme measures: take the car away, a fine sufficient to eliminate the ability of the driver to obtain another vehicle, make it a crime to sell that person another vehicle, and make it a felony (punishable by imprisonment excess of one year) for that person to be caught driving again. If the person tests between .08 and .10 and there is no accident, no injury, no property damage, I would count it as a ticket only, one point. Art | ||
| ken rentiers (Rentiers)
New member Username: Rentiers Post Number: 27 Registered: 2-2003 |
Jesus Randall! What remedies do you suggest if you give your girlfriend crabs? | ||
| Lawrence Coppari (Lawrence)
Member Username: Lawrence Post Number: 507 Registered: 4-2002 |
On the first offense, a stiff fine and license suspension for 6 months. Second time should be jail time. Third time car confiscation whether the car belongs to the driver or not. If a person drives without a license, car should also be confiscated. | ||
| Sunny Garofalo (Jaguarxj6)
New member Username: Jaguarxj6 Post Number: 21 Registered: 2-2003 |
Good idea, Randall. One drink, and a couple of hours to get out of the system, yes. Anything else, I'm either staying the night or I have a designated driver. | ||
| Randall Booth (Randall)
Junior Member Username: Randall Post Number: 91 Registered: 1-2003 |
I personally think they should impound and auction the car that was being driven at the time (regardless of owner) and impound all vehicles that are registered under the drunk drivers name and take the persons license for 6 months. I think that would lower the number of drunk driver significantly. | ||
| Ming Cheng (Onlinesys)
Junior Member Username: Onlinesys Post Number: 182 Registered: 5-2002 |
Talking about drunk driver, do you f-chatters still drive your cars after a few bottle of beer or a bottle of Wine? I just wonder how many of us would leave the car and/or ask someone to drive you home! | ||
| Sunny Garofalo (Jaguarxj6)
New member Username: Jaguarxj6 Post Number: 20 Registered: 2-2003 |
Some countries use .03, though I can't remember which one I was in when I learned that. Lots and lots of community service helping out the families of those who lost loved ones due to drunk drivers. Definitely made to report at least once as part of a clean up crew for accidents caused by drunk drivers so they can be there first hand. | ||
| Randall Booth (Randall)
Junior Member Username: Randall Post Number: 90 Registered: 1-2003 |
whatever the state law says. Usually .08, although some states will hit you at .05. | ||
| ken rentiers (Rentiers)
New member Username: Rentiers Post Number: 26 Registered: 2-2003 |
First what is a drunk driver? Many accept a blood alcohol level of.08, some push for .05 and in Scandinavia it can be ANY trace of alcohol. It used to be in Texas that having a drink while driving was perfectly legal, it was the responsibility of the driver to avoid becoming drunk. But in today's nanny society personal responsibility is out the door. So - what is a drunk driver? | ||
| Randall Booth (Randall)
Junior Member Username: Randall Post Number: 89 Registered: 1-2003 |
I'm just curious what you all think should be done to drunk drivers? Keep in mind that our judicial system only allows so much, so stay within reason. |