DUI's and you

[jgln]

Oh yeah, its been impounded. Man, what a bunch of crap just to get the car out too.....
I'm not even gonna go into that.

Well, here we are 18 hours later, (on my lunch break at work) and I spoke with my friend. Here is the story....

4 years 11 months ago he crashed his car on a rainy night on an on ramp. Woke up in the hospital. He got an extreme dui and had it reduced to regular dui.

When he was recently pulled over and arrested/charged for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon & DUI, they didn't have grounds to pull him over. They charged him with "aggravated assault with a deadly weapon" because apparently he flashed his pistol. Didn't pull, didn't point, didn't threaten. When he was pulled over he didn't say a word, or do any field tests, and after meeting with his attorney, they threw out all the charges on lack of evidence to convict him. So basically, they wait for you to screw up again , and then use it against you.

What this means is, the courts can revive/re-instate the charges GIVEN they come up with more evidence to convict him. They can do this UP TO 7 years from the original offense date. He was out with a neighborhood friend having some drinks , and he lives in a rough end of town. (god knows why, he could live in the most expensive part of town on his salary)
In that neighborhood full of all kinds of illegal activity, they usually pull people over for ANY given reason. Although, chances are he was probably swerving. As soon as he saw the lights in his (my car actually) rear view, he knew they would bring back the charges, and he would have to accept some kind of plea that would land him in jail for quite a long time, and his impaired judgement kept him driving. He did NOT want to face the music, because he knew what was gonna happen. If he was sober (or not as impaired anyway), he would be the stand up guy I know him to be and take his medicine.
He ended up just pulling the car over and he was taken into custody.

Before anyone is harsh to judge him, he is a stand up guy. When my license was suspended years and years ago, he drove me around. When I needed money to pay that fine to get my license re instated at paid a fine (I was 19)
He was there to do that. My car broke down over a year ago. He loaned me his truck. He has never raised his voice against me, only in my defense and the guy would do anything for me. I have been really broke and not going to the bar like I used to, and any time he wants to hang, he buys the drinks. He buys the food. Anything I have ever needed he has been there for me. Like a brother from another mother. Anyone who says I should "de-friend" him should think of someone like this they know or a brother/sister even. I want to sit down with him and talk to him 1 on 1 , and see if he would ever consider AA or something of the sort. Although, I do not think that I can approach him with the idea, because we have gotten smashed together on many occasions, and I ... brew and drink fair amounts of beer. During football season he comes over every sunday, and I get smashed arse drunk, and he usually has a couple and then leaves.
So, I feel that someone else needs to approach him. I feel it would be hypocritical of me for ME to present it to him.

However, I have learned my lesson about drinking and driving. I am fortunate that I have never hurt anyone in my youth from getting hammered and driving 4 miles. I , like others that have posted, feel sorry for all those people who have lost loved ones to drinking and driving.

But for those of you who say they can't feel any sympathy for me? Go F yourselves. If I would have known someone would have done that with my car, I wouldn't have loaned it to him. Esp if I knew he put so many motorists at risk. (not to mention his own life) I did not honestly want to admit that he would be dumb enough to do this, given that he is BAR NONE the most intelligent person I have ever met. But everyone has their weaknesses I guess.

Just flashing a gun could get you shot, he is lucky. Did he say he had a gun first or just pull it out to show them?

 

[HBRunner]

I carry a gun most of the time, but If I know i might drink, like when the family goes out for dinner, it stays at home......

That is one quick way to the slammer, being arrested for an alcohol event, and having a firearm present...........

However, I have also driven having way to much to drink in my younger years.....I've mellowed out and gotten older now.....

I mean hey, 3 good beers, and I'm asleep....

I'd support your friend, but never lend him a car again.....that is, when he gets out of jail.....

 

[Brewpastor]

When I was 13 my 18 year old brother was killed by a drunk driver. Really horrible. So I never drive if alcohol is involved - period. My wife is really helpful. If I am going out she will take me and pick me up. It is a hassle, but it is worth it to not be killing somebody. Anymore I don't go out much and that is fine too. Honestly, I don't drink that much anymore either. Gawd, I am getting to be an old man.

On another side of this I do not like where the folks at MADD have taken all of this. There is a difference between working against DWI/DUI and neo-prohibition.

(insert the sound of me getting off my soapbox)

 

[Austin_]

On another side of this I do not like where the folks at MADD have taken all of this. There is a difference between working against DWI/DUI and neo-prohibition.

(insert the sound of me getting off my soapbox)

Candy Lightner, MADD founder, was quoted after she left MADD as saying MADD "has become far more neo-prohibitionist than I had ever wanted or envisioned … I didn’t start MADD to deal with alcohol. I started MADD to deal with the issue of drunk driving."

 

[Brewpastor]

Candy Lightner, MADD founder, was quoted after she left MADD as saying MADD "has become far more neo-prohibitionist than I had ever wanted or envisioned … I didn’t start MADD to deal with alcohol. I started MADD to deal with the issue of drunk driving."

Great quote. I had not seen that.

 

[Old Worthog]

Dude,
This is a obviously a bitch no matter how you take it. This world has moved into a liability society compounded by political correctness so there is a whole hell of a lot of s**t that used to be fine and now is a f***ing crime against humanity, punishable by death.

DUI is one of those things and it is backed up by figures of the fatalities where alcohol is involved. So, as the other friends on this thread have stated driving on more than two beers is literally taking your life, career and the lives of those riding with or driving around you in your hands.

But I can not disagree strongly enough with other posters that you should drop your friend because he is having serious issues. This guy sounds like the kind of friend anyone would stand up for. Don't let him down. Stand with him and both of you work this out together.

 

[wulfsburg]

So I got my car back today. He had his sister pick me up from my house, go to the DMV, Police station and then the impound yard. His sister paid all the fees , and I didn't have to do anything, but go through the rounds to get the car. My car was in one piece. Although I found this on the floorboard of the front passengers seat. I could not help but laugh at this part of the situation . . . .

He must have had the WORST drunk munchies I have ever seen. Not pictured here is another huge burrito from some local mexican food joint. His brother lives with him, but he is barely ever there. If I didn't know any better , he was going to feed a family of 5. Lol. In the AZ sun, if this food sat any longer, I would have a moldy science experiment in my car. There was 5 tacos, 5 taquitos and a huge burro in all. Probably 20-25 bucks worth of food. It must have fallen off of the seat and broke open in midst of the pursuit.

 

[danculwell]

I got a DUI in highschool. That was about as much fun as it sounds. Man those blow-and-goes are a PITA.

Anyway the thing I wanted to point out is that you are physically drunk before you are mentally drunk. Meaning that there is a period (that's different for everyone) that your motor skills and reaction times and whatnot are impaired but you don't feel drunk. This is probably one of the biggest causes of drunk driving accidents and arrests.

 

[brewingkitty]

.19 bac = NO PROBLEM!! but, drunk or high makes racing so much more fun, yet i don NOT condone such activities.

 

[billc68]

Anyway the thing I wanted to point out is that you are physically drunk before you are mentally drunk. Meaning that there is a period (that's different for everyone) that your motor skills and reaction times and whatnot are impaired but you don't feel drunk. This is probably one of the biggest causes of drunk driving accidents and arrests.

I was just about to point this out... there is drunk driving and there is DRINKING and driving. You may not be drunk BUT even one beer does slow your motor skills. One is likely not enough to be serious for 99% of the population, and 2 may not be for 75% of the population but you are still somewhat impaired.

I had about 10 or so last night in celebration of Canada Day (July 1st) I felt pretty good really, I knew I was in no shape to drive, but feeling pretty aware. BUT I have had other days in the hot sun, no food, little water, where one beer knocked me on my ass.

The point is, you may feel fine, and you can get away with it 100 times, the fact is some day you will likely cause and accident.

 

[captianoats]

I've had one, it was a couple of years ago. Not my proudest moment, but I paid my fines, bummed rides for 3 months, and did some community service.

It's not something I plan on doing again. That being said, my gut tells me that over half of the people on this forum have driven over the limit at least a couple of times. Even if "you know your limit" or "that was in my younger days" it's probably happened at least once.

I am not trying to condone driving drunk in any way. I'm simply saying "He with no sin cast the first stone"

 

[jpc]

I was just about to point this out... there is drunk driving and there is DRINKING and driving. You may not be drunk BUT even one beer does slow your motor skills. One is likely not enough to be serious for 99% of the population, and 2 may not be for 75% of the population but you are still somewhat impaired.

I had about 10 or so last night in celebration of Canada Day (July 1st) I felt pretty good really, I knew I was in no shape to drive, but feeling pretty aware. BUT I have had other days in the hot sun, no food, little water, where one beer knocked me on my ass.

The point is, you may feel fine, and you can get away with it 100 times, the fact is some day you will likely cause and accident.

I understand your point, but there are plenty of other things that affect one's ability to drive that are not per se illegal. For instance, driving while fatigued is probably one of the worst things one could do, akin to DUI. The same is true if you just had a fight with SWMBO, or if a close relative is ill.

I'm all for DUI enforcement, but I'm not sure what the limit should be. From what I've read, 0.08 doesn't do too much vs. 0.10 in removing the menace from our roads; it just makes it easier in certain circumstances to charge one with per se DUI. My personal limit is two; I won't drive with more than two in me, despite the charts that would put me at about 0.03. I'll even lower that if I'm tired.

 

[ArtVandelay]

I find it kind of hard to believe that all of these posters won't drive after even .5 beers. I'm not trying to riddicule but I don't know anybody who goes to that extreme. I don't condone drunk driving but it is more "accepted" in my state of Wisconsin.

For me I will drive after about 4 12oz BMC in a 2 hour peroid. I'm 6'5" 215lbs and I know the effects of alcohol on my body. It takes a lot. I can tell if its hitting me harder one day due to dehydration/ fatigue/whatever and I'll dial it back. Sure, I'm "impared" by definition, but I'm easily below the limit and impared is always relative to your pre-impared state and I'm not 70 years old with zero reaction time.

 

[Baja_Brewer]

I've barely even had a speeding ticket (14 years ago, due to no cruise control on a hiway and a slightly heavy foot).

can't relate. I won't even look at my motorcycle after a sip of beer, let alone drive anything but my own two feet after 3 beers.

Amen.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Sorry. You deserve what you got.

And your "buddy" deserve to goto jail or be removed from the gene pool.

 

[JetSmooth]

Glad everyone was fine.

Back to your DUI. Have you self-reported to your new employer that you got this DUI? If not, you'd better do that before they re-run your background check (sometimes done as frequently as four years), if you want to keep the job. I'm speaking as one who ran an employee risk program for a little while. The worst thing is for them to find out without you telling them. Your job doesn't sound like it requires driving, so I doubt it would be grounds for termination. But not fessing up might be, depending on your company.

Just a little friendly advice.

 

[MVKTR2]

First find some new friends and perhaps a few positive influences. Sorry to say it but the friend sounds like a real dummy.

One of the problems with knowing your limits is that people who simply drink lightly regularly all the way through hardcore alcoholics bodies are able to build a tolerance. My former neighbor was a hardcore alcoholic drinking 6-10 per night during the week and 1.5-3 cases on the weekend every weekend for as long as I've known him (8-9 yrs). (thankfully he doesn't have even one and get into a car) He can drink 10 in 2-3 hours and is stone cold sober. However on a breathalizer he'd probably blow at least .14+ bac.

Point being that feeling sober and being below .08 bac are entirely different animals. If you're gonna drive have one every hour and no more than 2 or 3 total depending on size, problem solved. My personal rule is never drive with 2 or more in me, period! (assuming these are average strength beers). The law, testing, etc related to DUIs is totally screwed up. At this point it's literally a cottage industry paying for huge amounts of city budgets, judges, court staff, defense attorneys, clerks, etc. It's simply out of control. None the less knowing the physiology of what happens is a lot more important than knowing how sober one feels and is the only sure way to avoid drunk driving /DUIs short of total abstinence.

Schlante,
Phillip

 

[triethylborane]

I'm all for DUI enforcement, but I'm not sure what the limit should be. From what I've read, 0.08 doesn't do too much vs. 0.10 in removing the menace from our roads; it just makes it easier in certain circumstances to charge one with per se DUI. My personal limit is two; I won't drive with more than two in me, despite the charts that would put me at about 0.03. I'll even lower that if I'm tired.

Most states have statutes that involve a rather wide range of intoxication, not just the magic .08 BAC for a dewey. Heck it is usually a DWI at the .04 BAC level. A refused breathalyzer test citation is also usually considered an intoxication offense, at least in the eyes of the insurance companies, which in the end is what will matter.

 

[Mischief_Brewing]

I find it kind of hard to believe that all of these posters won't drive after even .5 beers. I'm not trying to riddicule but I don't know anybody who goes to that extreme. I don't condone drunk driving but it is more "accepted" in my state of Wisconsin.

You hinted at it in the above quote...Location, as well as personal situations, have a lot to do with how easy it is to abstain from driving after having the smallest amount of alcohol.

I was one of those that said I don't drive within 2 hours of having a single drink. And I don't drink at all if I'll be driving my kids anywhere. We have one car for our family and I only drive on weekends if we're actually going somewhere. I commute to work 30+ miles to NYC daily via bus. I have enough alcohol and friends at home so I never have to go to a bar unless it's with coworkers in the city, which means bus and no driving. On those rare occasions that the wife and I go out on the weekends in the car to a party, one of us will assume the DD responsibility. I won't get into our methodology for determining who gets that, but it usually balances out over time.