classicauto

iTrader: (3)

How prevalent when I was in school? Far too much. How prevalent now? No better.

I think an interesting proposal would be to utilize the blow through tool (that thing they install in your car after X number of DUI's) on the majority of vehciles.

Some people may take offense to that in the aspect of "they don't trust me to drive even though I have no convictions" but I for one would have zero trouble/problem with blowing everytime. Just try and catch me drunk behind the wheel - it doesn't happen - so go ahead and I'll prove it to you.

It would be an excellent deturrant. I've hear the argument of "well, you just get a sober person to blow, then you drive away" But what kind of sober passenger is going to blow for his wasted buddy and then proceed to let his buddy DRIVE his sober *** home? No one.

Aviator 902S

Yup, getting charged with any offense is a major inconvenience, especially when you know damn well you're not guilty. The cost of defending yourself, the lost time (and income) from work, the inconvenience and stress all add up to a personal loss which you cannot recoup from the courts once cleared--- and all because your car has a nice set of rims and makes a little more noise than usual due to a Racing Beat exhaust system. This is why I avoid any outward indications that my car may be anything but stock--- too many rogue cops love to harrass guys who drive cars that are even mildly rice-looking.

Not that they have any right to do this to us, they don't. But they have been doing this since... forever--- to those they suspect might be guilty of racing, driving drunk, dealing drugs, murder, assault, you name it. And every one of these unfortunate defendants have had to go to court and defend themselves at a substantial cost in time, money and peace of mind.

But unfortunately, that's the way our legal system works (or doesn't in too many cases). The alternative is to not charge anybody with DUI, murder, rape, assault, tax evasion or street racing--- just in case a very small percentage of those defendants gets wrongly convicted. A travesty of justice, yes. But not nearly as much so as letting the guilty off to do it again.

I know I lost some of you back there when I lumped street racers and drunk drivers in the same paragraph as murderers and rapists, but relax. There's a reason sentences for racing and killing someone as a result or impaired driving causing death carry a much lighter sentence than that handed to those guilty of first-degree murder--- the intent to injure or kill wasn't there in these cases. But the intent to engage in an illegal activity that puts the public at risk is there, and has to be addressed.

I have no problem with cops who investigate those they suspect of street racing--- as long as it's not at the expense of letting up on the throttle in their quest to bust murderers, rapists and pimps; as long as they aren't abusing their authority by trumping up charges on those they suspect might someday street-race and as long as any charges are backed up by either witnesses, on-board police cameras or both.

Aviator 902S

Uh, there are at least a couple types of passengers who would blow for their drunk driver:

Abused wives and girlfriends who fear the beating they'll receive when they get home if they don't;

The horny guy who who hasn't been laid in six months who is letting the drunk girl he just met in the bar drive her car to his place so she can **** his brains out (desperation impedes judgement);

Spineless geeks trying to fit in with the "cool" crowd not willing to make waves when their "cool" drunk driver gets behind the wheel.