Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Driving under the legal limit? Doesn't matter, your vehicle is impounded anyway.

Green Machine · 06-17-2012, 10:02 AM

I am definitely wary of giving cops this kind of power with no possible recourse afterwards. I've been through plenty of checkstops and haven't actually ever taken a breathalyzer. Typically I hadn't had anything and told them so, but a couple times I had consumed either 1 or 2 beers over the course of a Flames game at the dome and told the cop so when asked if I had anything to drink. Both times the cop leaned in and examined me closely with the whole flashlight in the eyes and thanked me for not drinking more and sent me on my way.

No problem with either officer above when being honest about my modest alcohol consumption made me think that honesty could be the best policy. Then I got pulled over with expired registration one evening by a power hungry cop with an attitude.

Having not renewed my registration on time, I definitely deserved a ticket but this cop was on a mission to hit me with everything he could. When he asked me had if I'd had anything to drink that evening I told him that I'd had one beer shortly before. This was the absolute truth and there is no way that I appeared intoxicated after one drink. The cop said that he would be giving me a 24 hour suspension and impounding my vehicle based on my admission of drinking. I asked why he didn't just give me a breathalyzer and he said he didn't have one but if I preferred he could officially arrest me and take me to the station to be tested.

I didn't really want to spend more time than necessary with this cop as he was being a real prick and actually asked his partner in front of me, "what else can we try and nail this guy with?" This was right before giving me a redundant ticket for improper use of plate (on top of the expired registration), and a complete BS $500 unsecure load ticket for a fibreglass stepladder resting in the bed of my truck.

So being someone who's been given a 24hr suspension and impound without so much as being able to take a breathalyzer, I certainly can't support a system in which these penalties are escalated without avenues for fighting the charges made available. I'm sure that the extreme majority of cops would enforce the rule fairly and as it was intended but there will always be a few that abuse their authority and act unfairly.

06-17-2012, 10:02 AM	#604
Green Machine Draft Pick Join Date: Nov 2008	I am definitely wary of giving cops this kind of power with no possible recourse afterwards. I've been through plenty of checkstops and haven't actually ever taken a breathalyzer. Typically I hadn't had anything and told them so, but a couple times I had consumed either 1 or 2 beers over the course of a Flames game at the dome and told the cop so when asked if I had anything to drink. Both times the cop leaned in and examined me closely with the whole flashlight in the eyes and thanked me for not drinking more and sent me on my way. No problem with either officer above when being honest about my modest alcohol consumption made me think that honesty could be the best policy. Then I got pulled over with expired registration one evening by a power hungry cop with an attitude. Having not renewed my registration on time, I definitely deserved a ticket but this cop was on a mission to hit me with everything he could. When he asked me had if I'd had anything to drink that evening I told him that I'd had one beer shortly before. This was the absolute truth and there is no way that I appeared intoxicated after one drink. The cop said that he would be giving me a 24 hour suspension and impounding my vehicle based on my admission of drinking. I asked why he didn't just give me a breathalyzer and he said he didn't have one but if I preferred he could officially arrest me and take me to the station to be tested. I didn't really want to spend more time than necessary with this cop as he was being a real prick and actually asked his partner in front of me, "what else can we try and nail this guy with?" This was right before giving me a redundant ticket for improper use of plate (on top of the expired registration), and a complete BS $500 unsecure load ticket for a fibreglass stepladder resting in the bed of my truck. So being someone who's been given a 24hr suspension and impound without so much as being able to take a breathalyzer, I certainly can't support a system in which these penalties are escalated without avenues for fighting the charges made available. I'm sure that the extreme majority of cops would enforce the rule fairly and as it was intended but there will always be a few that abuse their authority and act unfairly.