Impaired Driving / DUI Advice

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Ne7en

Honest question. Have you ever had a beer then drove? Ever?
I'm not trying to paint myself innocent but it's a difficult line for people who choose to have 1, 2 or 3 drinks and know if they are still under .08 but know they are fully capable of driving. Yes the simple solution is to drink none, but it may also take away from social gatherings whether it be as simple as a beer at the office at the end of the week. My office does it and there is a dozen or so guys who have 2,3,4 drinks before heading home. The line isn't as definitive as some may think and as I have learnt.

Since you know that you were fully capable of driving tell the judge this. This whole .08 level is a random and arbitrary number. I would not even bother getting a law talking guy........

[Superfraggle]

I believe you are still responsible for everything you say on the internet. This has implications for things like libel. I don't know that it has ever been used in this sort of case before, but seems more likely as the use of the internet evolves. Bottom line is you are responsible for what you say on the internet, just like anywhere else. It's just harder to trace back to you.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I've always thought bars should have breathalyzers. I'd like to know my BAL before I drive even it's just one or two. I think a lot of people (like the OP) wouldn't drive if they had any way of measuring their BAL.

That wouldn't work because your BAC rises after drinking. So you could pound a bunch of beers and blow under but an hour later be well over the limit. If anything it would create more problems by making people think they were okay to drive when they really weren't.

[macker]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I was reading on the insurance side of things for a DUI charge, the courts don't notify your insurance company of your conviction if you're convicted, so you might catch a break there. But a large chunk of insurance companies will check your driving record on occassion.

If they do, they wipe out your driving history and reset your insurance rate to the highest level possible of a person without a driving record. So your literally paying the same thing as a first time insuree, which can almost double or triple your insurance rate, and that can last between 3 and 6 years. So take your annual insurance rate and times it by 2 and budget that.



If drinking and getting behind the wheel of a potentially lethal high speed weapon isn't enough to stop people from pounding drinks back and driving, the court costs, and insurance costs should hopefully make people act smarter.

But it doesn't.

Most Insurance companies won't drop your driving record unless there is an accident but they will add a criminal conviction surcharge that varies depending on the company and is checked for by pulling a drivers abstract a couple months prior to the renewal. If you use just the Alberta government grid rates (available to the public) and base things on "one way" "PL/PD" coverage the liability portion would go up from $1,222 to $4,826 based on a male driver over 25. This is just for liability only and if you carry collision or comprehensive things get even uglier. If you lease or finance the vehicle uglier yet as you can't drop the coverages even if you want to for the 3 years that this conviction stays on your record. Many people can't afford to drive during the 3 year surchargable timeframe. The above is based on over 25 years old. If you are under 25 you will be longboarding to work

[carom]

Originally Posted by Superfraggle

people who believe they are fully capable of driving are frequently wrong.

Best advice, though, is Troutman's.

I kept in what I think is the most important information in the quote. I know it is off topic, but nevermind drinking, we as a society are much too casual with who we allow to drive. We give out drivers licences like we give out prescription medication.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Originally Posted by Ne7en

In all fairness those who choose to take shots, fire away. As long as you have never made a mistake.

My advice is for you to stay off the roads when I am driving.

[Yeah_Baby]

Maybe Ne7en is actually Jay Bouwmeester?

[zamler]

Let me make this very clear to everyone. If you drink, don't drive. Period. It doesn't matter how much, one glass of wine, 2 beers, 3 shots. Just don't get behind the wheel.

[CrusaderPi]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

Maybe Ne7en is actually Jay Bouwmeester?

Khabibulan?

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by zamler

Let me make this very clear to everyone. If you drink, don't drive. Period. It doesn't matter how much, one glass of wine, 2 beers, 3 shots. Just don't get behind the wheel.

Well that's a little extreme. Having a beer or two in an evening is alright. The key is to not put yourself in a position where you're guessing whether you're okay to drive or not. That's when bad decisions are made.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by CrusaderPi

Khabibulan?

In Soviet Russia, Vodka drinks you!

[Shin Pad]

For me, if I have one beer with a meal (say going out for supper), I will drive after that, and I'm fully confident I'm not impaired. If I have more than one beer - I don't drive, even if I don't feel it. Having said that, I generally don't drink at all if I'm going to drive afterward.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Shin Pad

For me, if I have one beer with a meal (say going out for supper), I will drive after that, and I'm fully confident I'm not impaired. If I have more than one beer - I don't drive, even if I don't feel it. Having said that, I generally don't drink at all if I'm going to drive afterward.

That's a pretty good rule. I'm a bit more liberal, but for me I worry more about drinking too much in a short period of time. For example, I'm more scared to drive after drinking two beers in 20 minutes (which we do after work from time to time) than drinking 4 beers over the course of an evening (let's say 4 hours), and then driving home.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Well that's a little extreme.

Not it is not. If everyone followed the anything but zero=no drive rule, there would be zero alcohol impaired drivers. When the grey area thinking kicks in, it invites disaster.

[Mtt48]

Okay, there is no way you had 3 drinks and blew over the legal limit. I went to a party for a law firm where we had a legit police breathalizer and it took me 8 or 9 drinks in just over 1 hour to blow over. People that blow .08 or more are hammered.

[carom]

Originally Posted by zamler

Not it is not. If everyone followed the anything but zero=no drive rule, there would be zero alcohol impaired drivers. When the grey area thinking kicks in, it invites disaster.

And you could make the argument that if people always followed the rules of the road and only drove when conditions are ideal we would have no acidents is just as practical. I'm just saying, we don't live in a black and white world.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by carom

And you could make the argument that if people always followed the rules of the road and only drove when conditions are ideal we would have no acidents is just as practical. I'm just saying.

Exactly. if no one ever went above the speed limit in any situation, then nobody would ever die in accidents where speed was a factor. Yet most people speed from time to time.

[fleuryisgod]

Originally Posted by Mtt48

Okay, there is no way you had 3 drinks and blew over the legal limit. I went to a party for a law firm where we had a legit police breathalizer and it took me 8 or 9 drinks in just over 1 hour to blow over. People that blow .08 or more are hammered.

Take that same test every 20 minutes without drinking anything else...watch that number grow.

[Mtt48]

For my case I would believe you. But at that party everyone who blew over was drunk. There was no grey area. If you blew over you were drunk. The .08 limit is not borderline or anything, if you are there you are drunk and should be charged accordingly.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Beer before liquor? Tsk tsk.

Beer before liquor: get drunk quicker!
Liquor before beer, you like Pam Grier!