Impaired Driving / DUI Advice

[hmmhmmcamo]

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.

OK this post is where you REALLY lost me. I understand people make mistakes. I've made mistakes...it happens.

But your response here is ridiculous!

Honest question. Have you ever had a beer then drove? Ever?

This would be a fair question if you only had 1 beer...but by your own admission you had way more than that. So it's not relevant at all. This is you being stupidly defensive when really you don't have the sack to be honest about your mistakes.

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.

This statement is borderline ######ed. You really have no idea how 1, 2 or 3 drinks affect you....really? No seriously....REALLY? It's not a difficult line at all. This thread isn`t about whether or not it`s possible to consume a minimal amount of alcohol and still be able to drive safely. You have specifically stated that you consumed closer to 4-5 drinks before driving. To think you can drive safety after that is...

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.

Again...######ed statement. The last thing we as a society should be concerned with is what drinking less at an end of the week office function will mean and how it will affect ....whatever this is beyond stupid.

The line isn't as definitive as some may think and as I have learnt.

again...another poor me, I'm a victim statement. The line has been pretty clearly drawn for as long as I can remember. Don't drink and drive. Ya there's technically a legal limit, but as far as I'm concerned anyone that really wants to flirt with that limit is pretty stupid and shouldn't be on the road, regardless of whether or not they've had anything to drink.

[Thor]

How times have changed, 20 years ago people drinking and driving wasn't nearly as taboo as it is today. I mean thinking back so many people I knew would have drinks and drive, not be drunk mind you but probably close or over the limit each time.

Now I can't think of a person I know that would take that risk, especially here in Iceland where tolerance is even lower than in Canada.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Thor

How times have changed, 20 years ago people drinking and driving wasn't nearly as taboo as it is today. I mean thinking back so many people I knew would have drinks and drive, not be drunk mind you but probably close or over the limit each time.

Now I can't think of a person I know that would take that risk, especially here in Iceland where tolerance is even lower than in Canada.

I recall driving home one night many years ago... I kept it together really well, drove properly, didn't draw any attention to myself, pulled up at home, stepped out of the car... and did a face-plant on the lawn...

[Tron_fdc]

You're going to lose your license for 6 months regardless. Go get a lawyer. Be prepared to pay around $10 000.00 to get off, more or less, depending on how hard it is to defend your case.

I've never had a DUI, but I've known PLENTY of people that have, and that's what they all went through.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Thor

How times have changed, 20 years ago people drinking and driving wasn't nearly as taboo as it is today. I mean thinking back so many people I knew would have drinks and drive, not be drunk mind you but probably close or over the limit each time.

Now I can't think of a person I know that would take that risk, especially here in Iceland where tolerance is even lower than in Canada.

It really is crazy. I remember leaving a bar when I was around 18 and we got pulled over. The cops made us all get out of the car and then picked which one of us looked the most sober and told us to go straight home.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by hmmhmmcamo

OK this post is where you REALLY lost me. I understand people make mistakes. I've made mistakes...it happens.

But your response here is ridiculous!

This would be a fair question if you only had 1 beer...but by your own admission you had way more than that. So it's not relevant at all. This is you being stupidly defensive when really you don't have the sack to be honest about your mistakes..

I agree with everything in this post - the fact that someone is trying to use the "I don't know how much I had to drink because it is a house drink" excuse is laughable at best and stupid as all hell at worst.

The worst part is that you (the original poster) know the laws but you just think that they shouldn't apply to you for whatever reason. I could understand to a certain degree if it was really low but when you are closer to twice the legal limit than you are to the legal limit (0.13), it isn't a case of being tipsy, that is a case of being stupid drunk, which would go a long way to describing why you thought you were not drunk at all actually.

If I were you I would invest in a bus pass.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

I recall driving home one night many years ago... I kept it together really well, drove properly, didn't draw any attention to myself, pulled up at home, stepped out of the car... and did a face-plant on the lawn...

I remember seeing my dad come home late a couple of nights a week always being trailed by the Cops who wanted to make sure he got home without killing somebody.

But then again back then when I was 8, we were already stealing liquor from our parents, had found the phony coke can labels in rolling stones magazine, and invited girls out to fish creek to get blasted.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I remember seeing my dad come home late a couple of nights a week always being trailed by the Cops who wanted to make sure he got home without killing somebody.
.

My dad was coming home from the bar one night hammered and got pulled over. He was clearly corked but the officer simply asked him "how far from here do you live". He responded "about 10 minutes" and the copy just told him "OK man just take it nice and slow".

Different times for sure.

[zamler]

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, we don't live in a black and white world.

Not a good argument. Sometimes you need to drive in less than ideal conditions, in fact many peoples livelihood depends on it. There is no time that you need to drink, and then get behind the wheel.

Originally Posted by flameswin

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.

If you are speeding, you can correct that very easily before something bad happens, step on the brake. If you are impaired and driving, the only correction is to stop driving.

As long as people think that a certain amount of alcohol is okay, there will always be drunk driving related accidents and deaths. Only when it becomes socially unacceptable to drive after consuming any amount of booze will the problem be greatly reduced.

[Hevishot]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

You're going to lose your license for 6 months regardless. Go get a lawyer. Be prepared to pay around $10 000.00 to get off, more or less, depending on how hard it is to defend your case.

I've never had a DUI, but I've known PLENTY of people that have, and that's what they all went through.

X2 This is the route atleast 4 of my friends have taken pay and make it go away.

[Ne7en]

Originally Posted by hmmhmmcamo

OK this post is where you REALLY lost me. I understand people make mistakes. I've made mistakes...it happens.

But your response here is ridiculous!

Quote: Honest question. Have you ever had a beer then drove? Ever?

This would be a fair question if you only had 1 beer...but by your own admission you had way more than that. So it's not relevant at all. This is you being stupidly defensive when really you don't have the sack to be honest about your mistakes.

It is a fair question. As this is a matter of legal limit rather than how many drinks. There are people who would blow in the neighborhood of .08 even after 1 drink.

Quote:
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.

This statement is borderline ######ed. You really have no idea how 1, 2 or 3 drinks affect you....really? No seriously....REALLY? It's not a difficult line at all. This thread isn`t about whether or not it`s possible to consume a minimal amount of alcohol and still be able to drive safely. You have specifically stated that you consumed closer to 4-5 drinks before driving. To think you can drive safety after that is...

If you are capable of telling me where your blood alcohol level sits after 1, 2, or 3 drinks then i'm impressed. Numerous factors play into it, that is why I said the .08 is not a definitive line. I used to sound just like you, saying I knew how a number of drinks affects my body, not the case when it is measured. To simply suggest that over .08 for everyone = similar driving response times for everyone is something I would not agree with.

Quote:
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.
Again...######ed statement. The last thing we as a society should be concerned with is what drinking less at an end of the week office function will mean and how it will affect ....whatever this is beyond stupid.

Seems the only solution for you is to ban alcohol. Try not to concentrate on one example. There are numerous scenarios where people gather for a social drink.

Quote:
The line isn't as definitive as some may think and as I have learnt.

again...another poor me, I'm a victim statement. The line has been pretty clearly drawn for as long as I can remember. Don't drink and drive. Ya there's technically a legal limit, but as far as I'm concerned anyone that really wants to flirt with that limit is pretty stupid and shouldn't be on the road, regardless of whether or not they've had anything to drink.

None of my posts suggest a poor me attitude, so stop with the annoying plot to make me look like i'm trying to gather sympathy, because i'm not. To clarify once again I don't condone drinking and driving. I'm actually more against it than I ever have been.

[iggyformayor]

Originally Posted by Ne7en

None of my posts suggest a poor me attitude, so stop with the annoying plot to make me look like i'm trying to gather sympathy, because i'm not. To clarify once again I don't condone drinking and driving. I'm actually more against it than I ever have been.

You're looking for someone to tell you that you shouldn't be getting fined/charged as much as you might be because you "only had a few drinks" and "thought you were ok to drive". I don't have any sympathy for you nor do I hope you get off easy. The harder the punishment for those who drink and drive the better. Please explain to my friends 3 young children that the drunk ####### who killed their father "only had a few drinks" and thought he would be "ok to drive", therefore he shouldn't loose his license, let alone be charged with vehicular manslaughter. If you drink, DON'T ####ING DRIVE.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Ne7en

None of my posts suggest a poor me attitude, so stop with the annoying plot to make me look like i'm trying to gather sympathy, because i'm not. To clarify once again I don't condone drinking and driving. I'm actually more against it than I ever have been.

You are against other people drinking and driving it seems - I would actually respect you more if you could just say - I f'd up. You are trying to play a shell game of saying that you were not actually drunk - you blew a 0.13. That is drunk, there is no way around that.

You aren't out to gather sympathy but you sure are trying to minimize the impact of it with "house drinks" and odd arguments about how someone could drink one beer (which you admit you didn't) and still blow a 0.08.

[Locke]

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.

HAHA! My buddies and I went to bar in Idaho that had one with single-use disposable mouthpieces. You bought one for a dollar and then blew. We played it like a drinking game!

Originally Posted by Superfraggle

The bolded part is the problem. "know" should be "think", because people who believe they are fully capable of driving are frequently wrong. It isn't necessarily whether you are capable of getting a vehicle from point A to point B...it's the reduced reaction time and judgement. You'll still get away with it most of the time, but will lose when something happens that requires a bit higher competence, such as other drivers, pedestrians, etc.

Not trying to attack you individually here. Just trying to point out where the problem is.

Best advice, though, is Troutman's.

Its not capitalized.

"Of course I drove home officer, I'm too drunk to walk!"

[Russic]

To start out, I'm not meaning to pile on Ne7en at all. A mistake was made to which he's owning up to (merely asking what to expect and what protocol is). I'm enormously sensitive to this situation, but I'm not seeing him fishing for sympathy or trying to prove his innocence. He's owned up to what he drank and asked if what he blew was a reasonable expectation. People said it was and he didn't argue that.

What I don't get is the claim that you aren't allowed to call him out for being dumb if you've ever done anything wrong in your life. I just don't get this line of reasoning and why it's so prevalent on CP. I've never driven after a single drink, but I have driven while tired and I have sent a text message while in motion. That doesn't mean I'm not allowed to voice the opinion that Ne7en made a tubo-######ed move. Just to switch it around, if I decide to take my dog to a park restricted to dogs and get a ticket for it next week, it would be totally reasonable for Ne7en to say I made a stupid decision. Stupid decisions are stupid decisions.

I've heard the "I thought I was fine" argument so many times that if you're going to drive after drinking I feel you NEED a personal rule similar to others in this thread (2 drink max for example). Even if you set the idea of hurting or killing another person aside the financial burdens alone are incredible.

[CaptainCrunch]

When you blow a .13 you're pretty much trashed, thats not slightly over, your approaching that double over.

at .10 to .19 your symptoms are usually

Over-expression
Emotional swings
Anger or sadness
Boisterousness
Decreased libido

The effects at .10 to .19 are

Reflexes
Reaction time
Gross motor control
Staggering
Slurred speech
I always have trouble with people that say, I thought I was ok when they blow past that.10 mark. Your noticably drunk.

[macker]

This is one area where the system is flawed and people are always going to try to find a way to pay someone for their sins. Until this changes people will continue to abuse the system and put other peoples lives at risk. I have been hit by two drunk drivers and still have a messed up jaw as a reminder of the time I was responsible and taking a cab home from a bar and someone else plowed into the cab. The other time the guy who hit me went into the bar and started pounding back as I remained at the scene waiting for the police etc and wondering where this guy had dissapeared to. He knew the system very well As a result I don't have any sympothy for people that made a choice to drink and drive and I can't even imagine how those people feel that have other people kill people that they love as a result of their choice/mistake.

[Regular_John]

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.

Yup that's my policy as well. One beer with a meal and that's it, getting a second beer? Not driving.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Locke

HAHA! My buddies and I went to bar in Idaho that had one with single-use disposable mouthpieces. You bought one for a dollar and then blew. We played it like a drinking game!

Not sure if anybody in the older crowd remembers, but The Den used to have a breathalyzer. We used to do the same thing you're talking about...it was a good party once you blew twice the legal limit.

It makes so much sense though...I don't know why as citizens we are expected to "feel" when we've had too many drinks. That's the worst idea ever. It's like the cops having radar guns and taking away our speedometers.

[Champion]

Originally Posted by Ne7en

Now before you jump on me, hear me out...
After only 3 drinks I was pulled over and arrested for blowing over .08. It sounds like a cliche, but I sincerely felt that I was capable of driving. The terrible reality that you are "one of those people" is the worst feeling. I understand what I did was wrong and am prepared to take my lumps as I deserve it.

My question is for anyone else who has gone through this...
What kind of penalties did you receive?
What was your blood/alcohol level?

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

Well, you will get a criminal record for sure, unless you get lucky and get off with a really really good lawyer. It also depends on the judge. You will get a fine of at least $600 from what I know. You will lose your license I think for at least 1 year. I think it also takes 3 years for you to apply for a pardon so at least it will be gone for you if you don't do it again.

It's actually insane how many people will drink and drive. I have seen TONS have way more than you and drive, but never get caught.