Having read the article, that is the most reasonable drunk driving law I've ever heard about.

I'm ok with this, but throw the book at them the second time they get caught.

Bunnyhat: I'm ok with this, but throw the book at them the second time they get caught.

Exactly. Look, if you're gonna get caught doing something a vast majority of drinkers do, even though it's not the crazy dangerous falling asleep at the wheel running over babies kind of drunk driving...you get the mulligan. But now you are on notice.

And you can never again do something that a vast majority of drinkers do, even though it's not the crazy dangerous falling asleep at the wheel running over babies kind of drunk driving.

That is very reasonable. I'm a former cop and I can say that the majority of drunk-drivers are professionals (alcoholics). This would take care of the dude that does an oops, not a career drunk driver.

Pennsylvania has had this for years. They call it the ARD program. I was busted for DUI a couple years ago with a .08 BAC, and did the ARD program. Because my BAC was below .1, they called it "general impairment," and did not suspend my license. I had to do a bunch of classes, and pay a lot for them, but it was well worth it to have a clean criminal history.

Since then, I will not even have a single drink and then drive. While my record was wiped clean, if I get charged again within 10 years from the original arrest date, it will count as a second offense, with a minimum of 5 to 90 days in jail, depending on BAC (and up to 5 years). I learned my lesson.

dark side of the moon: It only takes driving impaired one time to cause an accident and kill someone.

True...but those are not the one who would be eligible for the program, now, are they?

This sounds like a good wake-up call for DUI kids and people who thought they could make it home from the New Year's Eve office party; who really shouldn't have an arrest permanently on their record. But at the same time, screw up again, and you get slammed.

I like it.

dark side of the moon: stickmangrit: dark side of the moon: It only takes driving impaired one time to cause an accident and kill someone.

and then you go to jail for vehicular manslaughter, which incidentally is a separate crime, and therefore not excused under this law.

Yes. What I'm afraid of is someone thinking "I can get busted one time and it won't matter", driving impaired then killing or seriously injuring someone.

Wizzin: Yea, because what this world really needs is more drunken morons on the road. "I haven't used my freebie yet, woohoo!"

This.

Stricter DUI laws don't really deter people who've never been caught. You're already impaired when you make the decision to drive, and you never really think it's going to happen to you anyway. Once you're caught, you'd still have to do the 48 hour jail thing, and have to go to court and get yelled at by some biatch judge, so the deterrent is still there. You just don't have to put it on a job application five years down the road.

Sounds reasonable, a first time offender would get to have a clean record after paying a lot of money. Win for the city with the $ generated, win for the driver with a break at a high $ cost. But whatever happened to cops using their better judgment depending on the situation? You know, like the old days? Back when a cop would actually use his judgment to determine if you were a risk or just happened to have one too many? Back when a cop wouldn't arrest you if you were cool, but instead allowed you to call someone to get you, or let you walk home and leave your vehicle there.

I'm all about locking up some scumbag repeat drunk driver who drives recklessly without regard for others, but what about the guy who is barely over the limit? You know, the guy who is doing nothing wrong, not driving reckless and not breaking any laws, but gets pulled over for no other reason then the cop wants to "check him out". Then said cop asks if he's been drinking, the guy says he had a few, and the breath test shows .1 over the limit. Really?

I had a buddy who was barely over the legal limit once, he didn't get pulled over, but had pulled over to the side of the road to check a tire. He wasn't breaking any laws, a passing cop saw him and decided to pull over to "check up" on him. Well, guess what? He gets a DUI for being over the limit while outside checking a tire. This cop witnessed nothing that would give him suspicion of a reckless drunk driver, he could have given him a break and told him to call for a ride, but oh no he couldn't do that. I guess he had a quota or something.

Had another buddy who would get drunk and drive recklessly because he was a drunken idiot, got 2 DUIs and deserved everything he got.

do i really have to do this?

George Cosenza

Phil Clinton: In Oregon I guess we have what you all would consider very weak DUII laws... When I was 21 I hit a fence and fled with a .26 (yes, that number is correct) did a weekend in county and was back on the road three months later and no conviction to haunt me... Then one year later on the same farking day I got another one with a .28 and did no jail time and lost my license for a year... However they did convict me for that one and turned my first into one as well seeing as I violated my probation by consuming alcohol...

/I'll drink anyone of you under the table and I'm only 24.
//waiting for all the hate to come my way for being an irresponsible douche (I was) and bullshiat advice on how to magically stop drinking.

Start smoking weed instead.

let me tell you about drinking and driving man....boy that shiat is fun man!...yo what you do is get yourself a forty right then you get on the freeway punch it to 85 then you turn off you lights let go of the steering wheel boy it would bug you out man i'm telling you

myinternetname: Let me guess, the same people who rant and rave against firearms are going to line up to support some crap like this?

Who are all these people you know that all absolutely agree every single time while discussing major, complex issues?

Sounds like it's time for some new friends.

dark side of the moon: It only takes driving impaired one time to cause an accident and kill someone.

FIDY