re: How bad is a DUI?

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Dui laws are overwhelmingly about money

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I don't care if they are 99.9% about money. If it keeps someone like you from killing someone like me who doesn't drink and drive, it's worth it.

You're a dumbass. Gump though, not surprising.

Yeah, there is no doubt it is just about the money. If it was about safety the laws would be different.

My dui arrest from several years ago was just a cop on the dui task force trying to make his numbers of arrests. Pulled me over for making a right hand turn and pulling into the middle lane on a six lane highway (3 lanes in each direction) and pulling into the middle lane instead of the right lane closest to the curb. Ticket was for illegal wide turn not maintaining lane.

There was no traffic either as it was 1am.

Anyway, blew a .07 and passed the field sobriety test except the eye test which you can't pass if you have had anything to drink. When he was booking me I chatted with him and he made a comment about "some nights you get lucky, some you dont" in referring to nights he does or doesn't arrest people. Further a cop on the OT said some cops want to work a Fri night to get some dui arrests so they get better shifts during the month once they log a few in a given week.

Then you see how the system takes in billions and everyone gets paid, you quickly realize it is a multi billion dollar industry that employs a lot of people who depend on it to make bank.

That is the reality.

Well, I've never know one to care in the professional world.

In one interview I was asked if I had anything in my past they should be aware of I immediately said a dui and gave a brief explanation. Response was we don't care about that. Told a big 4 accounting firm before interviewing before that one and they said no big deal.

Also told my employer at the time, a financial institution, when I got it. They asked if my drivers liscense was suspended as a result. I said no, because I blew and was under the bac where they automatically suspend. They said ok, carry on.

The laws are stupid. I did a lot of research into this when the system tried to take a bite out of my arse, which was unjustified IMO.

I've posted here before on how the laws would look if safety was the motivator instead of money.

Unfortunately the laws are written to extort money from people, not to better U.S. society.

Therefore I take issue with them. I am one that analyzes and does not blindly accept. Dui laws as they currently stand are horseshite and hugely hypocritical and need to be re-written. Plenty of people know this, few have the balls to speak up.

By the way, briefly the big picture parts of the law that need to be changed (I owe a recommendation if Im going to saw something needs changing):

Something like 80% of fatalities and injuries from alcohol related accidents involve a blood alcohol level of .16 or above. It increases exponentially at .2 and above.

The current .08 is a joke considering the harsh penalties. A .08-.10 should be a traffic citation only as it is difficult to show any impairment at all at that level. Talking on the phone or texting or being tired when driving is similar to a .08, yet most dui arrests are at these low levels because there is money to be made.

Second a driver should have to show some type of erratic driving,or something to be pullled over.

Third, penalties for even a first offense should be greater for anyone that blows a .16 or above.

Fourth, refusing to blow should carry a very stiff penalty so everyone has to blow. If you had a reasonable legal limit with lighter penalties on the low end and harsher on the high end, stiff refusal to blow penalties would be ok.

If this issue was about safety and not money, my 4 suggestions above would reflect that. However, it would also cripple the system and billions of dollars would stay in the pockets of individuals instead of the courts, state, cops, and lawyers.

Can't have that though.

If I got a DUI I would be ordered into an alcohol counseling and be forced to take random tests. If the second one happened I would be fired. That is off hours. If it happend during work hours before 8 pm I would be fired no questions asked. So to me, they are horrible.

Do the research yourself lazy fricker.

I did and and the research that shows studies to support significant impairment at .08 was funded by madd and the nhtsa.
In the real world, the vast majority of alcohol related traffic deaths occur at .16 and .20 or above. The laws should and penalties should reflect the realities.

However most people are just sheep these days and accept what they are fed. Like sheep do.

Couple of facts according to actual traffic fatalities:

1. Last decade, over 70% of alcohol related/dui traffic fatalties occurred at a BAC of .16 or above.

2. Less than 1% involved a BAC of .08 or lower.

It is all about the money. As I said, if it wasn't my 4 recommendations would be the reality, not the horshit dui laws we have today.

Also, imagine if we locked up everyone who has ever driven after 3-4 drinks. It is a criminal offense punishable by jail time afterall. Most of the population would likely be in jail.