The drink driving laws are a form of tyranny

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

That's horrible. They should have at least appreciated he didn't drive drunk. Again, this is another reason why I firmly believe the cops care more about making money for their localities via fines than keeping people safe.

 

[BVS]

Okay now here's a story for you! On Halloween night my roommate and I had a party. There were those there who were 19 and 20 and drinking but that was their own risk we did not give it to them. The stupid rednecks next door also had a party and they had loud rednecks and slutz over there. We were both playing music but theirs was louder. Someone somewhere called the cops which I never thought would happen because this is a shithole crack neighborhood where no one wants cops around but whatever someone did. Somebody told us there were 8 cops on the street who got out and were walking around with flashlights. We turned off the music and the lights and layed low. I didn't realize the terror of the situation at the time because I was so drunk but everyone came into my room and sat on the bed and looked out the window. Luckily they never came to the door or bugged us about noise, underage drinking, etc, and they left. We thought it was over but....

after they were gone awhile some of the party goers decided to leave. There were two girls 19 and 20 and the one driving was drunk and pregnant. Next thing I know the passenger girl called me on her cell phone and was crying that they had been pulled for drunk driving and the other girl was being pressed against the car, searched and getting handcuffed all the while shrieking that because her mom was a cop in the next town they couldn't do her that way. Both girls were arrested for underage drunkeness, and the driver was getting a DUI when the cops actually called and verified that the girl's mom was a cop at which point they apologized and let them both go! SO! If you are 19, pregnant and driving drunk but your mom is a cop, it's not a crime!

A guy who had also left was gotten for DUI because he did not have a relative who was a cop. So the moral of the story is:

If the cops are watching the party and leave, don't think they're gone, they're hiding down the road waiting for you to leave so they can nab you for DUI because this is a bigger moneymaking crime than just disturbing the peace or underage drinking. This proves that they do not care about safety only money. If they really wanted to keep the road safe from my friends they'd have been spying on them getting into the car and then gone up and said, hey, you're drunk, don't you drive that car, I'll take you home or call you a cab or you go back in your friends' place but don't drive. No, they only wanted the money. That is, unless someone's mom is a cop, then it's perfectly fine.

See how twisted and stupid it all is?

Oh, there's a lot of morals to be derived from that story, the least of which is the one you point out.

Leave the car at home and walk, you'll be fine fined.

Police: Drunk Lebanon County man hitched a ride from a state cop
By CHRIS A. COUROGEN, The Patriot-News
October 30, 2009, 9:32AM
Scott E. Heffelfinger was walking home from a bar on Jonestown Road in Union Township, Lebanon County, when he tried to hitch a ride from a passing state police patrol car. Hefflinger got that ride home, but he also received a citation for public drunkenness, state police said.


According to police, troopers were on patrol around 1:30 this morning on Jonestown Road when they observed Heffelfinger, 47, of Hemlock Drive in Fredericksburg, staggering and struggling to keep his balance. When they approached him, Heffelfinger stuck out his thumb, apparently to hitch a ride, police said.

Troopers questioned Heffelfinger, who told them he was walking home from Pa's Place, a bar in the 400 block of Jonestown Road. Police said he displayed multiple signs of being intoxicated.

That's horrible. They should have at least appreciated he didn't drive drunk. Again, this is another reason why I firmly believe the cops care more about making money for their localities via fines than keeping people safe.

"Appreciated he didn't drive drunk"? What if while hitching a ride he staggered out into the street and got hit by a car, or caused an accident because the car swerved to miss him? He was still a danger...

 

[HyperU2]

"Appreciated he didn't drive drunk"? What if while hitching a ride he staggered out into the street and got hit by a car, or caused an accident because the car swerved to miss him? He was still a danger...

Paranoid.

 

[BVS]

Paranoid.

Nice try...

but that's the point of many laws. School zone traffic laws are preventative measures, are you going to call them all "paranoid"?

 

[HyperU2]

Do you feel that no one should drink in bars?

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

Yeah Hyper, I agree, that's really grasping at straws there. If he was so 'in danger' that's even more reason to do the right thing and just take him home but not cause him more grief by bringing charges against him. Poor guy his life must have been a mess anyway. I know from experience, these fines only make things worse. People need help not another bill to pay- so again it all comes back to the fact that localities and cops are more interested in getting money than stopping drunks or helping them. The more who get drunk and the more repeat offenders, the more $$$$!

And while I'm at it, I am sick to death of all the outrageous, worst case scenario new laws aimed allegedly at 'safety.' I could make a long list, including some that are now trying to ban roadside vegetable stands. In one of my classes we were discussing this- the 'man' needs to keep everyone controlled by something, it used to be religion but that's losing its hold on many so the next thing is fear itself! Keep everyone afraid of everything, paranoid that something 'might' happen so they'll always be afraid and that way the man can keep them in line better- but I still think $$$ is the main objective!

Oh and does no one care that my friend got off because her mom is a cop? That's corruption and should be more illegal than drunk driving.

 

[HyperU2]

Well if they cared about safety over money they'd put interlock in every car, but first they should stop making cars that go over 50mph.

 

[BVS]

Do you feel that no one should drink in bars?

I do all the time, what's your point?

 

[HyperU2]

I do all the time, what's your point?

Just wondering how close to prohibition you support.

 

[BVS]

If he was so 'in danger' that's even more reason to do the right thing and just take him home but not cause him more grief by bringing charges against him.

"Cause him more grief"?

The law is not designed to be empathetic to someone's bad day, "yeah he was a danger, but the poor guy had a bad day, that's why he got so drunk"...

 

[BVS]

Just wondering how close to prohibition you support.

Not once have I gotten close to prohibition, but nice try...

Fail again.

 

[HyperU2]

Just checking. I can see you being on board for that.

 

[BVS]

I can see you being on board for that.

I'm for the legalization of most drugs, but I also believe in taking responsibilities for your actions.

Once again, nice try, but fail...

Maybe you should quit trying. Never have I made a post that suggest I'm on board for prohibition.

 

[HyperU2]

I didn't mean that you had, just that you seem like the type that could. I think you prefer more and more legislation while wanting legalization. Odd. The DUI laws reallly screw marijuana users hard.

 

[BVS]

Well you think wrong...

And um, that's because marijuana is still illegal. Of course DUI laws are going to apply to them, they should apply to those on prescriptions too if it's impaired their judgement.

 

[HyperU2]

The problem with THC driving is you could have been stoned on Monday and involved in a crash that wasn't your fault on Thursday. When they test your blood, DUI.

 

[AEON]

"Appreciated he didn't drive drunk"? What if while hitching a ride he staggered out into the street and got hit by a car, or caused an accident because the car swerved to miss him? He was still a danger...

I have to agree with you here. People wandering around the streets sloshed and rolling into the streets isn't a good thing either. Public drunkeness is a misdeamnor for a reason.

 

[BVS]

The problem with THC driving is you could have been stoned on Monday and involved in a crash that wasn't your fault on Thursday. When they test your blood, DUI.

I've never heard of such a situation.

If this is truly the case then you opt for the breathalizer, unless you're a fool.

 

[HyperU2]

It occurs, but mostly in accidents. One of the gems I learned about in DUI education, even the people teaching the class were against it. The breathalyzer isn't an option if you're taken via ambulance to the hospital.

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

One of the gems I learned about in DUI education, even the people teaching the class were against it.

Speaking of the people teaching it, my Dad is still in the class where the 22 year old 'therapist/teacher' gives them busy work and then sits back and plays with her cell phone. It's only a moneymaking scam. Even our insurance agent says so, even before we did.

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

I didn't mean that you had, just that you seem like the type that could. I think you prefer more and more legislation while wanting legalization. Odd. The DUI laws reallly screw marijuana users hard.

Oh yeah, that's another moneymaking scam. The only reason pot is still illegal is because too many localities would lose the fines and too many lawyers would lose the cases they get for those convicted of possession. I don't know anyone (including parents) who hasn't had their car searched even on minor traffic stops (sometimes for something that wasn't even really happening) because they always hope they can find that roach or bag and more money for them! Pot is not worse than booze or the pyschological drugs so many people now find themselves on. The ONLY difference is- the right' people are getting the money (pharmacutical companies, big whiskey companies, and of course the gov't and localities) Legalize pot and give jobs to people growing and selling it now considered 'criminals' and you'd have a big boost to the economy for different people, as well as less in jail and court burdening the system. Maybe the high ups don't like that, because they like keeping certain people down and making the money off of them.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Leave the car at home and walk, you'll be fine fined.

Police: Drunk Lebanon County man hitched a ride from a state cop
By CHRIS A. COUROGEN, The Patriot-News
October 30, 2009, 9:32AM
Scott E. Heffelfinger was walking home from a bar on Jonestown Road in Union Township, Lebanon County, when he tried to hitch a ride from a passing state police patrol car. Hefflinger got that ride home, but he also received a citation for public drunkenness, state police said.


According to police, troopers were on patrol around 1:30 this morning on Jonestown Road when they observed Heffelfinger, 47, of Hemlock Drive in Fredericksburg, staggering and struggling to keep his balance. When they approached him, Heffelfinger stuck out his thumb, apparently to hitch a ride, police said.

Troopers questioned Heffelfinger, who told them he was walking home from Pa's Place, a bar in the 400 block of Jonestown Road. Police said he displayed multiple signs of being intoxicated.

I'm more wondering about the fact that the article doesn't provide a description of how to reach his house. Oh, and a contact number would be fine.

Wow, those articles do give away some information about people...

Is there a law in that area that you are not allowed to be drunk in public? Otherwise he could go against it, couldn't he?

 

[HyperU2]

He basically lives in the middle of nowhere. They can bust you for whatever they want, if the choose. Of course the amount of "staggering" he was doing is the cops story. Hopefully the charges will be dropped.

 

[BVS]

Speaking of the people teaching it, my Dad is still in the class where the 22 year old 'therapist/teacher' gives them busy work and then sits back and plays with her cell phone. It's only a moneymaking scam. Even our insurance agent says so, even before we did.

To say drunk driving laws are "ONLY a money making SCAM" is completely laughable.

Oh yeah, that's another moneymaking scam. The only reason pot is still illegal is because too many localities would lose the fines and too many lawyers would lose the cases they get for those convicted of possession.

Really? You don't think status quo or the religious have anything to do with it? I would think there are VERY VERY few places that have lawyers or localities where their main revenue is pot posession.

I don't know anyone (including parents) who hasn't had their car searched even on minor traffic stops (sometimes for something that wasn't even really happening) because they always hope they can find that roach or bag and more money for them!

I'm really beginning to wonder where you live...

Pot is not worse than booze or the pyschological drugs so many people now find themselves on. The ONLY difference is- the right' people are getting the money (pharmacutical companies, big whiskey companies, and of course the gov't and localities) Legalize pot and give jobs to people growing and selling it now considered 'criminals' and you'd have a big boost to the economy for different people, as well as less in jail and court burdening the system. Maybe the high ups don't like that, because they like keeping certain people down and making the money off of them.

Once again, I really don't think these are the people stopping the legalization of pot...

 

[anitram]

Oh yeah, that's another moneymaking scam. The only reason pot is still illegal is because too many localities would lose the fines and too many lawyers would lose the cases they get for those convicted of possession.

Hahahaha!! Are you for real??

You think that lawyers are walking around getting wealthy off defending petty pot possession charges? And that this massive loss of revenue is a reason why the laws exist?

LOL.

Every once in a while I read a really good one here on the forums.

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

Hahahaha!! Are you for real??

You think that lawyers are walking around getting wealthy off defending petty pot possession charges? And that this massive loss of revenue is a reason why the laws exist?

LOL.

Every once in a while I read a really good one here on the forums.

Yes. I've been in court for tickets and arraignments (by myself and several others) and have noticed that about 80-90% of the cases that come up to be heard are minor pot possession. (many of these are secondary after pot was found during a traffic stop, as I mentioned before) I have come to this conclusion honestly. If pot were legal, some lawyers would lose over half their business and localities would lose a heap in petty fines. I stand by my statement.

 

[anitram]

Do you have any idea how little a lawyer can charge for such a retainer? And are you aware of how difficult it is to collect from such clients in general?

You can stand by your statement all you want, doesn't make it any less silly.

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

Do you have any idea how little a lawyer can charge for such a retainer? And are you aware of how difficult it is to collect from such clients in general?

You can stand by your statement all you want, doesn't make it any less silly.

You don't know those people personally like I do. I am absolutely right. Laughing it off is not going to hide the reality behind it. Give me one other good reason pot isn't legalized by now. Go on.

 

[coolian2]

Give me one other good reason pot isn't legalized by now. Go on.

i want to say something so badly, but i shouldn't. i really shouldn't.

 

[BVS]

You don't know those people personally like I do. I am absolutely right. Laughing it off is not going to hide the reality behind it. Give me one other good reason pot isn't legalized by now. Go on.

There are a lot of reasons. Revenue is not one of them, for pharmaceutical companies, farmers, and taxes alone would bring in more income than petty misdemeanor charges...

Status quo and the religious right are probably two of the biggest reasons it's not legal.