A Permanent Scarlet Letter?

[urglewurgle]

If you do something once it is an accident.

but is it an "accident" to get behind a wheel when you're drunk?

i dunno about this one... i mean, it only takes that one time to kill someone right?

i think it should probably not after the first offence... but after the second there should be *something* to warn other road users that this person is not responsable... and does not care about the lives of others on the road...

 

[disykat]

I can see during probation, etc. I have a friend who had a DUI a few years before I met him. He smashed his car, but no one was hurt - thankfully. It was a hard lesson, but he learned it. He hasn't taken a drink since and it's been 18 years. I'd hate to see him and his family having to have that mark on their vehicles.

 

[Texan Mouseketeer]

When I was younger, I knew someone who's dad had been caught so many times the police hooked up a breathelizer to his car - it wouldn't start until you breathed into this thing. When the son had to borrow the car, he had to do it every time to get it started. I thought it was a good idea and always wondered why I never saw or heard of it again after that...

 

[barkley]

When I was younger, I knew someone who's dad had been caught so many times the police hooked up a breathelizer to his car - it wouldn't start until you breathed into this thing. When the son had to borrow the car, he had to do it every time to get it started. I thought it was a good idea and always wondered why I never saw or heard of it again after that...

there are some jurisdictions (i believe some parts of nevada) that do these (i recall seeing something on a documentary wherein a man with multiple convictions for dui had his lawyer use this as a bargaining chip to swing probation vs. jail time, but he conceded that he could just get a teenager to breath into it for him in exchange for buying the kid a bottle ).

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

When I was younger, I knew someone who's dad had been caught so many times the police hooked up a breathelizer to his car - it wouldn't start until you breathed into this thing. When the son had to borrow the car, he had to do it every time to get it started. I thought it was a good idea and always wondered why I never saw or heard of it again after that...

We have those here. They have to blow every 30 minutes or the car will shut off. My DH's friends son has had multiple DUI convictions - I think he's on his 3rd. She's paid for all of his legal bills and he makes really good money in his career - but she takes care of everything. After the first DUI - he was on probation, the second got him more probation and an "interlock" system (the breathalizer for the car), with the third he go his license revoked and spent a weekend in jail. It's just by the grace of God he hasn't killed anyone yet. She moved him to California to work and he was able to get a regular license there. When his drinking got out of hand she moved him back to work here. He'll have a provisional license in February I think - I'm hoping he's not working here in the area.

I really don't have a problem with the license plate. Maybe the peer pressure would do more to help get these people to quit drinking and driving. DH and I ALWAYS decide when we go out who will be the DD for the evening. We may have done stupid things when we were younger but I'm hoping that we've learned something with age.

Oh and yes I know several really great people that were killed by drunk drivers including one of my son's 8 year old schoolmates and his dad.

 

[eeyore kelly]

I like the idea for a second offense.

 

[kydisneyfans]

After the second offense, the person should not be able to get plates period, let alone a red tagged one. This is a stupid crime that is nobody's fault but their own-yet it often jeopardizes the general public to the point of killing innocent people.

Maybe if we would get tough with laws, crime would drop-especially stupid things like this.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

If you do something once it is an accident. People make mistakes.

Uh, are you kidding me? It was an accident to get drunk? It was an accident to CHOSE to get into a car and drive drunk? It was an accident to hit an innocent person on your way home?? Come on now.

 

[bicker]

Plus what if the spouse is going for a job interview and the family has one car and the spouse shows up for the interview with the DUI plates. Bet it will make the employer think twice about hiring that person.

Indeed: What is the law trying to promote? Divorce? How is that constructive?

Someone driving a car while intoxicated is as dangerous as a person commiting an armed robbery.

We're not talking about the specific moment the person is driving under the influence, but rather what about afterwards? Someone who once drove a car while intoxicated is nowhere near as dangerous as someone who once committed an armed robbery.

Maybe if we would get tough with laws, crime would drop-especially stupid things like this.

Maybe we should start this effort with the people who actually intend to commit crime?

I never drink alcohol, myself, and I'm all for addressing the problems of DUI, but to force people convicted of DUI into the underworld is counter-productive. These people can be helped, while I'm not so sure we can say be as sure about that with regard to the people who rape and kill, so I think we should focus some more attention on toughening up the laws as it pertains to those more egregious crimes.

 

[sweet angel]

Uh, are you kidding me? It was an accident to get drunk? It was an accident to CHOSE to get into a car and drive drunk? It was an accident to hit an innocent person on your way home?? Come on now.

It was a mistake in judgment. It happens all the time. MOST people learn from their mistakes.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Bad judgement? Sure. An accident? Nope, sorry. Not IMO.

 

[bicker]

I think focusing on the word "accident" isn't the point: The issue is intent, and a fundamental characteristic of law is that crime with intent is a greater offense than crime without intent.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Bicker, very true. I'm sure the majority of drunk drivers don't intend to go out and kill someone. I was just appalled by the poster's comment and wanted to add my thoughts.

 

[sweet angel]

I don't think she meant "accident" the way you're taking it. She was equating an "accident" with a "mistake". Perhaps not accurate, but no harm was intended, I'm sure.

If you spill your milk, you had an accident. You accidentally spilled your milk. You also made a mistake in judgment -- maybe over-poured or knocked into the glass. In that case, there's an accident and a mistake.

This isn't about semantics though...

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

The comment about the spouse driving the car with the special plates to a job interview...I really don't think most employers even see the cars that their interviewee's drive - and besides if they were the guilty party they would have to admit it on their application anyway. Any job I ever interviewed for wanted to know if you had been convicted of any crime - misdermeanor or otherwise.

 

[Aidensmom]

I am sure just about everyone knows of someone who has driven after drinking, maybe even yourself. There are some people who drive drunk all the time, and just have not been caught. There are also many who have had one DUI conviction and have NEVER driven after drinking again, or even do not drink alcohol at all anymore.

I don't think anyone's character can be judged on the basis that they have had one DUI. Most people learn from this mistake. I don't think this license plate would be appropriate punishment for this situation. To me this seems more of a method to humiliate someone than to try to solve the problem of drunk driving.

 

[urglewurgle]

Maybe we should start this effort with the people who actually intend to commit crime?

surely this would be a good deterrent??

and.. yes... someone might do it once... and learn from that... but they might also kill an entire family on that "first time"... they are just lucky if they don't...

 

[bicker]

My point is that there are far more egregious crimes for which we aren't applying such draconian penalties -- penalties that extend beyond the criminal to the criminal's family.

 

[cardaway]

Totally pointless. Jail time, every time. Anything else is a joke.

 

[urglewurgle]

i agree, but that's not the focus of the discussion..

penalties that extend beyond the criminal to the criminal's family.
just remember... if the drunk driver killed, or even injured someone, then their actions would effect the family, friends, neighbours of the victim...
and... if anyone is worried about their family being victimised due to this.. then all they need to do is NOT drink-drive.. simple.