A Permanent Scarlet Letter?

[Aidensmom]

p.s.-your post sez the person was pulled over for speeding-so in actuality the individual was breaking not one but two laws (and i suspect with such a harsh sentencing there was more to their driving record than you've shared).

That is not an unusual penalty in Florida for a first time DUI, even if you have never so much as had a parking ticket before.

 

[kbkids]

tue story-18 year old girl driving to back from holiday vacation to college dorm. a "first time" drunk driver who entered the freeway and is traveling in the wrong direction hits her head on. girl is on life support for 3 days until her family makes the agonizing decision to "let her go".

fast forward 25 years (if fact 25 years this week). family is still traumatized, mother has been hospitalized repeated times for depression and suicidal thoughts, siblings have extensive emotional problems including loss and abandonment issues...

i'm not trying to be flippant about this-this happened to a good friend of mine a year ago this week-it tore her family apart the ALWAYS have to deal with it, every minute of every day.

i hardly think if this type of law passed it would be retroactive 25 years-however if i had (or a friend had) experienced this life altering brush with the law i would hope it would have always been out in the open with my family,not something kept hidden away. i would like to believe i could share it with my spouse, kids...as a learning experience that fortunatly did not cost someone elses life.

p.s.-your post sez the person was pulled over for speeding-so in actuality the individual was breaking not one but two laws (and i suspect with such a harsh sentencing there was more to their driving record than you've shared).

Totally understand where you're coming from. Honestly, not upset that the experienced happened or the degree of the punishment (grateful that no one was hurt), because had it not, the drinking would have probably continued and would have more than likely eventually ended up tragically.

Family does know - but does family have to explain it to everyone else 16 years later?

Speeding 55 in a 45 - still speeding, not arguing that - and I can assure you there was nothing else on the driving record, nor has there been since. FL laws are tough - that's a good thing as I said above, and they are actually tougher now than they were 16 years ago!

 

[barkley]

That is not an unusual penalty in Florida for a first time DUI, even if you have never so much as had a parking ticket before.

GOOD FOR FLORIDA!!! in california (if the person were convicted which is highly unlikly, esp. if they had friends in law enforcement such that they could release her w/o bond) they would likely get a slap on the wrist. no suspension of driving privlidges, no jail time, probably small amount of communtiy svc. and minor fine-absolutly no mandated aa on first offense-(in fact this is generaly implemented on the defendants part as a negotiating tool in lowering sentencing).

i am surprised about the posts that say people who have dui suspended lic. in other states are getting drivers lic. in california. if they are they are violating the law big time-they have not disclosed their convictions to our dmv. any parent who assists or supports a child in doing this is aiding and abetting a criminal act.

 

[kbkids]

esp. if they had friends in law enforcement such that they could release her w/o bond)

Knew somebody was going to pick up on that. Like I said, "luckily. . ." And just to add, it wasn't a HUGE benefit. He signed that he would be responsible if individual didn't show up in court. Had to get approval from judge, who stated that with individual's records, would have been more than likely released the next morning anyway. Whole process took forever, so was released about an hour earlier than would have been. Still - it was a benefit, not arguing that.

Honestly, he tried to get arresting officer to drop it. He refused because, in his words, "if she was friends with anyone else here but you, I would do it, because she really wasn't impaired at all." Officer was engaged to other officer's ex-girlfriend. Again, glad it happened though, learned a valuable lesson.

 

[Minnesota!]

I agree with this. In MN - if you have 2 DWI's in a 10 year span, your license plates reflect this with the letter "W" preceeding numbers/letters. These are called "Whiskey Plates" and a police officer can pull you over at any time if you have these plates and do a field sobriety test.

I think marking the cars is a great thing. My friend's son got a couple DWI's and all cars that he had access to, they needed these Whiskey Plates. So, my friend drove around in one. Didn't embarass her in the least. She sure didn't like WHY she had to do it, but she knew SHE wasn't the one that caused it..

 

[lillygator]

and for those who say they know people who have had a DUI and then never gone out and done it again, without them getting caught how would you know if they don't drink and drive?

 

[Aidensmom]

and for those who say they know people who have had a DUI and then never gone out and done it again, without them getting caught how would you know if they don't drink and drive?

I am one of those evil, never-do-good, don't-deserve-to-live people that had one DUI. I think I would know if I were to drink and drive.

 

[sweet angel]

I never had a DUI, but I did total my car about 18 years ago driving drunk. No one was hurt, except my car. I can honestly say that I have never had more than ONE drink since then and driven -- and the FEW times I've had even ONE drink and driven, I've been totally paranoid.

I figure, I got off scott-free once, I'm not about to push my luck.

 

[jenm2878]

and for those who say they know people who have had a DUI and then never gone out and done it again, without them getting caught how would you know if they don't drink and drive?

I'm one of those evil DUI'ers too. I have not driven with more then one drink in me since. BELIEVE ME, I paid my dues to society and don't wish for a repeat performance.

 

[jodifla]

The way the laws are being written today in some states, you can be charged even if you've only had one drink...or had your drinks last night. As of 2003 in Michigan, it's illegal to drive over .08, but even at lower limits them prosecutor can charge you if they like. It's pretty much trying to make every one a criminal who has a glass of wine with dinner.

It's out of control.

 

[DawnCt1]

p.s.-your post sez the person was pulled over for speeding-so in actuality the individual was breaking not one but two laws (and i suspect with such a harsh sentencing there was more to their driving record than you've shared).

Sixteen years is too long to carry the burden of a horrendous driving record and DUI for a one time incident. Its time for him to be able to have his record exsponged so he can move on and really put it behind him.

 

[sweet angel]

Certain criminal records cannot be expunged. Don't know if DUI is one that can't, or if it varies by state, but I know there are records that cannot be.

 

[DawnCt1]

I'm one of those evil DUI'ers too. I have not driven with more then one drink in me since. BELIEVE ME, I paid my dues to society and don't wish for a repeat performance.

I think most DUI'ers feel the same as you do and I think its unreasonable and excessive to require someone like you to identify yourself to the driving public for life.

 

[jodifla]

Sixteen years is too long to carry the burden of a horrendous driving record and DUI for a one time incident. Its time for him to be able to have his record exsponged so he can move on and really put it behind him.

wow....i actually agree with dawn on something. wow.

 

[DawnCt1]

wow....i actually agree with dawn on something. wow.

Conservatives really don't believe in intrusive government and the red license plate is extreme intrusiveness. We may as well have stocks in the town square.

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

Sixteen years is too long to carry the burden of a horrendous driving record and DUI for a one time incident. Its time for him to be able to have his record exsponged so he can move on and really put it behind him.

I agree.

 

[chell]

What worries me about this is driving someone elses car. I don't want someone to think that I had been drinking and driving before.

People drinking and driving is something that has touched my life in several ways - including people on both ends - but I still think it is wrong to mark someone for life. Sometimes people are stupid and learn from their mistakes, then there are others who don't.

If we as a society are going to start marking people I think we should mark child molesters and rapists!

 

[m&m's mom]

I was just on a DUI trial a couple of months ago.
Common scenario - recent college graduate out w/ friends and had too much to drink. Crashed into a brick wall which on the other side were several houses. If wood fence it could have been much worse.
Interesting thing here is the idiot hit his head when he hit the brick fence so his lawyer argued he failed field sobriety test because of head injury and not under the influence. Of course he refused blood alcohol test.
It was really a pretty smart defense. The lawyer did not have to argue actual evidence as there was no blood test.
We found him guilty. The judge came in later and told us he would not lose his license and would get probation. It sounded to me like a slap on the wrist.

There is a huge billboard next to my office that says "Drink, Drive, Go to Jail - Another Government Lie". I used to want to throw things at it - now I just feel very sad that is it true.

 

[C.Ann]

As adamant as I am about drinking and driving, I don't think it's fair to place that sort of stigma on the rest of the family just because one member is an idiot.. And as others have already pointed out, it would do nothing to deter the guilty party - they would just take their chances in the marked car or borrow a friends car.. Ditto for suspending their licenses.. They would just drive without them..

I think the better choice would be to make the penalty for the FIRST offense MUCH more severe and maybe - just maybe - it might make them think twice before they did it again..

 

[Shutterbug]

If we as a society are going to start marking people I think we should mark child molesters and rapists!

Here in Ohio they are considering this by making sexual offenders have pink license plates on all cars that they own.