Anyone been convicted of DUI after only one drink?

[cardaway]

I disagree. I drive all the time after having a drink, even several drinks. Studies have shown driving when stressed, upset, depressed, tired, etc. or poor weather conditions, cell phones, all kinds of things are just as hazardous if not MORE hazardous than driving with a .025 BOC.

I'll keep drinking and driving, it is perfectly safe. Or at least as safe as driving under any other set of conditions.

You have even better chances of winning a game of Russian roulete with a typical 6 shot pistol.

If I give you one, are you willing to play?

When people with these kind of attitudes slip up I hope somebody nails their butts to the wall. After that the police can deal with them.

 

[POB14]

Actually at 100 pounds she would be over the 0.08% limit that is the limit in most states (depending on the alcohol content of the beer).

Whoops, did it wrong, sorry. 91 pounds would do it.

Remember, in most states you can be drunk two ways:

1) Be at .08 or more
2) Be too intoxicated to drive.

 

[mcnuss]

I find it hard to believe that an average adult would blow .08 on one glass of wine, but I am not a scientist, so what do I know?? I have driven many times after one glass of wine and I do not believe that I am impaired, esp if I had the glass of wine with dinner and I am driving an hour or more later.

Remember, though, there's a HUGE difference between being stopped for, charged wtih, and/or convicted of DUI.

Sometimes the police will stop you bc your driving indicates to them that you may be impaired. They may even "take you in" - however, they may not actually charge you with DUI, just keep you off the roads for a while. Sometimes they arrest and charge you, in which case you will go to court. And if you go to court, the prosecutor still has to convict you.

In some states, the administrative penalties apply even if you "win" your court case, eg: you are found "not guilty" but you still lose your license.

 

[Chicago526]

In some states, the administrative penalties apply even if you "win" your court case, eg: you are found "not guilty" but you still lose your license.

Ummm...okay....how does that work? Legally you've done no wrong but you're still punished?

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Actually, in a lot of states now, like Michigan, ANY alcohol can get you arrested for DUI if the officer decides it has made you impaired.

This is the way it is in Washington DC. Of course the end result is that a lot of people drive into MD or VA to go to a restaurant (or stay there if that's where they live). According to our local news, there was a lady that was arrest for DUI after 1 drink, with a very low BAL.

 

[WIcruizer]

When people with these kind of attitudes slip up I hope somebody nails their butts to the wall. After that the police can deal with them.

I won't slip up, because I won't drive anywhere close to the legal limit. This is more PC in action- it sounds good to say we're against drinking in driving, but it's less dangerous than driving in snow, talking on the cell while driving, eating a bagel, driving in fog, while tired, etc.

So I'll continue to have a few drinks and drive, just as I have done for the past 25 years or so.

You have even better chances of winning a game of Russian roulete with a typical 6 shot pistol.

Again, a PC comment that sounds good but is not logical. I've driven far more than 6 times after drinking, so the analogy doesn't add up. You're saying someone that legally drinks and drives have worse odds than 1 in 6 ?

 

[mcnuss]

Ummm...okay....how does that work? Legally you've done no wrong but you're still punished?

Crazy, isn't it? If I recall correctly, this will only occur if the person refuses to take the Breathalyzer test...thre are probably other triggers but I can't remember them now!

 

[Aidensmom]

At my size and weight, 2 drinks in an hour would put me over the legal limit in FL, which is .08. I do know of someone who was arrested for DUI with a .06 however because the arresting officer found her to be what he considered intoxicated (she rarely drank). She got it reduced to reckless driving, but the penalties were exactly the same, just doesn't show as a DUI on your record.

 

[Chicago526]

There's a differance between driving after you've been drinking, and driving drunk. The problem is where the line between the two is. And the line is differant for differant people. But the law has to be specific, so most states picked .08 BAL as the line. Some people are not impaired at .08, but that's what the law is, so that's what we have to abide by.

All you can do, is at the end of the night decide if you feel up to driving. If you are too drunk, or too sleepy, or too whatever, then don't. Don't go by how many drinks you've had, or how much food you've eaten, but how you FEEL. I've had three drinks (over a whole evening) and felt fine, and have had one drink and been impaired (in my defense, the bartender was a friend and she made the drink strong, but she didn't TELL me that and I downed the whole thing in like 2 minutes. Fortunatly I didn't need to go any where for a few hours and stoped after that one drink, and anyway I wasn't driving).

It all comes down to personal resposibility.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Crazy, isn't it? If I recall correctly, this will only occur if the person refuses to take the Breathalyzer test...thre are probably other triggers but I can't remember them now!

When you sign your driver's license you are consenting to a breathalyzer test or other tests to determine if you are DUI. So yes, if you don't consent you will lose your license. However, it is often for a shorter period of time then if you are charged with or convicted of a DUI (and much cheaper). Do what you want with that info.

 

[Mom2be]

my brother was arrested and charged for DUI after being out with some friends. He said he had about 6 beers that evening. The police officer pulled him over because his tailight had gone out - in the process of talking to my brother she asked him to do a breathalizer - not wanting to seem against it - he agreed. He blew at .08 which is the legal limit - he was arrested.

Let me repeat he was not pulled over dangerous driving but becuase his tailight had gone out. Cost my family over $10,000 in court fees and lawyers.

~Amanda

 

[Chicago526]

Crazy, isn't it? If I recall correctly, this will only occur if the person refuses to take the Breathalyzer test...thre are probably other triggers but I can't remember them now!

Oh, I'd forgoten about refusing the test, that's the law here in IL, you CAN refuse, but they take away your license. I didn't know there were other triggers though.

 

[Chicago526]

my brother was arrested and charged for DUI after being out with some friends. He said he had about 6 beers that evening. The police officer pulled him over because his tailight had gone out - in the process of talking to my brother she asked him to do a breathalizer - not wanting to seem against it - he agreed. He blew at .08 which is the legal limit - he was arrested.

Let me repeat he was not pulled over dangerous driving but becuase his tailight had gone out. Cost my family over $10,000 in court fees and lawyers.

~Amanda

Sucks, but it IS the law, the officer wouldn't have been doing his job if he had let him go, and could have lost his job over it if it had been discovered he let your brother off.

 

[KimR]

I agree with WIcruizer. I can recall 3 times in the past year I've nearly been in an accident and every single time it was due to someone yakking away on a cell phone not paying attention to their driving. There's a good chance those same people would never drink and drive, yet they don't give a second thought to their own impaired judgment while they are engrossed in their conversations. Just going by my personal experience, it is a much bigger problem around here than DUI.

 

[cardaway]

This is more PC in action- it sounds good to say we're against drinking in driving, but it's less dangerous than driving in snow, talking on the cell while driving, eating a bagel, driving in fog, while tired, etc.

Hey, just like the conservative "war on drugs" and the "war on terrorism"

While it certainly does suck to lose soembody to an accident involving fog or snow, I don't think it's a stretch to say it's much worse to lose somebody because somebody decided to drive drunk.

 

[Mom2be]

Sucks, but it IS the law, the officer wouldn't have been doing his job if he had let him go, and could have lost his job over it if it had been discovered he let your brother off.

I'm not saying the cop should have let him go. I know to many cops to make that arguement - however I do think the system is unfair to those that can handle their liquor.

~Amanda

 

[Galahad]

I won't slip up, because I won't drive anywhere close to the legal limit. This is more PC in action- it sounds good to say we're against drinking in driving, but it's less dangerous than driving in snow, talking on the cell while driving, eating a bagel, driving in fog, while tired, etc.

So I'll continue to have a few drinks and drive, just as I have done for the past 25 years or so.



Again, a PC comment that sounds good but is not logical. I've driven far more than 6 times after drinking, so the analogy doesn't add up. You're saying someone that legally drinks and drives have worse odds than 1 in 6 ?

Math not your strong suit, heh? Please be so kind as to add your location to your profile so we can be sure to stay off the roads in your area while you test your hypothesis.

 

[jodifla]

So, everyone who had a drink on the way home from work is a CRIMINAL? Every couple that goes out and shares a bottle of wine should be arrested and put in jail?

Guess the temperance movement is back.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

So, everyone who had a drink on the way home from work is a CRIMINAL? Every couple that goes out and shares a bottle of wine should be arrested and put in jail?

Guess the temperance movement is back.

Yes, if you ae over the legal limit or if you are driving erratically (there are usually some things the officer observes prior to pulling one over over such as swerving in a lane three times,not mainting a single lane, going super slow, using your turn signal too early, not having your headlights on at night, etc.)


Amanda in your case, your DB got pulled over the tailight and chances are the officer smelled alcohol on his breath and it went from there. Some officers LIVE for DUIs, it gets them off the street for most of their shift because of the processing. Others will do anything to get out of processing a DUI.

 

[Mom2be]

Yes, if you ae over the legal limit or if you are driving erratically (there are usually some things the officer observes prior to pulling one over over such as swerving in a lane three times,not mainting a single lane, going super slow, using your turn signal too early, not having your headlights on at night, etc.)


Amanda in your case, your DB got pulled over the tailight and chances are the officer smelled alcohol on his breath and it went from there. Some officers LIVE for DUIs, it gets them off the street for most of their shift because of the processing. Others will do anything to get out of processing a DUI.

In the state of Illinois they are VERY strict about drinking and driving. So it doesn't surprise me at all that he was arrested. What did surprise us was the $10,000 in fees, bail, and so on. Not to mention they suspended his license for 6 months for this first offense!

~Amanda