Your thoughts: DUI drugs/alcohol, bad wreck...consequences

[W.T]

If a CDL carrying person has Three beers 8 hrs before going to work he may not pass a breathalyzer. Depending on how fast his body can process Alcohol. Legal limit.04 1/2 of a regular driver.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

If a CDL carrying person has Three beers 8 hrs before going to work he may not pass a breathalyzer. Depending on how fast his body can process Alcohol. Legal limit.04 1/2 of a regular driver.

Depends. . . does he weigh 150 or 250? Absortpion is different.

 

[JMJ Farms]

If a CDL carrying person has Three beers 8 hrs before going to work he may not pass a breathalyzer. Depending on how fast his body can process Alcohol. Legal limit.04 1/2 of a regular driver.

Then he needs to not drink before going to work. Or either quit driving for a living and just focus on being a househusband.

 

[cow pollinater]

That's intent in my book.

I've been around lots of people that drink a few and drive home. I've never, ever heard any of them say "i'm going to go cause an accident and kill someone" before they drive away.

 

[JMJ Farms]

That's intent in my book.

I've been around lots of people that drink a few and drive home. I've never, ever heard any of them say "i'm going to go cause an accident and kill someone" before they drive away.

CP, you only took part of the statement. Are you an attorney?

I said ..... "That's intent in my book. Intent to do what you please rather than abide by the law"

They may not have intended to kill someone. But they intended on getting behind that steering wheel and driving even though it's illegal. And now someone's dead. That makes them a murderer.

 

[Muddy]

Well, these drunk drivers are NOT blood thirsty killers. They're still humans just poor decisions. Should we toss all texting drivers in the jail too?

 

[JMJ Farms]

If they run over someone and kill them? Yes. Because that innocent person lost their life because of someone else's poor decision. It's not an accident. It's a choice.

 

[cow pollinater]

That makes them a murderer.

No it doesn't. That was my point. Murder requires intent and the intent to kill is not there.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Well maybe my legal term is incorrect. It makes them guilty of taking an innocent life. Manslaughter? No matter the correct term, the result is the same. An innocent person is dead.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

That makes them a murderer.

No it doesn't. That was my point. Murder requires intent and the intent to kill is not there.

And in Washington, where this happened, vehicular homicide does not have "intent" in the code section. Said that before.

 

[Ojp6]

Have I driven after drinking more than I should have? Yes, I did one time. Did I make that decision with the intent to kill someone? No I did not. I drove approximately 5 miles down gravel roads under 30 miles per hour because I didn't have anywhere else to go. I didn't feel like sleeping in my car was a viable option at the temperature it was outside and I didn't have enough gas to idle until morning. I had a place to stay at the start of the night but was asked to leave at 3 in the morning after a night of drinking. I made it home without an issue and have never done it again. I don't think that if I would have been pulled over I should have faced life in prison. I made a poor decision but it was simply an attempt to make it to a safe place I could sleep it off. In hindsight, I should have called everyone I knew and asked for a ride before I drove, but my family was out of town and I didn't have a lot of friends outside of those who were also drunk that night. I've thought about that decision a lot since I made it, and I rarely drink past the legal limit when I'm not at home.

Personally, I know someone who got two DWIs in under 3 months and only got 15 days in jail. I think repeat offenders should face far harsher penalties because that means that after doing it once and getting caught, they were unable to change their ways. This means that they need some kind of a wake up call and jail time might do it.

 

[Muddy]

It's just accidental death, it doesn't makes them a bad person but they have to live with the consequences permanently.

But I'm with Ojp6, we have enough repeat offenders with a long records of dwi and dui, the laws need to be hard on them instead of give them a month of jail time or 400 hours of community service.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Have I driven after drinking more than I should have? Yes, I did one time. Did I make that decision with the intent to kill someone? No I did not. I drove approximately 5 miles down gravel roads under 30 miles per hour because I didn't have anywhere else to go. I didn't feel like sleeping in my car was a viable option at the temperature it was outside and I didn't have enough gas to idle until morning. I had a place to stay at the start of the night but was asked to leave at 3 in the morning after a night of drinking. I made it home without an issue and have never done it again. I don't think that if I would have been pulled over I should have faced life in prison. I made a poor decision but it was simply an attempt to make it to a safe place I could sleep it off. In hindsight, I should have called everyone I knew and asked for a ride before I drove, but my family was out of town and I didn't have a lot of friends outside of those who were also drunk that night. I've thought about that decision a lot since I made it, and I rarely drink past the legal limit when I'm not at home.

Personally, I know someone who got two DWIs in under 3 months and only got 15 days in jail. I think repeat offenders should face far harsher penalties because that means that after doing it once and getting caught, they were unable to change their ways. This means that they need some kind of a wake up call and jail time might do it.

I'm glad you made it home safely. But the highlighted quote shows that you made a conscious decision to drive while intoxicated. Had you killed someone, then why should you not face the same fate as they did? Would you rather be cold a while or kill someone with your vehicle? Every drunk driverTHINKS they can make it home ok.

 

[Caustic Burno]

In Texas you do not have to be under the influence to be charged with vehicular manslaughter.
Driving reckless or careless or any other illegal activity in the statue can carry the charge.

 

[Ojp6]

Have I driven after drinking more than I should have? Yes, I did one time. Did I make that decision with the intent to kill someone? No I did not. I drove approximately 5 miles down gravel roads under 30 miles per hour because I didn't have anywhere else to go. I didn't feel like sleeping in my car was a viable option at the temperature it was outside and I didn't have enough gas to idle until morning. I had a place to stay at the start of the night but was asked to leave at 3 in the morning after a night of drinking. I made it home without an issue and have never done it again. I don't think that if I would have been pulled over I should have faced life in prison. I made a poor decision but it was simply an attempt to make it to a safe place I could sleep it off. In hindsight, I should have called everyone I knew and asked for a ride before I drove, but my family was out of town and I didn't have a lot of friends outside of those who were also drunk that night. I've thought about that decision a lot since I made it, and I rarely drink past the legal limit when I'm not at home.

Personally, I know someone who got two DWIs in under 3 months and only got 15 days in jail. I think repeat offenders should face far harsher penalties because that means that after doing it once and getting caught, they were unable to change their ways. This means that they need some kind of a wake up call and jail time might do it.

I'm glad you made it home safely. But the highlighted quote shows that you made a conscious decision to drive while intoxicated. Had you killed someone, then why should you not face the same fate as they did? Would you rather be cold a while or kill someone with your vehicle? Every drunk driverTHINKS they can make it home ok.

Sleeping in the cold at negative temperatures doesn't result in being cold for a night, it results in death. It was a conscious decision to drive under the influence, but I also made the decision to drive at a speed where had anyone died, they would have to have been driving at a speed that was unsafe for a gravel road. A wise man once told me that driving under 30 miles per hour wouldn't result in yours or anyone else's death.

 

[Ojp6]

And if you don't think I have felt guilt about it you would be wrong. One of my grandfathers died in a wreck in which he was drinking and driving. 3 out of 4 grandparents were alcoholics, 5 aunts and uncles have been to rehab for alcohol. I worry about that every day.

 

[Nesikep]

And then you have laws that are ridiculous...
My friend always told his son to keep a sleeping bag in the truck, and never to drive drunk..
The son obeyed this, he's about 25 years old, and in all aspects of his life he's a responsible man.

So he was out drinking, and couldn't get a ride home, so he unlocked his truck, put the keys in the bed of the truck, and rolled up into his sleeping bag in the back seat.
He got charged with DUI, massive fines, a breathalyzer installed on his vehicle, 30 day impound, etc etc etc.

That sounds like a police officer being an arsehole.. and the law was on his side.

 

[dun]

Have I driven after drinking more than I should have? Yes, I did one time. Did I make that decision with the intent to kill someone? No I did not. I drove approximately 5 miles down gravel roads under 30 miles per hour because I didn't have anywhere else to go. I didn't feel like sleeping in my car was a viable option at the temperature it was outside and I didn't have enough gas to idle until morning. I had a place to stay at the start of the night but was asked to leave at 3 in the morning after a night of drinking. I made it home without an issue and have never done it again. I don't think that if I would have been pulled over I should have faced life in prison. I made a poor decision but it was simply an attempt to make it to a safe place I could sleep it off. In hindsight, I should have called everyone I knew and asked for a ride before I drove, but my family was out of town and I didn't have a lot of friends outside of those who were also drunk that night. I've thought about that decision a lot since I made it, and I rarely drink past the legal limit when I'm not at home.

Personally, I know someone who got two DWIs in under 3 months and only got 15 days in jail. I think repeat offenders should face far harsher penalties because that means that after doing it once and getting caught, they were unable to change their ways. This means that they need some kind of a wake up call and jail time might do it.

When you are drunk it's really easy to rationalize anything. When I got busted, if I would have given it any thought I would have rationalized it by saying "I had to drive, I was too drunk to stand up, let alone walk"

 

[boondocks]

There are very few people on this board if any that haven't drove a vehicle while under the influence. There are two kinds of people those that have and then those that lie about it. I choose not to lie about it, in my youth I made some poor decisions. As many of us did. Some of us just never got caught.

Sorry, you're wrong. Not being sanctimonious but I haven't done that.

I almost got in serious trouble about 20 yrs ago for trying to stop someone from driving drunk. We were coming home from vacation in northern Michigan, heading south on I-75, and realized that another motorist was weaving everywhere--to the point that we had to swerve and several cars were forced off the highway into the ditch and onto the median. This was early days of cell phones and I was able to call the state hwy patrol and give them the guy's car description, license plate and mile marker. They said they'd send someone out. We decided to keep him in sight from a safe distance. He was almost passed out as he was driving (actually looked dead for a while, head all the way back) and actively continuing to drink from a 5th of something. He swerved all over the road, and off the road, and back on the road...cars and 18wheelers scattering everywhere. This went on for several HOURS--no shite. All the way down I-75 to where the road splits to Detroit. I called numerous times to update the cops, and we passed numerous patrol posts. They said they had gotten many calls and would come get him. We stayed as close as we safely could, figuring he had to pull over eventually. He finally went in a rest stop and staggered from his car. He could barely walk, reeked of hooch. A tux hung in the back seat. Nice car. He looked like a businessman-turned-sloppy-drunk. I tried to engage him and get him to give me his keys but short of getting beat up, it wasn't happening. (My travel companion restrained me, which I regret to this day). I tried to block his car in but he evaded me and left the rest stop (where I had told the police he was the second I realized he was pulling in). We followed him out and made a final call as he pulled away toward Detroit. When I got home I wrote the most scathing letter of my life to the head of the state highway patrol and cc'd MADD. I fully expect that he killed someone before he got home. Burns me up to this day. It wasn't just that he started out drunk; he was chugging (no other word for it) for hours while he drove down I-75. Why they never even tried to get him despite info re specific mile markers and probably 20 calls from me alone, I will never know. Had he killed someone, IMHO the cops were equally culpable after about 3 hours of that bs.

 

[lavacarancher]

I agree. I think that dui should carry a murder first sentence. He knowingly got behind the wheel impaired.

This is one of those toughies for me. If he was drunk, was he really aware of how impaired he was? Being a recovered alcoholic (dry for 43 years now), I can see being charged with something more serious then just DUI, but murder is a bit extreme. But, DUI should carry something more then just a suspended sentence. The one time I was busted for DUI I spent 6 months in the VA prison farm. That was back in the time when people were considered to be responsible for their actions, unlike now when it's never their fault.

Actually, in Texas there is a term called "vehicular manslaughter" used when cases involve impaired driving. I have no idea what the penalty is or how difficult the case is to prove. IMO there is no excuse for getting behind the wheel when drunk, stoned or otherwise impaired.