OT: Morality Police- Buzzed Driving

"Impared driving" is one of the new politically correct controls imposed upon the world by the PC police. If you are below the legal limit, you are legally permitted to drive, period.

It amazes me that, after almost 20,000 years of documented human history drinking fermented and distilled booze, people in this country actually listen to the absurd rule freaks who still demand that everyone else abstain while they drink to their heart's content before getting into their limo for their ride home!

For a 200 pound guy, unless you're a lightweight you probably don't get a buzz in two drinks.

I believe the rule of thumb is subtract one drink every two hours.

If you got pulled over after 2 drinks you're unlikely to face any repercussions. Unless you're under 21 where the rules are tougher.

Of course i was opening this post with a little satire with a twist to search for some straight forward honest opinions. I know RBD has no remorse for openly being blatant about his drunk driving episodes, even tipping bouncers for relaying sobriety check points set up by the police. So how far is too far for drinking and driving? I guess I answered my own question by staying below the legal BAC 0.08 but these road signs sure play the guilt trip. I have a "buzz" on after having 4 drinks in two hours, but I'm betting my BAC is only 0.04 by the time I get behind the wheel. Just wondered what other drunk driving bashers have to say about buzzed driving.

GOD BLESS YOU

Keep this in mind: Even if your BAC is under .08, you can still get a DUI. If your driving is impaired by any amount of alcohol you can get a DUI. The .08 level simply allows the law to "presume" you're impaired.

As far as buzzed driving, I assume if you're buzzed, you are impaired to some degree. Maybe you're still careful and obeying speed and other traffic laws, but your judgment still isn't at 100%. Shit can still happen.

Here's a personal note. Twenty years ago I was rear ended by a buzzed driver. The guy had left work, grabbed a couple of beers and headed home. It was near Christmas and we were navigating a busy road by a mall. The guy took his eyes off the road for a moment, then slammed his work van into the back of my little college Civic. There was no damage to the van, but my car folded up like an accordion. He blew under an .08. I have permanent neck and back problems. He paid a small fine, did three days at DUI camp and received a 6-month license suspension (with driving permitted for work). I spent the next year going to a neurologist and received a small settlement that has long since vanished to pay for a variety of medical treatments. To this day I wish the guy hadn't been buzzed driving. Please don't take the risk!!!

dont play lawn darts when you're impaired

While Carlos may be theoretically correct, as a practical legal matter you're good if you are below the legal limit. it would be a very unusual case to get a dwi charge while below the states legal limit. Even if arrested, a good defense lawyer could likely get you off.

I rarely drink too much but occasionally strippers will get me too high. If that happens I just stay itc long enough for it to mostly wear off. To tell if I'm ok to drive I ask a stripper. If no strippers are available, I do field sobriety tests on myself. Stand on one foot, walk a straight line, touch my nose. If I can mostly pass then I go.

John,

Since you mentioned field sobriety tests, I have a question. I sometimes watch COPS and see the police administer those tests. I rarely, rarely ever drink at clubs. But I'm also fat and very uncoordinated. I doubt if I could pass those tests being stone cold sober. Can I refuse a field sobriety test and ask for a blood or breathalyzer test instead?

As a quick rule of thumb, 3 drinks in a hour will fail you.

motorhead,

You are correct. I've tried some of those tests perfectly sober and not done it well. I've heard one should never submit to a field test. Seems to me almost an admission of guilt.

A good defense lawyer might still be able to do nothing. I'm familiar with that scenario, and I've seen it played out more than several times.

I used to work and club in the Belden Village area of Canton. At the time it was the top spot in the state for DUI arrest and convictions. For a small area, it garnered more DUIs than large metropolitan areas like Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. It was an upscale shopping area lots of places to eat and drink. The state police and local cops picked up people from dusk until well after the bars closed. I knew all sorts of people who were busted. I had a co-worker popped in front of me after we left a bar. I had nothing. He had two Bud Lights and two Jack and cokes over a four hour period. He was under .08. He was an athletic guy and thought he passed the field sobriety test. The cop disagreed and arrested him. I spent the six months accompanying him to court dates as a witness. He paid thousands of dollars to a lawyer he grew up with who specialized in DUIs. It still did no good and he was found guilty. When he went to DUI camp for three days, he faced the same harsh truth as a lot of other people. Judges and juries didn't care if you claimed you were fine and your BAC was under .08. If the cop said you were impaired, you were done. The district attorney's office put up a stone wall to anyone looking to plead down a DUI charge. They knew they could win.

Now, this isn't going to be the case everywhere. But why take the chance? There's way too many people out there who believe it's always "someone else" who gets busted for a DUI and somehow they'll get off if they hire the right lawyer. It doesn't work that way. Plenty of people have played that game and lost.

There's an app that I have on my I Phone called BAC Calculator you can input your weight how many drinks how long of a time period and it will give you a fairly accurate BAC reading . I use it regularly and have managed to avoid problems this far.

^^^ Have another drink! "BAC Calculator", redundant. :)

When I'm driving and have had a few drinks (or bowls, or both) I chant my mantra: Be invisible to the police. This means driving the speed limit, staying in your lane, stopping at red lights even if you think no one is around, stopping at stop signs, etc. In my opinion, if you can't manage these simple things, you shouldn't be driving no matter what your blood alcohol/THC % is.

I think .08% is stupidly low, but this is a case of politics trumping policy. After all, who is going to campaign to raise the legal limit?

Rarely do I have more than 4 drinks in two hours, but I did pull a stupid when driving home in the HOV lane solo and got pulled over. Technically I was below 0.08 but close. Took my ticket and went home vowing to be not that stupid anymore and pay attention to the "buzzed driving" warnings.

"Can I refuse a field sobriety test and ask for a blood or breathalyzer test instead?"

Interesting question. As a practical matter yes you can. Just refuse to do the field sobriety tests (they can't force you), and the next thing the cop will do is a breathalyzer. But it would not be a smart choice. Even if you pass the breathalyzer and aren't drunk, the cop may think you are high on drugs since you refused the sobriety tests. If so, they might arrest you and take you in for a blood test. This is especially true if they claimed you were driving erratically. Best to do the tests, and ask for the fat and uncoordinated motorist version.