For Fargin...

[jk750]

I've done alcohol testing for Field Sobriety Testing certification. .04 is a little more than half a beer in 15 minutes for me. Zero impairment. Enough for a conviction in some juristictions.
Your results may vary.

[Fargin_Bastige]

Here's Austrailia's laws. Considering they drink like fish, they have very low DD fatalities:
"Road laws are state based

* Australian Capital Territory
o 0.02% for 'professional' drivers (taxi, bus, dangerous goods vehicles, heavy vehicles over 4.5 tonnes, Commonwealth vehicles) and learner and P plate drivers
o 0.05% for experience drivers (that is drivers over 18 years of age who have been driving for more than 3 years and are not classed as 'professional' drivers)
* New South Wales:
o Zero for Learner and Provisonal licences and 0.02 % for Drivers of vehicles of "gross vehicle mass" greater than 13.9 tonnes, vehicles carrying dangerous goods or public vehicles such as a taxi or bus.
o 0.05% for all other drivers
* Queensland
o A Zero limit applies to the drivers of trucks, buses, articulated vehicles, vehicles carrying dangerous goods, pilot vehicles, and taxis. It also applies to all learner drivers and provisional drivers under 25 years of age.
o 0.05% for other drivers.
* South Australia
o Zero limit for learner, provisional, probationary, heavy (greater than 15 tonne) vehicle, taxis, licensed chauffeured vehicles, dangerous goods, and bus licences.
o 0.05% for all other drivers.
* Tasmania
o Zero limit for learner, provisional, truck, bus, and taxi licences.
o 0.05% for all other drivers.
* Victoria
o Zero limit applies for Learner and Probationary licences, as well as any 'professional' drivers - including tram drivers.
o 0.05% for all other drivers.
* Western Australia
o 0.02% for provisional (probatory) licence holders.
o 0.05% for all other drivers.

In Australia, there are laws that allow for a police officer to stop any driver and perform a random breath test, without needing any reason. Also, in Victoria, for example, if a doctor sees any patient who is 15 years old or older, who comes to him as a result of a road accident, the doctor must test the patient's alcohol content in a way that preserves the chain of evidence, regardless of whether the patient claims to be the driver or any other circumstances. "-http://www.mrsci.com/Alcohol-Abuse/Drunk_driving.php

[jk750]

That's very interesting stuff. What are their penalties like?

You can blow a .02 bac without having knowingly ingested any alcoholic beverage. Hence, my orange juice comment.

In addition, bac (blood alcohol content) can have little bearing on one's actual impairment.
One person could be falling down drunk at .08 and another completely free from impairment at .10+.

[oakley addict]

I don't drink much and don't do any drugs, but I think our govts drug policy is messed up. We allow people with DUIs to continue driving even after they hurt or kill people. Yet we put away thousands of people a year for minor drug offenses and take away their lisences. Most people who are stoned stay home and eat, they don't go drag race their buddies.

[jk750]

That was my exact implied correlation!

Warehouse even casual drinkers, perhaps not even impaired but with the odor on their breath, if that's what we want to do.

But is that what we want to do? Does that make good sense? Sure, we'll toss in a few real habitual drunks, too.
Better start building a lot more prisons.

We need sensible DUI/DWI quidelines and laws. And we need to strictly and harshly enforce them.

[SMFCPACFP]

Although I am not generally a fan of the current Iranian government (I spent a year in the area when the shaq was in power), I do like the penalty for drunken driving - summary execution on the spot (no warehousing problem).

Everyone says that is too harsh, but if applied religiously and consistently, few people who die due to drunken driving.

[Keith_J]

Receidivism among drunk drivers is high...but three chances?

I lost a brother 12 years ago to a drunk so I have some personal connection. The drunk that did it had been drinking for the better part of the day, he wasn't "out for dinner with a beer". The low tolerance the law now has ensures these cases go to court where the judge and jury can make the distinctions.

Best bet is to drink at home. It is far cheaper, even if you never have to submit to testing. But bars have parking lots for a reason.

[bumblebee]

In Florida the BAC is .08...you can be charged with a lesser % because the level of impairment is judgement call by officer at time of stop. If officer says he saw you bounce off the curb and then cross the center line, you can still be charged and prosecuted, even if you blow a .06

In Florida, the points for any offense go away after 18 months...however, charges/tickets stay on your record for 75 years. So, If you get a DUI at age 21, and get away with it until you get caught again at 70...the one at 21 is still on your record and counts against you...

[Fargin_Bastige]

Hope this helps make my stance clear

[jk750]

Sorry for your pain and loss.

[Fargin_Bastige]

Originally Posted by jk750

Sorry for your pain and loss.

Just keep arresting these assholes and fighting the good fight. Thanks for the kind words and be careful.