Science panel backs lower drunken driving threshold.

[fishinwrench]

I totally agree.  I remember one incident vividly that happened here a year ago when a head-on crash killed 3 people. The guy headed south had been drinking (so they claimed), and the other vehicle (north bound) had a gal that was headed home from work.  The crash happened in the South bound Lane, you could easily tell by the marks left on the road. But 100% of the blame was laid upon the guy who tested positive for alcohol.   The gals family made a big deal about how a drunk driver had killed their "innocent" family member, but the truth of the matter is that the gal was doing something other than just driving her car, crossed the center line, and hit the dude head-on in his lane.  

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

19 hours ago, jdmidwest said:

 

Quit spending money, effort, and enforcement dollars on a minimal problem of drinking and driving and go after something else that is worse.

DUI/DWI tickets are a cash cow.  While I am against DWI, got rear ended at a red light and spent the weekend in the hospital, I agree that a lot the tickets are issued falsely.  I have sold SR-22 insurance for 15 years, and made a good amount of money doing it.   But one beer can cost you $15-20k.  That is a bit steep for most occasions.   Yes, one life saved is worth it.   How about the lives lost due to other enforcement that is not given the attention because DWI brings in so much?  

[Gavin]

I'd trust a driver with a 6 pack in his belly more than one who is constantly staring at their phone.

[Smalliebigs]

2 hours ago, Gavin said:

I'd trust a driver with a 6 pack in his belly more than one who is constantly staring at their phone.

Agreed 100%

[Ketchup]

On 1/18/2018 at 7:41 PM, fishinwrench said:

By simply limiting yourself to 2 beers you are only lessening the charge from DWI to DUI.    If by chance you are involved in an accident (regardless of who is at fault) and you are DUI then you're just as screwed in the end.    You cannot drink alcohol and drive PERIOD, and remain legal.    

perfectly stated. 

[Ketchup]

On 1/18/2018 at 8:19 PM, jdmidwest said:

My point is, spend less time and effort on DWI and take care of the Don't need to Drives.  Driving skills have gone down the tubes.  I drive a company truck on a daily basis.  On a daily basis, I get passed on a street or county road while driving the speed limit and get the look, a finger, or some other gesture as they go around.  I can't drive thru the City of Cape Girardeau without seeing a run red light or have someone pull out or change lanes that requires a braking to avoid.  The speed limit is 35 in most of the town and they have at least one rollover accident a month.  That is hard to pull off at normal city speeds on nice level city streets.

And its not the cell phone fault that I have noticed unless they are on bluetooth.  It is just pure bad driving skills.  I would much rather spend a day driving in St. Louis than one in Cape Girardeau.

Quit spending money, effort, and enforcement dollars on a minimal problem of drinking and driving and go after something else that is worse.

Hmmm, hate to disagree with this statement, but i must......

Driving while intoxicated, or impaired is not a minimal problem, in any state in this country. Every accident caused by or involved with a person who has been drinking is a drain on insurance costs, loss of life, public servant responses, brings about heartache for tens of thousands. 

My family drive these roadways. With mobile electronics being the #1 cause of auto accidents in this country currently, i have enough to worry about with my family driving, that i dont need an impaired person, with a cell phone in hand, driving anywhere around where my family are. 

A few years back my then 18 year old daughter was driving south on 65 on her way to work at 5am on a saturday morning, when a drunk guy hit her from behind. As he then passed her on her passenger side, he swipped the rear quarter of her car. Luckily she never lost control of her vehicle. Having never been in anything like that before, she was shook up for a long time afterwards. 

Another personal story. My oldest daughter was driving on her permit, with mom in passanger seat, and my other 2 daughters in the rear, going 2 miles to the store. There was one 3 way stop sign in that distance. As she pulked away from her stop, an impaired guy "drugs" ran the other side of the 3 way and hit her passanger side rear door at 50mph, sending her flying into the ditch. All but 1 was transported to the hospital. 

I have worked the highways and backroads of this area, spending many many hours, trying to prevent those types of situations. I have over 200 DWI arrests, not counting the hundreds that i have called a ride for, or transported home, that i didnt arrest. I have worked accidents where an impaired driver was at fault, leaving an innocent family with life long struggles. I have ZERO tolerance for those that drive impaired. The roads are unsafe enough, that if you feel the need to impair yourself, feel that you are responisble enough to get in your 3000 pound death trap, drive that missle at highway speeds, and take a good chance of hurting an innocent person, then please feel free to except the posterior woopin i will give you if you injure one of my family members. 

[Smalliebigs]

3 hours ago, Ketchup said:

Hmmm, hate to disagree with this statement, but i must......

Driving while intoxicated, or impaired is not a minimal problem, in any state in this country. Every accident caused by or involved with a person who has been drinking is a drain on insurance costs, loss of life, public servant responses, brings about heartache for tens of thousands. 

My family drive these roadways. With mobile electronics being the #1 cause of auto accidents in this country currently, i have enough to worry about with my family driving, that i dont need an impaired person, with a cell phone in hand, driving anywhere around where my family are. 

A few years back my then 18 year old daughter was driving south on 65 on her way to work at 5am on a saturday morning, when a drunk guy hit her from behind. As he then passed her on her passenger side, he swipped the rear quarter of her car. Luckily she never lost control of her vehicle. Having never been in anything like that before, she was shook up for a long time afterwards. 

Another personal story. My oldest daughter was driving on her permit, with mom in passanger seat, and my other 2 daughters in the rear, going 2 miles to the store. There was one 3 way stop sign in that distance. As she pulked away from her stop, an impaired guy "drugs" ran the other side of the 3 way and hit her passanger side rear door at 50mph, sending her flying into the ditch. All but 1 was transported to the hospital. 

I have worked the highways and backroads of this area, spending many many hours, trying to prevent those types of situations. I have over 200 DWI arrests, not counting the hundreds that i have called a ride for, or transported home, that i didnt arrest. I have worked accidents where an impaired driver was at fault, leaving an innocent family with life long struggles. I have ZERO tolerance for those that drive impaired. The roads are unsafe enough, that if you feel the need to impair yourself, feel that you are responisble enough to get in your 3000 pound death trap, drive that missle at highway speeds, and take a good chance of hurting an innocent person, then please feel free to except the posterior woopin i will give you if you injure one of my family members. 

I feel the same way about drivers who are texting or staring at their phone while driving....there is no difference between a drunk and a texting driver. They both made the choice to drive in that state and both should pay the price IMO.

Distracted drivers are everywhere and are just as dangerous and really more dangerous IMO simply because there are way more distracted drivers and stupid drivers for that matter out on our roads.

[jdmidwest]

Then there are the ones with dogs on their laps. 

[Smalliebigs]

9 minutes ago, jdmidwest said:

Then there are the ones with dogs on their laps. 

Very true....nothing more stupid than seeing someone with a little dog sitting up with them on their lap.

Why do soo many people have to take their dogs with them shopping?? Your dog is that dang pathetic it can't stay home alone for a few while you shop or the dog owner is so pathetic they can't phathom their pooch to be alone. I asked some dude at Lowes why he had to bring his dog in the store and he said it was his therapy dog???...the guy was walking  fine and looked to be in good health....I guess some of us need our busy bee to be able to function??

 

 

 

 

[jdmidwest]

With Driver Error and Distracted Driving being the leading cause of accidents, why not start targeting that group?  Start spending money and effort to try and reduce accidents and promote better driving.

My favorite is the blue hair with a dog on the lap and a cell phone in hand.  Probably goofed up on meds too.

I drive mostly during daylight hours and early evening.  Seldom am I out on roads after 8 pm.  I want more protection from idiots during the time I am on the roads, not while I am home drinking a few beers and watching the TV.