Gothic.net Community - View Single Post - Texas arresting people in bars for being drunk

CptSternn · 03-27-2006, 08:05 AM

Common sense is the key term here. I know lads who can take down a dozen pints and still walk a straight line and talk to you like they were stone sober while at the same time know lads who after one pint can't make it to the jacks without stumbling over a chair. The make a blanket law to prosecute them both equally is silly. Until the mid 70's, drunk driving was not a crime in the US. I remember an old episode of Quincy I watched the other day where a guy in court was trying to prove he WAS drunk as that was considered an 'accident' and he would be let off for running down a pedestrian.

If yer man is ok to drive you will know. If he's not, well then take his keys. If you can't tell then thats your issue. The laws in the states are not there to stop drunk drivers, they are there to make money. Heres why:

In most part of Europe including Ireland we have strict DUI laws. However, there are based on how bad you fail the road tests. If you can walk the line and speak clearly, chances are they will let you off with a warning. If you are really drunk, expect mandatory jail time.

In the states, there is very little mandatory jail time for DUI. You don't see people getting a year in prison for DUI. IF they really wanted to combat the problem, thats what they would do. In Germany, they have mandatory 2 years for some DUI offenses. In Germany the drunk driving rate is next to nil. In the states, you get fined like $1,200, have to pay another $1,000+ for VASAP, and then also have to pay for the monthly testings ($50 a week for the tests paid to the government) for random alcohol tests. After all that yer insurance doubles.

Everywhere else in the world they just give you a warning or throw you in prison for a while. Only in the states do they hit you in the pocket book and send you on yer way.

It's a cash cow for local government, plain and simple. As I mentioned I used to own a nightclub. The ABC (the agency that handles all the licensing and fines) works with the police to fnie drunk drivers in the state of virginia. They had sting operations in the parking lots - much like in the storey above they 'follow' drunks in pubs and clubs then ring the cops once they person heads outside so they can be done for DUI. During our legal battle, we prvoed that ABC agents lied in court multiple times under oath. But even more than that, in the records our lawyers were able to get, we found an interesting fact - in Virginia, DUI and alchol related fines counted for like 24% of the states operating budget. That means almost a quarter of the money needed for the state agencies to operate comes directly from DUI's, and fining clubs and pubs for selling liqour to drunks or underage kids. For reference, we had a case of an underaged girl drinking in the club. She was 17, had her identical sisters drivers license, and used it to get in and buy a beer while wearing a wire. For this, we were fined $4,500. Also note the girl had breast implants and looked like she was well into her 20's, like her sister. Entrapment? Maybe, but in the end, like the crazy laws we are discussing here, it all goes back to the government finding new sources of funding. And whos is going to fight against getting drunks off the streets and keeping children from byuing alcohol? They use these shady cases to bring in money then claim to do it in the name of justice.

In the end its all about the money, and they could give two shits about saving anyones life.

03-27-2006, 08:05 AM	#25
CptSternn Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 4,587	Common sense is the key term here. I know lads who can take down a dozen pints and still walk a straight line and talk to you like they were stone sober while at the same time know lads who after one pint can't make it to the jacks without stumbling over a chair. The make a blanket law to prosecute them both equally is silly. Until the mid 70's, drunk driving was not a crime in the US. I remember an old episode of Quincy I watched the other day where a guy in court was trying to prove he WAS drunk as that was considered an 'accident' and he would be let off for running down a pedestrian. If yer man is ok to drive you will know. If he's not, well then take his keys. If you can't tell then thats your issue. The laws in the states are not there to stop drunk drivers, they are there to make money. Heres why: In most part of Europe including Ireland we have strict DUI laws. However, there are based on how bad you fail the road tests. If you can walk the line and speak clearly, chances are they will let you off with a warning. If you are really drunk, expect mandatory jail time. In the states, there is very little mandatory jail time for DUI. You don't see people getting a year in prison for DUI. IF they really wanted to combat the problem, thats what they would do. In Germany, they have mandatory 2 years for some DUI offenses. In Germany the drunk driving rate is next to nil. In the states, you get fined like $1,200, have to pay another $1,000+ for VASAP, and then also have to pay for the monthly testings ($50 a week for the tests paid to the government) for random alcohol tests. After all that yer insurance doubles. Everywhere else in the world they just give you a warning or throw you in prison for a while. Only in the states do they hit you in the pocket book and send you on yer way. It's a cash cow for local government, plain and simple. As I mentioned I used to own a nightclub. The ABC (the agency that handles all the licensing and fines) works with the police to fnie drunk drivers in the state of virginia. They had sting operations in the parking lots - much like in the storey above they 'follow' drunks in pubs and clubs then ring the cops once they person heads outside so they can be done for DUI. During our legal battle, we prvoed that ABC agents lied in court multiple times under oath. But even more than that, in the records our lawyers were able to get, we found an interesting fact - in Virginia, DUI and alchol related fines counted for like 24% of the states operating budget. That means almost a quarter of the money needed for the state agencies to operate comes directly from DUI's, and fining clubs and pubs for selling liqour to drunks or underage kids. For reference, we had a case of an underaged girl drinking in the club. She was 17, had her identical sisters drivers license, and used it to get in and buy a beer while wearing a wire. For this, we were fined $4,500. Also note the girl had breast implants and looked like she was well into her 20's, like her sister. Entrapment? Maybe, but in the end, like the crazy laws we are discussing here, it all goes back to the government finding new sources of funding. And whos is going to fight against getting drunks off the streets and keeping children from byuing alcohol? They use these shady cases to bring in money then claim to do it in the name of justice. In the end its all about the money, and they could give two shits about saving anyones life.