re: IYO: Is .08 BAC Too High, Too Low or Just Right For DUI Judgment Calls?

Too low based based on the consequences, the other similar risk activities (driving while tired, driving while texting) are traffic violations and not crimes. My vote: traffic ticket at 0.08, crime at 0.12 or if you refuse to blow. Current system is set up to bleed money from people with disposable income by prosecuting 0.085 as a crime and knowing that the people who commit that crime will spend whatever it takes to save their careers.

Every thread on the OT involving a drunk driver killing people involves someone blowing a 0.22 or something ridiculous, I have yet to see a "X person blows a 0.081, drunkenly slaughters 6 orphans at the Macy's thanksgiving day parade" type headline.

I think drunk driving is stupid and inconsiderate of others...

However, I feel that if someone doesn't actually do anything wrong - speed, cause a wreck, whathaveyou - then the government shouldn't be able to charge you.

It's an emotional thing, and I'm sure someone who knows someone killed by a drunk driver will disagree with me on this, but DWI laws essentially criminalize you because you could injure someone.

My solution would be to allow your BAC to be used to elevate your culpability should you cause a wreck. Let the judge throw you in prison for six months if you're drunk when you rear end a car, ten years if you injure someone, or life without parole if you kill someone.

Just my humble opinion.

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.012 is nowhere near a case. I would be cool with .01

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Move your decimal point.

People who drink and drive are trashy as frick.

It's probably too high. 0.08 if you're about 175lbs is roughly downing 3 Budweisers in less than an hour and then waiting 30 minutes. It feels pretty damned drunk to me. I was obviously impaired.

IMO, there should be sliding scale. I think a person who is texting and driving should be punished as much if not more than a person with .08 BAC.

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It's probably too high. 0.08 if you're about 175lbs is roughly downing 3 Budweisers in less than an hour and then waiting 30 minutes. It feels pretty damned drunk to me. I was obviously impaired.

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You're drunk off of 3 beers in an hour?

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It's probably too high. 0.08 if you're about 175lbs is roughly downing 3 Budweisers in less than an hour and then waiting 30 minutes. It feels pretty damned drunk to me. I was obviously impaired.

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BeerMoney

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You don't need much, Lite Beer.

Too low, and I never drive anymore after more than a drink or two. People are all different. It you can do the sobriety tests without a problem, you can drive fine and you're not impaired, even if you blow over .08.