Dui

[The Frisk]

Several years back, my mom was hit by a driver, was passed out drunk behind the wheel of someone else's car he "borrowed". Luckily, it was in the middle of the night, so when her car was thrown into the middle of the intersection, she wasn't plowed by oncoming traffic (she got hit at a red light at one of the busiest intersections around here). It totaled her car, and left her with excruciating back pains, which she still has to this day. Sadly, the guy got off with just a ticket and a few days in county jail, despite it being his fourth time in court with a DUI.

I also remember a year or two back, right after my sister had her baby, she hit up one of the local bars to celebrate finally being able to drink after not being able to for the longest time. She ended up getting trashed, driving home, got picked up and a received huge ticket, which caused a chain of events including losing her job and then her home after she couldn't afford to pay the bills.
She claims to this day, that it wasn't her fault as she couldn't remember anything from that night, and that everyone makes DUI's out to be a bigger deal than they are. Doesn't even acknowledge the fact she lost her job or home as an effect of it, and could've lost her life and left her daughter without memories of her mother.

After seeing how from these two experiences, and several others with friends and other family members, led to the person who was drunk getting off, basically scot free (or in the case of my sister: getting off scot free in her eyes), I believe punishment for those who drive drunk should be much harsher than it is, or at least much harsher here in Florida. I understand that drinking can cloud your judgement, but so many people (at least around here) are repeat offenders, or get off the first time with little in the way of punishment, and don't see it as being that big of a deal.

[Hammonds]

Thought i'd share this. An advert from Ireland, which i believe is currently being shown.



also, a slightly more positive story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ce-arrive.html

[Winny!]

My girlfriend's private lesson teacher's husband has 3 DUIs. She's always going on about how he's a good person who just happens to do bad things and she gives him the excuse that his wife (her teacher) died this past year. Yeah, that's rough man, but don't go putting other people's lives in danger. It makes me pretty angry when she talks about him.

[YoSoyHD]

This past Sunday morning at 10:40 AM, just up the road from where I live, a family was on their way to church when a drunk driver ran a red light and slammed into them killing a 6 year-old girl. What a way to welcome in the new year!

[equinox336]

Question though, a friend of mine was shitfaced and got really pissed when I took his keys and told him I would never get in a car with him while he was drunk, he then called me a hypocrite because I drank and drove that one time. Does this really make me a hypocrite? Something I've always wondered.

You'd be a hypocrite if you still did it. You really can't say something like that over a one-time mistake; I'm not a hypocrite for being against fighting, even with one or two under my belt.

[jediprincess]

My brother-in-laws mother was killed by a drunk driver while she was driving home from visiting her mother. It happened just before Christmas in 2001 or 2002. My sister was devastated and they almost didn't get married because of her death. The guy came up for parole a couple of years ago. He's still in jail as far as I now.

[nyllet]

Thought i'd share this. An advert from Ireland, which i believe is currently being shown.

Oh god that´s awful! D:

[equinox336]

It gets the point across, though, and that's all that really counts. Sometimes you need shock value to get people to listen.

[KieraScene]

I just saw a post one someone's facebook where a girl asked him, "Did you ever show up Thursday night?" He said, "Yes. You drove me home." She said, "Sorry, I was so f*cked up, I don't remember anything." Lovely. Too screwed up to remember even driving yourself and a friend home.

[Hammonds]

It gets the point across, though, and that's all that really counts. Sometimes you need shock value to get people to listen.

Exactly, and the fact that advert was intentionally used around the xmas period definitely makes you think twice.

I don't drink and drive for 2 reasons. First off its an automatic minimum 12-month ban if caught, and seeing as driving is a substantial part of my job, i can't afford not to be able to do it.
Secondly and most important of all, I know that I probably wont kill someone if I drink and drive, I know that I will more than likely make it home absolutely fine. However, accidents happen, be it with or without alcohol. I know that if I kill someone on the the road, and it is completely my fault where I know it could and should have been avoided (ie if i hadn't been drinking, or texting, or driving too quickly for the road conditions, or my own ability), then I'm not entirely sure I could cope with the mental torture i would put myself through. There is no coming back from that kind of thing, you've just got to live with it.