October 22, 2007 by Don Vogel
Posted in
Late Saturday night/early Sunday morning Lou. Police set up a five-hour sobriety check point on Bardstown Rd., near the Taylorsville Rd. intersection.
During that time, 32 people were arrested on charges of driving under the influence; which averages out to just over 6 per hour.
Approx. 900 vehicles were checked, meaning that roughly 1 in every 30 drivers was driving while impaired.
On any given Friday/Saturday night there has to be thousands of cars travelling our local streets, knowing that somewhere around 3 to 4% of the drivers are intoxicated is not encouraging at all. The LMPD should increase the number/frequency of these sobriety check points to help insure the safety of law-abiding citizens.
Obviously our laws are not
Obviously our laws are not stringent enough to discourage this type of irresponsible behavior. After three convictions DUI is considered a felony offense punishable for up to five years. Few get this and are often shock probated after 90 or so days. Then if they kill someone they are usually only charged with reckless homocide another class D felony of only five years. Most people are unaware of how the judicial sytem works. For every one year of prison sentence three months is automatically deducted called statutory good time. So for a three year prison sentence 9 months are automatically taken off the top. Then if they have served any jail time awaiting trial, arrest, sentencing that is also deducted. Then as a class d felony they usually do not end up in prison at all but in a county jail. Watcing Tv all day and having three squares, ect. Then after 20% of their three years minus jail crdit they are eligible to meet the parole board. So after 7 months on a three year sentence minus whatever jail time they recieved they are usually back out on the street.
This does not apply for vionet offenses or sex offenses. But hey, after 7 months lets go have a drink!!!!!!!!!
I agree that it is a very
I agree that it is a very disturbing fact and alarming fact. I saw a banner the other day here at Morehead State University that said 78% of the students do not drive while under the influence. I looked at my wife and said that means 22% of the people who took this survery do drive while under the influence. That's roughly 1 in 4 people who took the survey do drive while being intoxicated. That makes me comfortable. I had a friend a couple of weeks ago hit by a drunk driver after she pulled out of her driveway. She just pulled out of her driveway so he and his wife were okay, but the car isn't.
Disheartening how we view,
Disheartening how we view, or have come to accept the phenomenon of Driving Under the Influence (DUI).
Just call in a bank robbery and every available police car and resource would be dedicated.
Call in a drunk driver, and most likely one car/one officer would check into it. Yet, the drunk driver can easily do as much, if not more harm, while behind the wheel of 2 tons of high-powered automobile.
would you consider having a
would you consider having a glass of wine with dinner enough to get a d.u.i.? It doesn't take but one drink to blow a .08
when I think of a drunk driver I think of someone that has had more then 2 drinks but with the .08 thresh hold that is not the case. If I drink I take a cab but I am curious of those arrests and how many of those folks were actually impaired.
Body weight also factors
Body weight also factors into the blood alcohol level, so for some if having one glass of wine factors into a .08 level, then they shouldn't be operating any type of vehicle. For others, we're talking about 3 to 4 drinks in an hour to reach that level.
Nonetheless, the only SAFE level is ZERO alcohol consumption. Who would want to see their airline pilot downing a couple of drinks just before depature? Or how about some of the NASCAR drivers who are sponsored by the liquor/beverage industry having a couple of drinks before a race? It's simply unconscionable.
We have a major problem with DUI; over 17,000 traffic deaths per year, along with well over 1 million charged each year with DUI. I support vigorous enforcement of our current laws.
"Or how about some of the
"Or how about some of the NASCAR drivers who are sponsored by the liquor/beverage industry having a couple of drinks before a race?"
Back in April, Michael Waltrip waited until a weekend between races to have a few:
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?p=1858778
;-)
Nice find! Maybe that helps
Nice find! Maybe that helps to explain his less than stellar performance with the well-financed Toyota team!
I so wish that LEO types
I so wish that LEO types would have more traffic checks to catch more drivng while blitzed motorists along with general bottom of the barrel people's antics. More road checks would be a positive thing.