so waht ya doin today?

JustJim

Well-Known Member
I have no problem at all with keeping drunk drivers off the road. A friend of mine was killed by a drunk driver.
Years ago a state legislator told me she was opposed to private ownership of firearms because "a friend of mine killed himself with a gun". Many S&Ws and Rugers now have locks to "protect" the ignorant. It is all the same logic, or lack thereof (depending on one's perspective).

I've no objections to keeping drunks off the road. I've lost friends, and a child, in accidents caused by drunks. Friends have been crippled, scarred, bankrupted, by folks who see nothing wrong with driving while intoxicated.

Keep 'em off the road by any efficacious method: weld 'em in cages and dump 'em in the Marianus Trench for all I care. But the will to actually stop drunk drivers isn't there, so instead we get foolish laws to punish everyone.
 

L Ross

Well-Known Member
Some of our vehicles already have a drowsy detector, it watched lane departures in near departures and steering wheel input with AI to make a judgment call and wakes you up with an alarm, seat vibration, and steering wheel shake.
Here in America's Dairyland AI don't mean no artificial intelligence.
 

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
Yes, all too often drunk drivers are never effectively punished and use the "revolving door of justice" to commit the same offense over and over.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
sure coulda used the drowsy driver shut down feature out in the Patch.
course i'd still be working on my 20th job.
 

smokeywolf

Well-Known Member
First car I drove was a '55 or 6 Buick Special. Second was a '66 Renault R10.

Last new vehicle I bought was my '98-1/2 Dodge Ram diesel. I will likely never buy another new vehicle. I bought Mrs. smokeywolf's 2001 Suburban in 2003 or 2004; it was a lease return with the customary 36,000 miles on it. Now has about 220,000 on it and except for the usual tires, brakes, belt, battery replacements, I've replaced the knock sensor, catalytic converters and 2 fuel pumps. It has never broken down on the road. Like the rest of my Chevies, it has been a pleasure to own and drive. Can't say as much for the Dodges.

When it comes time, I'll replace the engine with a crate engine and replace the trans with a rebuild from a reliable source. Anything else needs to be replaced, I'll replace with equal to or higher quality parts than OEM

No intention to ever buy another new automobile.
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
I was issued a flat "slap jack" when I hired on. Never carried the thing. It is somewhere around the place, used to use it as a paper weight in the office in DB.

Wish I had an old school slap jack...
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I have no problem at all with keeping drunk drivers off the road. A friend of mine was killed by a drunk driver.
Lost my father and sister both to DWI accidents, I getcha. But, the costs of everything involved and keeping it all working is not borne by the .Gov agency mandating it, but rather by the consumer. In NYS any vehicle under (IIRC) 7500 lbs GVWR is mandated to pass the OBD system emissions scan. There is supposed to be a "If you can't get it to pass after spending $500.00 on parts it'll get an exemption" thing, but my mechanic says he's never seen that happen- ever! People spend thousand$ and can't get an inspection sticker. Most of those people can't afford to spend thousands on repairs just for a $21.00 inspection sticker or many tens of thousands for a new vehicle. And that applies to all vehicles post-1995! Think about that! A 26 year old truck is supposed to pass the same inspection as a brand new vehicle and tell me that's right!

Anyway, if an ignition interlock system is built in and fails, it's just that much more $$$ in costs when it's built and to maintain and Joe and Mary Sixpack are the people paying for it, not the politicians or vehicle makers. It's not "just a few dollars" either!
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Got the fence pulled, stone spread and got totally soaked in cold rain doing it. Out today to get some tires for the Burb. Also tried to get rears for the F350 but my garage can't get the model I have on front. Found them on Ebay but they are twice what they were last year! I did manage to get Cindys studded snows mounted and balanced on the new rims. I'll put them on the car tomorrow if the weather is decent.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I despise DUI drivers, but these whiz-bang ignition interlocks are NOT the answer--for the same reasons that cross-bolt safeties on leverguns are ludicrous. What stops a sober front seat passenger from interceding in the start-up sequence? What stops the system from being by-passed in any other number of ways? Only laws--and lawbreakers already DGAF.

I saved up heresies for close to a week, just to post here. FANG THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS out of EVERY violator that gets caught DUI--alcohol, illegal drugs, whatever. Treat DUI with the same severity it gets dealt with in most other modern nations. There will be costs involved with these tightened laws--more people will fail to yield during contact attempts. Cases presented in court will become far more vigorously defended, due to the potential sanctions involved.

California has done a few good things with DUI enforcement, but more is needed. First-offense DUI/no injuries or property damage is a $12K-$15K trip through the criminal justice system, which should get most people's attention--and does. I don't see a just/fair way to further sanction simple-element first offenders, and we haven't even talked about car insurance for the violator in coming years--that is some righteous sticker shock inbound at warp speed. Fair and just, AFAIC. Also, vehicular homicide can be upgraded to 2nd degree murder in CA now, on the basis of implied malice (this pivots on intoxication level, largely) and upon prior convictions.

DUI with priors needs to have its sanctions elevated MARKEDLY, however. Murder-2 is a step in the right direction in cases that rise to that level of severity, but the "with priors" sanctions absent death and/or injury MUST BE UPGRADED--turn "with priors" into mandatory felony/mandatory state prison offenses, irrespective of injury or property damage. GET SERIOUS, IOW. And punish the violators, NOT the public at large--they already bear the brunt of hazardous driving at the hands of the druggies and drunkards that infest our highways.
 
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KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
I note that in some countries the fines are often based on income. 1.5 to 3 months income, which might even make the rich think twice. a 10-15k$ fine is nothing to someone making half a mil a year.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I note that in some countries the fines are often based on income. 1.5 to 3 months income, which might even make the rich think twice. a 10-15k$ fine is nothing to someone making half a mil a year.

I often thought that regarding all tickets. The same ticket to one person amounts coffee money pocket change and to the next person it's their rent money.
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
I despise DUI drivers, but these whiz-bang ignition interlocks are NOT the answer--for the same reasons that cross-bolt safeties on leverguns are ludicrous. What stops a sober front seat passenger from interceding in the start-up sequence? What stops the system from being by-passed in any other number of ways? Only laws--and lawbreakers already DGAF.

I saved up heresies for close to a week, just to post here. FANG THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS out of EVERY violator that gets caught DUI--alcohol, illegal drugs, whatever. Treat DUI with the same severity it gets dealt with in most other modern nations. There will be costs involved with these tightened laws--more people will fail to yield during contact attempts. Cases presented in court will become far more vigorously defended, due to the potential sanctions involved.

California has done a few good things with DUI enforcement, but more is needed. First-offense DUI/no injuries or property damage is a $12K-$15K trip through the criminal justice system, which should get most most people's attention--and does. I don't see a just/fair way to further sanction simple-element first offenders, and we haven't even talked about car insurance for the violator in coming years--that is some righteous sticker shock inbound at warp speed. Fair and just, AFAIC. Also, vehicular homicide can be upgraded to 2nd degree murder in CA now, on the basis of implied malice (this pivots on intoxication level, largely) and upon prior convictions.

DUI with priors needs to have its sanctions elevated MARKEDLY, however. Murder-2 is a step in the right direction in cases that rise to that level of severity, but the "with priors" sanctions absent death and/or injury MUST BE UPGRADED--turn "with priors" into mandatory felony/mandatory state prison offenses, irrespective of injury or property damage. GET SERIOUS, IOW. And punish the violators, NOT the public at large--they already bear the brunt of hazardous driving at the hands of the druggies and drunkards that infest our highways.
I could not agree more CZ.
Punish the the violators not the victims especially after they may have suffered then inflict additional cost restrictions on them, let alone the totality innocent.
We see the attempt at over reach everywhere already. Don’t need more blanket policies. Need directed surgical policies.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Valid points regarding fine amounts. Graduated fine schedules or other "UMDAP" (Universal Method to Determine Ability to Pay, YES they exist) require submission of income and expense info, like 1040 Fed or 540 State tax records. Another slippery slope, along with the one sending this thread into political waters. And you thought ocean saltwater was corrosive.......
 
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462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Watching a 100-plus year old oak tree, located between our house and the neighbor's, being reduced to sawdust. Sad. Pictures later.
 

popper

Well-Known Member
Texas just increases the fine for DUI each time. If you don't got the $ some lawyer just gets you off by a 'need to drive to keep job' plea.