Drunk driver gets 50 to life for murder

Godfather.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/22/cal ... index.html

the rest of his life in prison, as it should be.

Godfather.

keeponrockin

Good. I always thought that the second someone gets caught over the limit, it should be a LARGE fine and a license suspended for 5 years. After 5 years you can get your learners permit/G1 etc, and start the process again, no exceptions.

UpSideDown

I'll be the first to admit that I probably take drinking & driving too casually sometimes, but going 65 in a 35 mph zone when you are that drunk is just not smart....

polaris_x

UpSideDown wrote:

I'll be the first to admit that I probably take drinking & driving too casually sometimes, but going 65 in a 35 mph zone when you are that drunk is just not smart....

the reality is that most people do ... if people are honest with themselves ...

the fact of the matter is that most people who do drink and drive don't get caught ... i dated a cop who's job was it to go look for dui's ... everyday she would catch someone ... pretty sad ...

LikeAnOcean

keeponrockin wrote:

Good. I always thought that the second someone gets caught over the limit, it should be a LARGE fine and a license suspended for 5 years. After 5 years you can get your learners permit/G1 etc, and start the process again, no exceptions.

It depends where you want that limit. Should it be no alcohol?

I got pulled over for going 55 in a 45. I rarely drink a lot and drive, but this particular night I blew a .085. I wouldn't have if the bartender didn't offer everyone a free one on the house as we were leaving the bar.. I passed all of the physical tests with ease, and the officers let me drive myself home, but they could have thrown the book at me.

For every 1 hour lack of sleep you have is equivalent to one drink, so If you have insomnia, you should not be behind the wheel either.

Maybe there should be levels, like if you blow a .05 to .1 you get a ticket. If you blow .1 to .12 you get a pretty big fine, lose license for a month.. and anything over that, fine and jail time, suspended license.. Usually these offenders are several times over the legal limit when they kill.

Either make it illegal to have any alcohol in you or set these levels. There's no way somebody knows wether they are getting into a car with a .079 or .081 in them. Imagine an ounce of alcohol being the difference between legal and 5 years of your life ruined. There's no way.

UpSideDown

LikeAnOcean wrote:

keeponrockin wrote:

For every 1 hour lack of sleep you have is equivalent to one drink, so If you have insomnia, you should not be behind the wheel either.

I trust myself driving drunk more than after I work a third shift, or having worked 1st shift and had insomnia the night before. If I have alcohol in me I make it a point to drive slow and carefully. When I am tired like that I can barely even keep my eyes focused.

redrock

UpSideDown wrote:

LikeAnOcean wrote:

keeponrockin wrote:

For every 1 hour lack of sleep you have is equivalent to one drink, so If you have insomnia, you should not be behind the wheel either.

I trust myself driving drunk ore than after I work a third shift, or having worked 1st shift and had insomnia the night before. If I have alcohol in me I make it a point to drive slow and carefully. When I am tired like that I can barely even keep my eyes focused.

If you have been drinking, you shouldn't be driving. Full stop. Same with being so tired you can't focus.

All of this driving slowly and carefully is total bullshit and completely irresponsible. It only takes a split second of lack of focus or concentration.

Commy

redrock wrote:

If you have been drinking, you shouldn't be driving. Full stop. Same with being so tired you can't focus.

All of this driving slowly and carefully is total bullshit and completely irresponsible. It only takes a split second of lack of focus or concentration.

^^

this.

TriumphantAngel

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Maybe there should be levels, like if you blow a .05 to .1 you get a ticket. If you blow .1 to .12 you get a pretty big fine, lose license for a month.. and anything over that, fine and jail time, suspended license.. Usually these offenders are several times over the legal limit when they kill.

Either make it illegal to have any alcohol in you or set these levels. There's no way somebody knows wether they are getting into a car with a .079 or .081 in them. Imagine an ounce of alcohol being the difference between legal and 5 years of your life ruined. There's no way.

or imagine an ounce of alcohol being the difference between someone elses life ruined.

if you want to drink, don't drive.

facts about drinking and driving. impairment begins long before you are legally drunk.

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/dui/a/impaired.htm

LikeAnOcean

TriumphantAngel wrote:

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Maybe there should be levels, like if you blow a .05 to .1 you get a ticket. If you blow .1 to .12 you get a pretty big fine, lose license for a month.. and anything over that, fine and jail time, suspended license.. Usually these offenders are several times over the legal limit when they kill.

Either make it illegal to have any alcohol in you or set these levels. There's no way somebody knows wether they are getting into a car with a .079 or .081 in them. Imagine an ounce of alcohol being the difference between legal and 5 years of your life ruined. There's no way.

or imagine an ounce of alcohol being the difference between someone elses life ruined.

if you want to drink, don't drive.

facts about drinking and driving. impairment begins long before you are legally drunk.

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/dui/a/impaired.htm

So then, why is any in your system legal? There's a lot of lowsy drivers out there too, impairment goes along with age too, should we make it illegal for them to drive too? I'm down for it... hell if you have the sneezes, or not wearing sunglasses or something, you're impared. Where do we draw the lines?


I'm not trying to justify doing it, I'm just trying to figure out why its legal.. These cases where death is involved, the driver is many times over the legal limit, not even close. There's a million things that cause impairment, like, if you went to bed an hour or two too late, should you not drive the next day?

TriumphantAngel

LikeAnOcean wrote:

TriumphantAngel wrote:

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Maybe there should be levels, like if you blow a .05 to .1 you get a ticket. If you blow .1 to .12 you get a pretty big fine, lose license for a month.. and anything over that, fine and jail time, suspended license.. Usually these offenders are several times over the legal limit when they kill.

Either make it illegal to have any alcohol in you or set these levels. There's no way somebody knows wether they are getting into a car with a .079 or .081 in them. Imagine an ounce of alcohol being the difference between legal and 5 years of your life ruined. There's no way.

or imagine an ounce of alcohol being the difference between someone elses life ruined.

if you want to drink, don't drive.

facts about drinking and driving. impairment begins long before you are legally drunk.

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/dui/a/impaired.htm

So then, why is any in your system legal? There's a lot of lowsy drivers out there too, impairment goes along with age too, should we make it illegal for them to drive too? I'm down for it... hell if you have the sneezes, or not wearing sunglasses or something, you're impared. Where do we draw the lines?


I'm not trying to justify doing it, I'm just trying to figure out why its legal.. These cases where death is involved, the driver is many times over the legal limit, not even close. There's a million things that cause impairment, like, if you went to bed an hour or two too late, should you not drive the next day?

it shouldn't be legal. i'm for zero tolerance. you want to drink, go for it, just don't drive. period.

in 2008, Drunk drivers who were over the legal limit when they died were eight times more likely to have been previously convicted for drunk driving. that tells me something is very very wrong. a previous conviciton is obviously not a deterrent. stricter laws and punishment needs to be enforced. 12,000 people die every year from alcohol related driving injuries and many thousands more are maimed for life.

that's a lot of people.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

UpSideDown wrote:

I trust myself driving drunk more than after I work a third shift, or having worked 1st shift and had insomnia the night before. If I have alcohol in me I make it a point to drive slow and carefully. When I am tired like that I can barely even keep my eyes focused.

I can't believe what I just read. :shock:

Kel Varnsen

LikeAnOcean wrote:

keeponrockin wrote:

Good. I always thought that the second someone gets caught over the limit, it should be a LARGE fine and a license suspended for 5 years. After 5 years you can get your learners permit/G1 etc, and start the process again, no exceptions.

It depends where you want that limit. Should it be no alcohol?

I got pulled over for going 55 in a 45. I rarely drink a lot and drive, but this particular night I blew a .085. I wouldn't have if the bartender didn't offer everyone a free one on the house as we were leaving the bar.. I passed all of the physical tests with ease, and the officers let me drive myself home, but they could have thrown the book at me.

For every 1 hour lack of sleep you have is equivalent to one drink, so If you have insomnia, you should not be behind the wheel either.

Maybe there should be levels, like if you blow a .05 to .1 you get a ticket. If you blow .1 to .12 you get a pretty big fine, lose license for a month.. and anything over that, fine and jail time, suspended license.. Usually these offenders are several times over the legal limit when they kill.

Either make it illegal to have any alcohol in you or set these levels. There's no way somebody knows wether they are getting into a car with a .079 or .081 in them. Imagine an ounce of alcohol being the difference between legal and 5 years of your life ruined. There's no way.

I would really like to see the laws changed so that repeat offenders or people who are basically too drunk to see get the book thrown at them. But now, at least in Ontario the laws aren't really geared that way. Right now the way the law works, if you blow between 0.05 and 0.08 you don't get charged wit DUI but your licences gets an immediate 24 hour suspension, if there is no one sober in your car to drive you home, your car gets impounded, you get a ticket, and they call your insurance company. It seems like overkill to me for what could possibly amount to 1 or 2 drinks for some people.

As far as making it illegal to have any alcohol in your system, how would they even do that. I mean how do you define 0 and how precise is the machine? If you have a couple of rumballs or some of those alcohol filled chocolates and drive home are you breaking the law. If you get a breathalyzer and blow 0.0001 is that considered alcohol in your system?

Shawshank

Any mother fucker who would ever drive drunk, even a "little" drunk, and think it's ok is a complete waste of skin. I just lost a friend to some drunk ass. Now his wife is without a husband and his daughters are fatherless. Grow some brain cells and stop thinking it's no big deal before you add someone to the death toll.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

Shawshank wrote:

Any mother fucker who would ever drive drunk, even a "little" drunk, and think it's ok is a complete waste of skin. I just lost a friend to some drunk ass. Now his wife is without a husband and his daughters are fatherless. Grow some brain cells and stop thinking it's no big deal before you add someone to the death toll.

+1

unsung

Admittedly I have probably had too much to drink and got behind the wheel before. However a couple of close calls, the thought of losing my job, and the idea of possibly killing someone has scared me to not do it anymore.

When I look back on the dumb things I've done... stupid.

keeponrockin

Shawshank wrote:

Any mother fucker who would ever drive drunk, even a "little" drunk, and think it's ok is a complete waste of skin. I just lost a friend to some drunk ass. Now his wife is without a husband and his daughters are fatherless. Grow some brain cells and stop thinking it's no big deal before you add someone to the death toll.

I gotta agree with this guy. One or two drinks? Don't drive. It's that simple. If I'm driving, even if I want to have a few drinks, I don't because I know I have to drive home. Why can't people us common sense?

Boxes&Books

I remember this whole tragic moment- Orange County isn't far from where I'm from. I feel for the families affected by this....

Not to take anything away from the article or the victims, but what do you think would have been the sentencing had the tables been reversed. Let's say Nick never had a criminal record and he killed the two brothers?
I ask this because in CA the Justice system doesn't always rule justly.

I mean no disrespect to the victims, but life continues and this isn't the only event of it's kind..... I personally know someone who has been involved in an exact situation, it's horrible and effects so many people.

TriumphantAngel

tonifig8 wrote:

I mean no disrespect to the victims, but life continues and this isn't the only event of it's kind.....I personally know someone who has been involved in an exact situation, it's horrible and effects so many people.

so did you tell the person you know ''personally" thats been in the exact same situation that life continues and this isn't the only event of it's kind??

what point exactly are you trying to make with this comment? why did you feel the need to make that statement here?

TriumphantAngel

unsung wrote:

Admittedly I have probably had too much to drink and got behind the wheel before. However a couple of close calls, the thought of losing my job, and the idea of possibly killing someone has scared me to not do it anymore.

When I look back on the dumb things I've done... stupid.

i wish there was more people who thought like you before it was too late.

anyone who has been convicted of a drink driving offence should have to do voluntary work in a rehabilition clinic working with victims of drunk drivers.

then see how many re offend when they see with their own eyes what chaos they can create.

JOEJOEJOE

tonifig8 wrote:

I remember this whole tragic moment- Orange County isn't far from where I'm from. I feel for the families affected by this....

Not to take anything away from the article or the victims, but what do you think would have been the sentencing had the tables been reversed. Let's say Nick never had a criminal record and he killed the two brothers?
I ask this because in CA the Justice system doesn't always rule justly.

I mean no disrespect to the victims, but life continues and this isn't the only event of it's kind..... I personally know someone who has been involved in an exact situation, it's horrible and effects so many people.

You mean no disrespect, but you bring up a "what-if" by turning the table on someone who was the innocent victim of a tragedy?

LikeAnOcean

Shawshank wrote:

Any mother fucker who would ever drive drunk, even a "little" drunk, and think it's ok is a complete waste of skin. I just lost a friend to some drunk ass. Now his wife is without a husband and his daughters are fatherless. Grow some brain cells and stop thinking it's no big deal before you add someone to the death toll.

Define "little" drunk.. because the 95% of us who drove home from a bar with at least one or two drinks in us at one point in our life are a waste of skin, is that what you are saying?

Shawshank

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Define "little" drunk.. because the 95% of us who drove home from a bar with at least one or two drinks in us at one point in our life are a waste of skin, is that what you are saying?

My statement applies to anyone who drives after drinking, especially those who think it's no big deal.

tvismyfriend

LikeAnOcean wrote:

keeponrockin wrote:

Good. I always thought that the second someone gets caught over the limit, it should be a LARGE fine and a license suspended for 5 years. After 5 years you can get your learners permit/G1 etc, and start the process again, no exceptions.

It depends where you want that limit. Should it be no alcohol?

I got pulled over for going 55 in a 45. I rarely drink a lot and drive, but this particular night I blew a .085. I wouldn't have if the bartender didn't offer everyone a free one on the house as we were leaving the bar.. I passed all of the physical tests with ease, and the officers let me drive myself home, but they could have thrown the book at me.

For every 1 hour lack of sleep you have is equivalent to one drink, so If you have insomnia, you should not be behind the wheel either.

Maybe there should be levels, like if you blow a .05 to .1 you get a ticket. If you blow .1 to .12 you get a pretty big fine, lose license for a month.. and anything over that, fine and jail time, suspended license.. Usually these offenders are several times over the legal limit when they kill.

Either make it illegal to have any alcohol in you or set these levels. There's no way somebody knows wether they are getting into a car with a .079 or .081 in them. Imagine an ounce of alcohol being the difference between legal and 5 years of your life ruined. There's no way.

Those penalties you described aren't particularly harsh. Where I live a first time offense for a .08 gets you a three-month driving ban. That's before the fines kick in.

catefrances

Shawshank wrote:

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Define "little" drunk.. because the 95% of us who drove home from a bar with at least one or two drinks in us at one point in our life are a waste of skin, is that what you are saying?

My statement applies to anyone who drives after drinking, especially those who think it's no big deal.

i would never drive drunk but i certainly know i can drink 1 or 2 over the course of 4 hours and be totally capable of driving unhindered.

mickeyrat

catefrances wrote:

Shawshank wrote:

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Define "little" drunk.. because the 95% of us who drove home from a bar with at least one or two drinks in us at one point in our life are a waste of skin, is that what you are saying?

My statement applies to anyone who drives after drinking, especially those who think it's no big deal.

i would never drive drunk but i certainly know i can drink 1 or 2 over the course of 4 hours and be totally capable of driving unhindered.

depending on when that 2nd drink was consumed , you could show a BAC of 0. Takes the body approximately 1 hour to process 1 oz of hard liquor, 12 oz of beer, or 6(?) oz of wine. And THAT is depending on body type, height, and weight. Its said gender plays a role too.

catefrances

mickeyrat wrote:

catefrances wrote:

i would never drive drunk but i certainly know i can drink 1 or 2 over the course of 4 hours and be totally capable of driving unhindered.

depending on when that 2nd drink was consumed , you could show a BAC of 0. Takes the body approximately 1 hour to process 1 oz of hard liquor, 12 oz of beer, or 6(?) oz of wine. And THAT is depending on body type, height, and weight. Its said gender plays a role too.

aah mickey.. i said i. ive been drinking long enough to know how my body processes alcohol. im not speaking for others, the only person im talking about here is me.

UpSideDown

Paul David wrote:

UpSideDown wrote:

I trust myself driving drunk more than after I work a third shift, or having worked 1st shift and had insomnia the night before. If I have alcohol in me I make it a point to drive slow and carefully. When I am tired like that I can barely even keep my eyes focused.

I can't believe what I just read. :shock:

Why?

I have caught myself drifting or with my eyes out of focus a handful of times while driving on no sleep. I have never had a close call after leaving the bar. I am well aware of what level of intoxication I am at any given time. And I understand how it affects my reaction time.

I live in a medium sized town, and the roads are mostly bare late at night. I also know the roads, intersections, stop signs well. Combined with intentionally driving slow and carefully, I think this does make a difference. I'm not saying that what I am doing is safe. But it certainly lowers the chance of something horrible happening as compared to driving 65 mph on roads that you dont' know.

I am not justifying drinking and driving - I understand what it does to people. But I am saying that I personally trust myself driving after a few drinks more than being dead tired. I am serious with that statement. I know people have a lot of emotion when talking about this issue, but I am just trying to approach it honestly.

catefrances

UpSideDown wrote:

Paul David wrote:

UpSideDown wrote:

I trust myself driving drunk more than after I work a third shift, or having worked 1st shift and had insomnia the night before. If I have alcohol in me I make it a point to drive slow and carefully. When I am tired like that I can barely even keep my eyes focused.

I can't believe what I just read. :shock:

Why?

I have caught myself drifting or with my eyes out of focus a handful of times while driving on no sleep. I have never had a close call after leaving the bar. I am well aware of what level of intoxication I am at any given time. And I understand how it affects my reaction time.

I live in a medium sized town, and the roads are mostly bare late at night. I also know the roads, intersections, stop signs well. Combined with intentionally driving slow and carefully, I think this does make a difference. I'm not saying that what I am doing is safe. But it certainly lowers the chance of something horrible happening as compared to driving 65 mph on roads that you dont' know.

I am not justifying drinking and driving - I understand what it does to people. But I am saying that I personally trust myself driving after a few drinks more than being dead tired. I am serious with that statement. I know people have a lot of emotion when talking about this issue, but I am just trying to approach it honestly.

i too trust myself driving after a few drinks more than when im fatigued. the only time ive ever came close to having an accident was due to fatigue. and if id have been alone that time, id probably be dead... it was only my brother sitting beside me who screamed my name that had me coming to and missing that tree @ 100 kmph. it was also fortunately for us that it was a divided road. anyhoo im not condoning drunk driving and certainly not belittling death by drunk driver, just stating that fatigue and micro sleeps can sometimes be bigger killers than a few drinks.

LikeAnOcean

I would argue, cell phones, conversations, insomnia, age, vision, stupidity can be much more dangerous than having a few drinks in you alone. Generally after a few drinks my nerves are much more controllable, I get better at bowling, pool, etc, but anything more and I get rapidly worse.

Again, these deaths involve people with ridiculous alcohol levels most people never achieve. .19% is about a dozen drinks in you over a few hours of drinking. I would be sick if I had that much. I'd barely be standing.

catefrances

LikeAnOcean wrote:

I would argue, cell phones, conversations, insomnia, age, vision, stupidity can be much more dangerous than having a few drinks in you alone.

Again, these deaths involve people with ridiculous alcohol levels most people never achieve.

being sideswiped on a freeway whilst doing 110kmph by a 4WD whose driver was texting.

being forced to slam on the brakes because some idiot decided to turn left directly in front of me from the right hand lane without warning or indication... twice. all because they had no forethought.


stupidity x 3.