<object width="450" height="370"><param name="movie" value="http://www.liveleak.com/e/14e_1240073298"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.liveleak.com/e/14e_1240073298" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="450" height="370"></embed></object> ^ Didn't want to start a thread, but had to post this gem somewhere.
You weren't drunk because you got something to eat? When I was in college, the myth was having a drunk guy drink coffee. How times change. From everything you have been saying, I suspect that you were more drunk than you are letting on. I hope you have learned something from this...before something happens that you'll have to live with for the rest of your life.
You know what, I never have. I have had plenty of times when I have been drunk, but I am smart enough to avoid operating heavy machinery after having a few. There are plenty of people who would still be alive if everybody was that careful.
That...and roughly one third of all auto accident fatalities have alcohol involved. There is a big correlation between drunk drivers and death. It isn't just because it is "PC."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6381800.html This is really stupid and sad. See how alcohol can destroy you and your family.
Yes, attrocious weather and talking on the phone had nothing to do with this. Lets blame the .0079 and .0082 readings. This driver was an idiot, but this was a triple whammy of distractions, yet everyone is focusing on the equivalent of 2-3 beers in his system. Hmmm...
I know the bad weather and cell phone usage contributed to this incident but it says the tests were taken a couple of hours later...if the tests were taken right away, wouldn't the blood level be higher?
2.5 hours later 2-3 beers.. so let's add a few to that for when the accident occurred (with the other distractions)
It is pretty much agreed upon that a typical person clears the equivalent of one drink per hour. So you could move his intoxication level to 4-5 beers.
So at the scene, that .08 (not .008 as per your post), may have been anywhere from .11 to .14 depending on various physical factors.
Well, I'm not a reactionary as I have stated, but these are things that are legal (driving with a phone, and in bad weather) so this is a particularly bad time to be taking chances with a "couple of beers," or worse, and getting your phone out... especially if you're (person driving in said condition(s)) an 'idiot' (none of the kids buckled up?) Incredibly Sad Story. FFB's point is taken though... there were many factors in this tragedy. We will never know, obviously, if not having anything to drink could have prevented it, but I'm sure we can all agree being completely sober could not have made things worse.
From what i have heard from quite a few people is a lawyer by the name gary trichter and $10,000 will get you off with minimal penalty...
You may as well figure out by now that you will never convince most people that downing half a six pack and getting behind the wheel is acceptable. The reason you won't convince them of that is because it isn't acceptable...anywhere in the world. As previously pointed out, we have among the most liberal DWI laws in the world. Yes...there were distractions. Yes there was bad weather. Maybe it could have still been avoided if the driver's reaction time were not slowed by the booze.
It gives me no pleasure to share this but I got busted for a DUI last night. Had four drinks over a six hour period. Felt fine, thought I paced myself well but I made the mistake of going to Sheetz at 2 AM. I thought since I looked/talked/felt fine grabbing an MTO to go wouldn't be a big deal even though I KNEW Sheetz at 2 AM around here is like walking into the lion's den. Well, I guess I tipped somebody off since a squadcar followed me out of the Sheetz parking lot. I knew I was being followed the whole time too so I made it a point to drive like an eff'n boy scout. They followed me for about five minutes and I drove perfectly. To no avail -- sirens, license & registration, field tests (passed) and then the breathalyzer. PA's limit is 0.8 and I had passed that which means an automatic arrest. The officer (who I knew, sadly) took me to the hospital for a blood sample. Rather than be difficult I consented to this. The officer was cool, shot straight from the hip with me and told me I would likely qualify for PA's ARD program. The ARD program is for first time offenders. Basically, I guess you attend a couple classes, stay on probation for a year or two then the charges get completely wiped off your record. Obviously, that's the route I plan on pursuing rather than fighting this. The kicker? I'm in school to work for the FAA and become an Air Traffic Controller. My parents both work for the FAA now and they're playing the prototypical angry/extremest-parent-role telling me a DUI may automatically disqualify me from employment with the FAA. Wow, wouldn't that just be wonderful? [Smacks self in the head] I don't expect anybody's sympathy and I know I don't deserve it. I know I wasn't a danger to myself or anybody else but TECHNICALLY I was impaired so I was in the wrong. Just know it takes literally nothing to cross the 0.8 legal limit (PA). Even to the point where just having 1-2, driving and thinking you're "safe" is not even close to being accurate. You're better off not even touching the stuff at all if you have ANY plans of driving. Lesson learned.
What size were your drinks? If we're talking 12 ounce beers, you should have been absolutely fine. You might be surprised by those blood results.
Long Islands. They had some teeth which is why I made it a point to space it all out. Even drank water in between. I tried literally every precaution they teach you (outside of actually not drinking in the first place) and I still failed.
One long island is like two or three regular drinks depending on who is pouring -- it is quite possible that you had the equivalent of twelve drinks.
