I can see both sides of the argument. I mean, an idiotic drunk at a bar always brings the party down and he can be an endangerment to himself and everyone else. Plus public intoxication is against the law, even if it is at a bar. While bar owners and poilce have turned a blind eye to it in the past, this is more of just enforcing the law. If you don't have a problem with the police picking up a drunk on the street yelling and screaming at everyone he sees, then why do you have a problem with this? Because of the fact that it might be you or a friend getting arrested?
Not every drunk person is "yelling and screaming at everyone he sees". Some are just having fun and living life.
I for one can see how this could help if someone was totally sh*t faced...But normally, you see people drinking and they are having a great time and not endangering themselves or others... Hell, go to any bar in any town and a lot of people drink...the TABC could be causing a lot of trouble if they truly expanded this...I would imagine that the business would be up in arms as to me, the agent is making a judgement call and doing this to meet a quota... I think this is ridiculous, and is another way to generate revenue for a budget shortfall...
I got arrested and spent the night in jail once for this in college. I was a dangerous drunken walker making the deadly 1/4 traverse back to my place. I'm glad I got arrested, who knows what could have happened? I could have collided head on with a pedestrian or caused them to veer haphazardly off the sidwalk and muddy their breeches.
Only time I've ever been in jail was due to my running afoul of the TABC as I exited a bar to make a 2 block walk home. I'd had 3 drinks & was begging for a field sobriety test. No dice, they gave me the same standard "threat to yourself & others" spiel after they slammed me upside their Tahoe. TABC's been out of control for awhile. That agency - and Texas's ridiculous alcohol laws - need a serious overhaul.
The ATF and TABC need to be disbanded and there budgets used to provide commuter trains into Houston for all the drunks. I may start a grassroots movement to get Kinky Friedmann to support my idea. I would definately vote for him if he would do something innovative like that.
Kinda off topic, but I hate that Pasadena isn't a dry city anymore, that's when you know that the people in charge don't care about you anymore.
I have seen plenty of people sh-tfaced at bars, being a nuisance. I wouldn't be opposed to them being arrested. So are you saying that there should not be any public intoxication laws in the state? A guy drunk, yelling, trying to grab girl's asses can say that he is "just having fun and living life" as well. That is a cop out. The truth is that some people are not responsible enough and end up runing other's night or life because they can't handle their liquor. This law is about people totally drunk. Not someome with a buzz. There is a difference and everything in the story supports that. Again, do you have a problem with the public intoxication laws being enforced?
Yes, if they aren't bothering anyone. Usually people are busted for being drunk if they are being obnoxious or dangerous etc. Most people can be legally drunk and not be that way. Those people should be left alone.
Yup, that's what drunk & disorderly conduct offenses are for. Just somebody minding their own business getting hammered? Shouldn't be enforced until they become a problem.
Why? Being obnoxious and offensive isn't a crime - else we'd see Fred Phelps, Howard Stern (I know they're not in the same category, just that both are found offensive by many people) and others in jail. Then arresting for the crime he is committing: harrassment. Arresting people for what they *might* do is absurd. I'm sorry, I didn't realize that ****ing up someone's night was illegal. Time to get all of my exes arrested for ****ing up my day/week/month/etc! Time to get the idiots in my statistics class arrested for asking inane questions and ****ing up my day! Again, if a drunk commits a crime such as assault or drunk driving, arrest them for that crime, not something that they might have could have possibly may have done. Yes. Arrest them if they're committing a crime, not because they have alcohol in their blood.
They are being arrested for the crime they commit. Public intoxication is illegal. They are being arrested for that and only that. What is the problem there?
Public Intoxication, also known as 'drunk and disorderly conduct', is a summary offense in many countries. Typical offenders are those who are obviously intoxicated and making a public nuisance of him or herself. Intoxication in and of itself is not illegal - a person must also fulfill one of the following criteria in order to be arrested: Being a "public nuisance;" that is, he or she is acting in such an obnoxious manner as to cause a public disturbance (such as instigating a fight or "mouthing off" to police); Being a danger to others, such as fighting or attempting to drive while drunk; or Being so intoxicated that he or she is a danger to himself, i.e. he or she is vomiting due to alcohol poisoning. Typically, the police would put the intoxicated person in jail (often referred to as the drunk tank) until he sobers up and then issue a fine. Punishment may be more severe if other illegal acts, such as assault or drunk driving, also occur. This offense is sometimes known as "drunk in public" or "drunk and disorderly." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Intoxication
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/opinions/op46white/mw-197.htm TABC is going to have to prove that the people they arrested were violating the third clause.
Yes, and? They raided 35+ bars and arrested 30 people. You don't think there were more than 30 drunk people out there? It's quite clear they are not just going around arresting anyone that is drunk sitting at a table.
