I need your help with a petition.

Sorry, i am not interested in this petition, it punishes everybody before they commit a crime.

If this petition was to remove the laws that say that drunk driving was a felony, I would sign it. But the major problem isn't that people drink, but that if they we caught, instead of paying a fine they are told they are alcoholics, making a mockery of alcoholism and A.A. Further making people who may not be alcoholics think they are.

If it was listed as a class A misdemeanor, there would be more convictions, more solutions and more likely a drop in it.

Sentencing someone to two years in prison for driving intoxicated is a hard case for a jury to convict. I Sat on three jury's where the felony charge was dismissed, my state there jury can decide if the defendant is guilty of a lesser charge, all three were reduced below a felony.

Aufgeblassen said:

The problem with "drinking responsibly", is that everybody starts out responsible, but the more drinks you have, the less responsible they make you (i.e. sexual promiscuity), so drinking tends to have a domino effect.

The best solution, is physical barriers, such as cars not starting for drunks, bartenders being more responsible for limiting customers drink purchases, etc.

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Sure but if you know you're not the most logical of drunks or think you might be driving home, just stop when you get tipsy. You'll still be happy but won't lose control.

Aufgeblassen said:

The problem with "drinking responsibly", is that everybody starts out responsible, but the more drinks you have, the less responsible they make you (i.e. sexual promiscuity), so drinking tends to have a domino effect.

The best solution, is physical barriers, such as cars not starting for drunks, bartenders being more responsible for limiting customers drink purchases, etc.

Click to expand...

True. Drinking reduces judgement. Charging a drunk with a DUI is silly since they lack the judgment to make good decisions. What they are charged with if failing to properly prepare for transportation home before drinking.

They are charged with keeping their keys and, while completely sober, stepping into a bar with the intent to drink and then drive home.

FWIW, I signed the petition. While I have some of the same concerns as Polydectes, the bottom line is that most DUIs and DUI accidents are committed by younger drivers. A 2-3 hour course, maybe held online and by their insurance companies for a lower rate, might help reduce these statistics a bit.

MADD - Statistics
Driving under the influence of alcohol was associated with age in 2010. The rate was highest among persons aged 21 to 25 (23.4 percent). An estimated 5.8 percent of 16 or 17 year olds and 15.1 percent of 18 to 20 year olds reported driving under the influence of alcohol in the past year. Beyond age 25, these rates showed a general decline with increasing age.

In fatal crashes in 2010, the highest percentage of drunk drivers was for drivers ages 21 to 24 (34 percent), followed by ages 25 to 34 (30 percent) and 35 to 44 (25 percent).