DWI Checkpoints coming to a major metropolitan area near you!

[Tom]

http://www.click2houston.com/news/19048504/detail.html

[iCe]

Cool

[Cajungaltx]

Awesome.

I have no tolerance for drunk driving. None.

[Coelus]

I never knew that wasn't allowed in Texas.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Coelus

I never knew that wasn't allowed in Texas.

Drunk driving or checkpoints?

[Coelus]

Checkpoints. But I do know some areas that I think the locals get confused between the two on a regular basis.

[crackhead]

I don't even drink. I'm just worried about how far they can take this. Checkpoints for DWIs, however justifiable, can easily devolve into checkpoints for anything. How about pedestrian checkpoints? Modulating citizen behavior?

They can easily create new laws to find, fine and detain new lawbreakers.

They have a term for this. It's called mission creep.

[Tom]

Crackhead - I also think that a checkpoint will be less effective than if they had multiple mobile units focusing on an area (say midtown, Rice village and Rice Military.)

It would not be hard to set up a twitter account to alert all the followers as to where the checkpoint is located and then thousands could get the location sent to their phone with a status update.

[ppcass]

Having lost a neice to a drunk driver, this is a sensitve issue to me. I think any effort to get drunk drivers off the streets should be considered.

[crackhead]

In Pennsylvania, they already have pedestrian checkpoints, arresting people for walking while intoxicated.

In the future, they'll ban drinking and smoking and any other behavior inside your own home.

[Cajungaltx]

Originally Posted by crackhead

I don't even drink. I'm just worried about how far they can take this. Checkpoints for DWIs, however justifiable, can easily devolve into checkpoints for anything. How about pedestrian checkpoints? Modulating citizen behavior?

They can easily create new laws to find, fine and detain new lawbreakers.

They have a term for this. It's called mission creep.

Maybe it's me.... but I try not to break the law... seriously.

I make sure my stickers are up to date.... I keep my driver's license current... I take care of all the things that a law abiding citizen SHOULD be taking care of.

It really isn't THAT hard to do. There's a hilarious Chris Rock video that provides some suggestions about what NOT to do if you get stopped by the cops...

I'm not a big fan of having the government all in my business - but driving while drunk is a different situation. Someone else's driving could very SERIOUSLY impact my business.

And as for the drunk pedestrian... if THEY walk in front of my very sober self driving along the road... and I hit them.... if they live - I'm almost 100% sure that they will hire an attorney who will say it was MY fault that they were hit... not theirs. They were arrested for public drunkenness - which is against the law there - not because they were pedestrians. Apparently they were so drunk they didn't AVOID the area with the cops in it.

[crackhead]

Originally Posted by Cajungaltx

Maybe it's me.... but I try not to break the law... seriously.

What they do is make new laws to make law-abiding citizens into criminals.

Pretty soon we'll need pedestrian licenses to walk on the sidewalk or leave the house.

You seem to think society and civilization is this static immutable entity, when in reality laws are changed, reversed, and unreversed, to meet the ends of the lawmakers.

[kenw]

Originally Posted by crackhead

In Pennsylvania, they already have pedestrian checkpoints, arresting people for walking while intoxicated.

In the future, they'll ban drinking and smoking and any other behavior inside your own home.

well, if they are against the law, what's your point? Public intoxication would be the term you are looking for, btw.

If you don't like the law, work to change the law, not the enforcement.

[crackhead]

Originally Posted by kenw

well, if they are against the law, what's your point? Public intoxication would be the term you are looking for, btw.

If you don't like the law, work to change the law, not the enforcement.

I have no beef with that. I don't ever drink, or get drunk?

The question is where does it end? Internal passports when you need to go out of state? Hardhats and flourescent jackets to walk on the sidewalk? How about checkpoints for pedestrians? Surveillance cameras inside your home?

But that's fine, you don't have anything to worry about since you're not doing anything illegal, right?

[Coelus]

Originally Posted by crackhead

What they do is make new laws to make law-abiding citizens into criminals.

Pretty soon we'll need pedestrian licenses to walk on the sidewalk or leave the house.

You seem to think society and civilization is this static immutable entity, when in reality laws are changed, reversed, and unreversed, to meet the ends of the lawmakers.

Which is why you need to be sure and support whichever lawmakers have your point of view. If you find most people you run into have a different viewpoint on a subject you may re-evaluate why you have the one you do. Big Brother can also decree that all cars have to have a breathalyzer on them before you can start the car. Pick your evils carefully.