Comments on: Friday nights, DUI Checkpoints and .068

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:18:54 +0000

In Colorado, a DWAI or DUI is treated as a crime against humanity which requires the offender’s organs be harvest immediately and donated to the poor for transplanting. Good luck and don’t ever drink and drive because you’ll want to keep your organs.

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:18:30 +0000

Good thinking, Tomme.

Just found this: http://twitter.com/CheckpointsDUI

By: Tomme

Tomme — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:47:44 +0000

Matt and others,
Thanks for the replies. While I realize that these stops have great intentions, I am left wondering if they are in fact relics in this day and age of Social Media. I could have twittered to a bunch of bars in San Marcos that this was going on and they could have “relayed” this information to their patrons thus rendering this stop ineffective. Then it would seem all that is left is a bunch of officers standing around wondering where all the cars went? I don’t think it’s a stretch to think that with everyone networking these days, this sort of scenario is that far off…

By: Barry

Barry — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:21:56 +0000

The sad fact is these checkpoints have little to nothing to do with keeping public roads safe. As the stats you quoted reveal, they are actually about finding drug paraphernalia, illegal aliens, and, most importantly, outstanding warrants. These are the biggest money makers for the government (mainly due to impound fees and subsequent vehicle auctioning) and THAT’S what the checkpoints are really about.

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:27:03 +0000

This is crazy Tomme. So glad the outcome wasn’t worse. But 4th time since 2006 is rediculous.

By: Matt Hendry

Matt Hendry — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:01:25 +0000

DUI Checkpoints are set up as a deterrent so it was good no one was picked up for DUI..

The fact is working brewery sometimes drinking is a occupational hazard ,and if you know your over the limit after a work function or event or a day of QC on the tasting panel the best bet is get a cab home if one is available or make sure you have a designated driver that will drop you and your employees home this is very important if you are the owner or a manager and will help avoid any lawsuits that might be brought against you because of someones drink driving.

By: parker

parker — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:09:27 +0000

well don’t open a brewery in colorado or visit here, because at 0.068 you would have been arrested and charged with DWAI which is a criminal offense, and punished nearly as heavily as a DUI ( dwai = “driving while ability impaired” to the smallest degree). I would never perform roadside test under any circumstances, the police are just gathering evidence against you at that point, they can mark you down on almost any test for any flaw in performance. You should only take the roadside breathalyzer if you are certain that you are under 0.08…and at 0.068 you were too close, and in actuality the roadside meters usually give lower readings than the breathalyzers at the police station, so you may actually have been over 0.08.

The bottom line is that the 0.08 DUI limit is idiotic, it was was imposed against the people of this country when the Clinton lawyers in Washington blackmailed the states to enact it by threatening to remove federal highway funding, so all states by 2004 had to reduce the limit from 0.10. Every week in America there are tens of millions of Americans who stop off after work for the office happy hour, or go to a ballgame on saturday, and have a couple of drinks and are now all borderline criminals. We have allowed the lawyers and MADD hysterics to do this to us, and the money hungry courts and municipalities and interlock & breathalyzer manufactures, and all the social workers who want to declare that anyone who has a drink or two and drives is a “drunk”.

By: Jerry Kolbly

Jerry Kolbly — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:32:47 +0000

Yeah that does suck Tomme, I am glad that you were not taken in and arrested. I heard that they can still take you in even if you are under the legal limit. But your professionalism and well manner, I’m sure, aided in the officer not doing that.
I am sure that there are a lot of us (me included) that have been stopped like that, the feeling is helplessness. Great wake up call though huh?

By: Kevin Hopkins

Kevin Hopkins — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:13:05 +0000

Very happy you made it home and extremely happy you know your limits and how precarious the balance between enforcement and near impossible to pass is.

We were also out last night near to you as a group and enjoyed a table full of wonderful bottles (including LA’s own Inferno!). Word came down about this very same checkpoint and one couple was happy they were not driving (as their car had quit on the way to meet us). They were going to cab it and would go through this spot to get home.

As the evening wore on I was very mindful of my own intake so I could balance the enjoyment of sampling fine craft beer while not putting myself or family in risk or danger.

Towards the end of the evening my wife offered for us to drive them home to avoid the cab fare. With a personal rule dating back to Gov service days to NEVER lose control, I was happy to oblige even knowing of the checkpoint. Had I been truly worried I might not pass, then I shouldn’t have been driving towards our home the other direction any more than towards the checkpoint.

I had also stopped drinking earlier and had been on club soda as well as a full meal. Even so, we decided to take the “scenic” route to avoid the delay more than the risk. But respectful that the risk is there and a slip on the pavement can lead to a very long evening. A blow over .08 leads to much worse of course…

Such a precarious balance it is. Thankfully we both made it home last night. But having to deal with a checkpoint every six months would make me consider a relocation too.

It’s still a “buyer’s market” so they say…