POLL: Penalty for drunken driving...

Merlyn3D

Platinum Member
Sep 15, 2001
2,148
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What do you think the penalty for drunk driving should be? Sometimes I think the penalty should be far harsher than it is if somebody ends up dying.

PS - post ideas for other options and I'll try to add them.

EDIT: I believe the current california laws (one of the stricter states about this) say you get 1 year in jail for each person you INJURE. Personally, I think that's too lax. There's waaaaaaaay too much stuff out there warning everybody not to do it, those that still do should be beaten or something.
 

Hyudra

Senior member
Jan 16, 2001
897
0
0
def jail time for a long time, otherwise people would drive more often drunk if it was a slap on the wrist.
 

hypn0tik

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2005
5,866
2
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Death in all cases. If you kill someone because you chose to drink and drive, you don't deserve to live.
 

cliftonite

Diamond Member
Jul 15, 2001
6,899
63
91
Depending on the persons history I would start with a 15 to 20 year sentence without the possiblity of parole, then increase it from there.
 

ThePresence

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
27,727
16
81
Not only do I recommend crucifixions, I'd be in favor of bringing back beheadings! Beheadings on TV? Slow motion? Instant replay? And maybe you could have the heads roll down a little hill... and fall into one of five numbered holes... Let the people at home gamble on which hole the head is gonna fall into, and you do it in a stadium, so the mob can gamble on it too! Raise a little more money! And if you want to expand the violence a little longer to sell a few more commercials, instead of using an axe, you do the beheadings with a hand saw! Hey, don't bail out on me now, goddamnit! The blood is already on our hands - all we're talking about is a matter of degree! You want something more delicate? We'll do the beheadings with an olive fork - that would be nice, and it would take a good goddamn long time!

What about boiling people in oil? Boy, those were the days, weren't they? You get the oil going real good, a nice high rolling boil, and then slowly, at the end of a rope, you lower the perpetrator head-first into the boiling oil. You talk about fun sh|t! And just to encourage citizen participation, you let the mob in the stadium control the speed of the rope! Good, clean, wholesome family entertainment - the kids'll love it! Boiling people in oil - Sponsor: Crisco! And maybe instead of boiling all these guys, every now and then you could French fry a couple of 'em. French-fried felons: Dip a guy in egg batter, just for a goof! Kind of a Tempora thing, huh? Jeffrey Dahmer never thought of this sh|t, did he? Jeffrey Dahmer, eat your heart out! Which is an interesting thought, in and of itself...
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
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Originally posted by: hypn0tik
Death in all cases. If you kill someone because you chose to drink and drive, you don't deserve to live.

ignorance is bliss.

I'm not saying people should get off easy, extensive jailtime definitely, but to equate drinking and driving to murder 1 is just plain insanity.
 

toekramp

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2001
8,426
2
0
Originally posted by: Deeko
Originally posted by: hypn0tik
Death in all cases. If you kill someone because you chose to drink and drive, you don't deserve to live.

ignorance is bliss.

I'm not saying people should get off easy, extensive jailtime definitely, but to equate drinking and driving to murder 1 is just plain insanity.

:beer:
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
Since I know someone will disagree with me....

first degree murder - the intentional killing of another person with premeditation, in the furtherance of another serious criminal offense (kidnapping, robbery, etc.), or the killing of a peace officer
second degree murder - the intentional killing of another person without premeditation (ie killing in the heat of the moment)
manslaughter - the killing of another person where there is no intent to kill

Reading that, I don't see how you can define it as anything but manslaughter. Drunk driving might be stupid but you still aren't intentionally killing anyone.
 

xSauronx

Lifer
Jul 14, 2000
19,582
4
81
Originally posted by: Deeko
Originally posted by: hypn0tik
Death in all cases. If you kill someone because you chose to drink and drive, you don't deserve to live.

ignorance is bliss.

I'm not saying people should get off easy, extensive jailtime definitely, but to equate drinking and driving to murder 1 is just plain insanity.

i agree; i have no sympathy or love for anyone who would drink and drive, and think sure, there shoudl be harsher penalties just for that. But, why treat someone as though they killed someone else...if they didnt?

though i probably wouldnt have a problem sending a guy to the chair who was drinking and driving and killed someone.
 

Merlyn3D

Platinum Member
Sep 15, 2001
2,148
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Originally posted by: Deeko
Originally posted by: hypn0tik
Death in all cases. If you kill someone because you chose to drink and drive, you don't deserve to live.

ignorance is bliss.

I'm not saying people should get off easy, extensive jailtime definitely, but to equate drinking and driving to murder 1 is just plain insanity.

Hypothetical: If I put 100 people in a hockey ice arena and drive around with the zamboni (sp?) but say I don't wanna hit or kill any of those 100 people, yet I actively choose to drive the zamboni around knowing that it's highly likely I'll run into at least one of those people and mame/kill them. It's pretty hard for them to get out of the way, ice being slippery and all, so they're not in complete control of their whereabouts (much like being in a car at high speeds). I would know when I choose to drive the zamboni that I would likely hurt/kill people, and if I choose to drive anyway, it seems to me almost premeditated. That's why I could justify Murder 1 for a DUI that kills somebody. Some of you might see this as stupid or crazy, I don't care, it was stupid and crazy to get behind the wheel drunk.
 

J0hnny

Platinum Member
Jul 2, 2002
2,366
0
0
There really is no excuse when an innocent life is tragically destroyed because of a drunk driving accident. Even if the victim isn't killed, but might not ever walk again or would have to live in pain for the rest of their lives.

I believe that death is justified if you kill another person even if there was no intent. There was intent to drink, so why not suffer the consequences?
 

hypn0tik

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2005
5,866
2
0
Originally posted by: Deeko
Originally posted by: hypn0tik
Death in all cases. If you kill someone because you chose to drink and drive, you don't deserve to live.

ignorance is bliss.

I'm not saying people should get off easy, extensive jailtime definitely, but to equate drinking and driving to murder 1 is just plain insanity.

How so? I think the guilty party should be subjected to the same pain and suffering as the victim. If the victim ends up with a broken leg, the guilty party's leg should be broken. If the victim is paralyzed, the guilty party should be paralized. If victim dies, guilty party dies. This would definitely reduce the amount of drinking and driving cases. Getting violated by Bubba does not justify the crime.

Obviously this idea isn't free from faults, but I think it would be a good start.
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
Merlyn3D goes out to a local restaurant for supper with his wife. While there he has a couple glasses of wine over the 2 hour period he is there. They get into the car for the trip home with Merlyn3D unaware that he may be close to the new .08 standards passed for legally impaired. On the way home a mini van with mom and her brood left turns in front of Merlyn3D and he is unable to avoid the accident. One of the children in the mini van is killed. During the investigation the police have Merlyn3D take a breathalyzer and he blows .08. Now what do you Merlyn3D think you should be charged with?
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
More ignorance.

Drunk driving impairs your ability to drive, but not much more than things people do regularly - talking on the phone, driving while tired, changing cd's, etc. Also, I think you underestimate the number of people that actually drink and drive. I know a lot of people that do it regularly, and I scold them for it all the time, but I only know two people that have gotten into accidents, and neither of them have killed anyone. You act as if if you get behind the wheel drunk, there is a 90% chance that a fatality will occur.

Thus, your murder one analogy is completely off base. You aren't intending to kill anyone, and you probably won't. If you do, manslaughter. That's the way the law is written, and thats the way it should be interpreted.