Riding and tryin to stay ALIVE

[old2soon]

Biguglyman's post about the loss of his friend and his friends lady friend hit a sore spot with me. I touched on how a loss of a license doesn't mean the person that has lost their license actually quits driving. I'm willing to bet a lot of us here on the board have first hand knowledge of a friend/co worker/relative losing the PRIVLEGE to drive and choses to still drive after having lost the privilege. Most times without dire consequences but sometimes as what happened to Biguglymans friends. How many times have we let a "friend" who we KNOW has had too much to drink let them drive themselves home cause it was ONLY a couple of blocks or ONLY less than a mile to his/her crib? How many time have e seen someone operating a motor vehicle and we KNOW their license has been suspended? How many times have we seen the driver sans license have too much wobbly water and let them drive anyway? People do a LOT of crap without the proper paperwork. But the point I'm trying to make is-if you or a friend or an someone you recognize has had too much to drink-STOP them fro getting under the wheel or in the saddle. You MIGHT save their life your life a friends or relatives life or my life. Part if NOT most of the reason I stay off the Phatt Ghurl after 2200 HRS and Friday and Saturday nights. Distracted driving takes a LOT of different forms. Learn to recognize distracted driving BEFORE you/we become a statistic. I'm sure NONE of us want to become a statistic. RIDE SAFE.

[da prez]

  We had one in Illinois recently with 7  ( S E V E N ) DUI's. The attorney , judge and pos should be guest of the basement of an active out house.

  Several years ago a young lady and her daughter in a pick up truck at a stop light was rear ended by a drunk, killed the mom ( broken neck) daughter lived a the seat protected her from serious injury.  POS estimated speed was 80 on impact. He lived. A lot was kept quiet until it was disclosed he had been stopped 27 times for imparement.  He was in borrowed cars when this happened as he wrecked his. Where is the justice in this.

                                          da prez

[cookiedough]

needs to be tougher drunk driving laws like 2nd time caught driving drunk above legal limit hefty 5K fine, 3rd offense jail time for 1 year no early release.  That outta keep at least in jail the drunks off the road - darn repeat offenders need to learn a lesson.

I know it maybe a sore subject for some here, but a VERY basic actual driving test of some sort should be administered after say age 80 since family/friends don't always do the right thing and pull the keys away from the elderly.  My mother in laws house got taken out her garage door/framing and bent her GAS meter back in her garage (luckily no gas leak but darn close to it) from an elderly near 90 year old man living up the street from her who drove his car into her driveway thinking it was her house and then instead of putting on the brake, floored the gas pedal and rammed his car thru her garage door.

She was in AWE when she came home to find a busted garage door and framing.  Luckily, the next door neighbor saw and heard the BOOM and reported it to her for she was afraid someone busted into her house - literally. 

I know I am guilty the last few years of his life with my grandpa mid 70's at the time having diabeties and allowing him to drive.  He drove 45 mph top speed and drifted over centerline often.  He even while in a nearby town lost his mind a few times not knowing where he was at wandering around aimlessly in town not being able to know how to get back home.  Pretty scary stuff.  Luckily a stranger reported him and the cops took him home.

[Steve K (IA)]

What ever happened to "3 strikes your out"? 

A guy in Des Moines hit a bicyclist and killed him....in town!  Drunk.  Had been caught many times and the judge kept letting him go.  Was banned from driving, but was driving a fiends car.

[old2soon]

They have a C D L now. Same laws in every state for commercial drivers. My thinking on the drunk drivers when caught. First offense-2 years no parole. Second offense-5 years no parole. Third offense-lock their sorry asses up and throw away the key. Drunk driver driving and attempting o text!  THAT is scary. I also believe if you kill someone drunk or sober 25 years-do at least 24 years and 6 months. And I DO NOT care if yer the richest S O B or the poorest S O B on the planet-wave by by to your freedom.  Little too harsh you say-we need HARSH-have needed it for years. I drove ambulance for a few years-I KNOW the destruction a drunk or distracted driver is capable of leaving behind. A disease you say-dry out in prison. RIDE SAFE.

[Momz]

My own brother has been stopped numerous times for impaired driving (and DUI's), has lost his license on several occasions and still continues to drive and ride his HD.

He feels that having a "steel cage" of his pick up protects him and other drivers need to be responsible for their own safety and not blame others (him) for their lack of personal protection.

He also justifies drinking and riding Harleys. He claims that it is more fun riding his FLHS when he's drunk, and only "wimps and queers" are sober when riding. I've known quite a number of riders that frlt the same way. Unfortunately most of those riders are not around to ride anymore.

I know a former ABATE member (Kicked Out!!!) that has a breath interlock on his HD. This guy is even more "radical" in his views about his "RIGHT TO DRIVE DRUNK".

[Momz]

Check out this forum,......really sick stuff

http://forum.grasscity.com/planes-trains-automobiles/863196-riding-motorcycle-high.html

[Hooter]

   I have put a bunch in jail for driving, suspended, revoked or denied not to mention drunk driving, only to find em driving a few days later. Back to the slammer they go. Hell, they beat me back to town! The court systems  have failed and some of it they blame on over crowding.. Tell that to a loved one that loses a family member due such crap. No one without a license unless recognized by LE or in an accident will be caught, and sometimes its under the worst circumstances. Part of the job that the general public doesn't see is an officer delivering a death message to a family after a fatal accident. It's one of the worst things an officer can do, especially if you know the family personally. Small towns do that. Or go to the autopsy of a person you know. Been there and it isn't fun.
   You may now find someone driving that has been the recipient of 4 OUILs or more and they are still driving. Weather it be illegally or with a blow and go?  The blow and go isn't fail proof either. Have a non drinking buddy blow for ya, see that as well. Used to be "it was 3 strikes and out" (OUIL), then off the prison, not jail mind you, prison. Again, the over crowding excuse comes into play.
   There is a law that can implicate the owner of a vehicle for allowing a person without a license to operate their vehicle. "Allowing an unlicensed driver to operate a motor vehicle" is the charge. Big Freakin Deal, Slap on the hands is what this is all about.
   Knowing someone is suspended and turning your head is like following a drunk home. Do this long enough and you will only be there to see em crash. Follow a drunk home, this serves no purpose  .
    Long story shorter, Is there a solution to prevent people without licenses from driving? NO.

[Grumpy]

Some times they have to give it up, good friend had 4 DUI arrests, judge took his license permanently, no work permit or any thing. He had a business that required a truck , my son drove the truck for him for a couple years. He said he would get stopped at least 3 times a week to make sure the owner was not driving. My son moved on to a better job, my friend lost his business, sold his vehicles, boats etc. now he is stuck at home and riding a bicycle every where he goes. He tried to get a petition form the court signed a few years ago just to get privileges for driving to work, I would not sign it and non of his friends or relatives would sign it as he still was drinking. He went from making around $150,000 a year to working in a nursery next door to his house caring for plants and loading trucks for barely over minimum wage.  Some people have to learn the hard way. I don't have any pity for some one that drinks and drives, I feel they should be locked up.

[biguglyman]

You can't drive if you're in jail. If you drive without a license due to too many DWI's and get caught, in the slammer for a LONG time.