- Joined
- Feb 22, 2006
- Messages
- 212
- Reaction score
- 694
Government intrusion once again. The deal with DUI and DWI laws is that they are popular to pass and easily do, so this one as unreasonable as it seems could be coming all of our way. Breathalyzers don't test prescription drugs....another big issue...very big in Texas which doesn't regulate its pain clinics even as poorly as other states do...like mine, Louisiana. Some parishes are claiming prescription drug abuse is their number one problem, ahead of alcohol and ahead of meth. Such abuse is major in Louisiana, in part because Texas is so close.
Louisiana just passed a law (this year) that if a driver refuses to do the breathalyzer the person loses their driver's license for a year (rather than the former, shorter time period). It also just passed a law (this year ) that if one is caught driving under suspension for DWI or suspension for refusing to take the test, it's jail for a mandatory period of time, (don't recall length precisley off hand). Certainly in our state, defense lawyers have previously advised don't do the breathazlyer. Don't know what the new tactic will be.
Kgeaux, sympathy for what happened to your brother-in-law for sure and no patience with drunk drivers...but I am becoming concerned that the laws are becoming so strict without addressing the core of the problem that it is impossible for the individual (as wrong as they may be) to recover from the error of their ways. Already people are choosing to go to jail rather than incur all of the probation costs, drug court costs, treatment program costs and fines hat the courts can dream up on a first offense. Some individuals just don't have and can't get that kind of money. Some of the alleged treament programs are just money grabs. Bad things can happen in jail. But the topic is so sensitive no one speaks up.
This idea truly mortifies me. No way am I letting a cop take my blood on the side of the road.....some lab techs have trouble drawing it in a clinical setting!!!!!
Louisiana just passed a law (this year) that if a driver refuses to do the breathalyzer the person loses their driver's license for a year (rather than the former, shorter time period). It also just passed a law (this year ) that if one is caught driving under suspension for DWI or suspension for refusing to take the test, it's jail for a mandatory period of time, (don't recall length precisley off hand). Certainly in our state, defense lawyers have previously advised don't do the breathazlyer. Don't know what the new tactic will be.
Kgeaux, sympathy for what happened to your brother-in-law for sure and no patience with drunk drivers...but I am becoming concerned that the laws are becoming so strict without addressing the core of the problem that it is impossible for the individual (as wrong as they may be) to recover from the error of their ways. Already people are choosing to go to jail rather than incur all of the probation costs, drug court costs, treatment program costs and fines hat the courts can dream up on a first offense. Some individuals just don't have and can't get that kind of money. Some of the alleged treament programs are just money grabs. Bad things can happen in jail. But the topic is so sensitive no one speaks up.
This idea truly mortifies me. No way am I letting a cop take my blood on the side of the road.....some lab techs have trouble drawing it in a clinical setting!!!!!
