DUI Interlock cited as causing accident-here come the lawyers

[randomface]

My friend blew a 0.09 after being pulled over for speeding at 4 in the morning taking drunk people home from a gathering at his house. This was after sleeping off the night of drinking that ended at 10 pm for him when he decided to go to bed.

He was forced to get an interlock device to avoid having his license suspended for a year. It didn't play too nicely with his older car, frequently having issues when it was cold outside. He was stranded more than once due to a dead car battery cause by the faulty installation by the company. There were only two choices for providers, and both were extremely expensive, especially for a college student working full time. He also was required to pay for and attend some sort of MADD sponsored meeting/conference which he summed up as "You are the scum of the earth for driving above the limit".

I see interlock devices as a feel-good measure to make MADD happy and funnel money into well connected companies.

[mhendo]

Originally Posted by randomface

My friend blew a 0.09 after being pulled over for speeding at 4 in the morning taking drunk people home from a gathering at his house. This was after sleeping off the night of drinking that ended at 10 pm for him when he decided to go to bed.

Leaving aside for a moment the issue of whether the interlock is a good idea, you understand, i assume, that a person's blood alcohol level doesn't automatically become less dangerous just because he's had some sleep? If the alcohol is still in your system it can still impair your driving, and the fact that he stopped drinking at 10pm doesn't change the fact that he was still over the legal limit at 4am.

[digs]

Originally Posted by randomface

My friend blew a 0.09 after being pulled over for speeding at 4 in the morning taking drunk people home...

Bet he wishes he could take back a couple of those decisions now...

[Morgenstern]

Originally Posted by randomface

My friend blew a 0.09 after being pulled over for speeding at 4 in the morning taking drunk people home from a gathering at his house. This was after sleeping off the night of drinking that ended at 10 pm for him when he decided to go to bed.

He was forced to get an interlock device to avoid having his license suspended for a year. It didn't play too nicely with his older car, frequently having issues when it was cold outside. He was stranded more than once due to a dead car battery cause by the faulty installation by the company. There were only two choices for providers, and both were extremely expensive, especially for a college student working full time. He also was required to pay for and attend some sort of MADD sponsored meeting/conference which he summed up as "You are the scum of the earth for driving above the limit".

I see interlock devices as a feel-good measure to make MADD happy and funnel money into well connected companies.

I don't think I'd lose any sleep if all those with the devices found them problematic. Let them take the bus or walk.

[needscoffee]

Originally Posted by randomface

My friend blew a 0.09 after being pulled over for speeding at 4 in the morning taking drunk people home from a gathering at his house. This was after sleeping off the night of drinking that ended at 10 pm for him when he decided to go to bed.

He was forced to get an interlock device to avoid having his license suspended for a year. It didn't play too nicely with his older car, frequently having issues when it was cold outside. He was stranded more than once due to a dead car battery cause by the faulty installation by the company. There were only two choices for providers, and both were extremely expensive, especially for a college student working full time. He also was required to pay for and attend some sort of MADD sponsored meeting/conference which he summed up as "You are the scum of the earth for driving above the limit".

I see interlock devices as a feel-good measure to make MADD happy and funnel money into well connected companies.

Who do you feel should have paid for the use and monitoring of the interlock device?

[randomface]

I do realize that sleeping doesn't magically negate alcohol. He thought he was clear but obviously wasn't.

He greatly regrets that whole event, and is still kinda pissed at some of the people involved. He drove to prevent really drunk people from driving because they wanted to go home.

It isn't always an option to take the bus or walk, especially for people who live in rural Arkansas. Not everyone lives in a big city or even a city.

I think that the drivers should have to pay for any expenses, but the expenses are ridiculously high due to a lack of competition. When you have only 2 companies that can do it and they have the backing of the courts, they basically charge whatever they want.