# Something to ponder \[continued from "Draconian DUI laws"\]

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-to-ponder-continued-from-draconian-dui-laws/590312>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 25, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-to-ponder-continued-from-draconian-dui-laws/590312 "2011-07-25T21:14:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-to-ponder-continued-from-draconian-dui-laws/590312/21 "2011-07-28T09:19:57Z")

</div>

> [@spark240](#):
>
> As has been said, you may be mixed up about which consequences really accrue to which offenses.
> 
> But that aside–if you don’t hurt anyone _or anything_, then how did you come to police attention at all?

I was stopped by a police car because he thought I was “avoiding him through a neighborhood.” It was 4 AM, I was on my way to work and I was picking up my coworker because we carpooled. We were late, I was pissed about it.

Increasing penalties to crimes only works so far before it becomes meaningless. Running a stopsign is a $500 ticket, which is insane. People do it all the time, thinking they won’t get caught, and most of the time they aren’t. Bicyclists are notorious for doing it here, and although they’re liable for the same fines they almost never get caught, even though they’re endangering lives.

Chronic drunk drivers already think their lives have been ruined when they have several DUIs and a lost license, there’s nothing to lose at this point. And of course they’re depressed so they gotta drink to take the edge off of life.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-to-ponder-continued-from-draconian-dui-laws/590312.md?page=1)