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From: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Newsgroups: net.flame,net.auto,net.legal
Subject: Re: DWI Crackdowns and Car Confiscation; possible answer?
Message-ID: <626@mmintl.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Aug-85 23:35:05 EDT
Article-I.D.: mmintl.626
Posted: Mon Aug 26 23:35:05 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 29-Aug-85 23:45:22 EDT
References: <264@SCIRTP.UUCP> <624@ttidcc.UUCP> <123@unc.unc.UUCP> <590@mmintl.UUCP> <160@avsdT.BERKNET>
Reply-To: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Organization: Multimate International, E. Hartford, CT
Lines: 38
Xref: linus net.flame:10807 net.auto:6856 net.legal:1829
Summary: something is being done


In article <160@avsdT.BERKNET> dbrown@avsdT.BERKNET (Dennis Brown) writes:
>> Really, this whole discussion is rather silly.  The current laws are
>> quite adequate, and provide appropriate penalties.  They can be
>> enforced as people become aware that drunk driving really is a serious
>> offense.  This seems to be happening.
>> 
>> >By the way, drunk driving, with all its dangers, has been around for
>> >decades.
>> >Why did everybody wait till the last couple of years to jump on the
>> >anti-drunk-driving bandwagon?  Is this the new fad of the year?
>> 
>> Yes.
>
>Be that as it is, the problem is there and something must be done!
>If the people who are busted for DWI are put to labour for the county,
>and or state for a give period of time, no matter what there income is,
>to bad if you lose you job dummy you can not drink and drive, then I feel
>that will be a more fair way to deal with this problem. The law is for the
>protection of the people, I wonder about that sometimes! I hope that this
>is not a fad but that it will wake up some people to the problem and that
>something will finally be done with this horrable problem. .......

Something is being done.  People are realizing that the problem is real
and serious, and the current law is starting to be enforced.  The same
change in attitudes is causing more and more people to avoid drinking
and driving.

This doesn't happen by magic, of course; it requires people like you and
me to keep pressing the point until it is accepted.  All I am saying is
that we don't need NEW LAWS.  If drunk driving is socially unacceptable,
the current laws suffice.  If it is socially acceptable, juries won't
convict for any penalty sufficiently strong to deter it.

Just because the current movement (against drunk driving) is a fad does not
mean the problem is not serious, nor that it will not succeed.  It does mean
that the period when it will be in public view is limited, so any change
in attitudes must be well underway in a short period of time.  I believe
such a change is in fact underway.  I could be proved wrong.