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From: mr@homxb.UUCP (M.RINDSBERG)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Legal dwinking a--
Message-ID: <1143@homxb.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-Jan-86 12:10:01 EST
Article-I.D.: homxb.1143
Posted: Mon Jan 20 12:10:01 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 21-Jan-86 19:46:03 EST
References: <94@mit-vax.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T - homxb!mr
Lines: 57
Keywords: veritas

> Summary: the truth will throw you in jail
> 
> >	The  only  way  to stop drunk driving is to make the penalty
> >	something to be feared. (i.e. loss of licence  for  good  on
> >	first  offense,  jail  on  second  offense,  death  on third
> >	offense plus high fines for each)		[RINDSBERG]
> 		     ------------------------------
>     It might help to restructure society so it doesn't breed hatred  and
> frustration among its citizens.  I think the dangerous drunks are people

Yes, restructuring of society is necessary but something has to be done
in the interim.

> I think the dangerous drunks are people
> who are full of anger, but are afraid to display it EXCEPT when drunk.
 
I don't think so. The reason why most people drink is because it is
socially acceptable to do so. (among all ages) When slightly intoxicated
people find it easier to communicate and overcome any fears they might have.
This "socially acceptability" is the part of society which must change.

>     People  who  are  basically  friendly,  but  happen  to be drunk and
> driving (like home from a party, other standard excuses)  don't  go  120
> mph  and pile into schoolbuses.  They go 15 miles an hour, and pile up a

Depending on how intoxixated they are, they may drive fast and/or erratically
without even knowing it.

> train of angry followers.  People who  secretly  want  to  be  murderous
> desperadoes  get  drunk  and  decide  that's  exactly what they are, and
> they're right.  [In vino veritas.]

These are the minority of drunk drivers and these also are the ones which
need other types of help. No amount of legislation will prevent this from
happening.
 
>     The solution is to discover what people are like  when  drunk,  then
> use the ferocious ones as organ donors, and to swab out TMI and the Love
> Canal.  After 3 generations or so, we should have a  more  docile  human
> population,  and  the meek can get back on the highways at night.  ["For
> this part of the driver's exam, you must drink enough vodka to  register
> .15% blood alcohol..."]
> -- 
> 
> Oded Feingold     MIT AI Lab.   545 Tech Square    Cambridge, Mass. 02139
> OAF%OZ@MIT-MC.ARPA   {harvard, ihnp4!mit-eddie}!mitvax!oaf   617-253-8598
> 
My conclusions:

1) Make the penalties very high for drunk driving.
   This will change the status of drinking to "socially unacceptable"(hopefully)

2) For the other drunk drivers (repeated), lock them up since they should be
   considered potential murderers.

Mark
homxb!mr