Posted on 02/23/2006 5:12:43 AM PST by Cagey
Baltimore television station WBAL reported that one bill would have convicted drunken drivers wear a Scarlet Letter of sorts.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, 45 percent of Maryland's traffic fatalities are related to alcohol. The House Judiciary Committee heard about 18 driving under the influence bills Tuesday, but none as controversial as the so-called Scarlet Letter approach.
Montgomery County Delegate Herman Taylor, D-District 14, introduced House Bill 1315, which would require the state's Motor Vehicle Administration to issue special license plates to people convicted on at least two DUI offenses.
WBAL reported critics have called the measure a bumper sticker solution to crash prevention.
"It's intended to track people who have had two or more offenses dealing with drunken driving," Taylor said.
The license plates would contain the letters "DUI" in bold. Taylor said a drunken driver struck him last May, and at the time of the crash, police had no idea that person was a multiple offender.
Taylor considers the DUI plate an ounce of prevention because it gives police a license to stop the driver at any time.
"(The bill) will allow (police) to, without probable cause, pull them over and check" their driving records, Taylor said.
Defense attorneys have raised questions as to the specter of possible civil rights and other violations.
"I don't think the answer is a license plate, I think the answer is certainly more treatment and rehabilitation, which the governor has supported (and) the House Judiciary Committee has supported, tougher penalties for subsequent offenders," said Montgomery County Delegate Luiz Simmons, D-District 17, a member of the House Judiciary Committee.
Other states have already instituted similar measures. WBAL reported Ohio issues to habitual drunken drivers a yellow license plate that has red numbers.
Last year, Florida's Legislature considered requiring those with multiple DUI convictions to use a bright pink license plate. WBAL reported a similar issue also came up some 10 years ago in California.
Michigan currently uses paper tags to identify repeat offenders, while Oregon and Washington state put a zebra sticker over the plate of habitual offenders.
This is the extent of his post. And I still object to the analogy. And I really do not care if you like it or not.
Having said that, I think the license plate proposal is inane. But that does not alter my abhorrence with the Nazi analogy.
I am for taking their car on the 2nd offense.
Same for drivers driving with revoked or suspended license.
2nd offense take the car.
While I am no friend of drunk drivers, your solution smacks of fascism (an economic system by which you are permitted to own property [your car] but the State can tell you what you can do with it.
It seems to me that driving is a privilege, not a right. We earn the privilege by driving responsibly. A person who persists in driving irresponsibly, in such a way that innocent people's lives are threatened, has forfeited the right to the privileges earned by the rest of us.
I've never bought this argument. My taxes help pay for construction and maintenance of the roads and the LEOs that patrol them. My car taxes (assessed at the point of sale) also help to pay for our State's MVA. And don't get me started on our fascist Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program. What a scam that is!
If the State agrees to reduce my taxes by the amount that is "my share" for transportation purposes, I'll think about conceding your point, but not until then.
I hope you realize I didn't actually marry a drunk, I'm speaking in hypothetical terms. So strike the husband analogy. What about the live in father or father in law? What about teenaged kids of DUI parents? Sorry, just seems stupid to me. And not terribly enforceable. There are obvious and easy ways around this kind of law... It's a law that punishes law-abiders.
And what if the car is used by the DUI offender and his wife adding two children above 16 with a driver´s license?
Thanks, not sure if many know where I got my screen name from! :)
Normally, I would agree with you about Nazi analogies. Usually, they diminish the argument the poster is trying to make.
Not this time, however. Have you forgotten how His Slickness tried to blame OKC on the "right wing" and "talk radio?"
This is coming. And you still haven't answered my question about attending an ANSWER rally.
You also might try being a bit more polite in your replies to people. Then, you won't get reactions like mine.
Chop their hands off after the second drunk driving conviction. Then the plates won't be needed.
Yea, a seven year old kid is going to have her parents put in some alcohol rehab joint. Or maybe, the child can join Al-Anon and ask her drunk mom to drive her to meetings.
Sometimes, you just have to think.
If you again defend the nazi analogy, you'll get the same response.
Exactly my point...
I don't think you're stupid. You're discussing this in a rational and responable manner. Welcome to FR!
You truly are obtuse, aren't you?
New law: You must have a BAC of over .08 to get behind the wheel. That would allow a more level playing field...
I don't want to live in the same country you do.
But if it nails even ONE drunk behind the wheel, then its a good idea. It might save YOUR life or the life of a loved one.
Ahh, yes. The Tyranny of Moral Busybodies Doing Good.
Yep, I saw that later.
It will be very embarrassing for the sober drivers, but perhaps that will spur them on not to tolerate the drunk's behavior any more. Much as I sympathize with them, their feelings are less important to me than the safety of innocent drivers who may be hit by the drunk.
Change that to a "D" or maybe a Budweiser logo and you'll make lots of people on this thread happy.
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