Alcohol Nanny Breathalyzers

American Spectator ^ | 07 aug 07 | Eric Peters

[rellimpank]

"Pre-emptive war" got us into a real mess in Iraq. So maybe we ought to think twice before adopting similar measures when it comes to traffic law. Specifically, when it comes to an idea floated by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to require that all new cars be fitted with an ignition interlock that can detect alcohol in the driver's system -- and shut the car down if it does.

Several large automakers (including GM, Ford, Toyota and Honda) also support the idea -- and are working on ways to get these things into new cars, maybe within the next two or three years, if not sooner.

Sounds OK in principle -- sort of like the idea of liberating Iraq. The devil's in the details, though.

[Eric Blair 2084]

It has been understood for quite a while that MADD’s overall agenda is total Prohibition of alcohol. This is more proof of that.

Back Door to Prohibition: The New War on Social Drinking: A great piece by Radley Balko who is the editor of Cato.org and a columnist for FoxNews.com. Read his blog "The Agitator", it's great.

Let's have a toast! Now that the smelly smokers are gone from the bar, we can have a few pints without that annoying, stinky smell of tobacco smoke. We're fine. The Government never has and never will go after alcohol....NOT!

Behind the Neo-Prohibition Campaign The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: The Center For Consumer Freedom will help to explain why non-smokers who like Sam Adams or Jimmy Beam have nothing to worry about. It's not as if RWJF, a key group behind the anti-tobacco crusade, has them in their sights. You can rest easy.

Colleges are reaching their limit on alcohol : You're in the stands watching the USC-UCLA game at the Rose Bowl. How about an ice cold beer? Bwa,ha,ha,ha,ha!!!! Not for you my friend. Don't be surprised when you go to the Ballpark to watch your favorite team in the future and find no beer for sale. Can't say I didn't warn you.

Single Glass of Wine Immerses D.C. Driver in Legal Battle: We all agree that the drunk driver with a .45 BAC who kills a family of 5 by plowing into them while going the wrong way down a highway should be put away for life. However, under the category of "this could be you", read this before you take a sip of wine at your cousin's wedding, especially if it happens to be in the capital of our great nation.

Arresting Drinkers...In Bars: Let me repeat this for maximum effect: Arresting Drinkers...In Bars.

Anheuser-Busch Urged to Abandon "Idiotarod" Beer Promotion :Anheuser-Busch should drop its sponsorship of a Washington, D.C. charity event called the "Idiotarod," organized by a local group that goes by the acronym "SMASHED," according to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The March 3 event, in which young people are urged to acquire shopping carts and drink beer in one bar after another, is in clear violation of the Beer Institute's Advertising and Marketing Code, which prohibits marketing which encourages rapid or excessive beer drinking or drinking games, according to the group.

Bud Light presents: "REAL MEN OF GENIUS"

(Real men of genius)

Today we salute you, Mr. Idiotarod Shopping Cart Racer!

(Mr. Idiotarod Shopping cart racer)

Sure, others use their shopping carts to carry their milk, eggs and groceries to the checkout counter...

(debit or credit?)

But you have found an even more ingenious use...

Racing other drunken idiots down the streets of Washington DC while dodging taxis, bike messengers and another fellow drunk, Ted Kennedy in his BMW...

(watch out for Teddy)

Wearing a dog harness, and a g-string and bow tie, you rampage down the sidewalks pulling a shopping cart with an alcohol to blood content of .89

(oooh, I feel a little woozy)

Homeless people, bag ladies, pedestrians, small children and animals are no match for your oncoming assault.

(get the hell out of my way)

So crack open an ice cold Bud Light, oh Dale Earnhardt Jr of the shopping carts, because when our car breaks down, we won't call AAA or AA, we'll call you...

(Mr. Idiotarod Shopping cart racer)

Bud Light beer. Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, Missouri

[Calpernia]

Do we need to post a blood alcohol level to respond to you on this thread?

[Quix]

I have mixed feelings . . .

But having worked in alcoholism rehab for a year in my PhD program . . .

I wonder if the author would feel the same way if

the author had lost all their children, spouse and parents to a drunk driver in a horrific crash with fire and agonizingly burned bodies that did not die instantly but over hours.

One fellow court ordered into our program . . . had had

8 as in EIGHT drunk driving arrests

PRIOR to the 9th which resulted in his being court ordered into our program.

In 2 of those 8—there was bodily injury—one of the times to himself as well as his victims.

The first thing out of his mouth in our group session was:

I DON’T NEED TO BE HERE. !!! —>I<— !!! DON’T HAVE AN ALCOHOL PROBLEM!!!

The group as a whole was aghast, thankfully. The idiot got an ear full very quickly FROM OTHER ALCOHOLICS.

[dragnet2]

To those that would support this.

These 4 guys are out camping in the middle of nowhere, they don't plan on leaving for 2 more days. They are having good time, fishing, drinking beer etc...Winds pickup, and wammo, massive wildfire moving fast...All are found dead two days later, burned to death. Keys were still in the ignition, one was found behind the wheel.

There are literally thousand of other scenarios where people would be injured or killed if not able to start their vehicle immediately.

[elkfersupper]

Source and link, please.

Back Door to Prohibition The New War on Social Drinking

[elkfersupper]

Great job.

I haven't yet reconstructed all my recently-lost bookmarks.

[dr_lew]

I’m with you. You know what’s bad enough already? Emissions testing! Well, emissions testing wasn’t so bad, but now it’s not even an actual test. They just plug into your car; it can’t have any warnings or failures of the ridiculous anti-pollution contraptions it’s been fitted with. I refer of course, to the SERVICE ENGINE SOON light. Mine comes on in the summer, and the dealer couldn’t figure out why in about five return visits. Fortunately, it goes out over the winter, and I can take it in for Illinois “emissions testing” then.

Now for the kicker, the proponents of this sort of thing want to have roadside receivers which will pick up failure modes of passing vehicles so they can haul you right in.

It’s for the Earth.

[Rembrandt]

“The good news is that it’s being designed by American engineers for American companies.”

---

Are those the same engineers who determined what would be a really good, effective paint job for those American made cars?

[Eric Blair 2084]

Do we need to post a blood alcohol level to respond to you on this thread?

Yes, I'm guessing you are at o.ooo. I'll bet you $20 mine is higher than yours. I just drank a couple of beers. I'm probably at .04 right now.

Of course, our whole bet would be considered internet gambling and is banned by Big Brother, so scratch the wager.

[AFreeBird]

The new Electronic Stability Program (ESP), which takes anti-lock brakes one step farther and actually takes control of both steering and brakes when the car starts to fishtail, is already required for the 2009 model year.

Are effing kidding me? What if you want the car to fishtail? My rear wheel drive car basically requires it for me to get up my driveway in winter. Oh no way, I don't want a computer taking control of my car that way. It is one thing to have it regulate speed on the interstate, or whenever "I" desire it to, it is quite another thing to have it assume control, especially of steering, on its own.

Other expensive device I'll have to disable.

Was that your idea as well?

[Navy Patriot]

so scratch the wager.

Too late, your computer just turned you in.

[Quix]

The more inexpensive versions measure blood-alcohol-content (BAC) through the thin skin on the inside of the elbow or wrist. These will keep the purchase price of the car reasonable.

Alcohol is a factor in 40% of our highway fatalities. As long as it doesn’t prevent people who are under the legal limit from operating a motor vehicle, I don’t think it’s a bad idea.

= = =

I end up coming down on your side of it.

No one who has had to clean up after such a crash as I described above—or even one not so hideous . . .

or no one who has lost such loved ones in an alcohol caused crash

would call it a nanny anything. They’d call it a lifesaver that was too late for their loved ones.

AS A GROUP—GENERALLY:

ALCOHOLICS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE—INHERENTLY NOT RESPONSIBLE. THEY ARE ANESTHETIZED—HOW CAN THEY BE RESPONSIBLE! The only difference between the anesthesia ether and alcohol is one water molecule.

ALCOOHOLICS INHERENTLY LIVE IN DENIAL.

ALCOHOLICS INHERENTLY HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THEY ARE A DANGER TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS ON THE ROAD OR OTHERWISE.

ALCOHOLICS ARE THE LAST ONES TO KNOW THEIR DRIVING SKILLS AHVE BEEN COMPROMISED—AND OFTEN NEVER KNOW OR NEVER ADMIT IT EVEN AFTER AN ACCIDENT WITH THEIR OWN BODIES INJURED SERIOUSLY—THEY WILL !!!!STILL!!!! BLAME THE OTHER GUY.

ALCOHOLICS ARE EXCELLENT AT LYING TO THEMSELVES AND OTHERS.

ALCOHOLICS ARE EXCELLENT AT PLAYING A ROLE, PRETENDING—WHETHER IT’S PRETENDING BEING SOBER OR PRETENDING THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE AND IN THEIR RIGHT MIND. But they can’t totally pull it off when it comes to fine motor coordination, vision, reaction times etc.

ALCOHOLICS ARE UNWILLING AND QUICKLY BECOME UNABLE TO HANDLE THE PAINS OF DAILY LIFE IN AN UNanesthetized STATE.

BEING ABLE TO “HOLD ONE’S LIQUOR” IS A BAD SIGN, NOT A GOOD ONE.

Folkes who crave chocolate—AS A GROUP—have a higher incidence of alcoholism.

Evidence indicates that one drink of alcohol kills quite a number of brain cells. No. I’m not a teetotaler. I have 1-3 glasses of low alcohol wine about every year to year and a half. I’ve never been drunk nor tipsy nor had more than 2 glasses of wine over a long meal in 60 years of living.

Alcoholism has a genetic component. But environmental parenting factors are also contributive.

Two classes of families produce the vast majority of alcoholics: ALCOHOLIC FAMILIES followed by teetotler families.

I believe that all alcoholics arrested on their FIRST DUI should be court ordered into a 90 day residential treatment program.

And, that if possible, safe medically for the individual, for 1-3 years afterwards, antabuse should be required. If antabuse is not safe for that individual, then electronic monitoring and a check via breathalizer or some such every 4-12 hours.

Every 6 months, an interview with a skilled interviewer should be required during which the alcoholic will be assessed for whether or not he/she has learned to handle the pains of daily life with healthier coping strategies.

ALCOHOL IS DEADLY. HORRIBLY DEADLY.

It destroys lives, families and innocent highway victims at a rate that leaves the numbers of Iraq war dead in the dust.

Where’s the liberal idiot outrage at DRUNK DRIVING?

[Calpernia]

^-^

[Calpernia]

LOL!

[Quix]

IIRC,

MADD recognizes that didn’t work the first time and wouldn’t a 2nd.

[Eric Blair 2084]

I wonder if the author would feel the same way if the author had lost all their children, spouse and parents to a drunk driver in a horrific crash with fire and agonizingly burned bodies that did not die instantly but over hours.

Conservatives believe in personal responsibility and harsh criminal justice for those who violate their right to freedom. Progressives believe in social engineering and foregiveness and understanding for the poor drunk idiot who mowed down a family in an SUV because he is just a hapless "victim" of society and the billions of advertising dollars spent every year by "Big Alcohol" to glorify drinking with bikini clad women and MADE him drink 30 beers in the smoke free bar.

What side are you on?

[Calpernia]

>>>>”Big Alcohol” to glorify drinking with bikini clad women and MADE him drink

Is this why you are a .04? :))

[Quix]

While I’m all for getting trashed drivers off the road, I don’t really see .08 as being drunk. Some might not be able to handle it, most probably can.

= = =

That sounds like an exceedingly uninformed and biased opinion not based in fact.

“handling it well” is a BAD sign, not a good one. And it is very subjective—tests would show objective observers that the individual was not “handling it well.”

But, you can test yourself—

GET A SIX PACK

AND A MAVIS BEACON typing tutor typing test.

Take the test without any alcohol.

Drink one can

Take the test again.

drink the 2nd can.

Take the test again.

drink the 3rd can.

take the test again.

drink the 4th can.

take the test again.

etc. through the 6th can.

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TELL—WHEN ALCOHOL HAS LEFT YOUR SYSTEM—THAT EACH CAN DETERIORATED YOUR FINE MOTOR COORDINATION.

This is the critical ability to steer to avoid a crash as well as to brake in a timely and constructive fasion.

The FIRST CAN has already begun to put your JUDGMENT CENTER OF YOUR BRAIN TO SLEEP.

This is the center of your brain which tells you when you are too close; too drunk; too erratic etc. . . . already started being anesthetized.

Yet you would insist that you were JUST FINE.

Give me a break.

[Quix]

While I’m all for getting trashed drivers off the road, I don’t really see .08 as being drunk. Some might not be able to handle it, most probably can.

= = =

That sounds like an exceedingly uninformed and biased opinion not based in fact.

“handling it well” is a BAD sign, not a good one. And it is very subjective—tests would show objective observers that the individual was not “handling it well.”

But, you can test yourself—

GET A SIX PACK

AND A MAVIS BEACON typing tutor typing test.

Take the test without any alcohol.

Drink one can

Take the test again.

drink the 2nd can.

Take the test again.

drink the 3rd can.

take the test again.

drink the 4th can.

take the test again.

etc. through the 6th can.

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TELL—WHEN ALCOHOL HAS LEFT YOUR SYSTEM—THAT EACH CAN DETERIORATED YOUR FINE MOTOR COORDINATION.

This is the critical ability to steer to avoid a crash as well as to brake in a timely and constructive fasion.

The FIRST CAN has already begun to put your JUDGMENT CENTER OF YOUR BRAIN TO SLEEP.

This is the center of your brain which tells you when you are too close; too drunk; too erratic etc. . . . already started being anesthetized.

Yet you would insist that you were JUST FINE.

Give me a break.

[fowb]

Price doesn’t even come into play. Neither does the fact that you have no problem with it. It all comes down to the state taking one more step to micromanage your life. Here is what it’s all about.

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” C. S. Lewis