[elkfersupper]

Very few actual or potential mothers on the MADD Mothers' Board of Directors.

Glynn R. Birch, National President

Laura Dean-Mooney

Brian Demers

Deborah Duncan

Paul D. Folkemer, Chairman of the Board

Lelia S. Haddle

Lew Hollinger

Leonard R. Jacob

Chris Johnson

David Levy

Jeffrey Levy

L. Anthony Pace

Paul V. Romero

Linda A. Rothwell

Robert Strassburger

Kathryn Stewart

Traci Toomey

Nina Walker

Theresa Paulette Winn

Jan Withers

Executive Director Charles A. Hurley, Chief Executive Officer

[elkfersupper]

Potential nanny state ping.

[library user]

That driver has a tummyache, get him a breathalyser ASAP!

[FlingWingFlyer]

Memo to GM and Toyota: It will be a cold day in hell...

[Entrepreneur]

Advocates say the technology under development would be “less intrusive.” Instead of making the driver blow into a little tube like they make you do at those roadside “sobriety checkpoints,” a system of passive alcohol sensors would be fitted to the car that could take a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) reading via a person’s skin — as when your hand touches the shifter or steering wheel. This “quiet” approach is supposed to make us feel better about being pre-convicted and treated like known and duly processed irresponsible drunks every single time we get behind the wheel of a car.

Uh....

[silentreignofheroes]

I’ll stick with our 15/17 year old vehicles.Heck we still have a ‘79 Pinto sittin’ in the barn.Can’t see it happening.These folks don’t get out much.

[nomad]

I`ll just buy the last model vehicle made without this big brother gear and keep it road worthy.

[Liberty 275]

I rarely drink, and I never drink and drive. That said, there is nothing toyota or GM can put on a car that I cannot bypass.

screw the nanny.

[Mark]

Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety— is this the same company owned by the “tag team” of Kennedy/Reid/Pelosi? (OK, I made that last part up.. sort of..)

[chargers fan]

This reminds me of an old bit from “Weekend Update” on SNL about ten years ago. Colin Quinn (sp?) was talking about these devices being researched. The punch-line was if you failed the breathalizer the car would drive you to your old-girlfriend’s place. Never thought I’d see the day when these things are real though.

[mirkwood]

Not in MINE!

[seowulf]

I’m sure your car’s on board computer will record your BAC and use OnStar to email the local authorities to inform them that you have attempted to start your car while under the influence.

[neverdem]

Thank you.

[diverteach]

Not to worry, it’d be followed by a gizmo available on eBay that’d deliver a breath of fresh air for you drunk or not.

[jonrick46]

What is always been at the heart of my objection to the alcohol witch hunt is the law of diminishing returns. It needs to be mentioned that MADD exists as a money making non profit organization. They operate to make a living and anything that creates new opportunities for money the better. Thus, if they could bring about the implantation of a chip in every individual to monitor blood alcohol, they would work for it if it brought in more funding.

However, this effort is beginning to get costly. At what expense is a society willing to spend to remove that last pesky DWI/DUI driver from the road. And, once that goal has been achieved, will they go after the mentally unfit driver? Will we be required to undergo a brain scan before the ignition switch is activated? How much money will be spent to annoy the motoring public with increased costs and paraphernalia for the little results but big return for the groups that push them.

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[wastedyears]

Good reason to buy used.

[LostInBayport]

Instead of making the driver blow into a little tube like they make you do at those roadside “sobriety checkpoints,” a system of passive alcohol sensors would be fitted to the car that could take a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) reading via a person’s skin — as when your hand touches the shifter or steering wheel.

Better not use the alcohol-based Purell for a while prior to getting behind the wheel.

I'm still amazed that the 2007 car I purchased in January doesn't ring a stupid bell or flash some annoying light if I don't put my seat belt on (I usually wear it but not if I'm moving the car a short distance or driving a few streets away). You know that the "car won't start if seat belt isn't on" has got to be on the list of Big Nanny also.

[eyedigress]

Try it out on all critters cars first.

[Smokin' Joe]

So, If you spilled some Heet on your hands while filling up, (winter, Heet is a fuel system de-icer), you aren't going anywhere?

If you bartend, you aren't driving home from work?

...And any of a host of other substances (MEK, perfume, methanol, solvents, Purell, Isopropanol) which can get on your skin that the machine will read as trace amounts of alcohol, which will be multiplied by a gozillion to get your B.A.C. (just like the breathalyxer multiplies your alvaeolar air alcohol content by 1400 to get a BAC), will mean you get to sit this drive out.

And if you are alone and have to go somewhere (or just run the heater) 'cause it is 30 below outside, at least your relatives will get to have your frozen corpse tested before they sue the automakers...

Hyperbole? Not in North Dakota.

I have known two people who froze to death, (one on her doorstep, the other automatically locked out of his car with the keys inside at -30F with wind chill at -50), and another who came really close.

I think this is a damnably dumb idea.

And I don't drink.

[LIBERTARIAN JOE]

Don't worry, this is just an interim step... we'll pay billions to introduce this big-brother technology, but when it becomes obvious that most people work around it, gov't will take it to the next logical level.

Just imagine - you know you have to drive to work monday, so 4-6 weeks before then, you apply for a gov't travel permit. If you're lucky, the police show up on time... 3 am monday morning. After conducting the blood and urine tests, and a search of your house, car and person (just to be sure), they hand you your keys and it's off to work you go!