Posted on 03/22/2006 10:40:15 AM PST by Daytyn71
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission sent a message to bar patrons last week.
TABC agents and Irving police swept through 36 Irving bars and arrested about 30 people on charges of public intoxication. Agency representatives say the move came as a proactive measure to curtail drunken driving.
North Texans interviewed by NBC 5, however, worried that the sweep went too far.
At one location, for example, agents and police arrested patrons of a hotel bar. Some of the suspects said they were registered at the hotel and had no intention of driving. Arresting authorities said the patrons were a danger to themselves and others.
"Going to a bar is not an opportunity to go get drunk," TABC Capt. David Alexander said. "It's to have a good time but not to get drunk."
Dallas comedian Steve Harvey agreed with the Texas residents who said the arrests infringed on individual rights.
"If a guy's got a designated driver, go ahead and let him get toasted," Harvey told NBC 5.
Texas law states that inebriated individuals could be subjected to arrest anywhere for public intoxication. Harvey and other North Texans called the measure extreme.
"That seems to be an extreme case," one man said. "You are self-contained, in the hotel, you're not going in the streets, it seems a little ridiculous."
TABC officials said the sweep concerned saving lives, not individual rights. Harvey and others interviewed by NBC 5 said they believe drunken driving to be unacceptable, although Harvey wanted to confirm that the United States remains a free country.
"Freedom of drinking should always be allowed, and it is only American to let a guy get drunk where he wants to get drunk," Harvey said.
That's a hoot. When did he take HIS first turn on the wheel?
Not in many places anymore.......A Massachusetts Court just today ruled that private clubs are subject to the same nanny state nonsense that Joe's Tavern is.
The idea of public and private has disappeared. And you apparently have no problem with that.
This forum is NOT necessarily open to all viewpoints, and you'll last longer if you understand that.
"Texas Open Container Law
Since Sept. 1, 2001 when House Bill 5 passed by the Texas legislature became effective, it is illegal to have an open container of alcohol in the passenger area of a car on any public road in Texas. Exempt from this law are buses, limousines, and taxis."
I'm a little behind the times. Apparently they stopped it WAAAAAAAY back in 2001 and have slid into nearly absolute prohibition since then.
You're absolutely right about drinking and driving.
I see `social drinkers' all the time in court, crying like babies before a judge because they knocked back "just a couple beers" then climbed behind the wheel of a car.
Good to see another adult.
Maybe you don't advocate banning booze, but you seem comfortable with field sobrity tests just in case someone might decide to drive after having been drinking.
I will not drive if my BAC is over the legal limit, however I am not DRUNK........the term DRUNK is totally subjective.
If I'm sitting at the bar and have had 4 or 5 beers my BAC is going to be over the legal limit for driving, but that doesn't mean I'm DRUNK. It means I will not be getting behind the wheel of a car, but that is because I take responsibility for my actions.
Sorry - I can not accept what was done here. It's entrapment, plain and simple.
I'd wager there are some good ole boys in some backwood honkie tonks in Tx that would love to see you and some of these tabc fellows drop by their backwoods bar.
Nope, shant treat these cowboys like that...are you kidding, those drunk cowboys would kick their asses. So these sissies, just like some here would, take the safe route and get the civilized drinkers in city bars...far less likely to resist much less start a knock down drag out somebody is gonna die fight.
What's the penalty for being self-righteous in public?
double LOL
In Delaware it is bad. If you decide to sleep it off in your car and the keys are ANYWHERE inside the vehicle, you are toast and your DL is gone for a minimum of 6months. The premise being if you have the keys, you have control of the vehicle.
my question now is whats next...are they going to storm the bathrooms to get people for indecent exposure?
"Confused...how is being inside a bar public, unless it is owned by the government. "
Now, that's an interesting question. Here in Minnesota, and in some other midwestern states, a lot of towns have a Municipal Bar, and it is owned by the government.
You are advocating a police state, though you might not understand it.
I would suggest that you are very intolerant of others stated views.
I'm very intolerant of bootlicking totalitarian-loving mindsets.
I would also suggest to you that this forum is open to all view points.
Don't worry, I don't have the power to ban you, nor would I if I could. But if you think FR is some free-for-all, you've obviously not read the mission statement on the home page. you see, "free" doesn't describe the forum, it describes the "republic" that we aspire to have.
No, your type doesn't last long because ultimately when statist bootlickers lose arguments, they typically snap and flame out in huge temper tantrums.
Texas ping
Some of them do.
Also, there are some important differences between alcohol and tobacco, though I agree that banning smoking in bars and restaurants is wrong.
How do you pick a designated driver? Simple, it's the one who is too drunk to sing.
.........You have no right what so ever to be plastered/drunk in public. Not in a moving car, behind the wheel, walking in the park, or down the street on your anchored boat, sitting on a bench, or any other location; period........
YES we do have the right...(option may be a better word) (although I would consider this right to be a form of bad judgement)
What people do ANYWHERE is strictly up to THEM...whether it be in their own home or out in public.
Stupid is as stupid does
The police chief here was caught throwing a beer can out of his car while on duty. Very light slap for him.
They actually did something similar in Herdon, VA last year or the year before.
But what the cops would do was go into a bar and pick out people they thought were intoxicated. They were told to look for certain signs - like really long ashes on a cigarette, etc. - and then they would ask the person to step outside of the bar to speak with them.
Then whammy - arrested for public intoxication. Needless to say, once people started hearing about it and contacting their legislators, the program was shut down.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.