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WyldHrt -> RE: GA Republican’s bill would do away with driver’s licenses (2/3/2011 2:33:52 AM)
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Squick is seeing the results of a head on collision after a drunk has decided he has the right.
Squick is watching the kids being brought in after a night of binge drinking.
Squick is watching a man fall apart after coming into the ER to be told his wife and kids died on their way home from soccer practice because they were t-boned by a drunk on his way home from the bar.
BTDT; I was an EMT, tazzy.
That said, I do not advocate breathalyzers in every car, particularly if they have 'kill switch' capabilities if the driver 'fails' a test while in transit. Having manhandled a dead van off the I-405 in heavy but fast moving traffic just a month or so ago, I can say that I nearly became a hood ornament for the semi I cut off while diving 6 lanes of freeway to the exit, and also nearly had a head-on while muscling the van around the 180 degree exit. At that, I was lucky. Had the engine blown either sooner or later, it could very well have been a scene out of CHiPs. When the engine goes, so do the power steering and brakes. Even if that weren't the case, a car simply stopping in fast moving or heavy traffic usually causes at least one accident, and often more (fucking looky-loos).
Breathalyzers are a piece of mechanical equipment, and therefore subject to failure. IIRC, they also need to be calibrated regularly. So, if this happens, folks who have no history or intention of ever driving drunk not only get forced to pay for the breathalyzers, but also get to pay to maintain them... and hope that a malfunction doesn't leave them either stranded at a rest stop in the middle of the Mojave at 2AM or leave them trying to get off a freeway with a dead engine during rush hour.
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If the keys are in the ignition, you are considered to be driving, according to law.
Even if I'm sitting in the passenger seat? That would be an interesting case.
Considering that I live at the back of 9 acres, and the place I park my car isn't visible from the road or the neighboring properties, I'll not worry until the police can come onto private property whenever they want without cause. When that happens, I'll sure as hell be hiding my toybag, too.
Just to be clear, the car doesn't move an inch if I've had any alcohol. Is it still illegal? Yep, even though I have yet to see any accident statistics for 'idling under the influence'.
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I dont know a responsible mechanic (And there are many in my family) who works on an engine while drinking.
You and I obviously grew up in very different places, then
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