Just lucked my ass out of a DUI....

[speed dawg]

Talk about scary. I would have lost my job, spent the night in the drunk tank, etc. over 3 glasses of wine at dinner.

I knew better too, but I feel like the luckiest mfer on earth by just getting out of there with a $155 ticket.

My advice: Don't do it. As if anyone needed it.

 

[darkstarrr]

Wow. You must feel relieved. I've come pretty close on an occasion or 2 but they never once gave me the breathelizer because I think they knew I wasn't over the limit. One time I even asked for it when the guy made me stand on the side of the high way at night with cars wizzing by doing all his funny tests. I was about to refuse doing them, which is my legal right, but he was getting pushy and made it seem like he was going to arrest me if I didn't.

What do you drive?

 

[speed dawg]

59 in a 35. I went ahead and told the guy the truth since I've had this particular experience before and the truth is the way to go. I mean, if you're wasted, you're screwed anyway. If you're on the line like I was tonight, best to just tell the truth.

I have no clue if I would have passed the breathalizer, but I knew I wasn't sober. It would have been close. I wouldn't have even driven, but I was only 10 minutes from my house.

Either way, that was my wake up call to quit speeding and driving while even drinking a few. It really never dawned on me how your life can change just that quick. I mean, if I was to wreck and kill someone, I'm not going to jail for disturbing the peace, I'm going to pound me in the ass prison for manslaughter.

Really not worth it at all.

 

[STR8UP]

I had one REAAAALLLY close call one time. I was at a club (before I lived downtown) and my buddy was bartending. Every time a group of chicks would walk up to the bar and order a round of shots he would make extra and toss them over to me and a friend.

End of the night rolls around and we were both pretty much gone, but I was more coherent and i had driven there anyway.

We get in my truck and my buddy decides he is too dizzy to ride in the cab so he wants to lay down in the bed. Ok....so were driving along and he tells me to pull over in an industrial complex. I pull off on a side road, we both get out and I start walking around, my buddy is laying in the grass, and next thing you know, 5-0 rolls up. He asks if everything is ok, I tell him "yea, my buddy has just had a little too much to drink and I had to pull over to let him catch a breath". He looks at me and says "Ok, be safe." gets in his cruiser and takes off. I would have easily gotten a DUI that night had i not been the kind of person who carries himself well when drinking.

On a side note....i probably saved my friend from a DUI tonight. WE hit happy hour and by the time 10:00 rolls around she was hammered. We were walking out to our cars and she was having a hard time walking, so I told her she wasn't driving.

At first she put up a fight, but surprisingly she complied. Then she sees a security truck and flags him over and we have to go through this whole rigamaroll where he has to get her ID, telephone number, etc. He wasn't too amused but told her not to worry about the car, just have it out by noon tomorrow.

She's sleeping it off in my bed right now. Good thing I was there cause I don't think she would have made it home......

 

[RedPill]

59 in a 35. I went ahead and told the guy the truth since I've had this particular experience before and the truth is the way to go. I mean, if you're wasted, you're screwed anyway. If you're on the line like I was tonight, best to just tell the truth.

I have no clue if I would have passed the breathalizer, but I knew I wasn't sober. It would have been close. I wouldn't have even driven, but I was only 10 minutes from my house.

Either way, that was my wake up call to quit speeding and driving while even drinking a few. It really never dawned on me how your life can change just that quick. I mean, if I was to wreck and kill someone, I'm not going to jail for disturbing the peace, I'm going to pound me in the ass prison for manslaughter.

Really not worth it at all.

Seconded. I had my "wake-up call" last summer.

In my episode last summer my car stalled out 30 feet short of a parking space while bar hopping and I couldn't get it restarted, so I just put it in neutral and started to Fred Flintstone it into the spot to deal with it later. After about 15 seconds the flashers lit up, and when the cop gave me the breathalyzer I blew .165 which is over twice the legal limit, and thought for sure I was fukked. I started chatting with the cop just and trying to be collaborative about solving the problem with me being on the road and having a disabled vehicle, keeping in the back of my mind the notion that he never actually witnessed me operating the vehicle. He gave me the option of getting a tow truck but said that if I couldn't find one in 5 min I was going to jail. Fortunately I was lucky enough to secure a nearby one and get my car loaded up to haul me away. Absolute fukking miracle I didn't get arrested.

There were several lessons from that whole ordeal:

1) I was a good drunk driver, which had enabled me to get away with it without a problem for years. Ultimately it was the 'sh1t happens' factor that caught up with me, not getting pulled over. I'm guessing this is a common story. For every person that you see on those police shows driving down the center of the road at half the speed limit who can't stand up, I'm guessing there are 30 more who got busted due to a circumstance which interrupted their commute from the party.

2) Until seeing the breathalyzer reading, I had no idea what constituted "the legal limit", and always assumed I was well within it. Not even close. Just like the new public service campaign says, buzzed is drunk.

3) This really is a problem the way society is set up to handle the issue of transportation to and from places & events where alcohol is served. Promoting the idea of a designated driver to prevent drunk driving is like promoting abstinence to prevent pregnancy. It sounds good in theory, but is not realistic. Two drinks is my maximum now if I'm driving.

4) I need to start developing a lifestyle where my social life does not revolve around getting blitzed and staying out all night. Until that incident I hadn't stopped to consider how much of my time & talents have been wasted on hardcore partying. This is still a work in progress.

 

[Deep Dish]

I have one DUI arrest on my record, the only time I've ever been in trouble with the law.

Close encounters and arresting encounters do bestow upon wisdom, and you need to ensure the wisdom lasts. Unfortunately, the wisdom to never do it again usually doesn't last very long. People come up with rationalizations to get back into the old habit and adapt their behaviors to minimize getting caught. Statistically speaking, almost everyone who is arrested once will be re-arrested sometime in their lifetime. My numbers may be off, but I believe 15% have a second arrest within one year, 40% within five years, and about 90% lifetime. Everyone thinks they will be an exception but self-assessments are highly unreliable. And what is the difference between people with close encounters and those arrested than only the number of times they have played Russian roulette.

I went ahead and told the guy the truth since I've had this particular experience before and the truth is the way to go. I mean, if you're wasted, you're screwed anyway. If you're on the line like I was tonight, best to just tell the truth.

The best thing is to not say anything. Don't answer any questions. Don't do the field sobriety test, refuse the breathalyzer. Yes, you very well may end up getting arrested but it minimizes the evidence a crime was committed. It may be the difference between getting your license suspended or winning an appeal with the DMV, although refusing a breathalyzer can result in a longer suspension. It may also be the difference between conviction and charges being dropped.

I tried the nice guy honesty route but still got screwed. I had two prior close encounters, one on the road and the other before I entered my vehicle, but honesty is all Russian roulette.

I have no clue if I would have passed the breathalizer, but I knew I wasn't sober. It would have been close.

Oh you don't know that. I thought I was probably around 0.08 but blew 0.16—I felt tipsy but nothing outrageous. Also, you can still be arrested even if you are 0.01—or even 0.00 (drugs). 0.08 is only the presumptive limit. The presumptive limit is really unimportant to remember—if you have anything to drink you can be arrested.

 

[Drewskie]

I have one DUI arrest on my record, the only time I've ever been in trouble with the law.

Close encounters and arresting encounters do bestow upon wisdom, and you need to ensure the wisdom lasts. Unfortunately, the wisdom to never do it again usually doesn't last very long. People come up with rationalizations to get back into the old habit and adapt their behaviors to minimize getting caught. Statistically speaking, almost everyone who is arrested once will be re-arrested sometime in their lifetime. My numbers may be off, but I believe 15% have a second arrest within one year, 40% within five years, and about 90% lifetime. Everyone thinks they will be an exception but self-assessments are highly unreliable. And what is the difference between people with close encounters and those arrested than only the number of times they have played Russian roulette. The best thing is to not say anything. Don't answer any questions. Don't do the field sobriety test, refuse the breathalyzer. Yes, you very well may end up getting arrested but it minimizes the evidence a crime was committed. It may be the difference between getting your license suspended or winning an appeal with the DMV, although refusing a breathalyzer can result in a longer suspension. It may also be the difference between conviction and charges being dropped.

I tried the nice guy honesty route but still got screwed. I had two prior close encounters, one on the road and the other before I entered my vehicle, but honesty is all Russian roulette.Oh you don't know that. I thought I was probably around 0.08 but blew 0.16—I felt tipsy but nothing outrageous. Also, you can still be arrested even if you are 0.01—or even 0.00 (drugs). 0.08 is only the presumptive limit. The presumptive limit is really unimportant to remember—if you have anything to drink you can be arrested.

Here in Cali. we have something most people are unaware of, it's called wet reckless, same as a dui without the automatic suspension, and you can get one if you are .01 and the cop wants to be an a-hole.

 

[Drewskie]

On a side note, I have had a few much too close for comfort incidents too, and it's not just luck. I have heard from many cops that they hate giving dui's unless the person is obviously sh!tfaced, since it's usually much more paperwork than it's worth. However, the chp is the only agency i know of that gets rewarded for busting dui's.

 

[Levex]

Anyone know if those key chain breathalyzers are worth a damn?I was thinking of getting one so i know for sure i wont get a DUI if i drive.

 

[AAAgent]

my best friend went on vacation and never came back because of a drunk driving incident.

 

[darkstarrr]

Here in Cali. we have something most people are unaware of, it's called wet reckless, same as a dui without the automatic suspension, and you can get one if you are .01 and the cop wants to be an a-hole.

Interesting. If you catch them in a bad mood they can easily fuck you, with or without a breathalizer, etc. All they have to do is play it off like they feared you could be under the influence of something and detain you to prevent the possibility of society at large being in danger. An example of how it is very important sometimes, to be polite, respectful, and almost submissive to people who are underpaid often times ignorant, and in authoratative positions.

ps - don't drink (too much) and drive. maintain control over yourself not to drive eratically if you have had 1 or 2.

 

[I.A.F.Y.B.]

Yup, dont drink and drive. I already had a DUI and it is not worth it at all.. Besides loosing your job, jail time, and fines to pay. You dont want to risk your own life or someone's life cause you were drunk driving.

Also, even if you are under the legal limit you can still get a DUI. Why? Because, it depends on how impaired you are. Alcohol affects people differently. So, like I said if you told the officer; "Yeah, I had a couple beers with my family at dinner." If he asked you for a sobriety test and you failed it. Even though under the legal limit.. He can still give you a DUI...

Bottom line is; Dont drink and drive.

 

[mpimpin]

Just got busted on July 4th. Put down a fifth of whiskey and apparently got out of bed for a waffle house trip. Don't even remember.... wish I had hid my keys or something before drinking.

Wasn't a great experience and I'm underage, but because of that I managed to get a plea bargain and youthful offender status. $3500 later, 6 months probation, 3 drug tests, 4 classes, 3 months suspension, and it will be dismissed and record sealed.

 

[spider_007]

Never really came close, but i have slept in the parking lot that was a half way point home.

two weeks ago i blew for a guy so he can get his car started (he has a previous DUI)

 

[Duffdog]

I just finished my DUI classes and all the other bs that goes with it. One nice thing about the DUI classes is that I got to bang 2 of the cute girls in the class, but I don't drink anymore after this whole ordeal. I think that changing your life so that you don't like drinking anymore is the best way to avoid getting a DUI.