Avoiding the Pesky DUI

You go out with some friends and have a great time. Your original plan is to only have a few, but that soon turns into a few to many. You want to save a few bucks so you refuse to call a cab. You tell your friends that you are OK to drive and blindly, they allow you to drive. Now you find yourself on the wrong side of a citizen / police interaction. You are about to get a DUI.

I see many articles on how to avoid getting a "DUI." Many of these pages offer advice on how to "outwit" the cop, pass the field tests, or how to "beat" the breathalyzer. I can tell you that this advice is usually bogus. As a law enforcement officer, I am going to tell you exactly how to keep that pesky DUI off of your record. You may be astonished to see, it is very simple to do and more easy to accomplish then you think.

The first bit of advice I will give you is on the typical traffic stop, this is neither the time nor the place for you to pretend to be an expert in the field of criminal justice nor is it sensible to play attorney. The officer is VERY well trained in the art of DUI detection. If the officer happens to make a mistake, it will be exposed in a court of law, not on the roadside. It is best to comply with the officer. Don't get me wrong, if you do not understand a request or statement of the officer you should ask the officer for clarification, without the use of smart-assed comments. Remember, in today's world, law enforcement is usually recording the whole interaction both on video and audibly.

Second, many people think that if you practice some of the field tests enough, you will be able to pass the field test at a time of intoxication. This is doubtful. When an intoxicated individual is in the process of partaking in the tests, they are usually concentrating on aspics of the test that are irrelevant to the final outcome. The perceived results of the individual taking the test are usually different form the actions that the officer was in fact watching for.

Finally, many people will preach different methods for "beating" the breath test. I have heard everything from giving and inadequate breath sample to putting a penny in your mouth. I witnessed individuals placing cigarette butts into their mouth, and have even read accounts of people actually putting a clump of dog feces in to their mouth. Let me tell you this much, if one refuses to give an adequate breath sample, the officer can determine that the offender is refusing the test. In many jurisdictions, a refusal of the test is a failed test. In my state, refusing to take the test will automatically result in the suspension of ones driving privileges for up to four years. And for those who believe that they can skew the test results by placing some item into your mouth are severely wrong in their thinking. First of all, the officer will usually examine your open mouth to determine that it is empty. Seconded, let us look at the common sense approach. When we place something into our mouths there is usually a build up of saliva. There will probably be a concentrated amount of alcohol in that saliva. One can imagine how the results may be affected. I'm no scientist and I have no scientific proof to back up that theory but I can use common sense.

So now I will give you the big secret on avoiding that DUI. Are you ready for it? Here it comes. Call your friends because this is the revealing of the biggest law enforcement secret ever to be revealed. DO NOT DRINK AND THEN DRIVE A VEHICLE. I told you it was simple.

In today's world, one drink may be one to many for many people. Remember, the blood alcohol concentration, the magic number if you will, is only a simple guideline. One does not need to be at that number to be convicted of DUI. All the court needs to prove was the inability to safely operate a motor vehicle. Slight impairment is impairment.

A little tip in reference to drunk drivers: if one feels it is necessary to make the statement "I am OK to drive", they are NOT OK to drive. ANYBODY who has had a few drinks then gets behind the wheel of a vehicle is a risk to society. It is true that they are also a risk to themselves but they put themselves into that position. It a drunk driver kills or cripples himself as a result of their own actions, so be it. They will receive no sympathy from me and should not receive compassion from society. They thought so little for the innocent public that they intentionally placed society at risk. When one makes the choice to get behind the wheel of a vehicle when they are intoxicated, they transform into a self-absorbed prick. These drunks would rather save a few dollars by not taking a cab or show their friends that they are "OK" and can handle their liquor then simply do the intelligent thing and get a ride. Apparently, there wallet and there self perceived appearance to the world around them is more important then the life of an innocent bystander. They literally care only for themselves and are willing play Russian roulette with the lives of our friends, family, and even our children.

We are coming to a crossroads in reference to DUI enforcement in the country. Too often we think of the DUI as the nuisance crime. We make jokes and laugh at the stories of those who have received a DUI. Those charged with a DUI continue to refuse to take responsibility for there selfish actions by "getting the best deal" in a court of law. It is time that we lobby our lawmakers to make the punishment for DUI more severe. Our less then impressive punishments that we now have are obviously not a harsh enough deterrent to the self-absorbed individual who gets behind the wheel of a moving weapon.

I can go on for pages and pages on this topic; however I feel that it is not necessary. By simply reading this article, you have shown that you have the intelligence to keep an open mind and if necessary, partake in an intellectual debate on the subject. I welcome the opportunity to partake in the exchanging of ideas in the hopes of furthering the knowledge of our great society. I look forward to hearing form you.