Originally Posted by
Totem Polar
On the subject of drunk driving, my state is currently advancing bills to lower the BAC threshold to .05 for DUI through the monoparty legislature. Pretty sure it’s going to happen. I personally think this is a bad idea, since it will have a major impact on our craft winery, beer, and overall entertainment industries, globally—large industries that are a big part of our economy that already ate a mountain of shit during the shutdown.
This is coming from a guy who—along with his wife—almost got killed by a drunk driver on our wedding anniversary by a van that ran through 2 red lights, hit the intersection of our driver’s door/engine compartment/A pillar (thank God, or I’d not be here typing this) and pinned us up against a building, wedging us between a traffic light pole and the front door of the corner business (which was a dive bar, ironically). First responders eventually pried us out via our sedan’s back doors; our crash scene was on the evening news of our local channels. Rest assured, I take a VERY dim view of drunk driving, but I also know that the 3 guys in the van that made a mockery of our lives for 6 years ALL were over .20. All 3 had suspended licenses for repeated DUI, and all 3 had multiple felonies on their records. Had the police been able to figure out which one was actually in the driver’s seat, that person would have gone away for good under WA’s 3-strike laws. I *know* (knew) people who were killed by drunk drivers; none of those drivers were blowing anywhere near as low as .05. The last one was hit by someone blowing well into the .2 range (.28, IIRC)
So there’s “drunk driving” and then there is DRUNK driving. That’s just my experience of things. No doubt there are career street cops who have more expert input. I’d be very interested in opinions from resident P-F blue on .05 limiting as the threshold for DUI. Given that 2 6oz glasses of red wine will reportedly put a guy my weight (175ish) at over .05, I’d guess that 50 percent of any audience hearing me play classical music at a winery concert series are hitting .05 at some point during the gig, but I don’t have any way of knowing for sure.
This a hot topic for me, since I’ve A, barely escaped death or life-shattering injury caused by a career drunk, and B, rely on alcohol sales and consumption for a decent chunk of my living.
It is interesting watching multiple friends, colleagues, and acquaintances who have been all “Go Dems!” as the legislature passes one uncontested gun control bill after another suddenly switch to “Wait… what? Fuck the Dems!” upon realizing that the anti-bacchanal nanny state they voted for is now pitting the threat of DUI against every brew pub, weekend concert, and movie night.
But I digress. Input on .05 welcome.