Gregoire's promotion and hype didnt come through for her. Looks like Irie doesn't have to move!

http://www.kgw.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8ULTMU01.html

That's too bad.

Immm suuree gladd those dinnt pass.

Nooww ist safe to driev hoome.

Just kidding. Nothing worse that a drunk driver.

However, random checkpoints aren't necessarily the answer, in my opinion.

I didnt think she had a chance in hell getting this pushed through in this state the way she was going about it.

Taking drunks off the road needs to be a priority and there are still other ways to increase DUI arrests. Every agency should have a DUI squad with enough officers to actually make a difference and DUI penalties shouldn't be such a joke. Most departments have DUI squads so that they can appear to care, but they staff them with such ridiculously low numbers, they can't even make a dent in the violations that are occuring nightly.

Haha. I've spent enough time downtown Olympia when the Leg is in session to know how those guys are. The real fun was when Lowry was Governor. It was crazy back then. He hit on my friend's girlfriend at our table. He was plowed. Locke was a stiff so "The Scene" died a bit, but now it's coming back. The Lobbyist parties this year are spilling out into the streets. Gregoire knows how to party, she just keeps it quiet.

They know better than to pass a bill that might end their lucrative political careers.

I didnt vote for Gregoire but I had the opportunity to speak with her a little bit while she played video games with my son at Lake Quinault Lodge 2 yrs ago. I found her to be pro Law Enforcement and I agreed with most of what she said. Maybe she was playing politician and was saying what she thought I wanted to hear...Who knows.

Chris is getting a little comfy being our gov. and is taking on the tude' she can do whatever she wants.

The engine fee is still on the table and we pay one of the highest gas taxes in the nation...pure genius

Now she's pushing for past DUI offenders to have super bright yellow plates...

Only strict punishment will help get more drunks off the road. Look at some of the European countries. Basically zero tolerance. When you're out with people drinking someone always stays sober or you get a cab. Everytime. Out punishments are a joke.

My cousing has 9 or so DUI's. It wasn't until after his 7th that he spent the year in jail. He's had two more since then and has spent very little time in prison. I have no idea how he gets away with it because I simply don't talk to him. At a family function a few weeks ago I called the Edmonds police on him but he left before they showed. Now I have an aunt (his mom) who will never talk to me again but so be it. I have no respect for her because she's enabled him every step of the way. I could not care less if he kills himself. But, having him drive away from another family function bombed out of his mind and possibly killing some innocent person wasn't going to sit to well with me.

My family thinks I'm joking when I offer to take him crabbing with me. I'm not. Can you say crab bait?

Keep Drunks off the road! They needed those check points set up, near where a density of Bars are located, in order to teach people a different behavior. That whould target the many DUI weekender's with addictive behavior. Privacy should only be an issue, if the searches are executed while you in your car, and on private property. Those driver's that are stopped on a public road, should be subject to a DUI check, in order to insure public safety. Allowing drunk driver behind the wheel, is like allowing a sh!t head to set up a firing range on our freeways and road,... only, the bullets used by these drunks, are 2 ton automobiles. Just hope that I am never in the cross hairs.

Who says the drunks have a "right" to drive after they are convicted. I wrote in with a guaranteed solution to the problem a few years ago but it was rejected because of the leaches we call defense lawyers. The biggest problem we have with drunk drivers is ,in my opinion,the system we have that gives these bozos the right to be set free by some pos lawyer . I honestly believe that the civil liberties union has done more to damage society than to help society. I use the analogy that drunk driving is like drugs. We will always have the problem as long as the lawyers find it to be such a cash cow. Then we come to the insurance companys and the list goes on. There is no need to put these drunk drivers in jail to be able to keep them off the roads and still allow them to work and support their families. The only ones that this would not work with is the ones that make their living driving. I would explain it but it would do no good as long as we have lawyers. Just know it would not harm the offender in any way nore be permanent.

The problem is big and deep. Biggest problems-

-Not allowing neighborhood taverns to open in residential areas.
-Complete lack of reliable or in many cases ANY public transit outside of urban areas.
-Poor planning placing residential areas outside of walking distance from commercial areas.

It has nothing to do with penalties & fines, if you don't think so ask anyone who's had a DUI lately. They average over $10,000 after all is said and done.

People are going to drink no matter what. Prohibition taught us that. If you put the bait 10 miles away people will do what they feel they need to in order to get it, But when it comes to some guy wanting to open a neighborhood Pub on a corner, you get a bunch of blue nosed old women screeching like harpies at the next city council meeting.

$10,000? I have observed sentencing of dozens of DUI convictions and I've never seen penalties close to $10,000. You must be including the cost of their lawyer. That's their choice to not use a Public Defender. Examples of recent penalties that I have seen; 365 days in jail with 364 suspended, $1000 fine, alcohol treatment class, and MADD class. Where's the lession?

Thats all costs combined, when you tally treatment, fines, fees, Insurance rates, legal, etc.

I agree with you and so does the US Supreme Court. The problem is that the Washington State Supreme Court and 9th Circuit are far more restrictive to law enforcement when it comes to 4th Amendment issues. I have to laugh when people comment on their civil liberties being taken away in this state. They would be shocked if they saw how things are done across the country.

As far as things being done across the country. A friend's son got nailed for DUI in Michigan (maybe Minnesota). No big deal there. $750 fine and that's it. No suspension, no jail (actually not sure about this, maybe 24 hours), no classes. He was stunned when he called back there to settle his son's account.

So I think it's dependant on location. Where folks think cops will take care of them might be the heaviest? Nothing against cops, but those dreamers who rely on the justice system to make all things right are beyond pathetic.

Been clean and sober 21 years here this month. Cops and threats didn't make the difference for me. go figure.

Fact check time.

I have no idea if she supports the idea or not but I'm not sure its fair to say she is "pushing" it. The sponsor of the bill is Republican Senator Mike Carrell. Tell him what you think:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/memberemail/MailForm.aspx?Chamber=S&District=28

Non-violent drug offenders.

Good answer, Dan...that would free up about half the jail space right there...but see my post on the "ACLU and pot" thread.

Fish on...

Todd

I still feel that alcohol endorsements on our licenses or ID cards could help. One DUI, pull the endorsement for a period. Penalties for selling or giving alcohol to a person without proper endorsement. Easy to implement with little cost. At the time of conviction, judge takes the ID and suspect required to get new license without endorsement. Courts could also revoke for alcohol enduced crimes, such as bar fights, or abuse cases where alcohol was determined to play a role. They could also take them away for people who have been hospitalized for alcohol poisoning. These provisions could limit access to chronic street alcoholics and may get some of them to clean up or move on. There is no excuse for a guy with 5 DUI's being able to legally buy alcohol. None..