Ridiculous DUI's

I would venture to say that you are a fucking idiot. Either you are a minor or you are an adult, not both. Why should I accept the responsibilities of an adult if, when it comes to alcohol, I am still a "minor"?

And I would also venture to say that you are a fucking idiot since you didn't see where I wrote I was born in Long Beach. I've also lived in England and Mexico so I suppose that make me even more of a stupid foreign kid hahaha

I disagree, someone over the age of 21 will be just a impaired as someone who is 19. The drinking limit should be .08 for all adults. That being said, adults under 21 should still receive punishment for possession but they shouldn't be charged with a no tolerance DUI

what a stupid fucking moron you are, I doubt you have a perspective of the world outside of your nice little suburban cocoon.

I think everyone who's been to another continent can agree that 21 is a bullshit drinking age.

Salcedo definately looks more educated than you. You sound like you are 14 and think you know everything about anything and are always right...

I agree with you that these laws are designed to back each other up. I just take issue with the other point you keep making–that discussing these issues or even just venting frustration is something pointless that should be looked down on.

At the very least, by telling his story, this guy is making people aware of the fact that laws like this are very real and it is entirely possible to get fucked over for doing absolutely nothing wrong. And that's the first stage of change.

I've noticed that the way I approach these issues is uncommon. A lot of people simply analyze why a law exists, arrive at an answer, and stop thinking about it. My brain, though, largely ignores the why and just jumps to the question of whether the law should exist at all–if it is just or not.

I don't understand why people take issue with the simple statement that a law should not exist. Obviously it does exist. Saying "well, it's the law" isn't new information to anyone.

To all you "follow the law" sheep, read this

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/YouthIssues/1099068588.html

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/LegalDrinkingAge.html

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/YouthIssues/1053520190.html

But I don't think many people would argue that adults over 21 are significantly physiologically different than adults under 21... so there's no validity in saying a minor behind the wheel with .04 puts more people in danger than a non-minor with .04.

What you're saying is that the law exists to eliminate hypocrisy, which is a valid statement. But if that's the reason, then it doesn't make sense to have zero-tolerance DUIs and MIPs have different levels of punishment because both are only punishing minors for the simple act of drinking, not for anything else. Like I said, physical maturity is reached long before 21, so there is no difference between a minor and a non-minor behind the wheel of a car with the same BAC.

you were underage drinking

thats kinda like how my friend whose like an A plus student who would never do anything bad in her life and probably has never kissed a guy had an BAC of .01 during a drug test and got in trouble

Here's more

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/YouthIssues/1046348726.html

That sucks man, a .03 is like 1 glass.

i agree with every single word you said. overzealous scumbag cops ruin genuinely good peoples' lives every single day.

its not just black and white or legal or illegal for everything in life. you sound like a fucking cop and being that narrow minded is just plain fucked up!

I had a huge response to this that I deleted. I'm going to summarize the points I made:

-a drinking age of 18 made accessibility too easy (alcohol/high school), thus the age was raised.
-It doesn't have as much to do with psychological maturity as it does said reasoning
-These rules are not made (in my mind) to hinder the fun of kids, but instead, are thought up with good hearted reasoning. Whether the actual laws put forth justify or even represent these notions is a different case
-I'm not disagreeing that these rules are bogus to some extent, the reason I have been posting in this thread is because many people forget that the elected officials that WE put in office make laws that, in theory, are to better our society - on paper, this may be true - in real life, some laws simply do not have this effect. People think that the world is out to get them and I am a full supporter of the notion that the world is NOT out to get me or people my age. Some things just don't work out the way we'd like and we need to deal with it in ways that aren't destructive (driving drunk, getting a DUI, and then complaining about it, for example).

There was more but it got deleted.

I don't think that posting stories is to be looked down upon and I do my best to respond in a non-condescending way, but I don't think that it benefits anybody to bitch about things on here (in regards to laws, etc) and then NOT do anything about it elsewhere. It's great that people are concerned with how their gov't runs the country and want to change it, but I (whether it's correct or not) make the assumption that this bitching ends here, instead of at the desk of legislators and others who NEED to hear such concerns.

The law isn't there because of a psychological difference in a 19 year old and a 21 year old, it's there because the drinking age considers you an adult at 21. It wasn't my decision and I don't agree with it, I was just pointing out WHY the punishments ARE different.

evidently there are a lot of future cops up in hurrr

it may not be a good law, but it is still a law. and laws are what seperate the US and samalia. I like laws. And so it is not bullshit that your friend got a DUI. you knew the age limit (or should have) and the cop did not make you drink. or make you drive home. all he did was his job. and for future reference if you think a law is changed I would suggest calling to a/your congrees man/woman. generaly complaining about it to a bunch of 13 to 20 year olds for sympathy probably won't do much. coming up with a good solid argument that references data from other countries dui's and their age limits and approaching a law maker with it is a good idea,

with love Billy

P.S. not saying things like bullshit laws and power tripping cops is also a good idea. Law makers tend to not like you when you call their work bullshit and insult the people they pay to enforce them)

i agree with you im only 17 but im totally against that zero tollerance thing. I feel that as long as you're a legal adult you should be able to drink its retarded that you cant. But yea i cant even have like 1 beer then drive an hour later cuz if i get breathalizered (sp?) then im gonna have a dui on my record and that really is a serious crime its a felony i believe. along with the fines your friend is probably gonna have to go to aa meetings also which is total bullshit for him anyways my condolences to your bud

Dude, just stop trying, fact is, your friend broke a law and whether you agree with it or not there's nothing you can do about it..

If you feel for whatever reason that you should be in America, then be prepared to obey whatever rules are already in place, if you don't like it, leave...

'Cause no one gives a shit what you think

Why are you being such a dick? You just sound compleatly immature. I agree with what skiierman is saying, but I also think that it is terrible to charge a kid who blows .03 with a DUI, something that baiscally follows you your entire life. A kid I go to school was pulled over, and he blew a .01. He got charged with a DUI and it has pretty much ruined his life. True, it is a law, but somebody blowing .03 should be charged with an MIP, not a DUI.

to say "if you don't like america then leave" is the most stupid and ignorant shit you could possibly say. i can't fucking wait until you are in a similar situation. if you're going to try to attempt to argue your point, give us a more compelling argument than that shit. thats the most mindless bullshit ive ever heard. seriously by saying that, you've added nothing to the argument and you perpetuate the image of ignorant, sheltered, naieve, etc. people who continually add to the negative image of america. and please don't fucking tell me the same thing. the beauty of this country is that dissent can be expressed. while there are many things i am grateful for in america, there are a number of things (namely drinking and marijuana legislature) that i have a number of problems with. so FUCK off!

Lets dispell some myths first.

1. Alcohol laws are the responsibility of the state. There are differences depending on which state you are in legal limits for adults range from .07 - .1. Until several years ago there was a state where the legal age was 19, not 21.

The reason states have the laws set for 21 is because the federal govt gives more funding to states that have their laws at 21.

2. Any person who is in the military is allowed to drink. So if you are going to fight for your country you can have a drink.

3. 1 drink which is 1 twelve ounce beer, one glass of wine, or one 1.5 oz shot of alcohol consumed in 1 hour will leave the average person with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .1. This will change from person to person depending on many factors.

4. Studies have shown that peoples reaction times are hindered with a .05 BAC. Whether or not you think you are good and perfectly fine. You are not normal, do a test of your reaction timesdown to tenths and hundreths of seconds because they are not the same.

5. M.I.P. Minor In Possession. Guess what? In most states like it or not your body is a container so thats the loophole for the MIP.

Now there are a lot of people that have replied that enforcxe why the age is what it is, some people are plenty mature to drink before they are 21 and there are even more who obviously couldnt handle it.

You cannot compare the US to other countries especially those on different continents. The ways of life are completely different. Most countries around the world alcohol is ENJOYED not drank to get buzzed or drunk. Here in teh great ol USA more people than others drink to get drunk. The lifestyle here is different and to reduce the age would (at first, not forever) be very dangerous with the attutudes so many great americans have about alcohol.

Is this law fair? Well this is a highly debatable issue. I am 26 and looking back I am glad the age is 21. Did i feel shit on when i was younger? you bet i did because i was a more mature individual and knew how to properly enjoy a drink or how to know when to stop. However most of the other people i knew that were my age did not know how to properly handle themselves or enjoy a drink. the fact that so many did not understand drinking makes me glad the age is what it is, here in the states.

The most toturing part is for those ages 18, 19, and 20 because at this point you are a true citizen. (technically no one under the age of 18 is a citizen so you have no true rights, does that suck yes but thats another topic for another time) To this the only thing you can say is the law is the law and if you dont like it leave. At 18 you can leave this country is it difficult? yes but you can so at that point you either deal with the "unfair" law (guess what? there are a shit load of other "unfair" laws but we all who choose to stay here have to deal with them) or leave the US.

On an interesting note for those 19 and 20 year olds living in michigan a court case in the last couple years had a somewhat nice outcome for you. After going for a night of drinking in Windsor Ontario (a popular bar scene for a lot of 19 and 20 year olds from southeast michigan) a group was pulled over and those in the car were given breathalyzers and failed because of the zero tolerance they were given MIPs. They fought this and the judge said that since the alcohol was consumed legally (because they were in Windsor with a drinking age of 19) the MIPs did not stand. However if the driver had been under the influence there is a good chance the verdict could have gone the other way.

also take note of the fact that the majority of kids that are advocating this incredibly strict interpretation of the legislature are from the US. the person who started this thread has lived in other countries and america therefore he can compare the differing laws and has the better ability to judge. talk to people from canada, france, basically any other country besides the US and see what they have to say. you can't continue to accept everything for whats on paper. if you do, you're completely blind to anything else but this bullshit. there are better places and more effective laws out there. i honestly believe that if you compared data from the US and France on underage drinking and its relation to other crimes,etc. that the US would rank highest b/c of its extremely strict policy. the fact that the policy is so strict automatically causes problems with minors who are naturally prone to rebel. but in a place like france, where the age is lower, the kids become adjusted to it and are more mature abbout drinking and thus less likely to be charged with DUIs or any other related crimes.

but i do agree with the fact that many people my age (18) do onot know how to enjoy alcohol responsibly. i am just arguing this based on my habits and lifestyle.

But if a state doesn't adhere to the "national" age of 21, then they are strong armed into it by the federal government. Something something interstate funding something. Look it up.

I believe hawaii was the last state to have an age under 21 (no interstate highways) but some other way was found of making them cooperate.

yes federal funding i meant to type that but got carried into another thought before i did, states lose funding from the feds for an under 21 law. i thought it was pennsylvania that was the last but maybe it was hawaii. also something interesting i have heard but am not positive it is true. In wisconsin a parent can buy their child an alcoholic beverage at a bar or restaurant.

they have quotas to meet, furthering their doucheness

No, basically we (18-20) year olds are the victims of the current day prohibitionists. They target young people because we have the little to no say in the government and have no way of fighting it.

they dont have quotas, they cant that is actually against the law... they usually call them something besides quotas, lol

Dude... You're a fucking douche. I bet you'll change your mind about all this when you end up taking a sip of beer and then get pulled over and have a DUI slapped on you for blowing 0.01. Go trade some more Pokemon cards with your imaginary friends...

there is alot of under the table stuff among those who "protect and serve"

I have a very hard time believing that, seeing how you have to blow a .02+ for a MIP...

First off, I do agree that anyone under the age of 21 who blows below a .08 while operating a motor vehicle should receive an MIP instead of a DUI. Furthermore, I do feel that the legal drinking age of 21 in the US is a bit absurd.

How many friends have you guys had killed by drunk drivers? I've had many, and I'm not just talking acquaintances or friends I didn't see outside of school; I mean people whom I was close with, and so many of them that it takes more than the ten fingers on my hands to count them. I've been drunk illegally as a minor, and I've been legally drunk as an adult. There have been numerous times when I've been drunk somewhere and needed to be another place, yet I have never in my life driven drunk nor felt the desire.

A little over a year ago, there was a girl in British Columbia (under the age of 19) who used a fake ID to get into a bar. After getting drunk, she left and STOLE her friend's car. While she was driving, she hit another vehicle and ended up killing a man in this mid- to late-twenties. As a punishment, she received 240 hours of community service and nothing more. When they showed her on the news after the verdict, she was laughing with her friends and obviously felt no remorse. What kind of a message does this ruling convey? I knew none of the parties involved in the incident, but I was enraged when I heard the outcome and saw her laughing about the ordeal on the news.

Seriously, though, CALL A FUCKING CAB. There are many cab companies and/or bars in the US and Canada that will cover your cab fare if you are too intoxicated to drive and need a ride home.

I personally feel that the penalties for receiving a DUI should be harsher, and I definitely support it being a felony. I also feel that it's bull shit how lenient the courts can be at times for things like killing or injuring another person or persons while driving drunk. Call me a stupid fucking cunt, or whatever it was, but when you lose nearly twenty loved ones to a MVA caused by an inebriated driver, you might start agreeing with me. MADD isn't there to fuck you over or ruin your fun; many of the mothers have lost loved ones to drunk driving incidents and are just trying to prevent as many of these instances from happening.

As already stated, I do agree that getting nailed with a DUI (felony = no entry into Canada) for having a BAC of .03 just because you're 18-20 is ridiculous.

i like how their is a comon misconception that this site is overun by prebesent 13-14 yearolds

In my personal opinion, zero tolerance for any kind of alcohol level in the blood while operating a motor vehicle should be in effect. People drinking underage and driving should get some sort of citation, if only for breaking the law once.

It doesn't matter if the law is stupid, they're not up for debate on your own personal level, you have to take it with the authorities. Just because you think it's stupid doesn't mean you can go ahead and ignore it.

Heck, i completely agree with the law about the DUI citation if it so much as kept one underage kid from drinking and driving and killing someone.

with that said, im 18, and i have some wine on the counter, i live in sweden, sooo... laters!

hes under 21 it doesnt even matter

I agree with you completely, it should be an MIP and not a DUI. There is no science that indicates any difference in alcohol required to become impaired between someone 19 and 21 years old. I too have lost a friend in a drunk driving accident, so to all these fools who say he was driving impaired, fuck off. I would have stopped him myself if he had actually been impaired.


MADD use to be an organization with honorable intentions, namely preventing drunk driving through educating the public on its dangers. In recent years though they've sidetracked from that goal into a all out attack against alcohol consumption. They are trying relentlessly to get lawmakers to impose a .05 BAC DUI. This is not going to prevent drunk driving, its only going to affect moderate, responsible drinkers. They've also pushed hard for tougher enforcement of the no tolerance law, ruining the lives of many college age students. I even heard of one student who received a DUI for driving home the next day since traces of alcohol were still on his breath.